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Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...........................................................xix SPECIAL NOTES........................................................................xxi FOREWORD by Linda Johnsen...............................................xxiii Part I--YOGA PHILOSOPHY INTRODUCTION..........................................................................3 CHAPTER 1 How Meditation Benefits You...............................................7 Eight Steps of Yoga Science..............................................10 CHAPTER 2 What is the Purpose of Life?.................................................15 Contemplate the Question "Who Am I?"......................16 Enlightenment is Your Birthright...................................18 CHAPTER 3 Who Am I?...............................................................................21 Our Three Characteristics (Sat, Chit, Ananda)...............24 CHAPTER 4 Unbounded Life, Liberty and Happiness..........................29 Lesson of Las Vegas..........................................................31 The Omnipresent One......................................................32 viii | THE HEART AND SCIENCE OF YOGA Part II--YOGA SCIENCE CHAPTER 5 Preya or Shreya: Passing Pleasure or Perennial Joy.........37 The Buddhi (Discrimination)............................................39 CHAPTER 6 Creating the Software of the Mind.....................................43 Samskaras and the Nature of the Unconscious..............43 Changing Mental Software..............................................45 The Message of Pain.........................................................46 CHAPTER 7 The Descending Force of Grace...........................................49 Path of Fire and Light.......................................................50 Heart Chakra and the Star of David................................50 God is Great!......................................................................51 Faith Born of Experience..................................................53 CHAPTER 8 Sacrifice: A Mechanism for Transformation.....................55 Potential Versus Kinetic Energy......................................56 The Mind's Refinery.........................................................57 D = E + W + C....................................................................58 Fear, Anger and Greed.....................................................60 The Blues and Loss...........................................................60 Attention Creates and Unlocks Vast Reserves..............62 Morning Tea Ritual...........................................................62 Process for Transforming the Power of Preya...............63 Just Say "Yes!"...................................................................64 CHAPTER 9 The Whitest Horse..................................................................65 ALesson in Trust...............................................................66 CHAPTER 10 Ahimsa is the Golden Rule...................................................71 The Tenth Man..................................................................73 The Sadhu and the Snake..................................................73 Lesson of the Dinner Plates.............................................75 Gandhi's Experiment with Anger...................................77 Slowing Down...................................................................78 Training the Senses...........................................................78 Karma Yoga.........................................................................79 The Company You Keep is Stronger than Your Wi l l......80 Inspirational Reading and Satsang.................................80 CHAPTER 11 Are You a Reactionary?..........................................................83 Good Boy or Bad Boy?......................................................83 Buddha's Begging Bowl...................................................84 Lesson of Motion Pictures...............................................86 CHAPTER 12 Who is Your Guru?..................................................................89 Elvis is Guru.......................................................................91 The Child is Guru..............................................................92 The Teacher and Teaching are within You.....................93 CHAPTER 13 Renunciation...........................................................................95 Lesson of the Oil Lamp....................................................96 Abraham and Isaac...........................................................98 Lesson of Sarcasm.............................................................99 Part III--MANTRA SCIENCE CHAPTER 14 The Mantra is Your Leader.................................................105 The Subtle to the Gross...................................................108 Japa-Prayer without Ceasing........................................109 When and Where to Practice Japa..................................111 Mantra Walk....................................................................113 David and Goliath..........................................................114 Flying to Indiana.............................................................115 Choosing Your Mantra....................................................116 World's Great Mantras....................................................117 Fake It Before You Make It.............................................118 TABLE OF CONTENTS | ix x | THE HEART AND SCIENCE OF YOGA About English Mantras...................................................121 Personal Mantra Initiation.............................................121 Directing the Genie.........................................................122 Part IV--MEDITATION CHAPTER 15 Starting Your Meditation Practice.....................................127 Meditation is a Barometer..............................................129 You Can't Avoid Actions................................................131 Place for Meditation.......................................................131 Time to Meditate and Evening Meditations................132 Budgeting Your Time......................................................133 Music, Incense and Alarms............................................134 Clothing and Eyeglasses................................................135 Creating Love for Your Practice....................................135 CHAPTER 16 Systematic Procedure for Meditation...............................137 Prepare the Body Physically..........................................138 Prayers..............................................................................138 Relax and Stretch the Muscles.......................................139 Pranayama (Alternate Nostril Breathing).....................139 Survey the Body..............................................................139 Choosing Your Meditation Seat....................................143 Meditating in a Chair......................................................143 Meditating on the Floor..................................................144 Proper Posture/Lower Back Support..........................145 Positioning