The Wisdom of Yoga: A Seeker's Guide to Extraordinary Living Paperback – May 29, 2007

This book is Stephen Cope's commentary and explanation of Patanjali's yoga sutras. However, it is not a dry commentary, even though it is scholarly. Cope brings together Yoga (as lived by himself and a group of seeker friends) with scholarly but accessible explanations of phenomena addressed by the Yoga Sutras. The explanations are drawn from both Eastern and Western psychology. He often illustrates concepts with quotes from Western literature, most frequently Thoreau. Each chapter begins with a person's story and struggle - which is then explained in terms of both the Yoga Sutras and Western concepts about the self. The book helps the reader join virtually the admirable group of friends Cope was a part of during a period of about two years, when they each (and all) sought freedom from their own kind of suffering. It provides a warm and personal, lived version of the Yoga Sutras, and thus makes them much more accessible to the average (but not only) reader. The book is not a complete treatise on the Yoga Sutras. And I am not sure it is necessarily a guide, since it is really explanatory, not prescriptive. But it is beautifully, wisely, and warmly written, and it will get the reader closer to the essence of Yoga - which has very little to do with physical postures.I love Cope's combination of rigorous scholarship, spirituality, self-disclosure, warmth, and humor. His voice comes through clearly in this book and is very personable. For me, this is one of the books I hope to come back to again and again.

Truly amazing and enlightening book that will leave you wanting more. The end is really good but is the beginning of wanting to find concentration of a different nature. I have read two of his books and will re-read them both,wow and wow.

I saw someone reading this book and asked them about it, they told me that it was life changing. Now I hear that about a lot of things this day and age, but, being the book feign I am, I just had to go and buy it. I'm here to tell you anyone who want to know if they should by this or not, BUY IT! The book has nothing to do with poses and such, its more about the deeper knowledge and how the lessons of yoga can effect and change your life. Mixed in with the message of the book, they do however give you ideas on what to do and how to do them. Amazing and outstanding. I would buy this book for all my friends if I could

I've participated in yoga courses for quite a few years now on and off, --some excellent and some not so great, depending on the instructors. I have an excellent teacher now and she is about to offer a new course in meditation and yoga. This is the text for it. I am excited to be learning more about what yoga is all about on spiritual/philosophical/meditative levels. This book is easy to read and offers insights about yoga for the average Westerner and how it can both simplify and enrich your life and help you understand more about yourself and others, how you can become more mindful in your daily life. Life in the 21st century is crazy, fast-paced, and full of pressures, stresses, and negativity (war, global warming, worries about the economy). Yoga is one of various paths to greater understanding, serenity, clarity, and wisdom. Earlier this year I took a course called Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction which included some yoga as well as meditation, and other exercises for reducing stress. This course resulted in my wanting to learn more about what is behind yoga and meditation, their history, to understand more about their modern-day and past expert practitioners. I guess the only thing that bothers me at all about the book is all of the unfamiliar terms that are introduced that I can't get fixed in my mind, but perhaps taking the course will help with that, or perhaps that doesn't matter so much. The book is easy to read and understand and is very informative and insightful.

There is little need for another rave review about this book as I agree with the other positive reviews. I just would like to add this: I became a Cope fan reading his articles in Yoga Journal and his first book. Most of my yoga instructors learned at Kripalu. Amrit Desai, who started Kripalu, requires 2 years of daily yoga practice before you can take his teacher's training course. Now I understand why, as I have been practicing hatha yoga daily for that long now. A daily practice, from a few days a week for decades, has opened me up in ways that I would never have imagined. Reading and absorbing this fantastic, understandable interpretation of the Sutra I have now been given the gift of validation for how I manage to live an "extraordinary life" and can manage my "human" moments. Read this book and then...practice, practice, practice.

In his book, "The Wisdom of Yoga," Stephen Cope has created a small masterpiece. He has not tried to answer questions about man's place in the universe or or the existence of an external world. He has, however, by means of telling vignettes from the lives of people he knows well and insightful comments about what must be one of the most gnomic series of insights into the practice of Yoga, given the average reader a sence of what it is to become involved in the practice of Yoga and some of its life-changing potential. In addition to this, he has included illustrations from other belief systems, specifically Buddhist thought and Christianity that provide a wider context for his practice. The Yoga practioner, as well as the average person who would like to learn a little about Yoga, could both benefit from the wonderful book.

Stephen Cope has become a writer I will follow for several reasons. This book has changed my life regarding yoga and its power to change us. His writing is comprehensive and inspiring - and actually, down right mind-blowing in what he brings to the reader. I will read more if his work. Thank You Stephen Cope.