On the heels of one of my favorite yoga books of all time, “Original Yoga,” Richard Rosen has delivered yet another treasure for yoga lovers, especially the discerning ones who want a clearer picture of the history of yoga and its evolution from ancient yoga into today’s modern yoga. His new book “Yoga FAQ: Almost Everything You Need to Know About Yoga—from Asana to Yamas” is also going to satisfy those of you out there who skeptical of some oft-repeated so-called “facts” about yoga—I can now proudly call Richard a myth buster!Richard Rosen, who in my opinion is one of the most well-read and knowledgeable yoga scholars of our day (although he is likely to deny it, with his usual humble and self-deprecating manner), manages to educate, enlighten, and entertain on topics that could easily slip into dull, academic discourse with a less talented writer. And he does so with an ample and welcome supply of his unique, dry sense of humor. The questions he addresses range far and wide, from “How old is yoga?” (not as old as you have been lead to believe!) and “Who is Patanjali?” to “What are subtle channels?” He also addresses practical issues, such as “Is there a particular way I should face when I practice?” and important distinctions, such as “You often talk in class about the differences between ‘traditional Hatha Yoga’ and ‘modern Hatha Yoga.’ Could you put all your thoughts down in one place, please?”
The book has five chapters: 1) Union: What is Yoga? 2) Perfected: What is Sanskrit? 3) Sacred Knowledge: What is the Veda? 4) Threads: What is the Yoga Sutra? and 5) Force: What is Hatha Yoga). And because each of the chapters of the book are in a FAQ (frequently Asked Questions) format, I enjoyed dropping into reading the book for just a question or two before bedtime or right after morning meditation, and letting the dense, yet accessible information sink in. But you could just as easily and enjoyably sit down and read an entire section. And although it is the perfect book for many of you who follow our blog and are already immersed in yoga, it could also be a perfect adjunct read for those in their first teacher training program or even students of yoga who have been around long enough to have heard yoga “facts” and history bantered about in their regular classes.
The book is available now from Shambhala Press on their website www.shambhala.com, and for pre-order on Amazon with a shipping date of Feb. 28th. And if you live in the San Francisco Bay Area and want to get your book signed, you can bring your copy to Richard’s book release party at You and the Mat on March 10th at 7:30 pm, in Oakland, CA. Let me know if you are going so I can have you take my copy along to get signed (out of town, again!).
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