Elbows and Hands.....................................145 Finger/Root Lock...........................................................148 Acknowledging the Eternal Witness............................148 Pledge of Attention (Sankalpa).......................................149 Visualizing the Breath....................................................150 Meditating at the Eyebrow Center................................152 Meditating in the Cave of the Heart.............................153 Guru Chakra......................................................................153 Concluding Your Meditation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 5 4 Pillar of Light...................................................................155 CHAPTER 17 Diminishing Distractions...................................................157 Chain Reaction................................................................159 Two-Track Effect.............................................................160 Thoughts of Physical Harm...........................................161 Unbearable Itch or Sleeping Foot.................................161 Dangers Lie Only Outside YourSelf.............................161 Ego--The Great Impostor..............................................162 CHAPTER 18 Training One-Pointed Attention.......................................165 Power of the Laser...........................................................167 Understanding the Subtlest Form of Relationships...168 Power of a Glass of Water...............................................169 Take Small Steps to Train Your Mind...........................171 Metaphoric Soaker Hose................................................172 CHAPTER 19 One-Minute Meditations....................................................175 One-Minute Meditation at the Nostrils.......................176 One-Minute Meditation at the Eyebrow Center.........176 Student Testimonial........................................................177 Part V--REVISITING OUR ROOTS CHAPTER 20 The Foundation of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.......181 The Shema.........................................................................181 Why Give Attention to the Divine Reality?.................186 Pain is the Consequence of Inattention........................188 Ending Pain by Attention..............................................189 CHAPTER 21 Where is God?.......................................................................191 Learning Numbers.........................................................194 Seeing God Everywhere.................................................195 TABLE OF CONTENTS | xi xii | THE HEART AND SCIENCE OF YOGA Part VI--DEEPENING YOUR PRACTICE CHAPTER 22 Romancing the Divine........................................................199 CHAPTER 23 Meditation in Action...........................................................203 CHAPTER 24 Stillness: The Divine Physician.........................................209 Meditators are Pleasure Seekers...................................212 Roar of the Ocean............................................................213 CHAPTER 25 The Grand Charade..............................................................215 Preparing for the Birth Visualization...........................216 Birth of the Ego and Installing the Software................217 The Lion and the Sheep..................................................219 CHAPTER 26 Beyond Time, Space and Causation..................................221 Creating Waves of Desire...............................................223 Lesson of the Fountain Pen............................................223 Peek Experiences............................................................224 Creating Healthy Habits................................................226 CHAPTER 27 You are a Citizen of Two Worlds........................................229 Evolution Versus Involution.........................................231 Yoga Ecology....................................................................231 Part VII--POWER OF BREATH CHAPTER 28 Pranayama: Science of Breath............................................237 Einstein Breaks the Mold...............................................237 Prana and the Nadis.........................................................238 Breath is the Vehicle for Prana.......................................239 Pranayama (Control of Prana).........................................239 Breath and Mind Connection........................................241 Five Breathing Irregularities..........................................241 Diaphragmatic Breathing..............................................242 The Complete Yogic Breath...........................................243 Dangerous Breathing Patterns........................................245 For Runners and Aerobic Exercisers............................249 Are You Dancing?...........................................................249 Crocodile Posture............................................................251 Guidelines for Diaphragmatic Breathing....................253 Corpse Posture................................................................253 CHAPTER 29 Alternate Nostril Breathing................................................257 The Chakra System..........................................................258 Shiva and Shakti...............................................................260 Wedding of the Sun and Moon.....................................262 Mechanics of Alternate Nostril Breathing...................264 Using the So-Hum Mantra..............................................265 Procedure for Alternate Nostril Breathing..................266 Two-to-One Breathing....................................................269 Part VIII--POWER OF THE MIND CHAPTER 30 Four Major Functions of the Mind....................................273 The Anatomy of Your Real Being..................................273 Manas................................................................................278 Ahamkara (Ego, or I-Maker)...........................................278 Chitta (Unconscious).......................................................278 Buddhi (Discrimination).................................................279 Your Soul is the Hub.......................................................281 Signal and Noise.............................................................281 Coordinating the Four Functions of the Mind............282 An Ancient View of the Mind........................................282 CHAPTER 31 Managing Your Thoughts...................................................285 The Importance of NOW................................................285 TABLE OF CONTENTS | xiii xiv | THE HEART AND SCIENCE OF YOGA Considering Your Options.............................................287 Danger in Serving the Preya...........................................288 Analogy of Abortion.......................................................288 The Shell Game...............................................................289 How to Deal with Thoughts..........................................290 CHAPTER 32 Four Primitive Urges ...........................................................293 