Yoga - A Journey Within

Yoga – A Journey Within is a collection of photographs and interviews with 54 inspirational yogis the author met during two journeys to India in 2004, visiting more than 30 cities during six months of travel. All of the yogis interviewed for this book were photographed in India using 35mm film and natural light, often within the context of their immediate surroundings, like the nearest rooftop or temple wall. While this book is not meant to be instructional in any way, he felt it was important to have different asanas represented, to show the various practices of these individuals. In the instances where the subject is not performing an asana, it can be assumed that their practice is either very private, or leans more towards the devotional aspects of yoga.Many of the subjects are students who have chosen to study directly with their masters, while others are on a yogic journey in India for the purpose of exploring different styles of yoga with more than one teacher. Included in this collection of yogis are four of the most recognizable and influential personalities of modern yoga who collectively guide millions of students worldwide; namely, Yogacharya Sri TVK Desikachar, the late Vidwan Sri K Pattabhi Jois, Paramahansa Niranjanananda Saraswati, and Yogacharya Sri BKS Iyengar.All of the yogis in this book were asked the same relative questions to demonstrate similarity and contrast between their personal journeys and experiences of yoga. Each individual was asked the following questions:What are your earliest memories of yoga?Who or what inspired you to practice yoga?What is your yoga practice?Do you have a teacher or guru?How has yoga influenced your relationships with people in life?Have there been any significant turning points in your yoga practice?How has yoga changed you mentally, physically and spiritually?Do you recognize yoga as an important influence in your life?What is the meaning or the essence of yoga?What is the ultimate goal or aim of yoga?Their answers to these questions are presented here as a collection of comparative monologues, giving the reader a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of what the practice of yoga can achieve. The yogis in this book represent differing systems of practice, stages of life, varied nationalities, physical abilities, and philosophical ideologies, and are a reflection of the diversity of practitioners within India and throughout the world.The aim of Yoga – A Journey Within is to inspire and inform the reader — from the curious seeker to the dedicated practitioner — with a wealth of personalized information about practical, spiritual and philosophical aspects of contemporary yoga and yogic practices. Read more