Synopses & Reviews
Yoga - Philosophy for Everyone presents a stimulating array of perspectives by people whose lives have been touched by yoga. This book addresses myriad aspects of yoga's divergent paths, such as:
- Body image and awareness (for men and women)
- Religious and spiritual aspects of yoga
- Ethics, personal growth, and the teaching of yoga
- Physical and psychological benefits of yoga practice
Written by philosophers and non-philosophers alike, and including contributions from professional yoga instructors, life-long practitioners, and those who have only just picked up their first yoga mat, Yoga - Philosophy for Everyone offers a wealth of material for both enjoyment and deep reflection.
Review
"This fascinating collection of essays reveals that although yoga means something different to each person, it is a powerful a movement today as when it first began." (Yoga Magazine, 1 February 2012)
Synopsis
Stimulates thoughts and expands awareness of the philosophical dimensions of yoga in its many forms and practicesYoga — Philosophy for Everyone presents a wide array of perspectives by people whose lives have been touched by yoga. Addressing myriad aspects of yoga's divergent paths, topics include body image for men and women; the religious and spiritual aspects of yoga; and issues relating to ethics, personal growth, and the teaching of yoga. Written by philosophers and non-philosophers alike, with contributions from professional yoga instructors, lifelong practitioners, and first-timers, Yoga — Philosophy for Everyone offers a wealth of material for both enjoyment and deep reflection.
About the Author
Liz Stillwaggon Swan has a PhD in philosophy and is a certified yoga instructor. Her niche in the world is helping people exercise their brains and their bodies. Her recent publications in the emerging field of biosemiotics explore how we use our brains and bodies to make sense of the world. She is also a new mother and delights in watching her son practice happy baby pose.
Series Editor:
Fritz Allhoff is an associate professor in the philosophy department at Western Michigan University, as well as a senior research fellow at the Australian National University's Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics. In addition to editing the Philosophy for Everyone series, he is also the volume editor or co-editor for several titles, including Wine & Philosophy (Wiley-Blackwell, 2007), Whiskey & Philosophy (with Marcus P. Adams, Wiley, 2009), and Food & Philosophy (with Dave Monroe, Wiley-Blackwell, 2007). His academic research interests engage various facets of applied ethics, ethical theory, and the history and philosophy of science.
Table of Contents
Foreword ix
John Friend
Editor’s Introduction xiv
Liz Stillwaggon Swan
Acknowledgments xxvi
PART 1 COMING INTO THE SPACE: WHAT IS YOGA? 1
1 How Yoga Won the West 3
Jennifer Munyer
2 Will I Find My Guru in India? 15
Kieran McManus
3 The Seeker: How Yoga is Meeting Changing Western Spiritual Needs 24
David Robles
4 Men, Sports, and Yoga 36
Barbara Purcell and Andrew Shaffer
5 Standing on Your Head, Seeing Things Right Side Up 47
Steve Jacobson
PART 2 THE ASANAS: YOGA AND THE BODY 59
6 Help! My Philosophy Teacher Made Me Touch My Toes! 61
Ken Burak
7 Man a Machine, Man a Yogi: Why Yoga’s Critics will Come Around 73
J. Neil Otte
8 Yoga for Women? The Problem of Beautiful Bodies 84
Luna Dolezal
9 The Feeling of Beauty: A Yoga Project 94
Nicole Dunas
10 Picturing Yoga: Yoga Journal and the Perfect Form 106
Debra Merskin
PART 3 PRANA: YOGA’S VITAL ENERGY 117
11 My Guidance Counselor Always Said I’d be a Great Yoga Student 119
Eric Swan
12 Balance in Yoga and Aristotle 129
Leigh Duffy
13 Healing the Western Mind through Yoga 139
Abby Thompson
14 The Path to Happiness Begins with a Journey Inside 149
Jim Berti
PART 4 YAMAS AND NIYAMAS: ETHICS AND YOGA 159
15 Get Out of My Way! I’m Late for Yoga! 161
Jeff Logan
16 Yoga Off the Mat 166
Julinna Oxley
17 Becoming-Frog: Yoga as Environmentalism 178
Megan M. Burke
18 Yoga and Ethics: The Importance of Practice 187
Paul Ulhas MacNeill
19 Why are You Standing on my Yoga Mat?! 200
Heather Salazar
Notes on Contributors 212 ?