Food..................................................................................294 Sex.....................................................................................295 Sleep.................................................................................295 Self-Preservation (Fear)..................................................296 Harnessing Your Power.................................................297 CHAPTER 33 Relationships: The Essence of Living...............................299 Building, Healing & Spiritualizing Relationships......299 Yamas................................................................................302 Niyamas.............................................................................304 A Contemplation on Oneness.......................................306 Truth versus Fact.............................................................307 Don't just Believe--Experiment!..................................308 The Blind Man and the Lame Man...............................309 Part IX--AYURVEDA CHAPTER 34 Ayurveda--The Science of Life..........................................313 Process of Manifestation................................................314 Verifying the Truth of AUM...........................................315 Manifestation Begins with the Mantra AUM...............316 The Five Basic Elements.................................................316 Man as Microcosm of the Cosmos................................317 The Elements and the Human Body.............................318 The Elements and the Five Senses................................319 The Three Doshas: Vata, Pitta, Kapha.............................320 Time of Day......................................................................322 Seasons of the Year..........................................................324 Forming the Individual Constitution...........................325 Balancing the Elements for Health...............................326 Understanding the Disease Process.............................327 Reversing the Disease Process......................................328 CHAPTER 35 Understanding the Doshas.................................................331 Vata Dosha........................................................................331 Pitta Dosha........................................................................333 Kapha Dosha......................................................................335 Ayurveda's Hidden Benefit.............................................337 Ayurveda Body Type Test................................................338 CHAPTER 36 Food Sadhana........................................................................343 General Suggestions for all Doshas...............................347 The Million Dollar Prescription....................................349 Additional Ayurvedic Practices......................................350 Vata Diets.........................................................................354 Pitta Diets.........................................................................356 Kapha Diets.......................................................................358 Part X--EASY-GENTLE YOGA CHAPTER 37 Easy-Gentle Yoga..................................................................363 Begin with the Right Attitude.......................................367 Easy-Gentle Yoga--Part I...............................................368 Easy-Gentle Yoga--Part II.............................................391 Swimming Exercise........................................................401 Walking............................................................................401 Kegel Exercise..................................................................402 Part XI--PULLING THINGS TOGETHER CHAPTER 38 Two Wings of Yoga...............................................................405 Constant Practice: Abhyasa.............................................405 TABLE OF CONTENTS | xv xvi | THE HEART AND SCIENCE OF YOGA Detachment: Vairagya.....................................................406 The Power of Donuts......................................................408 Lesson of the Samurai Warrior......................................409 Tiramisu...........................................................................411 Two Monks......................................................................411 St. Francis and Perfect Joy..............................................412 CHAPTER 39 Contemplation, Repentance and Prayer..........................415 Contemplation................................................................416 The Meaning of Sin.........................................................417 Neil Armstrong and the Lunar Module.......................418 Repentance......................................................................419 Remember Ahimsa..........................................................420 Prayer................................................................................421 Ego-Centered Prayer......................................................421 God-Centered Prayer......................................................422 Make an Offering............................................................423 Sample God-Centered Prayer........................................424 CHAPTER 40 Seeing Discipline as a Joy...................................................427 The Challenge of Siblings..............................................428 CHAPTER 41 Entering the Crucible of Change.......................................433 The Lawsuit.....................................................................435 A Divine Alliance............................................................438 CHAPTER 42 Birth of AMI..........................................................................443 CHAPTER 43 Uncomplicating Modern American Life..........................449 Recognizing the Power of Desire..................................452 Unifying the Power of Desires......................................453 CHAPTER 44 Living Free from Worry.......................................................457 Antidote for Worry..........................................................457 It's Not Ten O'clock Yet..................................................459 CHAPTER 45 Epilogue.................................................................................461 Beware the "Yeah, But" Mantra.....................................462 ABird in the Hand..........................................................463 Be That which You Are...................................................464 Part XII--RESOURCES GLOSSARY OF TERMS............................................................469 THE ILLUMINED MAN...........................................................481 RECOMMENDED READING.................................................485 PRACTICES AND IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES...................487 ABOUT THE AUTHORS..........................................................489 ABOUT AMI................................................................................491 INDEX...........................................................................................493 TABLE OF CONTENTS | xvii
Library of Congress Subject Headings for this publication:
Yoga.