Table of Contents
Foreword ix
Acknowledgments xi
A Note to the Reader xiii
Introduction Mussar and Yoga: A Brief History • Why Combine Mussar and Yoga?
• Is the Mussar Yoga Path for You?
How to Practice Mussar Yoga 9
Awareness: How Do You Measure Up? • Accountability: From
Awareness to Action • Getting Started • The Fundamentals of Yoga
Poses: Easy Pose • Mountain Pose • Forward Fold • Downward
Facing Dog • Warrior II
1 Truth 25
Why We Lie • To Thy Own Self Be True
• Be True to Others: Six Guidelines
Poses: Mountain • Camel
Meditation: Ten-Minute Mindfulness Meditation
2 Courage 37
Play Your Edge • The Contagion of Courage
• Courage versus Recklessness
Poses: Triangle • Handstand • Crow
Breathwork: Lion's Breath
3 Humility 49
The Challenge of Ego • Balancing Ego • Managing Ego
Poses: Warrior I • Humble Warrior • Half Moon • Headstand
4 Order 63
Creating Order Is Spiritual Work • The Beauty of Chaos
Poses: Side Plank • Flipped Dog
Breathwork: Alternate Nostril Breathing
5 Nonjudgment 73
Honoring Others, Honoring Ourself • Finding Balance
Poses: Eagle • Warrior III • Seated Forward Bend
6 Zeal 85
Your Patterns of Energy • Obstacles to Living with Zeal
• Staying Inspired
Poses: High Push-up (Plank)/Low Push-up • Warrior II
Breathwork: Breath of Joy
7 Simplicity 95
Six Ways to Simplify Your Life • Finding Balance with Simplicity
Poses: Revolved Lunge • Half (King) Pigeon • Corpse Pose
Breathwork: Skull Brightening Breath
8 Equanimity 109
Put Yourself in a Storm • Be the Inner Witness • Stay with
Equanimity • Equanimity for Ourself and Others • Ups and Downs
Poses: Chair • Bound Extended Side Angle • Reverse Warrior
Breathwork: Victorious Breath
9 Generosity 123
More Than Money • The Abundance Cycle
• Widening the Circle of Giving • Letting Others Give
Poses: Boat • Partner Backbends
Breathwork: Breath Retention
10 Silence 133
Silence Is Golden • Silence and Conflict
Poses: Upward Facing Dog • Tree • Supine Twist
11 Gratitude 143
Gratitude as Perspective • Gratitude and Impermanence
• Gratitude for Life's Challenges • Gratitude and Memory
• Gratitude as Domestic Currency • Environmentalism as
Gratitude • Blessings Practice
Poses: Downward Facing Dog • Child's • Bridge
12 Loving-Kindness and Compassion 155
Finding Oneness in the Midst of Differences
• Loving-Kindness: A Two-Step Approach
• Compassion: Responding with Understanding and Action
Poses: Pyramid • Locust
Meditation: Loving-Kindness (Metta)
13 Trust 167
Limits on Human Control • How to Surrender
• The Lightness of Letting Go
Poses: Forward Fold • Seated Twist • Frog
Conclusion 179
Begin Again • Creating a Mussar Yoga Practice Group
Notes 184
Glossary 188
Resources 190