The Secret Power of Yoga: A Woman's Guide to the Heart and Spirit of the Yoga Sutras

This is the best interpretation of Pantanjali's Yoga Sutras I've ever read. I highly, HIGHLY recommend it. I just finished it and will be reading it many, many more times. Instead of making a list of do's and don'ts that sound unattainable this book rephrases the sutras so that they're truly livable. It doesn't matter that it isn't a word for word translation and it doesn't matter that not all of the sutras are included. The author states her reasons for not including all of them and explains that she's not translating as a scholar. This is the first time I've read the Yoga Sutras and have been warmed by them.

Having been involved in yoga for 20 years I understand the sometimes frustration that all perspectives of the traditional writings are from a male perspective. Devi holds the sacredness of the text while bringing even more heart and compassion to the readings. Thanks! Shannon

This book is truly a gem. It discusses the Sutras from a heartfelt perspective lacking in most other translations. It will compliment any other reading of the Sutras you have done, and will add a whole other dimension. A must-have for any complete yoga library.

Although most of us view yoga as simply a physical discipline, there is a far more spiritual dimension to it. The entire philosophy of yoga has been contained in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. Sutra is Sanskrit for "thread" - the sutras are a collection of terse aphorisms threaded together, laying out the whole of yoga. Translations of these sutras have been done by males over the years and although there are some wonderful books on the subject (Iyengar's "Light On the Yoga Sutras" for one), I have found these books to be rather dry. Well known yoga instructor, Nischala Joy Devi has written an entirely new and feminine perspective on these ancient proverbs. Devi writes in an almost poetic manner and substitutes words that are 'negative' with a more heart centered counterpart. For example, for Aparigraha which is often translated as non-greed, Devi uses "awareness of abundance". This is a very nurturing viewpoint that makes the sutras "friendlier" and more easier to relate to. Meditations and practices are sprinkled throughout to help intergrate the vibe of the sutras into your heart. She covers books one and two of the sutras and did a brief scan of book three. I am somewhat hopeful that she is intending on covering books three and four (she didn't mention book four at all) in a further volume, but until then, this is enough food for thought for now.