Yoga for the Three Stages of Life: Developing Your Practice as an Art Form, a Physical Therapy, and a Guiding Philosophy [Paperback]

Yoga for the Three Stages of Life has a clarity and simplicity unlike many of the other books recently published.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable book, written with the sincerity and wisdom you would expect from a long-time, dedicated student.

Young, old or in between, this book will give you a complete yoga routine.

"The title of this book gives you a good indication of what this excellent book is about. A lot to live up to, but this book lives up to it. The author points out that there have been more books on yoga in the past twenty years than ever before.The author thought that he had something to add to the discussion, and after reading this book, I agree. I strongly recommend this book. It is not for beginners, as the author points out, but can be used as a reference for ongoing practice. It it well written and well organized. The book is great. It encourages the reader to explore the science of yoga, and go beyond the asanas and exercises to expand on the union of yoga."

..the quality of asanas demonsrtrated..it is excellent;there is much fruit here for the experienced, motivated student to harvest

The therapeutic benefits of yoga are discussed widely..a whole chapter is devoted to yoga for women, including yoga during pregnancy

. . Ramaswami has succeeded well in his heartfelt effort to present yoga, in all its dimensions..Dr Rolf Sovik

The book..captures the spirit of the Hindu way of life of which Hatha yoga is a part. The midsection is profound--Dr. M.R. Dwarakanath

.The quality of the asanas.. does not vary;it is excellent. Moreover, many of the asana variations are seldom seen in most contemporary hatha yoga books..

...has developed and expanded those teaching to include a key element: the need to take into consideration the individual's stage in life while practicing yoga.

...an excellent introduction which blends the usual guide to postures and meditation practices with insights on adapting yoga to individual needs and different stages of life...

...This is a wonderful book that makes an excellent reference for the practitioner of hatha yoga, and a great reading for the non-practitioner.

. . . Many of the asana variations are seldom seen in most contemporary hatha yoga books. . . .

Essential reading for those looking to customize their practice to life's changing needs.

- Includes sections on vedic chanting, throat breathing, and exercises for women.

- Presents a unique portrait of T. Krishnamacharya and his teachings.

For 33 years Ramaswami studied with the legendary T. Krishnamacharya, teacher of B.K.S. Iyengar, Pattabhi Jois, and T.K.V. Desikachar and perhaps the most influential figure in the field of yoga in the last 100 years. Since that time he has developed Krishnamacharya's teaching into what may be the most highly evolved program available for making yoga a way of life, rather than simply a routine. In seventeen chapters Ramaswami lays out the whole philosophy of yoga, including principles for right living, postures, breathing practices, meditation practices, and mental disciplines.

Key to Ramaswami's teaching is the focus on adapting yoga to individual needs and to different stages of life. During the early part of life, learning yoga as a physical art form is most beneficial for the self-confidence and discipline it instills. In middle age, yoga should focus on physical therapy and maintaining optimum health as far into life as possible. In the last stages of life, the practitioner will be ready to focus on the ultimate goal of yoga--true understanding of the philosophy behind it and the realization of truth.

The book contains an in-depth and comprehensive treatment of orthodox Yoga. As a long standing student of the legendary Sri T Krishnamacharya, I have also brought into focus his method of teaching, bringing in its wake, the ethical,the physical, the physiological, mental, the psychological and spiritual dimensions of the Yoga Sastra. I have followed right through the book, the thought process of Patanjali, as found in the Yoga Sutras.

In the chapter on my studies with my Guru, Sri T Krishnamacharya, both the theory and practice of Yoga as taught by him are detailed. It will give a wholesome view of Sri T Krishnamacharya's direction of Yoga Studies. I have included a detaled story of Patanjali, and for the first time this narration appears in a book. The definition of Yoga and the varied Yoga systems are then discussed in detail. Yoga for the spiritually eveolved persons is discuswed in detalil. Then the important Kriya yoga with the emphasis on the most efficacious Mantra Yoga are taken up for discussion, including several spiritual questions of the karma hypothesis; the commandments for a yogi are then discussed in great detail. Thus the basic theoretial discussions necessary are contained in the first part of the book designated as Yoga Theory. It also contains more than a dozen stories from the epics to enrich the understanding of various yogic concepts with in this section. To help the serious student! , all the Sanskrit yogic words are used and the meaning also is immediately given.

The Pracitice section contains several hundred asana vinyasas, classifies as standing, sitting, prone, supine and inverted postues groups. All the important asanas are narrated through the vinyasakrama. About 300 asana vinyasas have been described along with the therepeutical benefits. . The asana sequences presented here are unique and are very comprehensive, The yogic breathing exercises section contains several pranayama practices along withn the locks(bandhas) . The therepeutic benefits and the physiological changes are also explained in great detail. Yoga for Women quotes from ancient texts and described in detail various yoga practices appropriate to women during pregnency, for facilitating child birth etc. A chapter on yoga texts will help serious students to pursue theoretical studis. The internal practices like meditation and mind tranformations(Chitta Parinama) are also explained leading to the ultimate goal, which is freedom of the self.

