Book
Suggestions below: People
often ask me for book suggestions related to Yoga meditation, so I've listed below some that I
personally know about and feel are useful. There are also links to some
authors whose work I find clear and authoritative, as well as several
search links by topic. I hope you find these recommendations useful.
Integration of Yoga, Vedanta, and
Tantra: The tradition of the Himalayan sages is
a source out of which many spiritual practices have emerged, and which
have subsequently taken on individual identities as spiritual paths. The
teachings of Swami Rama are a practical integration of the Yoga Sutras of
Patanjali, Advaita Vedanta, and Samaya (purely internal) Tantra. These
encompass the teachings of the tradition of the Himalayan
sages. His
presentation of these ancient teachings is so straightforward as to be
accessible to all people. (See the article, Yoga,
Vedanta, and Tantra.)
Practical, clear, and deep: One
thing that all of Swami Rama's books have in common is that they
focus on the practical, and at the same time provide the depth
of yogic theory. While I admit my bias, since he is my teacher,
I truly mean this, that his presentation is practical and clear.
It is common for someone to start reading his books and then
tell me, in their own surprise, how extremely useful,
understandable, and thorough they find his teachings.
A complete study:
There are many books by Swami Rama, and if you enjoy the first
few, you
might eventually like to have a complete library (if you find
the first one or two useful). However, there are three books
that, together, form a complete study, containing essentially
all of the principles. I have used these three books a great
deal for teaching classes. They are:
Three recommendations: If you are wondering where to
start in all of the Swami Rama books, getting copies of
these three would be a good choice:
1.Meditation and Its Practice
A solid foundation for the practice of Yoga meditation. It is superb
for the beginner, including instructions on preparation, sitting
postures, breathing practices, and meditation itself. The chapters
on mind and the chapter introducing a program for progress in Yoga
meditation are profound, even for the more experienced meditator,
and yet practical in describing the advanced stages of
meditation.
2.The
Art of Joyful Living
The first time I saw this book, I was put off by the title and a
quick glance through the pages. It looked like just another pop
psychology book. Wow, was I wrong. This book puts the wisdom of
the ancient sages in wonderfully usable language. Another thing
nice about this book is that the editor did a minimal amount of
editing. Most of the language is in its original form, as if he is
speaking to the reader, and speaks clearly of a voice of direct
experience.
3.Path
of Fire and Light: Volume II
This book is Volume 2 of the series. Volume 1 is great and has
many advanced practices. However, they are so difficult that he
wrote Volume 2, which is subtitled "A Practical Companion to
Volume 1." This book breaks down the path to enlightenment in
eight clearly described steps. It also has great explanations of
how to work with your mind, how to do internal dialogue, and how
to work with energy and chakras. It gives detailed descriptions of Yoga
Nidra, yogic sleep.
More recommendations:
Each of the following will give added perspective on the
teachings. Sometimes it can seem that we need more and more new
information when, in fact, what we really need is to hear a
similar message over and over, said in different ways. The Swami Rama books below will give you that
diversity.
Living With the Himalayan Masters
This is a great book for everybody. It has over 100 different
stories about travels around India and encounters with many
sages. If there were ever a book to which the word
"inspiring" applies, this is it. I have met many
people who started their journey of Yoga meditation because of
reading this book.
Perennial Psychology of the Bhagavad Gita
Bhagavad Gita means "Song of the Lord" and is a very
well known text, actually part of an epic poem, in which Krishna
instructs Arjuna on the paths of Yoga. There are many commentaries
on the Bhagavad Gita, each with its own focus. Swami Rama writes
in the Introduction that, "Profound psychological insights
are intertwined in the Bhagavad Gita with the philosophical
concepts, so the task undertaken here is to separate the
psychological principles and to explain their practical
application.... Without the help of psychology -- knowing,
analyzing, and learning to use our inner potentials -- we cannot
fulfill the goal of human life: Self-realization."
Enlightenment Without God (Mandukya...
