I absolutely love to read. A book is a window into another time and place, another person's mind, another way of seeing and thinking. Books teach me what it can mean to be human, but also what it might be like to be a robot or a microbe. Looking back, for me this was a year about truth, or rather the idea of truth: What I think is right, what I want to think is right, where that view comes from and why it may be flawed. Books that made it onto the list include ones about bullshit, the history of truth, the human obsession with our own meaning, and how our identity changes depending on the situation. Here are nine books I read this year that changed the way I think. On Bullshit by Harry G. Frankfurt Let's start with this little philosophical essay. The title is funny, and it seems like this book is going to be a gag, some clever insights about what it is to talk 'bullshit.' But this essay is something else entirely: A serious philosophical inquiry into the nature of bullshit. What is it? How does it differ from lying or ignorance or nonsense? Frankfurt concludes that a bullshiter simply has no regard for the truth. He does not care if he is right, wrong, true or false. He is only interested in getting a desired reaction at that moment. Bullshit "is grounded neither in a belief that it is true nor, as a lie must be, in a belief that it is not true. It is just this lack of connection to a concern with truth — this indifference to how things really are" that is the essence of bullshit. This revelation is shocking: a liar has regard for the truth. He just decides to state something that he knows is untrue, called a lie. But a bullshitter doesn't relate his statements to the truth at all. Classical Indian Philosophy by Peter Adamson & Jonardon Ganeri I am always on the lookout for clear explanations of history and philosophy, two topics which are infinitely complex and can easily devolve into self-referential terminology and nonsense. So I was pleasantly surprised to find this volume about Classical Indian Philosophy which is a well-balanced combination of deep and accessible. It begins with the Veda and Upanishads, effortlessly explaining the salient overarching points of these vast and layered eras. It glides through the big philosophical movements in Indian thought, including theism, non-violence, yoga and Buddhism. My favorite part of the book was the middle section, which digs into the philosophical developments of the middle-era Buddhists and Jains. These groups were highly philosophical, and I haven't seen such a lucid overview in any other volume. For example, there is a short chapter explaining Nagarjuna's "Tetralemma", a four-pronged logical negation that is usually off-putting in its detail. The explanation here is illuminating, including this passage about the dual possibilities of the phrase, "Don't slaughter a goat." It "might mean that you should slaughter a non-goat. Here the noun ('goat') is negated: you should indeed slaughter something, perhaps a cow or chicken, just not a goat. Or the verb ('slaughter') might be negated: the instruction would tell you to refrain from any sacrificial act at all." This book's short chapters and vast overarching scope make it a good reference to dive into according to your interest. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver This novel needs no promotion since it has won prestigious awards and been a bestseller. I finally picked it up, and the first sentence assured me that I was in the hands of a master. The story is of a boy in Appalachia, his exploits and struggles. The basis of the story owes a lot to David Copperfield, but the first person voice of the narrative is gripping from the first word to the last. The Horrors and Absurdities of Religion by Arthur Schopenhauer This year I have often come across the work of Schopenhauer, a European philosopher who was greatly influenced by the Upanishads and Buddhism, and in turn affected modern yogis like Yogananda. So when I stumbled across this little book in a bookstore I had to read it. The title is certainly provocative, but he won me over pretty quickly on the first page with this statement: “What I respect is truth, therefore I can’t respect what opposes truth. Just as the jurist’s motto is…Let Justice be done though the world perish, so my motto is…Let truth prosper though the world perish.” What follows is a strong critique of religion which bears all the hallmarks of 19th century enlightenment thought and orientalism. Some of his arguments require a grain of salt, but what philosopher doesn’t? Schopenhauer does put his finger on one element with remarkable clarity: man’s need for greater meaning, what he calls the ‘metaphysical need.’ “Man is an animal metaphysicum, that is, his metaphysical need is more urgent than any other; he thus conceives life above all according to its metaphysical meaning and wants to see everything in light of that.” All in all, a challenging and thought provoking read. The Physiology of Yoga by Andrew McGonigle and Matthew Huy Most of the time I am torn between the opinion that there are more than enough books about yoga anatomy — perhaps too many — and the opposite view that we could really use some new ones with clear sources and explanations. This book, which is new this year, is a brilliant addition to the field. What makes this book special is its combination of citing scientific evidence and awareness of traditions and rumors in the yoga world. My favorite parts of this volume are the "Myth or Fact" inserts that address common beliefs among yoga teachers and students: that Headstand brings more blood to the brain; that Shoulderstand stimulates the thyroid gland; that twists detoxify the organs. The authors discuss any studies that have been done on the topic and what conclusions we can draw. Often there are no studies, so we are left to rely upon our other knowledge of anatomical and physiological function. McGonigle and Huy excel here, where they illuminate the amount of speculation as well as point us to more probable scientific explanations. Truth by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto A book about the history of truth?! This must have been written just for me! There are few things I love more than history and explorations of complex ideas. But this book is not exactly what I expected. I imagined a sort of explanation of how truth came to be so important and how it developed its signature qualities. But this is much, much more, digging into different conceptions of truth through time and culture. Fernandez-Armesto breaks the types of truth into four groups. Who would have thought there may be four kinds of truth?! Throughout the volume, I came to realize that the conception of truth itself is not terribly specific; that it depends on what we think it is. I suppose that shouldn't be surprising — I went into the book with one simple idea and came out with a far more complex view. The Sarva Darsana Samgraha by Madhava Acharya This volume is more specific to my interest in the history of yoga and philosophy. The best-known system of Indian philosophical systems has 6 members, the six orthodox darshanas. But there are many other ways of thinking, and even well-developed and influential systems that are not included on this list. This book, the Sarva-Darsana-Samgraha or Compendium of All the Systems, lists and explains 16 different spiritual-philosophical viewpoints. It contains all the familiar orthodox systems, like Samkhya and Yoga. But it also includes Buddhism, Jainism and strict materialism, among many others. Each chapter digs into some granular details of perception, knowledge and being. This is a book for those rare individuals who are interested in the somewhat arcane study of Indian philosophical history, as well as those who can tolerate minute philosophical debate and old uses of language. A difficult book to read and comprehend, but an eye-opener one for me this year. Selfless by Brian Lowery I stumbled across this book while wandering through a bookstore. Its title is compelling and in direct conversation with Vedantic and yogic concepts of an eternal, unchanging Self. The thesis here is that we have no single self, that our identity is constructed according to our surroundings: "Your self is constructed and reconstructed in a swirl of ever-evolving relationships." These relationships include family, work, politics, nation, and an infinite number of variations. There is a reason that I act differently around a three year old than a 50 year old; I act differently around my significant other than my boss. Selfless argues that we are actually a different person in each situation, because part of what defines us is who we are around, and what we are trying to accomplish. This book also explores the ideas of history, tradition and community. Often we adopt certain "selves" to create connection and continuity to the past or groups of people we admire. For me, it shone a lot of light on why we defend our identities and communities when they are destabilized. This book was one of my favorites of the year. Straw Dogs by John Gray
This was my favorite book of the year, and one of the best books I've ever read. It combines mind-blowing ideas with a sharp reading of history, religion and science, and it is incredibly readable. The pages fly by. On nearly every page I was gobsmacked by some revelation, some shocking idea that was as bold as it was clear. There is the idea that 'truth' is not something that serves humanity's evolution; there is no evolutionary advantage to knowing the truth. (This is of course interesting to compare to the book Truth above, and clearly something that was on my mind this year.) Gray writes, "Modern humanism is the faith that through science humankind can know the truth — and so be free. But if Darwin's theory of natural selection is true this is impossible. The human mind serves evolutionary success, not truth. To think otherwise is to resurrect the pre-Darwinian error that humans are different from other animals." Here you see the way that Gray's book dismantles ideas of scientific humanism, even arguing that the science and logic we revere only serves to undermine our vision of ourselves as a special, chosen species. The volume is full of challenging ideas like this, unafraid of poking holes in even the most sacred of concepts. I admire its clear-eyed audacity, like the boy who shouts that "the emperor has no clothes!"
