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Bringing Yoga to Life: The Everyday Practice of Enlightened Living
Internationally renowned and bestselling author Donna Farhi moves yoga practice beyond the mat into our everyday lives, restoring the tradition's intended function as a complete, practical philosophy for daily living.
Expanding upon the teachings of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, the core text of the yoga tradition, Donna Farhi describes yoga's transforming power as a complete life practice, far beyond its common reduction to mere exercise routine or stress management. This is the philosophy of yoga as a path to a deeper awareness of self. Drawing upon her years of teaching with students, Farhi guides readers through all the pitfalls and promises of navigating a spiritual practice.
Farhi's engaging and accessible style and broad experience offer important teachings for newcomers and seasoned practitioners of yoga alike. And because her teachings of yoga philosophy extend into every corner of daily life, this book is an equally accessible guide to those seeking spiritual guidance without learning the pretzel bendings of the physical practice itself. As one of the top teachers worldwide, Farhi's exploration of the core philosophy of yoga is destined to become an instant classic.
Expanding upon the teachings of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, the core text of the yoga tradition, Donna Farhi describes yoga's transforming power as a complete life practice, far beyond its common reduction to mere exercise routine or stress management. This is the philosophy of yoga as a path to a deeper awareness of self. Drawing upon her years of teaching with students, Farhi guides readers through all the pitfalls and promises of navigating a spiritual practice.
Farhi's engaging and accessible style and broad experience offer important teachings for newcomers and seasoned practitioners of yoga alike. And because her teachings of yoga philosophy extend into every corner of daily life, this book is an equally accessible guide to those seeking spiritual guidance without learning the pretzel bendings of the physical practice itself. As one of the top teachers worldwide, Farhi's exploration of the core philosophy of yoga is destined to become an instant classic.
250 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
345 people are currently reading
1,855 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
October 14, 2010
This book is incredible. As I approached the end, in fact, I was amazed that only one person wrote it and that she wasn't 100 years old. The wisdom and the clarity with which Farhi writes is a true gift to take in. I am a yoga teacher and I think this book is a must for all who take on this role. Farhi makes highly-anecdotal references to Yoga, ones practice and the whole process of finding one's path through dedication to these. She published this in 2004 so it's really a tapestry of modern insights on a tradition that dates back thousands of years. The conveyance of the above is no easy task, yet Farhi makes it seem as if it were. Indeed, she shares parts of her own path that comfort and assure the reader. The only caveat to this raving review would be: If you are facing demons, engaging in destructive behaviors or dealing with emotional issues, this is truly the book--but be fully prepared to let it change you because it likely will (especially at that 'seed in the consciousness level' on patches of thought you will be best to water).
April 13, 2020
There are many books on yoga, but not many really delve into what it means to study and engage in yoga practice beyond the mat. What makes yoga different to simply doing stretches or gymnastics at the local recreation centre?
In , Donna has an easily relatable and no-nonsense style of writing and teaching. She can illuminate very complex ideas and concepts through stories, both personal recollections from her classes and retreats, and also from yogic texts like the Bhagavad Gita.
Essentially, though this concept is easily articulated, it is the very heart of yoga and cannot truly be appreciated and integrated into our practice and our daily living until we are open to learning. Yoga is the unity of not only our own body and mind, but a unity with the world. It is, as Donna tries to examine and explain, finding our self in every thing (leaf, animal, air) and every person and also, knowing that we are in everything around us also. Donna describes this idea as being like a matrix of energy, or a silence, that exists behind all the noise of daily living and our own mental chatter. It is our connection to the universe that hums along eternally. This is also the concept of Om, often chanted before and after class. The unity of our bodily selves with our infinite selves and with everyone and everything around us.
If I’ve lost you already, then this book may not be for you yet. If you have just done your first class, or your fifty-thousandth class, this book will confront and challenge your ideas about yoga and about your life. I know I have spent nights awake and stopped at the traffic lights considering everything from my approach as a teacher to whether I’m breathing fully and what my intentions genuinely are for every choice I make. As yogis, we aren’t going to do everything perfectly. Donna recognises the obsessive and ritualistic approach of a well-known yoga instructor in her book and his rigid adhesion to his own practice is so determined, he leaves the class he is conducting to go and do his personal practice alone.
What this also illustrates, inadvertently, is that yoga is a diverse school and there are many approaches. Donna’s most enlightening chapter, for me, was about seeking the teachers who resonate for us and recognising the traits that we most seek, require and benefit from in our teachers are what we really need to absorb into our approach to ourselves.
For me, I seek teachers who are frank, no-nonsense, challenging but also with a deep joy for living, movement, sharing and able to challenge my ideas and movement so that I push further than is comfortable, but doing so with a compassionate and attentive instructor overseeing.
I seek teachers who are passionate about what they know and always open and curious to learning and seeing what they know in a new light. I seek teachers who are exceptional students. I see this in myself as a deeply curious person.
