The Truth of Yoga

Daniel Simpson

ISBN 10: 0865477817 / ISBN 13: 9780865477810

Published by North Point Press, US, 2021

About this Item

Much of what is said about yoga is misleading. To take two examples, it is neither five thousand years old, as is commonly claimed, nor does it mean union, at least not exclusively. In perhaps the most famous text-The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali-the aim is separation, isolating consciousness from everything else. And the earliest evidence of practice dates back about twenty-five hundred years. Yoga may well be older, but no one can prove it. Scholars have learned a lot more about the history of yoga in recent years, but their research can be hard to track down. Although their work is insightful, it is aimed more at specialists than at general readers. Daniel Simpson's The Truth of Yoga draws on many of their findings, presented in a format designed for practitioners. The aim is to highlight ideas on which readers can draw to keep traditions alive in the twenty-first century. It offers an overview of yoga's evolution from its earliest origins to the present. It can either be read chronologically or be used as a reference guide to history and philosophy. Each short section addresses one element, quoting from traditional texts and putting their teachings into context. The intention is to keep things clear without oversimplifying.

Seller Inventory # LU-9780865477810

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Truth of Yoga
• Publisher: North Point Press, US
• Publication Date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0865477817
• ISBN 13: 9780865477810
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: New
• Weight: 300 grams

About this title

Synopsis

A succinct, approachable guide to the origins, development, key texts, concepts, and practices of yoga.

Yoga is practiced by many millions of people worldwide and is celebrated for its mental, physical, and spiritual benefits. And yet, as Daniel Simpson reveals in The Truth of Yoga, much of what is said about yoga is misleading. For example, the word “yoga” does not always mean union. In fact, in perhaps the discipline’s most famous text―the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali―its aim is described as separation: isolating consciousness from everything else. And yoga is not five thousand years old, as is commonly claimed; the earliest evidence of practice dates back about twenty-five hundred years. (Yoga may well be older, but no one can prove it.)

The Truth of Yoga is a clear, concise, and accessible handbook for the lay reader that draws upon abundant recent scholarship. It outlines these new findings with practitioners in mind, highlighting ways to keep traditions alive in the twenty-first century.

About the Author

Daniel Simpson teaches at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, in teacher trainings around the UK, and at Triyoga in London. He is a graduate of Cambridge University and has a master's degree from SOAS University of London.