Inspiration at Harmony Yoga, Spokane, Washington

Inspiration

Suggested Books

“Waking” by Matthew Sanford

Matthew W. Sanford has been exploring the intersection between body and mind since becoming paralyzed more than twenty-nine years ago. He founded the nonprofit organization Mind Body Solutions, and he teaches yoga, specializing in adapting it for people living with disabilities. He resides with his wife and son in Orono, Minnesota.

This is an awesome book….the physical and spiritual journey of a man who survived a terrible car accident, using the practices of yoga and meditation to reconnect with his body and soul. It’s well worth the read.

"Awakening The Buddha Within” by Lama Surya Das

The radical and compelling message of Buddhism tells us that each of us has the wisdom, awareness, love, and power of the Buddha within; yet most of us are too often like sleeping Buddhas. In Awakening the Buddha Within, Surya Das shows how we can awaken to who we really are in order to lead a more compassionate, enlightened, and balanced life.

I highly recommend this book. This would definitely be one of my desert island books….full of transformational concepts and practices, and very clearly written.

"Love Poems from God” by Daniel Ladinsky

In both eastern and western spiritual traditions, it is believed that certain mystics and saints receive a gift from God that make them poetic conduits of the divine, bearers of “love poems from God.” Twelve of these timeless spiritual writers, six from the East and six from the West, are beautifully presented in this inspirational volume. Daniel Ladinsky, best known for his gifted translations of the great Sufi poet Hafiz, brings his art to this rich and luminous collection.

I love these poems, so sweet, so deep, and exquisitely inspirational.

"The Key Muscles of Hatha Yoga” by Ray Long, MD

Human anatomy and physiology is a vast subject, as is the art of hatha yoga. Nevertheless, combining knowledge from both fields is extremely beneficial to the yoga practitioner. Athletes can improve their performance and experience fewer injuries through a basic understanding of their musculoskeletal system. Similarly, yoga practitioners can benefit from the application of Western science to their practice development.

This book is phenomenal…..extremely user-friendly and specific to yoga…with zillions of illustrations for clarity.

"Yoga, The Iyengar Way” by Silva, Mira & Shyam Mehta

This is a comprehensive guide to the method of Yoga developed over the last fifty years by B.K.S. Iyengar. It features over 100 key postures each accompanied by clear, step-by-step photographs and detailed instructions, and graded according to level of difficulty. It incorporates advice for beginners and the less flexible, and expands on finer details of technique for more advanced students. The book also includes sections on pranayama (breathing), meditation, and the history and philosophy of Yoga.

One of my all-time favorite asana books. The clarity of instruction and the accompanying photos make this book super easy to use as a guide for your asana practice. The poses are named in Sanskrit with the English translation, and there’s even a Sanskrit pronunciation guide to help you pronounce the Sanskrit correctly. I believe yoga students of all traditions would benefit from this book.

Personal Picks of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

In just 196 short aphorisms, this classic work of Indian philosophy spells out succinctly how the mind works, and how it is possible to use the mind to attain liberation. Compiled in the second or third century C.E., the Yoga Sutras is a road map of human consciousness, and a particularly helpful guide to the mind states one encounters in meditation, yoga and other spiritual practices. It expresses the truths of the human condition with great eloquence: How we know what we know, why we suffer, and how we can discover the way out of suffering.

"The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali” translated by Chip Hartranft

Chip’s fresh translation and extensive, lucid commentary bring the text beautifully to life. He also provides useful auxiliary materials, including an afterword on the legacy of the Yoga-Sutra and its relevance for us today.

Groups of sutras are written in English, followed by a wonderful, comprehensive commentary. After having struggled through many versions of the Sutras, I was delighted to discover this one.

"The Wisdom of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras” translated by Ravi Ravindra

This reading of the Yoga Sutras has been influenced by many sacred texts, especially the Bhagavad Gita and the canonical and non-canonical gospels, and by contemporary sages with whom Ravindra had personal contact.

Each Sutra is written first in Sankrit, followed by it’s English translation. These are grouped, followed by a commentary. From Ravi’s diverse prospective, I am able to glean deeper insight into many of the sutras.

"Yoga Sutras of Patanjali” translated by Mukunda Stiles

With over thirty years of spiritual yoga practice, Mukunda Stiles has written a translation and interpretation which is precise and insightful. He provides a clear understanding of Patanjali’s works for students of yoga, Eastern philosophy, or psychology, who want to use the sutras for spiritual practice or further study.

This version of the Sutras is in some ways my most favorite. The interpretation/commentary is written in prose….each one short, succinct, clear, and insightful. The Sanskrit of each sutra is at the back of the book, each Sanskrit word translated into English.

