The Yoga Sutras: An Essential Guide to the Heart of Yoga Philosophy

EXTREMELY HAPPY WITH PURCHASE! Nothing else like it! I've wished for exactly this and here it is. You get so much more than a book. The product itself and all of it's contents are extremely attractive and well made. It arrives in a beautiful designer box containing; a superbly comprehensive yet easy to understand workbook, enlightening study cards and 7 audio CD courses (sessions) on yoga knowledge. Each element of the set can be studied separately or together and come home to nest neatly within the main box. Form & function are excellent and ideal for use, storage, transport and even as art to be kept out in a room and invite exploration for many years to come. For what all you get and compared to costs associated with workshops and classes, the price is a bargain! This you can unfold again and again.The Yoga Sutras are revealed as 51 terms/concepts that are important to a deep understanding of what yoga really is. Each concept has a card with thoughts related to it, a lecture on one of the CDs, and a full commentary in the workbook about that concept. For easy and practical reference - included is a full translation with literal translation, simplified translation, original Sanskrit including transliteration, individual word meanings and sutra meanings of each divine thread. I highly recommend this "essential guide to the heart of yoga philosophy". It's perfect for anyone interested in or teaching yoga.

Totally worth the money. I love the Sutras and this is a great resource! Its so well packaged and quite beautiful to look at, let alone study.

this is a clear, easy to understand instruction on the yoga sutras,by listening to the CDs in your automobile, and reading the book athome the guide provides a beginning approach to the Sutras. the flashcards were a bit of an overkill, but OK.

So comprehensive and easy to navigate. Great for guiding group study. (This thing says I need more words to submit a review- there I'm done)

Nicolai really makes this easy to understand without watering it down. Well done.

Well written

Excellent resource.

Great Package. 7 CD's, Flash Cards, Fantastic Work Book. No matter which translation of the Yoga Sutras you like best, you need this one if you are serious student of Patanjali. This teaches you the Sanskrit needed to fully understand the subtle differences in how each translation is approaced. There are great tools, charts, diagrams, and guides to assist in truly appreciating a spiritual master piece. The tools to learn, understand and appreciate Sanskrit are extremely well done. Author approaches the work from the perspective that to understand the historical basis of the Yoga Sutras, how they were taught, learned (oral recitation), and passed on from teacher to student is rooted in the very language they are shared in. A key part of learning in this tradition is to actually chant or say the Sutra in the original language, Sanskrit. Speaking the Sutra is a key part if the learning process. The root sounds from Sanskrit modify and entrain the mind of the student with the seed sounds that are spoken in such a way that knowledge is revealed or perceived directly. In a sense that true depth of the Sutra's (or any Sanskrit text) cannot be fully understoond or grasped or known unless the tones can be experienced. From my reading of this text at least this is what I understand and it has a sense and feeling of accuracy and truth. I suspect the same is true for the original text from any religion. Many languages do not translate directly or easily to English. The author has done an amazing job in providing all tools necessary to dive deeply into the Yoga Sutras in a way I have not seen before.

Brilliant - worth every penny!!

Nicolai Bachman has created a coherent and insightful approach to understanding Patanjalis Yoga Sutras. This is required reading / listening for any serious practitioners of the art of yoga.

The audio program is very good. Nicolai has a really pleasant voice. It explains the concepts in the Yoga Sutras very well.