Liberation: The Fruition of Yoga (Inglese) Copertina flessibile – 29 lug 2012

I’d give this book infinite stars if I could. I have the kindle, paperback & audio version. As a long-time student of transformation, I’ve practiced numerous forms of meditation, yoga, bodywork & healing (PEMS). What I appreciate the most is that Yogani has consolidated, bridged & *reconciled* what once seemed to be paradoxical & seemingly contradictory paths, at least to me. I’m able to move freely ahead thanks, at least in part to Yogani’s help bridging the gap. I recently donated my entire bookcase & most of the books therein, because I no longer need them. I now have a daily practice (built upon AYP’s deep meditation) that works wonders for me. I’m gradually learning to access my own stillness in action. In the last 18 months since discovering Yogani & AYP, my life has changed in significant & revealing ways (including work, home, relationships, movement/somatics, etc.). Yogani has clarified Patanjali’s teachings in a way that’s accessible to me. He’s bridged the gap between stillness & action—frequently referring to active surrender & stillness in action & describing straightforward methods to cultivate this. I have Yogani’s entire library on kindle & audio & a few favorites in paperback. I frequently listen to the Liberation audio book on loop overnight. (Last night I think I listened more than slept :-) Every time I read or listen to it, it crystallizes in a deeper way. I love it when it weaves into my dreams. I also have 4 favorite AYP books in paperbook which I highly recommend: Liberation, Samyama (extraordinary—a must-have!), Deep Meditation (the best place to start if you’re new to the teachings, followed by Spinal Breathing Pranayama) & Easy Lessons for Ecstatic Living (extensive). If you’re new to the teachings, check out AYP’s website where much of the information is available for free. Preview & see if it resonates with you. I tend to be an introvert so I appreciate that I have everything I need to practice on my own. However, there’s an active community, if you’re inclined that way. The bottom line—the AYP books are helping me in tangible miraculous ways. Yogani is an uplifter & teacher to the core. Thank you Yogani!! Carry on!!

Clear and points to beyond to the Ashtavakra Gita, where the eye does rarely wink.

I'm learning so much from his teachings, all his books.
Thank you!!!!
Lilly

Great book full of wisdom.

I have been studying, practicing, and teaching yoga and meditation for forty years. I'm an unsurpassed expert on the subject (check my 199 Amazon book reviews for proof). When a couple of students of mine asked me for my opinion of Yogani's teachings, I decided to review three of his books. In addition to "Liberation," I have also reviewed Deep "Meditation" and "Self-Inquiry" (see my two-star reviews).

First off, if Yogani has integrity, he needs to pull "Self-Inquiry" (published in 2008) off the shelf, because "Liberation" (published in 2012) is essentially the same book, only with more, and more elaborated upon, information on Self-Inquiry. In other words, don't waste your money on "Self-Inquiry" if you buy "Liberation," not that I'm recommending that you buy "Liberation."

"Liberation" is essentially "Jnana Yoga for Dummies," by a dummy of sorts who doesn't fully understand, and is unqualified to elaborate upon, the subject. And this is evident whenever Yogani attempts to go beneath the surface of the Self-realization, or En-Light-enment, process.

I could write pages deconstructing the faulty and incomplete information in this book, but because this is just a review, I will limit my critique to just several examples of the problems I find with this book.

First off, Yogani's definitions of yoga terms are pathetic and dumbed-down. He defines "bhakti" as "spiritual desire," and it really means devotional yoga, or worship of God. But because Yogani seems allergic to terms like God and Spirit, he avoids using these important terms. Yogani defines "sushumna" as "spinal nerve." The sushumna is not a physical nerve; it is a non-physical subtle-body, or etheric, channel through which Kundalini flows. And speaking of Kundalini, Yogani has no real understanding of this Energy, reducing it to neurobiological energy. Moreover, Yogani only has knowledge (and wrong knowledge) of the "lower," or ascending, Kundalini, and none of the "higher," or descending, Kundalini, which is tantamount to "Shaktipat," the Divine Power that descends into and through one's body.

Yogani indiscriminately conflates terms that should not be conflated. For example, he writes: "Abiding inner silence, stillness, pure bliss consciousness, sat-chit-ananda, the witness, etc. all of these add up to the same thing." No they don't. For example, reducing Sat-Chit-Ananda, Being-Consciousness-Bliss, to mere stillness is farsical.

Yogani talks about "divine outpouring," but he doesn't explain what "divine" means, probably because the term pertains to "Spirit." And unbeknownst to Yogani, true divine outpouring is impossible without one's first experiencing divine inpouring, the descent of Spirit, or Shakti, into one's Heart-center (Hridayam, not Anahata), located two digits to the right of the center of one's chest. And Divine outpouring can only originate from this Heart-center, which Yogani never mentions.

Much of this book focuses on Jnana Yoga Self-Inquiry (as the means to Liberation), but Yogani has only superficial understanding of this practice, and no understanding of the esoteric mechanics involved in the Self-realization project. He has read the great sage Ramana Maharshi (1879-1950), the foremost expositor of Self-Inquiry, but has not grokked him. For Yogani, Self-enquiry never goes beyond realizing stillness. Exactly how Self-enquiry leads to integral Self-realization is never detailed in this book. A true Jnana Yoga teacher, which Yogani isn't, provides these details.

Because this book lacks depth and details, it's no more than a two-star Jnana Yoga text by a second-rate yoga teacher.