The Art of Yoga (Continuation)

Author: Kanawa Translated
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-11-01
Features: 100 beautiful masterpieces drawn with devout hearts, 100 mythical stories of the highest yoga realms, showcasing the highest spiritual practices of yoga culture. "My friend and I, thank it for granting me a glorious day. It is the book of the world, vast as the earth and sky, unfolding before our eyes, without the slightest trace of triviality, but only breadth, tranquility, unity, and the ancient wisdom of another era, echoing beneath another sky. Let us embrace this solemn oracle rather than turn away with even a hint of criticism." Ralph Waldo Emerson, American speaker, writer, and poet. "When I read it, I thought of only one question: How did God create the universe? Everything else is superfluous." Albert Einstein, world-renowned physicist. "Whenever doubts cloud my mind, disappointment creeps in, and I see no glimmer of hope on the horizon, I turn to it and find a verse that comforts me. Instantly, I let go of my sorrow and a smile appears on my face. Those who keep it in their hearts can find new joy and meaning in it every day." Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement. "It is the most profound and sublime work in the world. As I read it, a constant flow of gratitude for my fate fills my heart, gratitude for allowing me to live and study this work." Wilhelm von Humboldt, German philosopher, linguist, and educator. "It may be the most systematic and classic explanation of eternal philosophy. For a world at war, with a lack of wisdom and spiritual prerequisites for peace, all it can expect is a patchwork of hidden crises and armistice agreements. It clearly points out a path of light, the only path that can free us from our self-inflicted, self-destructive fate." Aldous Huxley, British writer and critic. "To those who read classics, I would say, if you expect to read a good book, read this one." "No other book can elevate the reader to such sublime, pure, and rare realms of thought as this one." "At Walden Pond, Thoreau's wisdom swims in its vast, boundless ocean, interpreting the philosophy of the creation of the universe. Compared to modern books, they seem trivial and insignificant. Its sublimity is truly unfathomable, far beyond our current understanding." "Even our Shakespeare, standing beside its vast, boundless philosophy of the creation of the universe, seems almost naive and commonplace." Henry David Thoreau.
As a fitness movement that has taken the world by storm, yoga is gaining popularity among more and more people. Practicing yoga correctly not only maintains physical health but, more importantly, preserves mental harmony, enabling a healthy body and mind to face the various pressures of life. In its original sense, "yoga" means "to be connected with the universe and the supreme." This highest state of yoga can be considered similar to the highest state of "unity between heaven and man" in traditional Chinese culture.
The Art of Yoga, along with this book, features 200 paintings, all created by artists from around the world using traditional oil painting techniques. The themes are drawn from the classic mythological stories of yoga culture in the famous Indian epic, the Mahabharata, such as the Bhagavad Gita, the Ramayana, and the Gitagovinda. These exquisite artworks and accessible explanations help readers better understand and practice yoga, an ancient science of life.