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Reba’s is no ordinary story because she was no ordinary woman. Had the act continued, the weight of the elephant would have pressed Reba’s body down onto the knife loosely stitched into the mattress placed below her and killed her ...
As little Reba explored the wilderness with the rising sun lighting up her face, she knew she would chart her own path of endless adventures and daring feats someday. A few years later, the rapidly evolving society of early twentieth-century Calcutta, her adopted home, provided just the right launch pad for her dreams. She found a guru in the legendary Bishnu Charan Ghosh.With her Bishtuda by her side and the stage to perform her death-defying stunts, Reba reached dizzying heights with practice, precision and perseverance. Her petite frame belied the strength of her conviction and the power of her intent. Strong Woman Reba Rakshit is a captivating account of a daredevil who courted controversies and movie stars with equal ease. A woman who dared to dream and had immense courage, steely determination and enough ambition to fulfil it. The stuntmaster who worked shoulder to shoulder with men to give her country its first ‘strong woman’. She was the first Indian woman to lift an elephant on her chest. But the ‘Circus Beauty Queen’ was wearing a crown of thorns until one day she decided to take matters into her own hands ... Reba’s is no ordinary story because she was no ordinary woman. Ida Jo Pajunen’s well-researched narrative brings to life not only the legend, but also the sights and sounds of Kolkata of a bygone era. Available now in India, worldwide coming soon. I spent most of my year writing a Master's dissertation and engaging with post-colonial and gender theories. I find that times of intense study and academic reading are usually paired with a big swing in the other direction: engaging fiction. So, that is where my list lands. It is a mixture of academic theory and fiction. The fiction I recommend (and one non-academic but non-fiction) all have incredible characters that are lovable, yet at times very complex. I love books that take on what it means to be present in the world and are completely believable, yet still awaken us to the depths of what it means to be human. With that, I'll start with what was easily my best read of the year, Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. Run, do not walk, to get this book if you haven't already. It is an utter masterpiece. In the days after finishing the book, I found myself really missing the main character, Demon. I won't go through the synopsis because so many have been talking about it. But the way in which it presents something that is demonized, judged and "wrong" in America right now while presenting it as so average and understandable is truly excellent. It is so good. A must read. Next are two books about creativity and the first non-fiction in this list. I loved Unraveling by Peggy Orenstein. It was tender, funny and still packed with information. The author sets out to make a sweater from start to finish. As in, shearing a sheep, growing the plants to dye the wool, designing a sweater, etc. The moments when she talks about her dad are so heartfelt and moving. I listened to this book on Audible and really enjoyed that. Then there is The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin. This is SO GOOD. I loved every moment. It's written in very short vignettes. It's all about being in the world and the act of creating. In some ways, it overlaps with yoga. It is about what we think that prevents us from doing or being. These books mark the end of what I'll call the "non-theory" section of my list. The Creative Act is a nice bridge as it does present theory on creativity but asks the theory to be non-intellectual. The next batch of texts are information focused, and draw upon the production of theory and the analysis of culture, history and behavior. First up is Imagined Communities by Benedict Anderson. This was very readable and so interesting. It tackles the idea of "nation" and how this is an imagined community. A nation means that we feel connected to people we will never meet. We feel as though we have a shared identity, yet we will never know many of the people we feel connected to. Anderson writes about how this is possible. What makes us feel a part of an imagined community? This is a great (and accessible) read and incredibly relevant in the days of rising nationalist movements worldwide. The next two are works in post-colonial, gender theory. By that I mean, engaging with how power dynamics (in the form of colonialism, racism....) affect how we conceive of gender and the role gender plays in society. Oyewumi's work The Invention of Women looks at how gender is not always a way in which society is organized. The division between man and woman, and the inherent power dynamic that is almost always within that division is not a "norm" but rather a constructed relationship. Lila Abu-Lughod's book Do Muslim Women Need Saving? is an important look into the role "women" play in political mobilization and war. Very often women and children are used to justify political action, but is this right? She asks difficult and important questions about how we perceive "others" across national and religious boundaries. This is not always a comfortable read but the questions she asks are important. Lastly, I'll end with a book about yoga! This year I revisited Joseph Alter's Yoga in Modern India. This is a great book. The themes that Alter draws out in twentieth century yoga are fascinating and illuminating. I love Alter's work and also read Gandhi's Body this year. I had read Yoga in Modern India before, but found it great to revisit as there is a lot there. I highly recommend any yoga practitioner read anything by Joseph Alter. It will help put into context the practices of today's yoga. Let us know what you read this year! What did you love? What did you find fascinating? We'd love to hear what spoke to you and what you recommend. When we're teaching, it is tempting to worry about how long to hold each pose. Because our days and years are structured largely based on the passing of time, we assume that a posture should also be structured this way. We think, I need to memorize how many seconds each postures should be held. But this is not useful. Here's why... Each Posture is Different Each posture demands a different level of effort. By design, some postures require immense amounts of physical strength and others require no strength at all. Fingerstand (pictured above) will never be the same difficulty level of something like Half Tortoise. This means Fingerstand will be held for less time. The goals of the postures are all different. Instead of thinking about how many seconds we should hold the pose, we need to think about how much effort is being exerted. This will give us a sense of how long it's reasonable to hold. We should not try to mediate our effort over a certain period of time. For example, Half Moon Sidebend is often taught by holding the pose for a long time. This means that most people adjust their posture by holding a shallow version. This is not very useful. The postures are muscular engagements. We should try to use our muscles to the extent that we have the strength. Doing a very small amount for a long period of time is not as beneficial as using the muscle properly for a shorter amount of time. Each Person is Different
The second reason that teaching to time is not useful is because each person is different. For a newer practitioner, a short hold is very difficult. For an experienced practitioner a longer hold of the same posture may be easy. There is no "one time fits all" method. The amount of time to hold a pose depends on what the pose is and the comfort and experience level of the practitioners. A posture is a unique set of engagements and relaxations. When done correctly, this physical control results in the asana. Yet, postures often get misunderstood in two ways: 1) they get mistaken for their set-up, 2) they get mistaken for their shape.
A POSTURE IS NOT A SHAPE In Standing Head to Knee, we might think "if I just touch my forehead to my knee the right thing is happening". This is not the case. That shape could be accomplished by lying on the floor and touching the head to the knee without exerting any muscular effort. It could be accomplished by using a strap. It could be done by receiving an assist in which a teacher makes the position possible. None of these would build strength, balance, or physical awareness. In essence, the physical control of the asana would not be required nor practiced. In the asana, touching the head to the knee is only the result of my abdominal muscles engaging to round the spine and the hip flexors and quadriceps engaging to lift the leg and flex the hip. This is the posture: the unique set of engagements and relaxations. This is what we actually want to practice. We do not want to practice the shape, nor the set-up. SET-UP IS NOT THE POSTURE Let's say we want to visit our friend at their house. We get in the car and make sure we properly buckle our seat belt. Then we turn the car on with the correct key. Then we make sure we hold the steering wheel properly, and follow each traffic sign and rule as we drive toward their house. But when we are close to our friend's house, we simply keep driving because we are so focused on the proper way to drive. We keep following the road signs and the speed limit, adjusting at each moment to the demands of the road. We focus on executing the rules of driving as carefully and precisely as possible. But then we never visit our friend, we never stop making adjustments, we never stop going there. We mistake getting there for being there. This is what happens if we focus on set-up. In an asana, we do need to set ourselves up for success. We need to get into the correct position. But then we need to stop going there and actually be there. We need to actually visit our friend, the asana. We need to sit in stillness with them and hear what they have to say. We need to feel their presence. Let's not forget what a posture is. A posture requires a precise set of movements. It demands our effort, focus and presence. Let's not mistake this for a shape or the way that we get there. If we do, we will miss the asana entirely. |
AUTHORSScott & Ida are Yoga Acharyas (Masters of Yoga). They are scholars as well as practitioners of yogic postures, breath control and meditation. They are the head teachers of Ghosh Yoga.
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