Published by Penguin Random House India, written by Pragya Bhatt and illustrated by Joel Koechlin, "Beyond Asanas, the Myths and Legends about Yogic Postures" is available in bookstores, on Amazon and Flipkart, both in print and e-book form.
With a foreword by Kalki Koechlin:
" Yoga. A form of exercise? Meditation for the spiritually advanced? A hippie trend? A way of life?
The word has been adopted and appropriated around the world many times over, and the practices tweaked and varied to suit different commercial or cultural settings.
Personally speaking, I have found my forms changing and evolving with time and experience in the practice, and believe that yoga is as much an inward journey as an outward achievement. This book offers lovely anecdotes from mythology, giving context to the names of postures, their reason for being, and includes step-by-step methodology for practicing each one and support them.
Is it not surprising that the meaning of asanas’ names is seldom brought to light in yoga literature? In fact, these names have certainly not been chosen at random: whenever a name has been given to a specific yoga posture, it has been designed to convey the essence of the asana, its spirit, so to speak. The physical description of an asana and the modus operandi to achieve the posture are, of course, important. But the physical part is only half of it. Yoga is not just some sort of exotic practice of gymnastics. If the combination of spirit, mind, and psychological attitude is ignored, a large part of the asana’s power is lost. "Beyond Asanas" superbly fills the gap, all with a beautiful visual story set to the backdrop of Hampi, that conveys the character of an ancient wisdom.
Enjoy! "
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