The Secret of the Yamas: A Spiritual Guide to Yoga

by John McAfee

A spiritual guide to the practice of yoga. It provides a relationship between the physical postures (Asanas)and the whole of yoga as outlined by Patanjali, the founder of yoga, over 2000 years agao. It explains the conditions of behavior necessary to fully integrate yoga practice with our minds and with our hearts.

Genres: Spirituality, Philosophy, Nonfiction

81 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2001

Reviews

[Ravi Raman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read this book half-a-dozen times. It's short, more like a pamphlet. It is also incredibly direct and effective in its discussion of the "Yamas", one of the eight limbs of Yoga. On a side note, the author (John McAfee, founder of the anti-virus software) was a meditation and yoga teacher of mine many years ago. I used to visit his property in Colorado for retreat periodically. Since that time, his life has taken a wild path (google him and you will see what I mean). His teaching, however, is sound. Truth is the truth! He published three small books on the deeper spiritual dimensions of yoga (this is one of them) and they are all worth reading.

[Mikey The Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this book in the bargain bin for $1.00.

Honestly this book had some different ideas that made me think. I particularly thought the non-violence part of this was interesting. It talks about how we define violence in society as physical violence but we often don’t look at how our words/thoughts can be acts of violence. Staying positive and watching the words can absolutely help our people as well as our social environments.

Things I didn’t like.

The Direct talk, the “it’s human nature”, and no solutions given just detailed explanations about what you can’t avoid.

3.5 is a good rating

[Carley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really interesting take into a vital, spiritual part of yoga practice. Good for anyone who is interested in adding a spiritual aspect to their practice, meditation thoughts or just wanting to expand their knowledge of the practice. Excellent and concise read. Interesting perspectives bordering into philosophy and the human experience.

Good for anyone who has read The Egg by Andy Weir.

[Bert Carson · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first 80% of the book is OK, informative but not profound. The last 20% is a graphic illustration of the root problem of mankind - attempting to stuff universal truth in a finite container (commonly known as religion).

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clear and concise, but lacked depth.

[Cees Onderwater · Rating 3 out of 5]

Compact boekje met heldere uitleg over de vijf Yamas en hoe je ze in je dagelijkse leven kunt gebruiken als kompas. Het kompas dat McAfee aanreikt bestaat vooral uit vragen. Vragen ter verhoging van ons zelfbewustzijn. Vanuit de veronderstelling dat een hoger zelfbewustzijn ‘vanzelf’ leidt naar een gelukkiger leven. ‘Vanzelf’ staat tussen quos, niet om er denigrerend over te doen. Want jezelf serieuze en diepe vragen stellen over je motivaties is ‘simpel, maar niet eenvoudig’. Het is hard werken. McAfee bepleit echter dat het stellen van de juiste vragen uiteindelijk niet anders kan dan leiden tot het genoemde gelukkiger leven. Het is de enige weg …

[KM · Rating 4 out of 5]

really concise and a tangible read

[Rachael O'Brien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved this book! Wondering if there’s a counterpart for the Niyamas ?

[Ray Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

A guide into the Yamas and a text I will probably be referring back to from time to time.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basic to the point overview of eastern wisdom. Can be read in one sitting. Was hoping for more personality and personal experience injected into the work.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read for those interested in the deeper meaning of yoga. For those who are interested in more than just the stretches, "The Secret of the Yamas" is a amazing book that explains the mental and spiritual aspect of yoga. It is an easy read, but deeply changes you. It's a short book written with basic explanations that anyone can understand and enjoy

[Mckinley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short overview with McAfee's take on the yamas.