Using anecdotes, spiritual texts, poetry, stories passed down from family and friends, Donna has not written a step-by-step guide for dummies on the spiritual life by any means. This is, however, not also a prescriptive text but one that like all great teachings, invites us to question what we think we are certain about and then to indulge new ideas and practices in our daily life and to also appreciate that our approach to life and to yoga will change with circumstances, age and experience.
My only niggles are very few really. I also think that with time and consideration, and more practice, I may change my mind on finding them niggles at all. Towards the end of the book, one chapter makes a few references to what particular age groups, from the 20s to the 30s “normally do�. As a yoga instructor and a writer, I meet many people of all cultures, ages, gender identity and what I have learned, is that there is no “normal�. In yoga particularly, instructors are a wild and diverse group of spiritual seekers of all ages and physical abilities. To define age groups and what they should or should not be doing is an exercise in narrowing down what a life ought to look like. This is perhaps just my sensitive interpretation though!
Donna is candid to a very controlled and short extent, in revealing family trouble that lead to an eating disorder in her twenties, exacerbated by dance training where her teacher made derogatory remarks about her less-than-bony physique. This is a common experience for many who studied dance or gymnastics as children and teens and found their bodies became battlegrounds for control and aesthetic worth. I know I have had my battles and it is enormously comforting to me to also know there are many well-known and honest international yoga teachers who speak about overcoming these lethal disorders to find a love and appreciation for their bodies through yoga. This may sound simplistic, and it is not through doing tree pose and having some amazing moment of enlightenment that acceptance and appreciation is nurtured in the body.
It is, as Donna reveals in Bringing Yoga To Life, through questioning, studying, and also accepting the mystery of life and having faith. This doesn’t mean worshipping God or Buddha or identifying with a religion. This means accepting the enormous joy and rarity of actually being here at all, of all the endlessly possible genetic and energetic combinations of a human being, you are here. This means accepting that we are not alone � we exist as part of the universe, and it exists in us. I am still considering what I read in Donna’s book. Hourly, daily, weekly. It has inspired me to seek more reading and to approach my classes with a greater curiosity and desire to inspire that same curiosity and joy in yoga as a spiritual practice in which asanas are an element but not the end goal.
Originally published in 2005, this is a book that has not aged nor can I imagine it will ever be redundant. For curious yogis and those who seek to embrace yoga on, off and beyond the mat and the routines of daily life. I had the great fortune to read this book via
In , Donna has an easily relatable and no-nonsense style of writing and teaching. She can illuminate very complex ideas and concepts through stories, both personal recollections from her classes and retreats, and also from yogic texts like the Bhagavad Gita.
Essentially, though this concept is easily articulated, it is the very heart of yoga and cannot truly be appreciated and integrated into our practice and our daily living until we are open to learning. Yoga is the unity of not only our own body and mind, but a unity with the world. It is, as Donna tries to examine and explain, finding our self in every thing (leaf, animal, air) and every person and also, knowing that we are in everything around us also. Donna describes this idea as being like a matrix of energy, or a silence, that exists behind all the noise of daily living and our own mental chatter. It is our connection to the universe that hums along eternally. This is also the concept of Om, often chanted before and after class. The unity of our bodily selves with our infinite selves and with everyone and everything around us.
If I’ve lost you already, then this book may not be for you yet. If you have just done your first class, or your fifty-thousandth class, this book will confront and challenge your ideas about yoga and about your life. I know I have spent nights awake and stopped at the traffic lights considering everything from my approach as a teacher to whether I’m breathing fully and what my intentions genuinely are for every choice I make. As yogis, we aren’t going to do everything perfectly. Donna recognises the obsessive and ritualistic approach of a well-known yoga instructor in her book and his rigid adhesion to his own practice is so determined, he leaves the class he is conducting to go and do his personal practice alone.
What this also illustrates, inadvertently, is that yoga is a diverse school and there are many approaches. Donna’s most enlightening chapter, for me, was about seeking the teachers who resonate for us and recognising the traits that we most seek, require and benefit from in our teachers are what we really need to absorb into our approach to ourselves.
For me, I seek teachers who are frank, no-nonsense, challenging but also with a deep joy for living, movement, sharing and able to challenge my ideas and movement so that I push further than is comfortable, but doing so with a compassionate and attentive instructor overseeing.
I seek teachers who are passionate about what they know and always open and curious to learning and seeing what they know in a new light. I seek teachers who are exceptional students. I see this in myself as a deeply curious person.
Using anecdotes, spiritual texts, poetry, stories passed down from family and friends, Donna has not written a step-by-step guide for dummies on the spiritual life by any means. This is, however, not also a prescriptive text but one that like all great teachings, invites us to question what we think we are certain about and then to indulge new ideas and practices in our daily life and to also appreciate that our approach to life and to yoga will change with circumstances, age and experience.
My only niggles are very few really. I also think that with time and consideration, and more practice, I may change my mind on finding them niggles at all. Towards the end of the book, one chapter makes a few references to what particular age groups, from the 20s to the 30s “normally do�. As a yoga instructor and a writer, I meet many people of all cultures, ages, gender identity and what I have learned, is that there is no “normal�. In yoga particularly, instructors are a wild and diverse group of spiritual seekers of all ages and physical abilities. To define age groups and what they should or should not be doing is an exercise in narrowing down what a life ought to look like. This is perhaps just my sensitive interpretation though!
