Free Downloads Light On Life: The Yoga Journey To Wholeness, Inner Peace, And Ultimate Freedom
B.K.S. Iyengar―hailed as "the Michelangelo of yoga" (BBC) and considered by many to be the most important living yoga master―has spent much of his life introducing the modern world to the ancient practice of yoga. Yoga's popularity is soaring, but its widespread acceptance as an exercise for physical fitness and the recognition of its health benefits have not been matched by an understanding of the emotional, intellectual, and spiritual development that the yogic tradition can also offer. In Light on Life, B.K.S. Iyengar brings readers this new and more complete understanding of the yogic journey. Written with the depth of this sage's great wisdom, Light on Life is the culmination of a master's spiritual genius, a treasured companion to his seminal Light on Yoga.
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Rodale Books; Reprint edition (September 19, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1594865248
ISBN-13: 978-1594865244
Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 0.9 x 9.1 inches
Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (161 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #6,728 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #2 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Philosophy > Eastern > Indian #24 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Exercise & Fitness > Yoga #57 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Alternative Medicine > Meditation
At 86 years old, BKS Iyengar has contributed much to the yoga world. Not only his prolific books, but also his style - which focuses on alignment and uses props. Almost every popular style of yoga today can thank Iyengar for helping to popularize this art. Now Iyengar has written a book that takes on a far more personal and conversational tone than previous works. Light On Life is a book that brings together all of Iyengar's personal experiences and insights in his 70+ years as a yoga practitioner.This is a fantastic book whether you practice Iyengar style yoga or not. I picked it up a few weeks ago and took my time reading through it. There is a tremendous amount of insight here and one needs to digest it slowly.This book blends Iyengar's life story along with wisdom and philosophy. You will come away from this book with a clear idea of what the yoga journey is all about. I recently had the good fortune of being able to hear Iyengar speak at a conference. He is amazing, brilliant and very witty (spry too!). This book reflects his personality beautifully. After reading this book and seeing him in person, I feel that I am more dedicated to my path than ever.Highly recommended!
It is a rare thing to find wisdom distilled into a book, rarer still that the author walks among us. This book is more than a capstone to 70 years of Mr. Iyengar's own yoga practice, it's an invitation to share his experience an find out for oneself how much yoga can change, transform and enlighten the intelligence of the body, the mind and ultimately the spirit. Lucid, well-written and accessible, this is a book for seekers everywhere. I can't recommend it highly enough.
"Light on Life" is a thoroughly readable book by the Father of modern Yoga. I have read both "Light on Yoga" and "Light on Pranayama" and without a doubt this is the most accessable of the three books. In his earlier books, Iyengar writes as a stearn teacher with a rock solid philosophy. However, in this new book, the Master writes with a grandfatherly wisdom that neither demands nor commands. This is a gentle book by a gentle man that outlines a life based around the art and science of yoga as well as detailed instructions for overcoming challenges along the way. Iyengar writes candidly about his own struggles in life and with his own challenges in the practice of his beloved Yoga. His devotion and love for his wife and family is delightfully apparent as he describes parts of their life together. All students wherever they are on their path, will take heart that even a great master like BKS Iyengar has faced the same pitfalls as all of us.This may be the final published work by this treasure of a man and everyone interested in the Yoga lifestyle should own and read this book.
Profound thoughts explained in the most simple manner. That's all one can say about this book. It is difficult to write a more objective review, because the impact the author will have on you will make you giddy. It took me about 3 months to complete my first read of the book - not because it is difficult. The book should not be read - it should be absorbed and reflected upon. Being raised in Eastern philosophy, I am aware of the profound thoughts explained in the book. However, the beauty of the book is its secular approach in explaining thoughts similar to that of the Gita, in a simple manner everyone can easily relate to. To me, this is the modern day version of the Gita. Having owned all the "Light on.." books by the author, this book is the perfect "integrator" of all the other books by the author. An absolute must-have.
An autobiography written by B.K.S. Iyengar would have been interesting, but instead Light on Life delves into the Yogic concepts of yamas and niyamas, the five kosas, pranayama, asana and the importance of ethics and forthright living. As a textbook, Light on Life gives a good introduction and comprehensive guide to Yoga, from a true and time tested master. I appreciated his humility and honesty when giving anecdotes and explanations, even calling himself a "fanatic."A Yogi embraces and lives in the external world and does not renounce it. Iyengar continually emphasizes the interconnectedness of the many petals of Yoga. He gives crystalline answers to the questions which may arise at each step along the spiritual path, "the lowest being our ability to tie our own shoelaces when we are eighty and the highest being the opportunity to taste the essence of life itself."If he has left any lasting reminder, it is that Hatha Yoga is not just a physical practice but can lead a dedicated practitioner to integration of mind, body and soul. His emphasis on practice, sadhana and tapas, gives hope for anyone starting at any stage to reap the benefits of Yoga with patience and perseverance.He uses humorous examples like the temptation of a tub of vanilla ice cream to illustrate how the mind, ego and intelligence operate. "Drink contaminated water on Monday, sick on Tuesday, dead on Wednesday," is the way he describes previous epidemics of cholera and typhoid. Some of his anecdotes are quaint such as, "It is normal for women students to set their teachers on a pedestal in any subject, but by that time I was a bit more worldly-wise and developed a forbidding manner to keep them at arm's length. My flashing eyebrows and fierce glare came to my rescue. "However, this is definitely an uplifting book that gives practical guidelines and direction on how to change our habits and cultivate wisdom. For example, Iyengar says that doing Setu Bandha Sarvangasana can alleviate depression. "When there is softness in body and lightness in mind, the asana is correct." There are hundreds of examples of sensible and enlightening instruction. "Meditation can only be achieved when all other physical and mental weaknesses have largely been eliminated. Mediation is not just sitting quietly."
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