The title can seem somewhat offensive. However, this is not
anti-God, but rather is emphasizing the need to do self-enquiry to
experience the Self. It is said that the entire wisdom of the East
is in the Vedas, that the Upanishads is the distillation of that
wisdom, and that of the over 100 known Upanishads, the most
profound is the Mandukya Upanishad, the subject of this short book.
The topic is the mantra AUM, and is summarized in 12 verses. Swami
Rama's commentary is nothing short of awesome. Individual sentences
will call out to you as you repeatedly refer back to this book over
time. The text is out of print and you may have to locate a used
copy.
Lectures on Yoga
Describes the eight rungs of Classical Yoga, from the Yoga Sutras
of Patanjali. The eight rungs are thoroughly described in separate
chapters. Originally published in India in the early 1960's, the
book was later revised and republished. The book has been
posthumously revised once again and re-titled
The
Royal Path: Practical Lessons on Yoga.
A Call to Humanity
Subtitled "Revolutionary Thoughts on the Direction for
Spiritual and Social Reform in Our Time." Discussions on spiritual practices in the context of our modern
culture. An inspiration on being in the world. The book has been
posthumously revised and given the new title of
Spirituality.
Choosing a Path
A superb book for comparing and integrating the paths of Yoga.
Includes chapters on Jnana, Bhakti, Karma, Raja, Laya, and
Kundalini Yoga. There is also a chapter on Preparation for
Choosing a Path, which serves as a clear foundation for all of
the paths.
Creative Use of Emotion
As the name implies, the book deals with the use of emotions in
the spiritual journey and in daily life. Many practical
insights. The book is co-authored
with Swami Ajaya, an American psychologist.
More books by
Swami Ajaya
Freedom from the Bondage of Karma
An excellent, short book that gives really succinct and
practical explanations of the process of forming and removing
karma.
Inspired Thoughts of Swami Rama
A collection of published lectures transcripts and articles
spanning a decade, from the 1970's to the early 1980's. Some
really useful insights.
Life
Here and Hereafter: Kathopanishad
Based on the Katha Upanishad, a story where the student
Natchiketas means Yama, who symbolizes the one who knows the
secret of life, death, and eternal being. Swami Rama describes
the key principles of Vedanta in this book.
Love and Family Life
A beautiful description of living spiritual life in the midst of
family life. Many couples have told me that they find this book
to be an important part of their planning their family
lives.
Love Whispers
Poetry of Swami Rama from his private diaries, in which he is
writing of his love for the mother aspect of the Universe, of
God.
Path
of Fire and Light: Advanced...
This is the original (Volume 1) Path of Fire and Light,
subtitled Advanced Practices of Yoga. It is an excellent
resource, describing many advanced breathing practices. The
chapters on the construction of the subtle body are very
useful.
Path
of Fire and Light: Volume II
This book is Volume 2 of the series. Volume 1 is great and has
many advanced practices. However, they are so difficult that he
wrote Volume 2, which is subtitled "A Practical Companion to
Volume 1." This book breaks down the path to enlightenment in
eight clearly described steps. It also has great explanations of
how to work with your mind, how to do internal dialogue, and how
to work with energy and chakras. It gives detailed descriptions of Yoga
Nidra, yogic sleep.
A Practical Guide to Holistic Health
This edition is a posthumous revision of a beautiful text that
emphasizes the key of spiritual practices, particularly Yoga meditation in the process of attaining physical, mental, and
spiritual health. It is really a very good book, especially if
one reads carefully and follows the suggestions.
Science
of Breath
By Swami Rama, Alan Hymes, and Rudolph Ballentine. A very good
book for understanding the mechanics of breath, and gaining
practical "how to" explanations.
Book of Wisdom
Subtitled Wisdom of the Ancient Sages. Commentary and discussion
of the Isha Upanishad, said to be the first of the Upanishads
that is normally taught. In this text, Swami Rama comments on
the Upanishad verse by verse, with practical wisdom.
