For most, when we first begin a yoga practice it is for the physical benefits. Maybe we want to mend a bad back or become more limber. Perhaps we need to manage stress or complement other forms of exercise. Whatever reasons initially brings a person to yoga, it usually doesn’t take long to realize that yoga is a profoundly transformational tool that can bring balance to every aspect of one’s life.
A natural desire to understand the deeper aspects of yoga is very common. The problem is that so many yoga philosophy books are written by and for scholars. Thus, when I wrote Yoga and the Path of the Urban Mystic, I wanted to convey yoga’s universal principles in a way that was fresh and meaningful to the millions of people who practice in some form every day. I tried to use examples from my own life and from the lives of my students, friends and family to make the principles of yoga more accessible to those of us who are living busy, modern lives.
The response has been overwhelming. Copies of Yoga and the Path of the Urban Mystic have flown off the shelves at yoga studios and bookstores around the world. In fact, the first edition of the book completely sold out. A second edition was released in 2006 with additional material and resources. Still, the number one thing people ask me when they email me is, “How can I put the principles in Yoga and the Path of the Urban Mystic into better use in my life?”
The result of those emails is this study guide. It is designed to help you break down each chapter and really explore what these principles mean to you, and most importantly, how you can incorporate these principles into your daily life.
I’ve read Darren Main’s book “Yoga and the Path of the Urban Mystic.” The book was helpful in understanding yoga and bringing the principals of the practice into modern life. It’s a book I plan to read many times. This study guide is an excellent companion to the book. There are many questions and exercises that would be beneficial for anyone or any group working to develop a better understanding of who they are and what is true for them.
—Mary Jen, Denver, CO
Purchase The Urban Mystic Study Guide: A Supplement to Yoga and the Path of the Urban Mystic :
