Sivananda Buried Yoga Paperback – June 27, 2008

A profound book, possibly to be misunderstoodThis is an extremely profound yet very lucidly and engagingly written book, which, however, is likely to be misunderstood.The author of the book, a young and accomplished Yogi (born in 1969, so he is only 41), before taking a final stage of Samadhi is told by his guru to go back to the mundane everyday life, become a householder and to prepare at least one disciple who is to become a true Yogi. What is a true Yogi?The book provides an answer. A gist of the answer is the following. A follower of a (very cryptically written and, if only for that reason, misunderstood) Yoga Sutras of Patanajili, who completed a series of very precise procedures such purification of nadis, followed by completion of Yoga postures, followed by Pranayama etc. In the end, one quite literally rather than metaphorically becomes a universe, a state called Samadhi. Which makes any Western style Yoga just a set of engaging and useful but mostly physical exercise, almost totally unrelated to the true Yoga as an arduous and long progression towards Samadhi?This is an extremely rare book for three reasons. First, a true Yogi almost never communicates with us, mortals (I am saying this without even a trace of irony): quite literally there is no common theme for a conversation. Even if accidentally there are common terms, like meditation or pranayama the meaning of these words for a true yogi and for a `fitness Yogi' is quite difference. Thanks to the author' Guru request, we are fortunate to have unique glimpse at `Yogi's kitchen' - procedures of achieving `purity of body, clarity of mind and divinity of heart' Again, this is not a metaphor, the book explains, in very precise terms what it all means.Second, the book, following the Yoga practice itself is very analytical and precludes taking anything for granted. In the book, analytical light on Yoga practices is shed from three perspectives: theory of evolution (yogic practices as medium to accelerate evolution, so that Yogi is a more advanced and evolved human being); general theory of relativity (a Yogi is capable to achieve a speed of prana traveling in his body close to the speed of light, which create a reality quite different from the one which is familiar to us) and quantum theory (a Yogi is a different wave). Third, the book is frank, at times disarming account of personal urge and quest for spiritual growth and evolution which makes it a fun read. At times it reads as a detective or (to be more precise) science fiction story.Why is it all relevant? This is a question of an enlightened skeptic like me. The book's account is very plausible, and yes, one can become, under an appropriate guidance, a true Yogi. But chances to achieve this state are slim: we are talking about a tiny spiritual elite: an extraordinary tapas: motivation, determination and effort of this life is not sufficient; one has to come to his current life already unusually spiritually ripe and evolved (again, as I find the main hypotheses of the book very plausible, so I am quoting this in a very literal sense, not as a metaphor and without any irony). How it is relevant to the rest of us - who for some reason are not interested or motivated by Samadhi yet interested in their spiritual growth?To put another way, is `part-time' seeking possible? Given that conventional Yoga is `just gymnastics' does the book' perspective offer anything for us, who are not that spiritual elite? Does this question even make sense? I think it is a good question and let me muse on it. I'd like to make two points.First, the question of possibilities of human mind and human spirit is a central question of philosophy. The author's sensibility and temperament is very close to that Friedrich Nietzsche, and for a reason. Nietzsche was writing about a continuum of human possibly: on one of extreme of which is `super man' - an unusually evolved human being, while on another extreme is the `last man' ( a permanently happy animal). This concern of Nietzsche was not so much misunderstood as dismissed (a possible fate of this book as well), whereas a Yogi, the author of the reviewed book, is precisely a possibility of a more evolved human being Nietzsche was writing. Nietzsche, of course, was disgusted by `last men' he perceived among his contemporaries and was stretching the evolution towards his `over man' unfortunately translated as `super man'. Then, there is a tradition of a `third force' psychology exemplified by A. Maslow' self-actualization and `peak experiences' as glimpses at above-normal creativity common among creative geniuses but very rare among normal mortals. So the central question of the book about human evolution and human possibilities is a central question of other intellectual tradition as well.Second, I don't think the author is entirely fair in his last chapter when he writes about what become of Yoga in the West. He is entirely correct that what is taught under the name of Yoga should not be called Yoga and my contention that a new name is probably required. Yet I disagree with the author that Yoga teachers are either purely commercially driven, incompetent or teach `Asanas just as set of gymnastic exercises'. The best Yoga teachers (admittedly a minority) are concerned, just like the author, with their own spiritual growth and the growth of their students. Tapahs becomes the central concept and Asanas on the mat is a mere laboratory to begin practice tapahs off the mat. Practice off the matt is perceived as a real challenge, with asanas as one body-centered entry points to practice tapahs off the matt. This is manifestly not Yoga as gymnastics.As a part-time seeker, i.e. as one who is not (yet) prepared to go all the way towards Samadhi, I am interested in a (necessarily eclectic) synthesis which would draw on a tradition of a true Yoga of Patanajili described in this book but would not mimic it. I know, I know, it is not possible in any literal sense (you either follow Yoga' kriyas or you are doing something else) yet my environment is quite different from the environment of Patanajili. Such an eclectic synthesis can be called spiritual exploration or experimentation, or `radical healing' to quote the title of recent and quite rigorous book of Rudolf Ballentine -a one of the most erudite and analytically astute `part-time seekers (who also moonlights as a medical professional).The author is a full-time seeker, a true Yogi who can take a final state of Samadhi only after he creates a disciple like himself. I am a part-time seeker which sees Yoga as one analytical tradition helping my spiritual evolution (European philosophical tradition, music of Beethoven and Mozart etc. would be others, for instance). These two are very different question but the dialogue between these two questions is paramount for the both traditions - of true Yoga and eclectic radical healing.Great and profound perspectives are bound to be misunderstood or dismissed. It happened to Yoga Sutras, it happened to Ayurveda, to Nietzhe (this is one reason I referred to him). I am afraid the same might happened with this book as well. People would certainly become inspired yet not at all ready to engage in a demanding set of practices it prescribes (for instance, another review of this book while applauding the book lamented the lack of description of Yoga postures in spite the author' insistent repetition that this is not the point of the book). . So the predictable skepticism of `can it possibly be all true?' variety will give way much more dangerous pragmatic skepticism `so it is all true and so what?' variety.I am not a philosopher or psychologist. I am humble aspiring part-time seekers with a PhD in mathematical economics. I attended part of the retreat which the author has regularly in Goa, India (see yogavillage.org). Having attended the retreat, and having bombarded the author with many questions, I am no longer a skeptic of the first predictably obvious variety. The book will go a long way to dispel or at least ameliorate doubts of these kind of skeptics. But the pragmatic skepticism of a second variety (how it all relevant) remains. I am writing this rambling review partly to answer my own questions and doubts.As Rousseau' autobiographical prose unleashed intellectual enlightenment of the 18 century, this autobiography can be a first sign of an emerging spiritual enlightenment of the 21st century. The stakes are high. But to make it happen the intense dialogue between a diversity of traditions is required.Yevgeny Kuznetsov

This book is a good one to read, it can be inspiring and can spark what Tibetan Buddhists call Bodhicitta, the desire for "Enlightenment."I believe I t's meant to be an autobiographical account of one seeking "genuine yoga." Fair enough. One might simply to take that at face value, or not.As such it was written by someone who really doesn't write well. Fair enough. Given the asserted years of yoga training, writing well in any language can't really be expected without at least a good ghost writer or well informed editor. Anyway isn't "rough around the edges OK?Unfortunately the author adopts the common religious practice of auto-hagiography. The kind of autobiography that's just a little too self-promoting and a little too good to be taken at face value.The tone of this book reminds me of the prolific series of books by Tuesday Lobsang Rampa who was active from the mid-1950's until he passed in 1981. He had thousands or may be hundreds of thousands buying his books and believing in his brand of what turned out to be pseudo-Tibetan Buddhism. He became very controversial, even the Dalai Lama weighed in on him. I'm not accusing Yogi Manmoyanda of being a fraud, just of writing a book whose style reminds me of Rampa's. I understand that there are still people in India today who read Rampa's books. Personally I read them like they were going out of style. I think I read every book he got published. They influenced me to learn more about Eastern Spiritual practices. I was devastated when I learned that they weren't authentic, sanctioned teachings of Tibetan Buddhism. And the case was made that it was mostly researched and plain old fantasy occultism.Still if Yogi Mannmoyanand book brings even 10% of its readers to dig a little deeper into their yoga practice it's probably a good thing.Now the reason I bought this book is its disingenuous title. "Sivananda" nowadays mostly refers to a school of Yoga and to one of the popular luminaries of Modern Yoga of the 20th century, Swami Sivanada. Swami Sivananda taught the founders of Sivanada Yoga, Intergral Yoga and Satyananda Yoga (AKA Bihar School). Yogi Manmoyanad doesn't seem to mean that Swami Sivananda harmed yoga, nor that the Sivananda School is corrupt, nor that, perhaps, Swami Sivanada hid some of yoga's dirty laundry (given the number of power, sex, and financial abuse stories surrounding yoga around the world a heads up would have been in order though) instead "Sivananda" is meant to personify what the author feels is the corruption of serious yoga practice by innumerable people for decades and likely since its roots.The worst part is that the author gives not a clue as to which schools are good. He seems to imply that the only good teachings are in remote regions of the Himalayas. I find that unlikely.

I strongly recommend reading this book. If you want to understand yoga and get a feel for the different steps that are required, this book will help you.

The author has presented his experience, views and opinion into what is meant to be Yoga. May be difficult to reationalize for a modern reader. But gives a clear understanding into what i yoga meant to be.I will recommend it.

Very interesting book on the development or otherwise of yoga in the west. The author has made a lengthy spiritual quest and has made very thought provoking conclusions

Great for thise who practice Sivananda.

Great service and item, thank you