'Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patañjali'
2500 years ago in India, one of the world’s greatest minds set about codifying the ancient art of Yoga. His name was Patañjali, and his work became known as the ‘Yoga Sutras.’ This was the first time that yoga—historically taught privately in the homes of its practitioners and passed from adept to disciple in secret—was systematized and, eventually, made widely available in its comprehensive form.
A sutra is an aphorism, jam-packed with meaning and depth. They were intended to be dense and concise so as to be more easily memorized. A sutra is instructive in nature. Literally, it means a thread that holds things together. In the case of the Yoga Sutras, what is held together are the sacred teachings and techniques of yoga. The Yoga Sutras of Patañjali then, are like a great necklace made of the finest gems that, together, contain the greatest secrets and most important principles of the Yoga tradition.
B.K.S. Iyengar’s translation and commentary on the Yoga Sutras (‘Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patañjali’) is easy to read, applicable to modern life, and powerfully transformative. From beginning to end, the Yoga Sutras are enthralling, inspiring, and life-enhancing. Whether seeking answers to the deepest questions of life, directing the efforts of advanced yoga practitioners, or introducing yoga to a beginner, the Yoga Sutras of Patañjali are a must-have book in any collection of spiritual literature."
A sutra is an aphorism, jam-packed with meaning and depth. They were intended to be dense and concise so as to be more easily memorized. A sutra is instructive in nature. Literally, it means a thread that holds things together. In the case of the Yoga Sutras, what is held together are the sacred teachings and techniques of yoga. The Yoga Sutras of Patañjali then, are like a great necklace made of the finest gems that, together, contain the greatest secrets and most important principles of the Yoga tradition.
B.K.S. Iyengar’s translation and commentary on the Yoga Sutras (‘Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patañjali’) is easy to read, applicable to modern life, and powerfully transformative. From beginning to end, the Yoga Sutras are enthralling, inspiring, and life-enhancing. Whether seeking answers to the deepest questions of life, directing the efforts of advanced yoga practitioners, or introducing yoga to a beginner, the Yoga Sutras of Patañjali are a must-have book in any collection of spiritual literature."