The Inner Life of Asanas: The Best of Hidden Language Hatha Yoga from Ascent Magazine
Here is a fascinating introduction to the practices of Hidden Language Hatha Yoga, a style founded by Swami Sivananda Radha, Swami Lalitananda's friend and teacher for more then 25 years. (Radha was also the first Western woman to be initiated as a sanyasin, or renunciate, by Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh.) The book, which focuses on developing awareness, not muscles, is a collection of Lalitananda's columns written for ascent magazine, a Montreal-based yoga and spirituality magazine. Mantra, meditation, and visualization are all used to open the body and mind to self-inquiry; journaling and refleting on a pose's symbology are encouraged to explore associations and provide new perspectives. For example, after practicing a pose, readers are asked to write about their feelings and observations, to facilitate greater understanding of the connection between world and self. In five chapters outlining the progression of yoga (awareness, choice, action, devotion, and unity), Lalitananda reflects on her own experiences with the Hidden Language technique and takes you through 26 asanas with the secrets they can unlock. --Katherine Rae, yoga JOURNAL