New
Publications from India
Several other books by Swami Rama are available that have been
published through the Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust in
India. The link above is to the HIHT website page on
publication. The books include Sacred Journey, Sadhana, Yoga the
Sacred Science, and A Personal Philosophy of Life.
These are each superb books and
would be worth the difficulty in ordering (There is no "Add
to Cart" style of ordering available). The web page gives
you instructions on how to order and an email address to make
contact.
A
foundation: In
the tradition of the Himalayan sages, the Yoga Sutras is a
foundation for training the mind. Philosophically the tradition
follows Advaita Vedanta, the belief in one absolute Reality
without a second. In the practices, internal Tantra guides one
to the heights of direct experience. (See the article, Yoga,
Vedanta, and Tantra.)
Have several copies: The Yoga Sutras can seem
like an impossible study because of not quite knowing how to
open the door. There are many commentaries, and we don't know
which one to study. It is important to understand that there is
no such thing as the perfect Yoga Sutra commentary. The key
to learning is
to have several, high quality translations and commentaries, and
then to have a strategy for how to use them. Also, the tradition
is actually an oral tradition, and it is the oral teachings that
ultimately bring life to the teachings, along with practice of
Yoga meditation.
Recommendations: If you are just beginning
your study of the Yoga Sutras, I recommend that you purchase one
or both of the following two books.
How to Know God : The Yoga Aphorisms of...,
Swami
Prabhavananda. This is one of the shortest, most easy to read
commentaries on the Yoga Sutras. From the perspective of
Swami Prabhavananda, knowing yourself at the deepest level is the
process of knowing God, hence the title.
Raja-Yoga,
Swami Vivekananda. The book is divided into two parts. Part 1 gives
excellent explanations of Yoga philosophy and practice. Part 2
lists the Yoga Sutras. "Raja Yoga" is another name for
Yoga as described by Patanjali. It means "Royal Yoga,"
as it contains the other Yogas.
More recommendations:
Each of the Yoga Sutras commentaries listed below adds depth to your
understanding of the Yoga Sutras. By using one of the first two
(above) as a sort of index, when you are looking at a specific
Sutra, you can then open a few of the following texts to expand
your understanding of that specific Sutra.
The point is that you will
want to have several different commentaries to which you can
refer. Go through the shorter texts, find a Sutra that intrigues
you in your current study time, and then look around in the
other commentaries relating to that Sutra. That, along with
sincere practice of Yoga meditation will bring insights.
Additional commentaries are
at this link: Yoga Sutras.
Yoga Philosophy of Patanjali,
Swami Hariharananda Aranya (rendered into English by P.N.
Mukerji). This is possibly the most authoritative and authentic English
translation and commentary of the Yoga Sutras. If you were to have only one
commentary on the Yoga Sutras, this would be a superb choice. It is thorough and
speaks from the perspective of one who is doing the practices, not just writing
a scholarly commentary. I do not know the exact dates of Swami Hariharananda
Aranya, but he must have left the body at least 50 years ago (someone has
emailed that he thinks it is 1869-1947).
Patanjali's Yoga Sutras,
Rama Prasada
(with commentaries of Vyasa and Vachaspati Misra). If there was
competition with the text of Swami Hariharananda Aranya for the
overall most useful commentary and translation of the Yoga Sutras,
this would be it. Vyasa and Vachaspati Misra are most respected
commentators. This text also contains the Sanskrit, including
translations of the individual words of the Sutras. I often find
myself reaching for this text when I want to get into the heart of
individual words or principles.
The Yoga-Sutra of Patanjali : A New...,
Georg
Feuerstein. Excellent writing from the perspective of a Western
yogi and scholar. He has gone to great length to make the
individual Sanskrit words and phrases accessible. Highly
recommended as a companion text to all of those above.
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Swami Satchitananda. Simple, straightforward explanations.
This is a commentary you will want to have with you when you
want to remember that this is really not so complicated. Swami Satchitananda
founded Yogaville in Virginia, USA.