Yoga in an art from (Vinyasa krama) is appropriate during early part of life when the individual is growing. In midlife yoga should be customized to help individuals maintain robust health to achieve worldly and spiritual goals. And during the third stage of life the individual Yogi should ponder over the spiritual dimensions of yoga to achieve mental and spiritual freedom . In about 100,000 words with about 300 pictures and sketches, andspread over 17 chapters the book captures the complete orthodox yoga way of Life. Whether one is beginner or an advanced practitioner, this will be a very useful book to keep , read and refer to repeatedly

Yoga is discovery-discovery of the true nature of one's own self. It involves a unique thought process which results in the ending of all thought processes. At present as neo yoga is becomimg highly inventive, this book brings out the richness, firm basis and methodology of conventional (sampradaya) yoga

SRIVATSA RAMASWAMI ABOUT SRIVATSA RAMASWAMI

Srivatsa Ramaswami (62) studied Yoga, Vedic Scriptures, Vedic Chanting and Hindu Philosophies for over three decades under Pandit Sri T Krishnamacharya(1888-1989) who was the teacher to a number of other well known Yoga teachers as B K S Iyengar, T K V Desikachar, Pattabhi Jois and others. Ramaswami has been teaching yoga and yoga related subjects for over twenty years mostly in India, in the traditional way. Recent Publications;

1. A book, "YOGA FOR THE THREE STAGES OF LIFE" published by Inner traditions, Vermont, USA, was released worldwide in Feb 2001. The book in about 100,000 words and nearly 300 photos and sketches describes about 300 asana/vinyasas, therapeutic applications of several asanas and pranayamas, yoga for women, mantra yoga and traditional meditative methods. It faithfully follows the thought process of Patanjala Yoga and treats Yoga as an art, a physical therapy and a vedic philosophy appropriate to the three different stages of Life.

2. HMV in India in Feb 2001 released in India three cds of Sanskrit chants of Srivatsa Ramaswami

a. Suyanamaskara (Sun Salutation). It is the Aruna Prapataka of Krishna Yajurveda b. Mahanarayana Upanishad. and Yoga of Patanjali. This contains the Dravida Patha of Mahanarayana Upanishad of Krishna Yajurvveda. and also the recitation of the entire Yoga Sutras of Patanjali c. Taittiriya Upanishad and Yoga Taravali. Contains the chanting of Taittiriya Upanishad of Krishna Yajur Veda and also the recioitation of Yoga Taravali of Adi Sankara

Teaching: Taught yoga at Kalakshetra,( a deemed University of Arts and Dance in Madras), India for twenty years. Has also taught at Sri Ramachandra Medical University for students and some faculty. Has conducted several Yoga camps for Yoga Brotherhood, Madras. Has done a series of "Yoga for youth program" for Doordarshan in 80s.Had reviewed several Yoga books for THE HINDU, The leading English daily in South India. Several of his cassettes,and talks have been reviewed/featured in the religious colums of INDIAN EXPRESS another leading English Newspaper in India. Has spoken over All India Radio- about 20 talks in the Sanskrit programs. During the last three years he has taught yoga at several places in the USA including teaching yoga classes at Houston and over two weeks in New York City and over twenty seminars/workshops/intensives at Buffalo, Chicago, NY City, Austin, Honesdale, San Francisco and Los Angeles for institutions like Himalayan Institute. He has also lectured on Yoga and Indian philosophies and sanskrit chants in several Hindu temples in St. Louis, Atlanta, Washington D.C., NYC, Cleveland, and Los Angeles. He taught a three hour long program at the UCLA medical school on the therapeutic applications of Yoga. He also presented yoga programs in the Southwest Yoga Conference in Austin,TX(Nov 2000) and Yoga-Vision conference in Phoenix,AZ(Mar 2001) His seminars included subjects such as Yoga postures based on the Vinyasakrama (using synchronous breathing and sequential progressive movements), variations of postures and counter postures as an art form of yoga., yoga and its therapeutic applications, yogic internal practices (meditations), yogic breathing methods, yoga and sibling Indian philosophies, vedic and sanskrit chants in the traditional way etc.

Publications - writing and cassettes: He has written over fifty articles on yoga and has chanted sanskrit hymns and scriptural prayers in 35 audio cassettes that are marketed in India and abroad by HMV. Personal: Holds a Master's degree in Industrial Engg and Mngmt from Oklahoma State University(1961) President Madras Stock Exchange(1984-87) and Rotary Club of Madras Midtown(1977-78). Wife,Dr. Uma Ramaswami, gynaecologist.Sons, Prasanna and Badri are respectively alumni of Stanford and Duke Universities and work in California and New York.