Donna is candid to a very controlled and short extent, in revealing family trouble that lead to an eating disorder in her twenties, exacerbated by dance training where her teacher made derogatory remarks about her less-than-bony physique. This is a common experience for many who studied dance or gymnastics as children and teens and found their bodies became battlegrounds for control and aesthetic worth. I know I have had my battles and it is enormously comforting to me to also know there are many well-known and honest international yoga teachers who speak about overcoming these lethal disorders to find a love and appreciation for their bodies through yoga. This may sound simplistic, and it is not through doing tree pose and having some amazing moment of enlightenment that acceptance and appreciation is nurtured in the body.
It is, as Donna reveals in Bringing Yoga To Life, through questioning, studying, and also accepting the mystery of life and having faith. This doesn’t mean worshipping God or Buddha or identifying with a religion. This means accepting the enormous joy and rarity of actually being here at all, of all the endlessly possible genetic and energetic combinations of a human being, you are here. This means accepting that we are not alone � we exist as part of the universe, and it exists in us. I am still considering what I read in Donna’s book. Hourly, daily, weekly. It has inspired me to seek more reading and to approach my classes with a greater curiosity and desire to inspire that same curiosity and joy in yoga as a spiritual practice in which asanas are an element but not the end goal.
Originally published in 2005, this is a book that has not aged nor can I imagine it will ever be redundant. For curious yogis and those who seek to embrace yoga on, off and beyond the mat and the routines of daily life. I had the great fortune to read this book via
February 14, 2012
I'm really pleased to see that this book is so well regarded by others who have read it. I thought it was exceptional. Farhi writes about Yoga with a capital Y--not simply the physical (asana) practice, but the Yoga of which asana is but one of eight progressive methods designed to liberate the soul. There was something on nearly every page that I wanted to write down and remember.
I can see returning to this book over and over and dipping into any part of it and finding something that I need to hear at that moment. I read it over the course of a month, a few pages at a time each morning. It was a good way to reflect on Farhi's words, because there's much wisdom here. Farhi continually reminds us that yoga is not just a practice but a way of being; that if we surrender to it it will disclose our true nature. If we pay attention, the issues we encounter in and around our practice reveal the ways in which we relate and interact in the world.
If you're looking for a book on yoga postures, this isn't the book for you. But then, there are many books like that out there; there are very few like this one.
I can see returning to this book over and over and dipping into any part of it and finding something that I need to hear at that moment. I read it over the course of a month, a few pages at a time each morning. It was a good way to reflect on Farhi's words, because there's much wisdom here. Farhi continually reminds us that yoga is not just a practice but a way of being; that if we surrender to it it will disclose our true nature. If we pay attention, the issues we encounter in and around our practice reveal the ways in which we relate and interact in the world.
If you're looking for a book on yoga postures, this isn't the book for you. But then, there are many books like that out there; there are very few like this one.
November 3, 2014
As I embark on 9 months of intensive yoga study, this book (part of the required reading) is a wonderful guide to daily practice, staying present and principled intention. It's a lovely book for anyone practicing yoga - or anyone curious about yoga.
January 19, 2020
I did not expect to find this book useful or relevant... but it was. It was also an interesting philosophical treatise.
From the book:
“Are my choices supporting what is deeply satisfying in my life? And are my choices leading to long-term freedom or short lived pleasure?" I don't think you can ask these questions of yourself too much. It reminded me of the yearly themes from the Cortex podcast - instead of wading into the weeds on each and every decision, you can have an overarching idea that guides your actions.
On the other hand, she purports that as people practice Yoga, "We become less interested in entertaining ourselves with fantasy ( our own imaginings)" That one's a deal-breaker for me :) But knowing our stories are just stories... that I can get on board with.
Much of the book relates to our perception of ourselves, and the advantages of it coming from the inside vs. outside factors. “We may have relied on our identity as a successful businessman or businesswomen..." So there are some advantages to having had nothing to rely on. Motherhood, according exceedingly little standing, outside compensation or respect, I was forced to learn how to be happy without those things. (Wow that's a bad sentence, but I know what I mean.)
P 191 “if we contemplate our tendency...
I can't find the rest of this quote - must have had the wrong page number, but it made me note yet again that there really was an advantaged forged in the fires of stay-at-home motherhood. (Another bad sentence. I'm worst at writing about things I've thought about a lot).
Useful thought progression when contemplating advice to others:
"Is what I am about to say likely to make a positive difference? and Am I the person to say this? and Is this the time to say it?" All three needing to be sure to make our advice powerful and useful.
There were downsides to the book - a notable tendency toward ten-dollar words being foremost. I love words too, but if her purpose was to spread her message, I think it got in the way sometimes.
There were also many times she appeared to contradict herself - Now, if purposeful, if she was deliberately cultivating ambiguity to reflect the ambiguity inherent to the human (and life) experience, it was brilliantly done. Was it? I don't know.
But I would read it again - it speaks to ways of reaching for enlightenment that are time-tested and make sense to me. And it allows the reader to interpret it by their own lights (which I was going to do anyway, so it's nice to have permission.)
From the book:
“Are my choices supporting what is deeply satisfying in my life? And are my choices leading to long-term freedom or short lived pleasure?" I don't think you can ask these questions of yourself too much. It reminded me of the yearly themes from the Cortex podcast - instead of wading into the weeds on each and every decision, you can have an overarching idea that guides your actions.
On the other hand, she purports that as people practice Yoga, "We become less interested in entertaining ourselves with fantasy ( our own imaginings)" That one's a deal-breaker for me :) But knowing our stories are just stories... that I can get on board with.
Much of the book relates to our perception of ourselves, and the advantages of it coming from the inside vs. outside factors. “We may have relied on our identity as a successful businessman or businesswomen..." So there are some advantages to having had nothing to rely on. Motherhood, according exceedingly little standing, outside compensation or respect, I was forced to learn how to be happy without those things. (Wow that's a bad sentence, but I know what I mean.)
P 191 “if we contemplate our tendency...
I can't find the rest of this quote - must have had the wrong page number, but it made me note yet again that there really was an advantaged forged in the fires of stay-at-home motherhood. (Another bad sentence. I'm worst at writing about things I've thought about a lot).
Useful thought progression when contemplating advice to others:
"Is what I am about to say likely to make a positive difference? and Am I the person to say this? and Is this the time to say it?" All three needing to be sure to make our advice powerful and useful.
There were downsides to the book - a notable tendency toward ten-dollar words being foremost. I love words too, but if her purpose was to spread her message, I think it got in the way sometimes.
There were also many times she appeared to contradict herself - Now, if purposeful, if she was deliberately cultivating ambiguity to reflect the ambiguity inherent to the human (and life) experience, it was brilliantly done. Was it? I don't know.
But I would read it again - it speaks to ways of reaching for enlightenment that are time-tested and make sense to me. And it allows the reader to interpret it by their own lights (which I was going to do anyway, so it's nice to have permission.)
April 7, 2020
Un libro sullo yoga di facile lettura consigliato soprattutto a chi è all’inizio. Non si parla qui di asana o di esercizio fisico a piuttosto l’autrice ci aiuta a riconoscere i nostri atteggiamenti interiori. Ci guida nel portare l’attenzione sugli ostacoli che possiamo incontrare, sulle distrazioni della vita. E� un percorso verso l’interno, ci insegna ad ascoltarci e a riflettere per non essere separati dagli altri.
Read
August 15, 2020I knew nothing about this author or the book; I found it on the street one morning and decided to give it a try. This might be one of the best books I've ever found this way. The previous owner had underlined certain passages that he or she found particularly profound, which was also touching.
This is a book about yoga, but not the poses: about the spiritual aspects of yoga and how they can transform daily existence. Very lucid and thought-provoking.
This is a book about yoga, but not the poses: about the spiritual aspects of yoga and how they can transform daily existence. Very lucid and thought-provoking.
August 30, 2022
Quel merveilleux livre! J'ai beaucoup de respect pour Donna Farhi, ses enseignements et son éthique de travail. Je me suis procuré ce livre il y a plus d'un an et j'ai finalement senti l'appel de l'ouvrir, juste au moment où l'appel de la pratique se faisait de nouveau sentir en moi. Ma flamme est maintenant ravivée! Je recommande ce livre à toutes les personnes qui ont un intérêt envers le yoga, que vous commenciez votre pratique ou que vous soyez un adepte de longue date. Donna Fahri a une façon unique, authentique et claire de mettre en lumière des éléments clés de la philosophie du yoga et elle le fait avec intelligence et discernement. La simple lecture de ce livre est apaisante.
January 6, 2017
4.5 Stars. I was pleasantly surprised by this book which was recommended to me by a woman who lead a specific yoga class I took. It gently embodies a way of living that appeals to me through the principles of yoga although there is no requirement to master the entire philosophy. The focus is to practice daily and the lessons begin to naturally become part of your life. My copy is marked and highlighted from start to finish.
When yoga became popular, I imagined it was mostly geared toward physical strength and calmness. I began classes 2 years ago. Beyond body alone, it has changed me slowly but profoundly, mostly through a kinder inner dialogue towards myself and the understanding that knowledge, inspiration and goodness are readily available to everyone if we can train ourselves to listen and be still.
I related to the succinct way she talked about emotions as a person who has received a lot of feedback on being calm to the point of 'not being reactive enough'. Farhi put it so well and it helped me strengthen my sense of self to read it. Most emotions are visitors who come and go but we don't allow harmful ones to take up residence. We all feel anger or frustration at times but making them a permanent fixture is damaging whereas letting things go over which we have no control opens up a day to day acceptance of what life has to offer with a calm and peaceful assurance that we can handle it.
And if you're wondering, she is not afraid of using herself and her students as examples of progress. Nothing here is preachy. It is really beautifully written.
When yoga became popular, I imagined it was mostly geared toward physical strength and calmness. I began classes 2 years ago. Beyond body alone, it has changed me slowly but profoundly, mostly through a kinder inner dialogue towards myself and the understanding that knowledge, inspiration and goodness are readily available to everyone if we can train ourselves to listen and be still.
I related to the succinct way she talked about emotions as a person who has received a lot of feedback on being calm to the point of 'not being reactive enough'. Farhi put it so well and it helped me strengthen my sense of self to read it. Most emotions are visitors who come and go but we don't allow harmful ones to take up residence. We all feel anger or frustration at times but making them a permanent fixture is damaging whereas letting things go over which we have no control opens up a day to day acceptance of what life has to offer with a calm and peaceful assurance that we can handle it.
And if you're wondering, she is not afraid of using herself and her students as examples of progress. Nothing here is preachy. It is really beautifully written.
September 13, 2008
This is the first book I've read by this celebrated yoga teacher and to be honest, I was disappointed. Farhi tackles the immense question of how to make your life your yoga practice, and bring your yoga practice fully to bear on your life. In doing so she seems to take all the "folk wisdom" of today's New Age/spiritual practitioner community and just throw it all together in hodge podge. I didn't get the sense that she had vision of how, on a deeper level, they might all connect. She throws out advice in piecemeal fashion "remember, you are not your thoughts, you are not your body" and then later "through yoga you discover your connectedness to all things" seemingly blind to both the surface-level contradiction and the deeper, mysterious, and awesome way that both these statements are true at the same time.
February 15, 2016
This was hit and miss for me. There's some solid information here, but I feel like a lot of the book was hamstrung by popular yoga, which is less interested in a challenge practice beyond the postures than making yoga appealing. I would have liked a much more extensive discussion of the Yamas and Niyamas, which are the ethical and practical support structure of the practice, so important to Patanjali that he listed them as the first two limbs before asana.
September 4, 2011
One of the most important and relevant yoga books I've read and I loved it so much I'm going to buy it. Just a pure gem. It's philosophical, yet easily understandable to the average person. Very necessary in our current fast-paced lives.
April 16, 2012
Interesting and worth the read, but same materials are presented more dynamically in other texts.
January 7, 2020
One of the best books on yoga I read.
November 23, 2023
pure wisdom
March 3, 2024
Praktykuję jogę od kilku lat, ale z biegiem czasu dostrzegam coraz większy wpływ tej praktyki na postrzeganie przeze mnie otaczającego świata. Ta książka w niezwykły sposób wydobywa esencję płynącą z jogi. Pokazuje że nie jest to tylko zestaw ćwiczeń wykonywanych na macie, bo joga wpływa nie tylko na ciało ale przede wszystkim na umysł, że joga to piękna filozofia życia w zgodzie z własnym wnętrzem. Joga to nauka uważności. Ta książka to wyjątkowa pozycja, skarbnica bardzo mądrych i pouczających refleksji na temat tego jak żyć by nasze ciało, głowa służyły nam jak najdłużej. Jak osiągnąć balans ale i pełną kontrolę nad emocjami-spokój, wyciszenie i radość. Jestem pod wrażeniem zarówno prostoty tego tekstu ale i niezwykłej mądrości autorki. Jestem przekonana że będę wracać do tej książki jeszcze nie raz.
April 26, 2016
Useful text - good step to take if you want to start moving beyond the physical in yoga
one point of detraction - she doesn't seem too sympathetic to ptsd or trigger warnings
most useful chapter - identifying good teaching vs. bad teaching - she went in depth about how to recognize abusive yoga teachers and how to begin incorporating yoga into a more person practice
most useful aspect - she uses a lot of useful metaphors to describe the more metaphysical aspects of yoga
in general, she overviews yoga as attached to its original philosophical beginnings
one point of detraction - she doesn't seem too sympathetic to ptsd or trigger warnings
most useful chapter - identifying good teaching vs. bad teaching - she went in depth about how to recognize abusive yoga teachers and how to begin incorporating yoga into a more person practice
most useful aspect - she uses a lot of useful metaphors to describe the more metaphysical aspects of yoga
in general, she overviews yoga as attached to its original philosophical beginnings
May 11, 2020
Lacks in content and depth, as there is a long introduction that doesn't really add to the overall structure or message of the book, and the points Farhi makes could all be looked at in more depth. It's an okay read if you know very little about so-called yoga philosophy, but there definitely are better books out there that could better serve a seasoned yoga practicioner.
September 2, 2020
Una profonda visione dello Yoga che può comprendere chi ha iniziato un percorso interiore e che non pensa a questa disciplina solo come qualcosa che fa bene al corpo. Personalmente mi sono ritrovata tantissimo in questo libro e mi sono emozionata leggendo quanto questo mondo ci possa fare sentire in modo autentico l'appartenenza alla vita.
March 25, 2021
Started several days ago and am now skimming. Am finding to be too esoteric, a bit preachy. For references, yoga lifestyle books I love include LIVING YOUR YOGA by Judith Hanson Lasater and THE YAMAS AND THE NIYAMAS by Deborah Adele.
Read
November 15, 2019DNF...got about 1/4 of the way in and found it too verbose and “woohoo� for me.
February 23, 2024
I wish I could give this 10 stars. Life-changing!
September 25, 2017
Getting the idea of the power of practice, and discipline.
"Counter to the plethora of 7-step solutions and quick-fix formulas offered by so many contemporary self-help guides, the ancient science of Yoga does not pretend to be simple, quick, or easy. It is a practice that takes into account the very messy and often complex phenomenon of what we call a human being and the equally challenging task of everyday living. What yoga does promise, however, is that through sincere, skillful, and consistent practice, anyone can become peaceful, happy, and free."
Pantanjali lists 5 causes of suffering, or kleshas:
1) Avidha: ignorance of our eternal nature
2) Asmita: seeing oneself as separate and divided form the rest of the world
3) Raga: attraction and attachment to impermanent things
4) Dvesha: aversion to the unpleasant
5) Abhinivesha: clinging to life b/c we fail to perceive the seamless continuity of consciousness, which cannot be broken by death
Four attitudes to develop:
1) Friendliness toward the joyful
2) Compassion for those who are suffering
3) Celebrating the good in others
4) Remaining impartial to the faults and imperfections of others
Our spiritual fitness can only be tested in relationship to others.
The Latin word, disciplina, means 'to impart knowledge' and 'to enlighten.'
The constraining, discipline is any practice that contains our thoughts, energy, adn actions so that we can use ourselves in a potent way. Lack of containment of our physical, psychological, and psychic energies sabotages our best intentions.
"So what is to be done?
I’m suggesting a return to a primordial language.
One that exists as the deepest knowledge and expression that humanity knows.
It predates spoken language, it has its roots in the emergence of awe.
It is present in everyone, as an elemental music and reflection of molecular and stellar movement.
It is a genetic design built into leaf patterns and the bobbing of sea horses.
It is eminently present to children, we have educated it out of them.
But it is the story of our place in the universe and we must begin to tell that story again.
What we are losing is our ability to speak to the whole.
The songs of celebration, the poetry of praise." - Author unknown
Health, a light body, freedom from craving,
A glowing skin, sonorous voice, fragrance
Of body: these signs indicate progress
In the practice of meditation.
Shvetashvatara Upanishad 2.I23
"Counter to the plethora of 7-step solutions and quick-fix formulas offered by so many contemporary self-help guides, the ancient science of Yoga does not pretend to be simple, quick, or easy. It is a practice that takes into account the very messy and often complex phenomenon of what we call a human being and the equally challenging task of everyday living. What yoga does promise, however, is that through sincere, skillful, and consistent practice, anyone can become peaceful, happy, and free."
Pantanjali lists 5 causes of suffering, or kleshas:
1) Avidha: ignorance of our eternal nature
2) Asmita: seeing oneself as separate and divided form the rest of the world
3) Raga: attraction and attachment to impermanent things
4) Dvesha: aversion to the unpleasant
5) Abhinivesha: clinging to life b/c we fail to perceive the seamless continuity of consciousness, which cannot be broken by death
Four attitudes to develop:
1) Friendliness toward the joyful
2) Compassion for those who are suffering
3) Celebrating the good in others
4) Remaining impartial to the faults and imperfections of others
Our spiritual fitness can only be tested in relationship to others.
The Latin word, disciplina, means 'to impart knowledge' and 'to enlighten.'
The constraining, discipline is any practice that contains our thoughts, energy, adn actions so that we can use ourselves in a potent way. Lack of containment of our physical, psychological, and psychic energies sabotages our best intentions.
"So what is to be done?
I’m suggesting a return to a primordial language.
One that exists as the deepest knowledge and expression that humanity knows.
It predates spoken language, it has its roots in the emergence of awe.
It is present in everyone, as an elemental music and reflection of molecular and stellar movement.
It is a genetic design built into leaf patterns and the bobbing of sea horses.
It is eminently present to children, we have educated it out of them.
But it is the story of our place in the universe and we must begin to tell that story again.
What we are losing is our ability to speak to the whole.
The songs of celebration, the poetry of praise." - Author unknown
Health, a light body, freedom from craving,
A glowing skin, sonorous voice, fragrance
Of body: these signs indicate progress
In the practice of meditation.
Shvetashvatara Upanishad 2.I23
March 13, 2023
"Quando cessiamo di identificarci in cose che stanno fuori dal nostro controllo e di attribuire loro, erroneamente, il nostro successo o fallimento, allora siamo ben avviati a trovare in noi un luogo di agio che nulla e nessuno ci potrà togliere. Succedono cose interessanti, quando rinunciamo a combattere una situazione o un problema che sta al di fuori del nostro controllo. Abbandonando i tentativi di sistemare cose che non si possono sistemare e accettandole così come sono, liberiamo la nostra energia: a quel punto tutta l'energia che abbiamo malamente investito in combattività è libera e disponibile per altri scopi."