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali,
Usharbudh Arya (Now Swami Veda). In this scholarly commentary some
12 commentaries from different authors are compared and
contrasted. The text deals only with the chapter one of the four chapters of
the Yoga Sutras, but it will give you an idea of how minutely the
scholars can review the Sanskrit, and how diverse are their
scholarly opinions.
In the tradition of the
Himalayan sages, the Yoga Sutras is a foundation for training
the mind. Philosophically the tradition follows Advaita Vedanta,
the belief in one absolute Reality without a second. In the
practices, internal Tantra guides one to the heights of direct
experience.
As noted above in the Yoga
Sutras section, the tradition of the Himalayan sages
philosophically practices Advaita Vedanta, the belief in one
absolute Reality without a second. The books listed below will
give you a foothold in these philosophies, and will allow you to
see if these philosophies and practices appeal to you.
Advaita Vedanta : A Philosophical...,
Eliot Deutsch. A relatively short book that does an excellent job
of describing the theory of Advaita (non-dual) Vedanta. It
explains Vedanta concepts directly, rather than following along
the verses of some ancient text, as is often done.
More
books on
Vedanta.
Shankara's Crest Jewel of Discrimination,
Swami Prabhavananda (translator). Adi Shankaracharya of the 12th
century wrote a great deal about Vedanta, some of which can be
difficult reading. The Crest Jewel of Discrimination (Vivekachudamini)
describes the philosophy and practice of Vedanta through the story
of a teacher teaching his student, and is in very accessible
language. This translation is in easy to read language. You may
read it at a surface level and enjoy it, and also find profoundly
deep wisdom here. Highly recommended.
More books by
Swami Prabhavananda.
The Upanishads : Breath of the Eternal,
Swami Prabhavananda and Frederick Manchester (translators). It is
said that the wisdom of the East is contained in the Vedas, and
that if you squeeze out the juice of wisdom from the Vedas, this
is contained in the Upanishads. This translation is in very easy
to read, straightforward language. It has no commentary, so the
book is short. It does not cover all of the major Upanishads, but
it will give you a very good introduction.
More
books on the
Upanishads .
Introduction
to Tantra Sastra, Sir John Woodroffe (Arthur Avalon). A modern
classic and thorough description of the practice of Tantra. This
book is of the "required reading" category for one who
is serious about authentic Tantra. (Currently out of print, so
you'll need to buy a used copy.)
Tantra:
The Path of Ecstasy, Georg Feuerstein. Excellent overviews of
authentic schools of Tantra. If you were to buy only one book on
Tantra by a current author, this would be the one. 157062304X
Auspicious
Wisdom, Douglas Renfrew Brooks. Excellent text on Sri Vidya,
said to be the highest of the Tantras.
Shakti
Sadhana: Steps to Samadhi, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait.
Introduction by Swami Rama. Inspiring and practical translation of
the ancient text, Tripura Rahasya, on the esoteric aspects of
Tantra. 0893891401
Autobiography of a Yogi,
Paramahansa Yogananda. Paramahansa Yogananda has had a major
impact on YogaVedanta in the West, and founded the
Self-Realization Fellowship. He passed in 1952. This book is a superb story
about his many experiences and encounters with other yogis as
well. Very inspiring and, like Living with the Himalayan Masters,
has been a starting point for many modern seekers. It's sort of
essential reading on the path of Yoga meditation. When first meeting a
person with interest in Yoga, one of the first, and most common
questions is, "Have you read Autobiography of a Yogi?"
More books by
Paramahansa Yogananda.
No Boundary : Eastern and Western...,
Ken Wilber. A very solid primer on integrating spiritual
traditions with psychology, from the perspective of the levels
of consciousness. Highly recommended. Ken Wilber is one of
the leading voices today.
More books by
Ken Wilber.
Play of Consciousness : A Spiritual...,
Swami Muktananda. Gives a detailed account of his inner journey
through the levels of consciousness. I know of no book that
compares with his descriptions. While we each might experience
the individual layers of consciousness somewhat differently from
one another, his descriptions will give you a clear idea of
where you are going.
More books by
Swami Muktananda.
Hatha
Yoga Pradipika, Swami Muktibodhananda Saraswati (translation
and commentary). The Hatha Yoga Pradipika is a classic text by
Swatmarama, outlining authentic Hatha Yoga as the spiritual
discipline that Hatha Yoga is meant to be. This translation is a
well known version, and important to have in your library if you
practice Hatha Yoga.
The
Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Brian Dana Akers (translator). This is
a recent (2002) translation of Swatmarama's Hatha Yoga
Pradipika. Though I have not yet seen it, one reviewer on the
translator's website
makes the quite complementary statement that, "His style is
straightforward, clear, and elegant...." The fact that it
is only 128 pages suggests that it might be a good companion to
the 642 page translation and commentary of Swami Muktibodhananda
(above).
Philosophy
of Hatha Yoga, Pandit Usharbudh Arya. Written by a brilliant
scholar, this book gives great guidance about how the underlying
principles of Hatha Yoga integrate with the greater whole of
Yoga science, specifically that of Raja Yoga.
Anatomy
of Hatha Yoga, H. David Coulter. Few words are needed to
describe this book as the most authoritative, as it stands alone
in describing the relationship between Hatha Yoga and
physiology. It is essential for any serious student of Hatha
Yoga. The author further describes the book on his website.
Following
are links to books by several authors whose work I
respect. There are many titles here, and I have not read them
all. However, the writings of these authors are generally quite
useful and accessible.
Georg Feuerstein:
A widely recognized scholar and author in Yoga science and
philosophy. He lives in California, where he founded the Yoga
Research and Education Center.
David Frawley:
One of the most respected Western scholars in the fields of Yoga and Vedanta, as
well as Ayurveda. His center is in New Mexico.
Swami Ajaya:
A student of Swami Rama and clinical psychologist. Has co-authored a few books,
and has written a couple very good books integrating Eastern wisdom and modern
psychology. These are out of print, but are well worth locating.
Swami Prabhavananda:
From the lineage of Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda. Founded
the Vedanta Society of Southern California. Taught in US from
1923 until passing in 1976. His English translations and
writings are excellent and easy to read.
Swami Rama:
With my admitted bias towards my
own teacher, Swami Rama has presented the wisdom of the ancient
sages of the Himalayas in extremely simple language, so that all
can benefit, and yet has done so without compromising depth and
quality.
Swami Vivekananda:
The first of the Swamis to go to America, arriving in 1893,
and leaving the body in 1902. A student of Ramakrishna, and
founder of Ramakrishna Math and Mission. His works are very
useful and accessible to the modern English reader.
Ken Wilber:
One of the most wise and prolific authors of our time in the
area of integrating Eastern wisdom and Western psychology, in
the emerging field of Transpersonal Psycholgoy.
Cultural
Creatives: How 50 Million People Are Changing the World. Very
useful book that might be inspiring to many people who are
venturing into the path of Yoga and spirituality and are feeling
out of alignment with the majority of the culture around you.
While this book on cultural change is written in the context of
the American culture, it also relates to most people in the world
who are seeking personal and worldly change.
This site is devoted to
presenting the ancient Self-Realization path of
the Tradition of the Himalayan masters
in simple, understandable and beneficial ways, while not compromising
quality or depth. The goal of our sadhana or practices is the highest
Joy that comes from the Realization in direct experience of the
center of consciousness, the Self, the Atman or Purusha, which is
one and the same with the Absolute Reality.
This Self-Realization comes through Yoga meditation of the Yoga
Sutras, the contemplative insight of Advaita Vedanta, and the
intense devotion of Samaya Sri Vidya Tantra, the three of which
complement one another like fingers on a hand.
We employ the classical approaches of Raja, Jnana, Karma, and Bhakti
Yoga, as well as Hatha, Kriya, Kundalini, Laya, Mantra, Nada, Siddha,
and Tantra Yoga. Meditation, contemplation, mantra and prayer
finally converge into a unified force directed towards the final
stage, piercing the pearl of wisdom called bindu, leading to the
Absolute.
