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The Path of Yoga: Discovering the Essence and Origin of Yoga
Yoga is now internationally an integral part of our health-conscious cultural landscape. It is practiced by millions for health and fitness reasons. While Yoga is seen and practiced mostly as a body exercise program, the interest in the philosophical and spiritual dimension of Yoga is growing.This book introduces us to Patanjali, the founder of ancient Yoga in India. It takes us step by step into a deeper understanding of the essence and origins of Yoga. Osho introduces and unlocks Patanjali's ancient sutras, revealing how contemporary this ancient message truly is. It quickly becomes clear that we are just on the cusp of a gaining a much deeper understanding of Yoga and its place in our evolving world. Surprisingly, the mind even more than the body is the focus of Patanjali’s teaching. He "Yoga is the cessation of mind."As Osho "This is the definition of Yoga, the best definition. Yoga has been defined in many ways; there are many definitions. Some say Yoga is the meeting of the mind with the divine; hence, it is called yoga – yoga means meeting, joining together. Some say that Yoga means dropping the ego, ego is the the moment you drop the ego you are joined to the divine. You were already joined; it only appeared that you were not joined because of the ego. There are many definitions, but Patanjali’s is the most scientific. He Yoga is the cessation of mind.“What is the mind? What is the mind doing there? What is it? Ordinarily we think that mind is something substantial there, inside the head. Patanjali doesn’t agree, and no one who has ever known the inside of the mind will agree. Modern science also doesn’t agree. Mind is not something substantial inside the head. Mind is just a function, just an activity."
- GenresSpiritualityPhilosophy
250 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 9, 2013
About the author
Osho
4,379 books6,916 followersRajneesh (born Chandra Mohan Jain, 11 December 1931 – 19 January 1990) and latter rebranded as Osho was leader of the Rajneesh movement. During his lifetime he was viewed as a controversial new religious movement leader and mystic.
In the 1960s he traveled throughout India as a public speaker and was a vocal critic of socialism, Mahatma Gandhi, and Hindu religious orthodoxy.
Rajneesh emphasized the importance of meditation, mindfulness, love, celebration, courage, creativity and humor—qualities that he viewed as being suppressed by adherence to static belief systems, religious tradition and socialization.
In advocating a more open attitude to human sexuality he caused controversy in India during the late 1960s and became known as "the sex guru".
In 1970, Rajneesh spent time in Mumbai initiating followers known as "neo-sannyasins". During this period he expanded his spiritual teachings and commented extensively in discourses on the writings of religious traditions, mystics, and philosophers from around the world. In 1974 Rajneesh relocated to Pune, where an ashram was established and a variety of therapies, incorporating methods first developed by the Human Potential Movement, were offered to a growing Western following. By the late 1970s, the tension between the ruling Janata Party government of Morarji Desai and the movement led to a curbing of the ashram's development and a back taxes claim estimated at $5 million.
In 1981, the Rajneesh movement's efforts refocused on activities in the United States and Rajneesh relocated to a facility known as Rajneeshpuram in Wasco County, Oregon. Almost immediately the movement ran into conflict with county residents and the state government, and a succession of legal battles concerning the ashram's construction and continued development curtailed its success.
In 1985, in the wake of a series of serious crimes by his followers, including a mass food poisoning attack with Salmonella bacteria and an aborted assassination plot to murder U.S. Attorney Charles H. Turner, Rajneesh alleged that his personal secretary Ma Anand Sheela and her close supporters had been responsible. He was later deported from the United States in accordance with an Alford plea bargain.[
After his deportation, 21 countries denied him entry. He ultimately returned to India and a revived Pune ashram, where he died in 1990. Rajneesh's ashram, now known as OSHO International Meditation Resort and all associated intellectual property, is managed by the Zurich registered Osho International Foundation (formerly Rajneesh International Foundation). Rajneesh's teachings have had a notable impact on Western New Age thought, and their popularity has increased markedly since his death.
In the 1960s he traveled throughout India as a public speaker and was a vocal critic of socialism, Mahatma Gandhi, and Hindu religious orthodoxy.
Rajneesh emphasized the importance of meditation, mindfulness, love, celebration, courage, creativity and humor—qualities that he viewed as being suppressed by adherence to static belief systems, religious tradition and socialization.
In advocating a more open attitude to human sexuality he caused controversy in India during the late 1960s and became known as "the sex guru".