Donna Farhi è un'insegnante di yoga molto esperta sia nella pratica sia nella preparazione teorica, unisce così questi due elementi in un libro adatto a chiunque sia interessato allo yoga. Si occupa soprattutto di come questa pratica ci può aiutare nella vita quotidiana con esempi e consigli su come trarre il meglio per avere più consapevolezza e scoprire il nostro vero Sé.
"È esattamente per questo che ci sono state date le pratiche spirituali: per rendere umani i nostri demoni. Il nostro lato oscuro non lo superiamo mai del tutto ed è poco probabile che smetteremo di provare emozioni; per contro, impariamo a dare il benvenuto ai nostri demoni con empatia e a poco a poco, con quel benvenuto, impareremo a domarne la natura pericolosa."
I libri come questo mi colpiscono nel profondo, perché è come se parlassero direttamente alla parte più interiore di me: ho messo tantissimi segnapagine, ci sono frasi e passaggi che mi sono piaciuti molto. In questi casi fatico a scrivere una recensione degna del libro e uso allora le citazioni, il modo, a mio avviso, più efficace.
"La pratica dello Yoga modifica quello che siamo? Rimaniamo esattamente gli stessi, tranne che per una differenza straordinaria: ci vediamo, e vediamo il mondo, in maniera diversa; ci vediamo in quanto mondo, e così scopriamo di avere meno bisogno di barricarci da "altri" percepiti come tali. Smantellando quelle barriere di separazione noi sviluppiamo un'assenza di paura di fronte alla vastità che ci consente di fare dei passi avanti là dove un tempo ci saremmo tirati indietro. Vediamo le stesse cose, ma ora le notiamo accuratamente; udiamo le stesse cose, ma notiamo tutto quello che udiamo; proviamo, gustiamo e tocchiamo le stesse cose, ma a un livello più intenso."
Donna Farhi è un'insegnante di yoga molto esperta sia nella pratica sia nella preparazione teorica, unisce così questi due elementi in un libro adatto a chiunque sia interessato allo yoga. Si occupa soprattutto di come questa pratica ci può aiutare nella vita quotidiana con esempi e consigli su come trarre il meglio per avere più consapevolezza e scoprire il nostro vero Sé.
"È esattamente per questo che ci sono state date le pratiche spirituali: per rendere umani i nostri demoni. Il nostro lato oscuro non lo superiamo mai del tutto ed è poco probabile che smetteremo di provare emozioni; per contro, impariamo a dare il benvenuto ai nostri demoni con empatia e a poco a poco, con quel benvenuto, impareremo a domarne la natura pericolosa."
I libri come questo mi colpiscono nel profondo, perché è come se parlassero direttamente alla parte più interiore di me: ho messo tantissimi segnapagine, ci sono frasi e passaggi che mi sono piaciuti molto. In questi casi fatico a scrivere una recensione degna del libro e uso allora le citazioni, il modo, a mio avviso, più efficace.
"La pratica dello Yoga modifica quello che siamo? Rimaniamo esattamente gli stessi, tranne che per una differenza straordinaria: ci vediamo, e vediamo il mondo, in maniera diversa; ci vediamo in quanto mondo, e così scopriamo di avere meno bisogno di barricarci da "altri" percepiti come tali. Smantellando quelle barriere di separazione noi sviluppiamo un'assenza di paura di fronte alla vastità che ci consente di fare dei passi avanti là dove un tempo ci saremmo tirati indietro. Vediamo le stesse cose, ma ora le notiamo accuratamente; udiamo le stesse cose, ma notiamo tutto quello che udiamo; proviamo, gustiamo e tocchiamo le stesse cose, ma a un livello più intenso."
July 4, 2020
This book is beautifully written and thoroughly sourced, drawing from the Yoga Sutras to really get to the heart of the yoga tenets that are most tangibly applied to life. The main focus of this book seemed to be about relationship to self and others, and how yoga practice impacts the dynamic of these relationships. In that way, I found the most compelling parts of the book to be when Farhi brought in examples and stories from her own life and her own students. This made the content much more relateable, instead of strictly theory or philosophy. I also found that the questions Farhi posed for reflection in each chapter, (such as, What elements of your teacher are you seeking to embody?), were very impactful and reflective. I would have loved if there were more questions like this, and if there was a sort of “reading guide� as a companion to each chapter to help readers use this book as a resource for personal reflection and evaluation of the concepts covered.
December 3, 2017
Absolutely wonderful book filled immensely with wisdom on every page. As Donna talks about understanding the sameness of us in others, she uses examples from her life to show the reader what she has gone through, so it is very relatable. Because of this book, I have started to see and understand my yoga practice and life experiences in a positive way. When I saw my Self as separate from the world around me, I have started to recognize the sameness of me in others, allowing me to be compassionate to strangers. She has also taught me to understand my inner dialogue so that I can show compassion to myself. Very essential book and will come back to it again.
