The Mirror of Yoga

Awakening the Intelligence of Body and Mind

By: Richard Freeman

Narrated by: Erin Moon

The world of yoga is astonishingly rich in its array of schools and practices. Yet, as diverse as they seem, they share a common aim: the discovery of the essence of existence that can be found at the core of our being, and the liberation that comes from that discovery. With this worthy goal in mind, Richard Freeman presents an enlightening overview of the many teachings, practices, and scriptures that serve as the basis for all the schools of yoga - hatha, bhakti, jnana, karma, tantra, and others. He shows how the myriad forms are ultimately related, and can even be perceived to make up a vast, interpenetrating matrix, symbolizing the unity, profundity, and beauty of the ancient tradition. Richard's wide-ranging discussion includes the Upanisads and Samkhya philosophies, the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, the eight limbs of astanga yoga, the process and purpose of hatha yoga, and much more. He also explores the role of the guru, chanting, meditation, and the yogic imperative of offering service to others. All of this is applied to the actual practice, giving the reader the tools to digest and apply the wealth of information to daily life. The Mirror of Yoga will be a welcome resource to all yogis who wish to better practice the profound philosophy underlying their practice.

©2010 Richard Freeman (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Loved it!!

I absolutely enjoyed this book. Brand new to Yoga and actively in a YTT training, this book has been very helpful. Shared it w my team this am!
Thank you! Much gratitude to you!

Simply amazing!

In a previous age, this book would have had to be committed to memory.

Nice read

Enjoyed the narrator who has great diction and excellent pronunciation of Indian/Sanskrit words. The book itself was well composed and gives a good birds eye view of how the different schools and books are related and grew from each other, starting chronologically with the earliest ones. My yoga practice has deepened from the insight I was able to glean with this book. In fact, some of my intuitions and thoughts were validated with some of the ancient stories that illustrate the same concepts that I’ve been conceiving. Solid read, all around.

good content - focus needed

I love audio books that allow me to do work at the same time, the content was so rich and there was use if terminology that required My full attention during each listen or I was easily lost... but this was something that I think was indirectly learned: be in the moment.

Dry but that’s ok - content, message, vibe, beautiful.

Dry but that’s ok - content, message, vibe, beautiful. Just finished my first listen on this one, mostly while riding my bike, I think I’ll listen a second time, and take notes, because it’s full of notable knowledge and beautiful perspectives.

Jaw dropped and humbled!

So many questions brought to light, new insights. Making so much more sense now. Humbled that my approach to all this is normal and excited to proceed. Will re-listen to this book again and again, I believe it will continue to be a rich resource that I will recommend to students and fellow yogis. Wow thank you for walking me through your knowledge in the subject!

A gift from a master teacher

Like his teaching, Richard’s takes the multitude of ideas and perspectives that has become the corpus of yoga philosophy and presented it in a meaningful and thought-out way without reducing it to mere bullet points. The skillfulness with which this is done is a gift to modern seekers on the path of yoga.

Really fantastic

I hope that I can encourage everyone that I know to listen to this audiobook. I love the insights that the book reveals about the nature of the mind and the ego and how yoga helps to cultivate this awareness. I've been practicing yoga daily for the past two years, but this book has given me the path for my practice that I didn't know that I wanted! Just outstanding.

A "must read" for any Yoga teacher

Where does The Mirror of Yoga rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is the best audio book that I have listened to so far..

What about Erin Moon’s performance did you like?

Erin's voice was peaceful and easy to follow. She seemed to have a good grasp of the ideas presented and the sanskrit pronunciation of certain words and phrases. I have listened to this book three times now without being bored or lost.

Any additional comments?

I get new information each time that I listen to it. It is simply the best overall book on yoga and yoga philosophy that I have studied and enjoyed.

Recommended

The narration is a bit dry, but Freeman's text is informative and interesting. He illuminates many obscured subjects in the study of yoga. Recommended reading for serious practitioners of yoga.