Unravel the Thread: Applying the ancient wisdom of yoga to live a happy life

by Rubén Vásquez

Overview

Unravel the Thread explains ancient yogic wisdom in simple everyday language. The author has dedicated over fifteen years to studying, contemplating and practicing the Yoga Sutras to answer the question: How can I use the Yoga Sutra as a guide for my yoga practice and for my life? Anyone who is curious about personal transformation will be able to relate to the concrete, practical advice, examples, questions and suggestions presented in this book.

Rubén Vásquez invites a broad audience to understand and practice the Yoga Sutras by:

• Summarizing the complete Yoga Sutras in one single word
• Explaining the key definition in the Yoga Sutras that guides all yoga practices
• Decoding the four aphorisms that encapsulate the message of the whole Yoga Sutras
• Introducing an effective method and exercises for applying the Yoga Sutras
• Interpreting each sutra in clear and simple terms with current examples
• Providing questions to guide reflection and application of each sutra
• Offering a final chapter with guidelines for practicing all aspects of yoga
• Listing of the complete Yoga Sutras in an easy to understand continuous translation
• Facilitating application by formulating all of the sutras as questions

In addition, because it explains the complete Yoga Sutras at both an overview level and at an individual sutra level, Unravel the Thread is an ideal reference and guide for yoga students, yoga teachers as well as for teacher training programs.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781737648222
Publisher:	Ruben Vasquez
Publication date:	07/30/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	567
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Rubén started practicing meditation in 1993 and established a daily yoga practice in 1996. He committed himself to studying, practicing and teaching yoga full-time in 2005. Rubén approaches yoga as a complete lifestyle grounded in traditional yoga philosophy, which is applied with common sense and without dogmatism. Focused on practicing all aspects of yoga with playful curiosity, Rubén continues exploring, refining, and adapting yoga techniques to integrate an open mind with a heart filled with gratitude and love in a body that functions efficiently. With thousands of hours of experience teaching all aspects of yoga in group classes, individual sessions, workshops, study groups, international retreats and teacher training, Rubén enjoys teaching yoga to a wide variety of students including absolute beginners, seasoned practitioners and yoga teachers. Rubén lives in sunny St Petersburg, Florida.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Unravel the Thread invites you to find your answers to the question How can the Yoga Sutra be applied today? As you unravel the meaning of the Yoga Sutra for you and for your own life, you discover intelligent, compassionate, and kind ways to untie the entanglements, knots and binds restricting the fullest expression of your true nature.

Unravel the Thread is organized into two sections, the first offering an overview of the complete Yoga Sutra; the second exploring the meaning and application of each one of the 196 sutras in the original text. Application activities, practice suggestions, and questions for reflection accompany each section of this book, providing practical exercises to bridge philosophy/theory with practice/process.

Section One: Overview

Together, we explore Awakening, Enlightenment, Liberation, Transcendence and Presence, and address the fundamental queries What is Yoga? and Who am I?

Section Two: Following the Thread

Chapters Six through Ten of Unravel the Thread: Integration (Samadhi), Practice (Sadhana), Magnificence (Vibhuti), and Emancipation (Kaivalya), consist of a summary synthesizing the major concepts in the chapter followed by an interpretation of each sutra with specific recommendations for practice.

The concluding Chapter Eleven offers specific guidelines for continuing the path of applying the Yoga Sutra, including suggestions for practicing the eight limbs of yoga: Yamas (Friendliness and Compassion), Niyamas (Purity and Sincerity), Asana (Intelligent posture and movement), Pranayama (Efficient Energy Modulation), Pratyahara (Inner focus and sensitivity), Dharana (Concentration), Dhyana (Meditation) and Samadhi (Integration). Here, we learn to weave the thread of yoga into life.

Unravel the Thread is a logical, heartfelt handbook for bringing the wisdom of the Yoga Sutra into your daily life, starting with the most accessible ways to practice. Through your commitment and your consistency, The Yoga Sutra will become a lifelong guide on the journey to living with wisdom, awareness, and compassion.

Editorial Reviews

"'Unravel the Thread' by Rubén Vásquez is an excellent book that gives a practical and down-to-earth review and interpretation of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The writing style is coherent and easy to read. The author has made a text that is generally very difficult to read, let alone understand or use, very accessible for the general public. By using modern day-to-day examples, the author has made it very easy for the reader to relate to the subject matter. If you are in any way interested in yoga, then I wholeheartedly recommend this book."

Simon Borg-Olivier MSc BAppSc (Physiotherapy) APAM c-IAYT

"Reading Unravel the Thread may transform your life! But only if you put it into daily regular practice.

What you will find in this beautiful new book by Rubén Vásquez is a friendly, compassionate and joyful map toward establishing a workable, daily practice that reflects the essence of Yoga as codified and understood through the ancient text of Patanjali Yoga Sutras. Rubén helps to de-mystify these ancient writings and offers suggestions for designing a life practice that is simply defined, practical and inherently joyful to implement. His writing voice is kind, down-to-earth, and evocative.

Keep this book by your bedside. It will inspire you to rise in the morning, curious about how you will show up in your own life, and eager to continue the process of bringing your best Self forward into this present moment."

Peentz Dubble, Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher (CIYT), IYNAUS Teacher Trainer and Assessor, IAYT accredited Yoga Therapist

"Rubén Vásquez has taken the time to make the Yoga Sutra's of Patanjali accessible to all, his examples and use of practical questions for the reader to answer, make it accessible to all. I highly recommend this book!"

Bianca Machliss BSc BAppSc (Physiotherapy) YA-ERYT 500

From the Publisher