Yoga for Self-Discovery

More than 100,000 copies have been sold, and millions of Americans are aware of yoga as a superb form of exercise and a potent source of calm in our stress-filled lives. However, far fewer individuals are cognizant of the full promise of yoga as a 4,000-year-old practical path of liberation, a path that fits the needs of modern Western seekers with startling precision.

Stephen Cope, a Western-trained psychotherapist who has lived and taught for more than ten years at the largest yoga center in America, now offers this marvelously lively and irreverent "pilgrim's progress" for today's world. In his work, Cope demystifies the philosophy, psychology, and practice of yoga, and demonstrates how it applies to our most human dilemmas, ranging from loss, disappointment, and addiction, to the eternal conflicts around sex and relationship.

Crucially, Cope shows that in yoga, "liberation" does not require us to leave our everyday lives for some transcendent spiritual plane - life itself is the path. Above all, Cope illustrates how yoga can heal the suffering of self-estrangement that pervades our society, leading us to a new sense of purpose and to a deeper, more satisfying life in the world.

The book's central premise is that far fewer individuals are aware of the full promise of yoga as a 4,000-year-old practical path of liberation, a path that fits the needs of modern Western seekers with startling precision. Cope, drawing on his extensive experience as a Western-trained psychotherapist and yoga teacher, aims to demystify the philosophy, psychology, and practice of yoga, and to demonstrate its relevance to our most profound human experiences and challenges.

One of the key insights Cope offers is that, in yoga, "liberation" does not necessitate abandoning our everyday lives for some transcendent spiritual realm. Rather, he suggests that life itself is the path, and that yoga can heal the sense of self-estrangement that is so prevalent in our society. By embracing the wisdom and practices of yoga, Cope argues, we can find a new sense of purpose and a deeper, more satisfying engagement with the world around us.

Throughout the book, Cope draws upon his own experiences, as well as the stories and insights of his students, to illustrate the transformative power of yoga. He explores how the teachings and techniques of yoga can help us navigate the full spectrum of human experience, from the depths of loss and disappointment to the complexities of sex and relationship.

Ultimately, Cope's work serves as a powerful invitation to readers to discover the liberating potential of yoga, not as an escape from the world, but as a means of more fully inhabiting and engaging with it. By demystifying the practice and demonstrating its relevance to our most pressing personal and social challenges, Cope helps to make the wisdom of yoga accessible and applicable to a wide range of modern seekers.

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