October 5, 2019
This is one of my favorites! I highly recommend it for anyone who is looking for a clear understanding of what Yoga is (in its entirety, not just the physical asana part!) and how to apply it to our daily, modern lives. The author does such a good job of breaking this ancient wisdom down in a non-intimidating, relatable way. It's a book that can be useful for people who have been practicing their entire lives, as well as those who may just be starting to gain interest. She focuses a lot on the importance of a daily practice, and how this daily practice can help us in finding pure happiness and joy in our day to day lives.
I'm sure I'll be coming back to this book again in the near future.
I'm sure I'll be coming back to this book again in the near future.
January 17, 2020
Eloquent, simple, and profound
I found myself highlighting several passages in this book so as to remember them. Donna Fargo does a great job of completely explaining philosophical concepts of yoga and using metaphors so they can be easily understood. I bought this book to help me construct a yoga workshop and I was delightfully happy to see that it was required reading for my yoga teacher training program. I would love for her to include aspects of cultural appropriation in future additions. A must-read for anyone who wants to explore yoga philosophy completely and thoroughly.
I found myself highlighting several passages in this book so as to remember them. Donna Fargo does a great job of completely explaining philosophical concepts of yoga and using metaphors so they can be easily understood. I bought this book to help me construct a yoga workshop and I was delightfully happy to see that it was required reading for my yoga teacher training program. I would love for her to include aspects of cultural appropriation in future additions. A must-read for anyone who wants to explore yoga philosophy completely and thoroughly.
March 22, 2020
Tutto vero ..solo da leggere con calma, quando di vuole aprirsi ad una visione capace di modificarci giorno dopo giorni, con la consapevolezza che lo yoga é solo uno strumento che già conserviamo dentro di noi e che dobbiamo solo andare a scoprire.
Un passaggio dopo l'altro in un viaggio dentro a se stessi, consiglio di leggerlo con calma perché a volte la scrittrice é ripetitiva non solo nei concetti ma anche per lunghi paragrafi quasi volendo sottolineare i concetti.
Molto probabilmente la parola yoga qui potrebbe essere travisato, perché non é un manuale di yoga come ginnastica ma yoga come strumento di spiritualità .
Un passaggio dopo l'altro in un viaggio dentro a se stessi, consiglio di leggerlo con calma perché a volte la scrittrice é ripetitiva non solo nei concetti ma anche per lunghi paragrafi quasi volendo sottolineare i concetti.
Molto probabilmente la parola yoga qui potrebbe essere travisato, perché non é un manuale di yoga come ginnastica ma yoga come strumento di spiritualità .
October 13, 2021
"czy joga nas zmienia? Pozostajemy dokładnie tacy sami, oprócz jednej nadzwyczajnej różnicy. Inaczej widzimy i siebie, i świat, ponieważ widzimy siebie jako świat. Dzięki temu zmniejsza się nasza potrzeba barykadowania się przed kimś, kogo postrzegamy jako odmiennego od nas".
Donna Farhi stworzyła kompendium wiedzy teoretycznej o jodze w różnych jej odłamach, tak, aby każdy mógł odnaleźć się w tym, czego od niej konkretnie, w danym momencie, potrzebuje.
To, czego ja szukałem, udało mi się odnaleźć. Dostałem również narzędzia i rady odnośnie tego, jak się nie poddawać i jak przeć w tych ideach do przodu. Niczego jednak książka i inne słowo pisane nie zrobi za nas, może ona nas jedynie na różnych poziomach inaczej motywować i determinować do działania i przemyśleń.
Za dużo jest tu jedynie wiary i religii, z którą nie mam nic wspólnego, ale niezwykle proste jest pomijanie tych konkretnych aspektów, lub zastępowanie ich udziału udziałem tego, w co sami wierzymy lub wyznajemy.
Jeśli udało Ci się już pomedytować, próbować znaleźć spokój ducha niekonwencjonalnymi metodami, ale brakuje Ci narzędzi do zrozumienia jak interpretować uczucia i jak wykorzystywać czas poświęcony na medytację czy jogę, to jest to świetna pozycja.
Donna Farhi stworzyła kompendium wiedzy teoretycznej o jodze w różnych jej odłamach, tak, aby każdy mógł odnaleźć się w tym, czego od niej konkretnie, w danym momencie, potrzebuje.
To, czego ja szukałem, udało mi się odnaleźć. Dostałem również narzędzia i rady odnośnie tego, jak się nie poddawać i jak przeć w tych ideach do przodu. Niczego jednak książka i inne słowo pisane nie zrobi za nas, może ona nas jedynie na różnych poziomach inaczej motywować i determinować do działania i przemyśleń.
Za dużo jest tu jedynie wiary i religii, z którą nie mam nic wspólnego, ale niezwykle proste jest pomijanie tych konkretnych aspektów, lub zastępowanie ich udziału udziałem tego, w co sami wierzymy lub wyznajemy.
Jeśli udało Ci się już pomedytować, próbować znaleźć spokój ducha niekonwencjonalnymi metodami, ale brakuje Ci narzędzi do zrozumienia jak interpretować uczucia i jak wykorzystywać czas poświęcony na medytację czy jogę, to jest to świetna pozycja.
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