Home Schedule at a Glance Classes (Online System) Workshops Registration About Our Teachers How to Find Us FAQs Practice Inspiration Contact Us Information about the Online System		The Summer Day Who made the world? Who made the swan, and the black bear? Who made the grasshopper? This grasshopper, I mean-- the one who has flung herself out of the grass, the one who is eating sugar out of my hand, who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-- who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes. Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face. Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away. I don't know exactly what a prayer is. I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down into the grass, how to kneel in the grass, how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields, which is what I have been doing all day. Tell me, what else should I have done? Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon? Tell me, what is it you plan to do With your one wild and precious life? Mary Oliver Don't go outside your house to see the flowers. My friend, don't bother with that excursion. Inside your body there are flowers. One flower has a thousand petals. That will do for a place to sit. Sitting there you will have a glimpse of beauty inside the body and out of it, before gardens and after gardens. Kabir “O friend, understand: the body is like the ocean, rich with hidden treasures. Open your innermost chamber and light its lamp.” Rumi
	Inspiration Suggested Books “Waking” by Matthew Sanford Matthew W. Sanford has been exploring the intersection between body and mind since becoming paralyzed more than twenty-nine years ago. He founded the nonprofit organization Mind Body Solutions, and he teaches yoga, specializing in adapting it for people living with disabilities. He resides with his wife and son in Orono, Minnesota. This is an awesome book….the physical and spiritual journey of a man who survived a terrible car accident, using the practices of yoga and meditation to reconnect with his body and soul. It’s well worth the read. "Awakening The Buddha Within” by Lama Surya Das The radical and compelling message of Buddhism tells us that each of us has the wisdom, awareness, love, and power of the Buddha within; yet most of us are too often like sleeping Buddhas. In Awakening the Buddha Within, Surya Das shows how we can awaken to who we really are in order to lead a more compassionate, enlightened, and balanced life. I highly recommend this book. This would definitely be one of my desert island books….full of transformational concepts and practices, and very clearly written. "Love Poems from God” by Daniel Ladinsky In both eastern and western spiritual traditions, it is believed that certain mystics and saints receive a gift from God that make them poetic conduits of the divine, bearers of “love poems from God.” Twelve of these timeless spiritual writers, six from the East and six from the West, are beautifully presented in this inspirational volume. Daniel Ladinsky, best known for his gifted translations of the great Sufi poet Hafiz, brings his art to this rich and luminous collection. I love these poems, so sweet, so deep, and exquisitely inspirational. "The Key Muscles of Hatha Yoga” by Ray Long, MD Human anatomy and physiology is a vast subject, as is the art of hatha yoga. Nevertheless, combining knowledge from both fields is extremely beneficial to the yoga practitioner. Athletes can improve their performance and experience fewer injuries through a basic understanding of their musculoskeletal system. Similarly, yoga practitioners can benefit from the application of Western science to their practice development. This book is phenomenal…..extremely user-friendly and specific to yoga…with zillions of illustrations for clarity. "Yoga, The Iyengar Way” by Silva, Mira & Shyam Mehta This is a comprehensive guide to the method of Yoga developed over the last fifty years by B.K.S. Iyengar. It features over 100 key postures each accompanied by clear, step-by-step photographs and detailed instructions, and graded according to level of difficulty. It incorporates advice for beginners and the less flexible, and expands on finer details of technique for more advanced students. The book also includes sections on pranayama (breathing), meditation, and the history and philosophy of Yoga. One of my all-time favorite asana books. The clarity of instruction and the accompanying photos make this book super easy to use as a guide for your asana practice. The poses are named in Sanskrit with the English translation, and there’s even a Sanskrit pronunciation guide to help you pronounce the Sanskrit correctly. I believe yoga students of all traditions would benefit from this book. Personal Picks of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali In just 196 short aphorisms, this classic work of Indian philosophy spells out succinctly how the mind works, and how it is possible to use the mind to attain liberation. Compiled in the second or third century C.E., the Yoga Sutras is a road map of human consciousness, and a particularly helpful guide to the mind states one encounters in meditation, yoga and other spiritual practices. It expresses the truths of the human condition with great eloquence: How we know what we know, why we suffer, and how we can discover the way out of suffering. "The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali” translated by Chip Hartranft Chip’s fresh translation and extensive, lucid commentary bring the text beautifully to life. He also provides useful auxiliary materials, including an afterword on the legacy of the Yoga-Sutra and its relevance for us today. Groups of sutras are written in English, followed by a wonderful, comprehensive commentary. After having struggled through many versions of the Sutras, I was delighted to discover this one. "The Wisdom of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras” translated by Ravi Ravindra This reading of the Yoga Sutras has been influenced by many sacred texts, especially the Bhagavad Gita and the canonical and non-canonical gospels, and by contemporary sages with whom Ravindra had personal contact. Each Sutra is written first in Sankrit, followed by it’s English translation. These are grouped, followed by a commentary. From Ravi’s diverse prospective, I am able to glean deeper insight into many of the sutras. "Yoga Sutras of Patanjali” translated by Mukunda Stiles With over thirty years of spiritual yoga practice, Mukunda Stiles has written a translation and interpretation which is precise and insightful. He provides a clear understanding of Patanjali’s works for students of yoga, Eastern philosophy, or psychology, who want to use the sutras for spiritual practice or further study. This version of the Sutras is in some ways my most favorite. The interpretation/commentary is written in prose….each one short, succinct, clear, and insightful. The Sanskrit of each sutra is at the back of the book, each Sanskrit word translated into English.
	Copyright © 2006 Harmony Yoga, LLC

Mary Oliver

Kabir

Rumi

Inspiration