How the Mind Works ebook

How the Mind Works is a systematic study of yoga as a set of methods for working with the body, breathing, attention, perception, internal states, and reactions. Traditional concepts and practices are examined in their original contexts, drawing on primary sources, historical and philological scholarship, and contemporary scientific research. For each method, the book identifies its origins, place within the tradition, function, mechanism of action, conditions of application, and practical effects. Patanjali's system, the major paths of yoga, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samyama, mantra, visualization, yoga nidra, and the traditional language of inner states are brought together within a single functional system. Where the sources allow, the material is compared according to levels of evidence. The reader gains a practical map of the internal process and the ability to select a practice according to the current task: from attention and perception to internal state, reaction, and action.