Review of "Every Man's Yoga"

‘Every Man’s Yoga’ is ideally suited for the general class of readers who are interested in spiritual topics. It is not textbook for the advanced students of Yoga. For them there are other works of Swami Sivananda and others, which go into details about the respective aspects of Yoga.

This is an ideal work in the sense that it answers to all types of temperaments that are inclined to the spiritual path: It seeks to dispel the pet notions which glamour Yoga as something queer and sensational. It presents a great science in a very simple, lucid manner, while expertly analysing the different aspects through a comprehensive outlook.

SUBJECTS OF CHAPTERS

In the first chapter the reader is reminded of the spiritual purpose of life and what should be nature of one’s aspiration through which one could find real happiness. The second chapter is an elaboration of the first, giving the essential points concerning the Yoga way of life.

Chapters three to six deal on the four major aspects—Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga. These do not necessarily give all the points concerning them, but help to acquaint the readers with a fairly adequate knowledge of the essential features of the four main paths. After a study of these four chapters, one could go in for detailed reading of the individual works of Swami Sivanandaji and others concerning each of the principal Yogas.

The seventh chapter details the techniques and the benefits of most of the major Asanas and Pranayamas. The eighth chapter is on the various aspects of self-culture, with ethics as the base. The ninth chapter pertains to mental culture, analyses the characteristics of the mind and points to the ways for conquering the mind.

The tenth chapter gives some general sidelights on Yoga, also touching on the law of Karma and the ways of gaining individual and collective peace. The eleventh chapter presents the Yogic view of religion, which is rather a concept of universal religion based on practical spiritual life. It also indicates the importance of the Yoga of synthesis or an integral development of the personality of man.

The last chapter gives a sweeping analysis of what has already been dealt with in this work, but in a new light and in a convincing manner, delineating the essential tenets of the Yoga way of life—a life that is not divorced from normal avocations, but is harmoniously attuned to the call of the infinite spirit, a life that is ultimately meant for Self-realisation.

We trust this work will be found useful to all students of Yoga.

Source: pgs. 11-12, Every Man's Yoga