In 1970, Rajneesh spent time in Mumbai initiating followers known as "neo-sannyasins". During this period he expanded his spiritual teachings and commented extensively in discourses on the writings of religious traditions, mystics, and philosophers from around the world. In 1974 Rajneesh relocated to Pune, where an ashram was established and a variety of therapies, incorporating methods first developed by the Human Potential Movement, were offered to a growing Western following. By the late 1970s, the tension between the ruling Janata Party government of Morarji Desai and the movement led to a curbing of the ashram's development and a back taxes claim estimated at $5 million.
In 1981, the Rajneesh movement's efforts refocused on activities in the United States and Rajneesh relocated to a facility known as Rajneeshpuram in Wasco County, Oregon. Almost immediately the movement ran into conflict with county residents and the state government, and a succession of legal battles concerning the ashram's construction and continued development curtailed its success.
In 1985, in the wake of a series of serious crimes by his followers, including a mass food poisoning attack with Salmonella bacteria and an aborted assassination plot to murder U.S. Attorney Charles H. Turner, Rajneesh alleged that his personal secretary Ma Anand Sheela and her close supporters had been responsible. He was later deported from the United States in accordance with an Alford plea bargain.[
After his deportation, 21 countries denied him entry. He ultimately returned to India and a revived Pune ashram, where he died in 1990. Rajneesh's ashram, now known as OSHO International Meditation Resort and all associated intellectual property, is managed by the Zurich registered Osho International Foundation (formerly Rajneesh International Foundation). Rajneesh's teachings have had a notable impact on Western New Age thought, and their popularity has increased markedly since his death.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 10, 2015
this is my first book from Osho and most certainly not my last. the way it's delivered you really feel you're in the room with Osho giving his talk on the yoga sutras and just so enganged. it's deep, it'll teach you so much, and you'll walk away with a new sense of happiness and awareness.
now is the time for yoga ;)
now is the time for yoga ;)
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July 12, 2023This is a good book full of insightful wisdom and hard truths.
I bought it because it promised that Osho would be covering Patanjali's Yoga Sutras and I wanted to know his perspective on Patanjali.
After reading this book, I still want to know as Patanjali and the Sutras are mentioned sparingly and most of the book is Osho talking about his own philosophies.
I appreciate reading Osho and always walk away with something new to ponder but I wanted what the book promised and in that it did not deliver.
I am now going to move on to Swami Vivekananda's thoughts on Patanjali and I am sure I'll enjoy it a lot more.
I bought it because it promised that Osho would be covering Patanjali's Yoga Sutras and I wanted to know his perspective on Patanjali.
After reading this book, I still want to know as Patanjali and the Sutras are mentioned sparingly and most of the book is Osho talking about his own philosophies.
I appreciate reading Osho and always walk away with something new to ponder but I wanted what the book promised and in that it did not deliver.
I am now going to move on to Swami Vivekananda's thoughts on Patanjali and I am sure I'll enjoy it a lot more.
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January 1, 2017Yoga Teacher Training
March 29, 2021
Simply Outstanding !!
The book is written in sucha manner that when you read you will flow with the author. Osho has described Patanjali Yoga beautifully .
Thankyou
The book is written in sucha manner that when you read you will flow with the author. Osho has described Patanjali Yoga beautifully .
Thankyou
February 9, 2019
Note: The book I read isn't this exact book, as my copy was printed earlier, with a different cover and has a slightly different table of contents. I've had it for ages but finally cracked it open. Most chapters were the same as this one. My title was "Yoga: Science of the Soul, Part 1". Now on to the review...
This book is what you can expect from Osho...a rambling mess...with incredible profundity but full of repetition. It's hard to parse what is an opinion vs actual translation and interpretation of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. I would not recommend reading this work without having previously read other commentaries on the Yoga Sutras. I love the Bihar School of Yoga books and would recommend you start with their commentary. With a firm grounding in what the Yoga Sutras teach, reading this work by Osho will make more sense. It's also important to note that the book was originally a set of talks given by Osho (as most of his books are). I get the sense that the information would be much more effectively transmitted in the form of a talk than a book.
This book is what you can expect from Osho...a rambling mess...with incredible profundity but full of repetition. It's hard to parse what is an opinion vs actual translation and interpretation of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. I would not recommend reading this work without having previously read other commentaries on the Yoga Sutras. I love the Bihar School of Yoga books and would recommend you start with their commentary. With a firm grounding in what the Yoga Sutras teach, reading this work by Osho will make more sense. It's also important to note that the book was originally a set of talks given by Osho (as most of his books are). I get the sense that the information would be much more effectively transmitted in the form of a talk than a book.
June 15, 2022
To read the book made me to understand a little more about the importance of yoga. Now I am back to my yoga classes and I feel a diference. When I am in class, I just keeo his words in mind and it helps me to improve my practice.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews