How Yoga Works

I just finished my first reading (there will be many more) of "How Yoga Works" last night and it was bittersweet. To the reviewer who felt corny admitting that it "changed my life," you are not alone. This is not the first book to delve into the whole of yoga, but it is the first one I have read that does it so accessibly. The authors' concept of writing this book in the form of a novel makes it more attractive to a greater audience than past attempts. And in a society where the physical poses of yoga have become so popular, I think it is more important than ever to provide insight into the rest of yoga. I have felt changes in myself and my thinking since finishing the very first chapter. As I said, now that I have finished reading it in its entirety, I plan to re-read, one chapter at a time, meditating upon the contents of each chapter before beginning another, as I felt like I was really rushing myself through some very important ideas in the first go-round, because I was so excited by the book. If you don't like this book, I will give you your money back myself!

This book is a practical explanation on the deep practices of yoga, encased in an easy to read tale. The protagonist - a young woman - makes a nice change from the bearded, middle-aged male that so often is the 'star' of yoga stories. Through the chapters of the book, the storylines cover a) specific directions on how to relate to a yoga practice, b) commentaries on the Yoga Sutras of Master Patanjali, and c) how the practice of yoga actually can transform the world around you, from a prison to a school and beyond. Like some other reviewers mention, the story is at first glance a bit simple, this is just the outer layer of a very rich and illuminating book. One of the nicest things about it is that it describes yoga without reference to any specific God or religion, in simple and compelling terms that us modern people can probably accept and deal with. All together, its a great work, I highly recommend it.

The extraordinary gift of this book, even beyond how well-written and wise the book is, is the presentation of ideas and principles in the form of a story. The reader comes to know these characters and understand their circumstances and as a result, the principles become real, rounded-out and alive. The characters stand in the place of the middle step in understanding an idea, translating that understanding into what kind of person we are building in our practices, and manifesting that. Here the characters grow that understanding on our behalf, they give us an example and an inspiration that even the most valuable and rewarding principles often don't have on their own. The human frailty of the characters, their obstacles and misunderstandings, all become real, fertile and inspiring as we see practice and theory blossom into the kind of life sincere practice can bring.

At first, I thought this book was a little slow and shallow. Not so, I have changed the way I approach many things in my life and now am enrolled in yoga classes as a result reading this.

This has been one of the most beautiful books that I have ever read. The story is deeply moving and gives the reader the tools they need to live a life full of happiness and compassion. I recommend this book to anyone, but especially to those who have a heart filled with revenge or hate for crimes committed against them by others in this world. Forgiveness has always been the only answer for complete happiness.