Yoga and the Path of the Urban Mystic
by Darren Main
List Price:
Our Price: $10.44
You Save: $6.51 (38%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Darren MainEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-10-29
ISBN: 1583488766
Number of pages: 274
Publisher: iUniverse Star
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9781583488768
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of Yoga and the Path of the Urban Mystic
Book Review: Not for the serious Yogi
Summary: 3 Stars
This book was selected for our spiritual book club. There were nine of us, mostly yoga teachers, including some 10 year plus students of yoga philosophy. We picked carefully through each chapter. The long time students of yoga all reached similar conclusions about the book; this conclusion is basically that it is not a good choice for a serious student of yoga. Part one is a general introduction to eastern spirituality. Part two takes the eight limbs of yoga (from the yoga sutras) and interprets them for the "urban mystic". This is a laudable goal, and the book is sometimes very good, even brilliant in a few places. However, it is also dumbed down or wrong in many places. Whole Wheat breathing anyone?
His chapter about tapas is way off the mark. Quoting from the book: "A more modern approach to tapas would be to take a real inventory of our possessions. Most of us, if we were really honest, would be able to take several truckloads of stuff to Good Will and not miss a thing." He interprets tapas as being about non-materialism. But tapas is heat, the self discipline/spiritual effort involved in breaking our conditioned patterns. It's a stretch to include non-materialism, which would more appropriately be Aparigraha (greedlessness), one of the Yamas. But non-materialism is all he discusses in this chapter.
Surprisingly, the book did work for our book discussion. It allowed us to take a fresh look at each concept, discuss positives and negatives in the book, and extend the discussion from there.
Authors often have a specific reader in mind for their writings, and it felt to me that Darren Main's intended reader is a 12 year old cousin who knows little about yoga. It's not a bad book if you've been practicing asana and want a casual introduction to yoga philosophy. However, if you are deeply interested in yoga, I would skip this book and read something written by someone with greater depth and experience. I usually recommend Erich Shiffmann's book "Yoga, the Spirit and Practice of Moving into Stillness" to those new to yoga.
Summary of Yoga and the Path of the Urban Mystic
Yoga and the Path of the Urban Mystic brings classical teachings alive and helps us move our rewarding experience of yoga beyond the mat and meditation cushion and into the whole of life. For modern yogis feeling challenged in our efforts to remain deeply spiritual, contemplative, and centered amid the stresses and complications of urban life, this book serves as both inspiration and guide. Darren Main?s fresh, down-to-earth approach to the time-tested practice and philosophy of yoga shows us the way to apply the ancient wisdom of India to every moment and every breath so that even our busiest days can be powerful and mystical adventures, filled with all the wonder and magic that was once reserved for those living as monks and nuns. Yoga for the twenty-first century, this is the fulfilling and joyful path of the urban mystic. ?Darren Main explains how to turn [life?s] distractions into darshan, with humor, lightness, and love. He also explains the Yoga Sutra, the chakras, pranayama, and other esoteric yoga philosophies in a live and engaging way. His humorous style and delicious honesty create a thoroughly modern approach to this ancient science.? ?The Bodhi Tree ReviewPersonal Transformation Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Personal Transformation Books
Head Strongby Tony Buzan
Thorsons; Published: 2001-10-01; Paperback; Book
Leading Minds: An Anatomy of Leadership by Gardner, Howardby Howard Gardner
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd; Published: 1996-01-08; Hardcover; Book
I Am My Mother's Daughter: Making Peace with Mom--Before It's Too Lateby Iris Krasnow
Basic Books; Published: 2007-04-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.53
Price in other shops:
A Guide for the Advanced Soul: A Book of Insightby Susan Hayward
Little, Brown and Company; Published: 1995-12-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.41
Price in other shops:
Boundariesby Henry Cloud, John Townsend
Zondervan; Published: 2001-09-01; Audio Cassette; Book
Best price: $20.99
Price in other shops:
Boundaries: When to Say Yes, When to Say No to Take Control of Your Lifeby Dr. Henry Cloud, Dr. John Townsend
Zondervan; Published: 1992-11-02; Audio Cassette; Book
Best price: $4.00
Price in other shops:
Safe People Workbookby Henry Cloud, John Townsend
Zondervan; Published: 1995-06-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.37
Price in other shops:
A Three Dog Lifeby Abigail Thomas
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Published: 2006-09-05; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $1.29
Price in other shops:
Blink : The Power of Thinking Without Thinkingby Malcolm Gladwell
Penguin Books; Published: 2001-08-07; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.72
Spiritual Divorce: Divorce As a Catalyst for an Extraordinary Lifeby Debbie Ford
HarperOne; Published: 2001-01-09; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $6.90
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
Hot Yoga: Energizing, Rejuvenating, Healingby Marilyn Barnett
Barron's Educational Series; Published: 2004-02-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.79
Price in other shops:
Light on Yoga: Yoga Dipikaby B. K. S. Iyengar
Schocken; Published: 1995-01-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.46
Price in other shops:
Teaching Yoga: Exploring the Teacher-Student Relationshipby Donna Farhi
Rodmell Press; Published: 2006-09-25; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.97
Price in other shops:
Yoga: The Iyengar Wayby Silva Mehta, Mira Mehta, Shyam Mehta
Knopf; Published: 1990-04-07; Paperback; Book
Best price: $13.54
Price in other shops:
Teaching Yoga: Essential Foundations and Techniquesby Mark Stephens
North Atlantic Books; Published: 2010-05-25; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.07
Price in other shops:
Anatomy of Movement (Revised Edition)by Blandine Calais-Germain
Eastland Press; Published: 2007-12-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $23.62
Price in other shops:
Meditations from the Mat: Daily Reflections on the Path of Yogaby Rolf Gates, Katrina Kenison
Anchor; Published: 2002-12; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.42
Price in other shops:
The Complete Book of Vinyasa Yoga: The Authoritative Presentation-Based on 30 Years of Direct Study Under the Legendary Yoga Teacher Krishnamachaby Srivatsa Ramaswami
Da Capo Press; Published: 2005-07-07; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.15
Price in other shops:
Living Your Yoga: Finding the Spiritual in Everyday Lifeby Judith Hanson Lasater
Rodmell Press; Published: 1999-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.55
Price in other shops:
How Yoga Worksby Michael Roach, CHRISTIE MCNALLY
Diamond Cutter Press; Published: 2005-09-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.00
Price in other shops: