Yoga: Immortality and Freedom (Mythos: The Princeton/Bollingen Series in World Mythology)

A classic text by a classic scholar. Mircea Eliade writes a scholarly work on the history, origins and practices of yoga. He references the Upanishads and other Sanskrit original works, but also scholars of his time who wrote about yoga. It's a good book for practitioners interested in deepening their knowledge about the ancient ways of yoga, but is best suited for people who are comfortable with foreign words, Sanskrit concepts and/or are adept at reading scholarly writing. This book will not be helpful to beginners and is certainly not as accessible as a pick it up and read it at the doctor's office kind of magazine article, nor is it a manual with instructions on asanas and breathing. It is a good read, perhaps even a must read for practitioners with a few years of yoga practice who want to go deeper in exploring the historical origins, beliefs and variations of yoga. It's quite dense and assumes the reader has familiarity with Sanskrit and Hinduism and other Indian philosophical traditions.

Although this book is old, it has more information about yoga than almost any yoga book I have ever read, and I have read a lot. I came across this book in the early '70s and my copy is falling apart. No, I don't want a new copy, thank you. All those underlines and notes in the margin make my copy twice as valuable! My book is part of my soul. So much good info here. Maybe it isn't perfect in everything and also there has been more current research on certain topics, but if you want to broaden your knowledge, you will find this to be a treasure that you can read and reread until your pages are falling out, too.

Wow. If you want to get a grand total understanding of not only Yoga but also of Tantra and how it fits into the grand scheme of many of India's innumerable great teachings then this book is for you. It is absolutely phenomenal and on par with Vashista's Yoga in terms of its profundity. Although Vasistha's Yoga is an actual scripture for teaching, this text is more of a scholarly epic detailing the "inside scoop" on a lot of what makes Yoga and Tantra so life changing. Not a lighthearted book for the typical Westerner looking for insight on Asana's or even a typical guru worship treatise expounding on what makes "my guru" so great. This cuts straight to the heart of what Yoga has always and will always be about; mystical union. Bring a dictionary. I know I needed one lol.

Eliade Mircea is still the writer who has searching deepest and broadest in the History of Yoga. His "Yoga: Inmortality and Freedom", is yet a god book who take up and look seriously over the development and the various kind of yoga schools through the long course of time.I recommend it! Specially for the serious student who want to know more!

This book has entranced me with its depth and clarity. An ideal text for the Western mind to connect with the masters of Yoga. I love living with it in my life.

good classic book on yoga from a respected source. writing is a bit dry.

If you are looking for a approach to the yoga from the understanding why this discipline impacts so deeply in the lives whom practices it, this is the book that do you need. It is writing so carefully and meticulously that is easy to read and it is an excellent map to the occidental yogi 's world.

An excellent documentary of all yoga aspects and philosophies, beyond the physical exercises we customarily associate yoga with. This book expands the reader's horizons, understanding of different yoga methods, goals, specialties, concentrations."Must Read" is an understatement.

Lo que esperaba

ok

One of my best purchase that I made, ideal for research and yoga practitioners

FIne

Eliade is a master teacher, a philosopher, a scholar. This book is a product of his own experience in yoga, in the early 1900. He was a pioneer in bringing this philosophy to the West and considered THE expert at the time in yoga (even now, it's hard to find a more scholarly book written by a Westerner, on yoga). It's a solid book, based on robust research, but still easy to read. A must read for any serious yoga practitioner. The caveat is his obvious bias towards tantric yoga. Still, a worthwhile book, his knowledge is simply astonishing.