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Rating: 
Summary: Each step is the beginning of a thousand different paths
Review: ...blue silk cover, that is. But you can't judge a book by its cover. Having been duped by the good reviews of this book, I submit this review so others can decide for themselves without making the same error. This work is a 1909 republication of the 14 mail-order lessons making up the "Correspondence Class Course" of 1904, written by one Yogi Ramacharaka and published by the Yogi Publication Society, the Masonic Temple, Chicago IL. If you would bet that this combination spells absolutely nothing related to Indian yoga, you'd be absolutely right. The lessons are in a Theosophical vein, treating all manner of occult interest-telepathy, psychic healing, the aura, astral body, channelling-matters refered to in yoga as the siddhis. But there is nothing here about any yoga known from India, neither Patanjali nor hatha nor kundalini nor tantra nor bhakti nor raja, no yama niyama asana pranayama meditation nor devotional practices. The YPS still exists, but my guess is that Yogi Ramacharaka never did. These writings are characterized by late nineteenth/early twentieth century popular misunderstandings of "Esoteric Eastern Wisdom"--a Masonic idea of making a buch? There are two quotes of value in this work, after which you can go away without bothering with the rest. First is the honest auto-commentary: "on looking over our work it seems that we have said so little-have left unsaid so much-and yet we have done the best we could" (p. 276). Second is the fine quote, from "a poetical work in Oriental style [Light on the Path] channeled as an above-ordinary intelligence" [p. 276] found in the dedication: "Know that those who have passed through the silence, and felt its peace, and retained its strength, they long that you shall pass through it also." Now that is very good. So, anyone looking for 19th century occult metaphysical "New Thought" can find my copy donated to the Mt. Airy library. For anyone interested in a true perspective on the real beauty and life-affirming value of Indian yoga, I recommend T.K.V. Desikachar's "Health, Healing and Beyond" and A.G. Mohan's "Yoga for Body, Breath and Mind."
Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful...
Review: ...blue silk cover, that is. But you can't judge a book by its cover. Having been duped by the good reviews of this book, I submit this review so others can decide for themselves without making the same error. This work is a 1909 republication of the 14 mail-order lessons making up the "Correspondence Class Course" of 1904, written by one Yogi Ramacharaka and published by the Yogi Publication Society, the Masonic Temple, Chicago IL. If you would bet that this combination spells absolutely nothing related to Indian yoga, you'd be absolutely right. The lessons are in a Theosophical vein, treating all manner of occult interest-telepathy, psychic healing, the aura, astral body, channelling-matters refered to in yoga as the siddhis. But there is nothing here about any yoga known from India, neither Patanjali nor hatha nor kundalini nor tantra nor bhakti nor raja, no yama niyama asana pranayama meditation nor devotional practices. The YPS still exists, but my guess is that Yogi Ramacharaka never did. These writings are characterized by late nineteenth/early twentieth century popular misunderstandings of "Esoteric Eastern Wisdom"--a Masonic idea of making a buch? There are two quotes of value in this work, after which you can go away without bothering with the rest. First is the honest auto-commentary: "on looking over our work it seems that we have said so little-have left unsaid so much-and yet we have done the best we could" (p. 276). Second is the fine quote, from "a poetical work in Oriental style [Light on the Path] channeled as an above-ordinary intelligence" [p. 276] found in the dedication: "Know that those who have passed through the silence, and felt its peace, and retained its strength, they long that you shall pass through it also." Now that is very good. So, anyone looking for 19th century occult metaphysical "New Thought" can find my copy donated to the Mt. Airy library. For anyone interested in a true perspective on the real beauty and life-affirming value of Indian yoga, I recommend T.K.V. Desikachar's "Health, Healing and Beyond" and A.G. Mohan's "Yoga for Body, Breath and Mind."
Rating:
Summary: Simply Stated Wisdom
Review: A book that's worth the trouble of finding. This is an encouraging look at a way to live. The theme of acceptance and harmony are comforting. Oddly enough, I found myself realizing that I already practice many of the ideas outlined in the book. You'll want to re-read this one, to catch the pieces you missed the first time through.
Rating: 
Summary: An introduction to understanding the wonder of life
Review: For readers who want to start exploring the philosophies of the hindu yogis, this is the perfect book. More than a book, it is a treatise that both enlightens and inspires. It starts with an explanation of the seven principles of what man is made of, paying special attention to what we don't see ( a.k.a. the auras). Ramacharaka not only affirms but confirms the power of human thought, and how a life can be trascended by it. We are what we think, our thoughts feed our actions. This particular philisophy starts with the principle that man is a spirit within a body, a mass of energy, and not the other way around; a common idea of the western philosophies. The book goes on to explain various techniques used in ocultism, good ones as well as bad ones.The lesson I found the most fascinating was the one about life after death, that is death as we know it; because after reading about the different stages our spirit goes through once it leaves our body, you will never see - or at least think - of death in the same way. The only thing I can say on my behalf is that I expect to be fully awake to experience at least half of what is being described here. If the reader is searching for answers to profound questions regarding the yogi philosphy he will probably have to go elsewhere. This is a book for begginners. It was written to wet one's appetite, to spark the willingfull search of knowledge, and many readers will be taken aback by the simplicity of it all. Ramacharaka shows us that life, when lived according to nature, is quite a simple business, and therein lies the wonder of it. It is both quick and majestic and, true to his philosphy, guides us to see death as we know it as a form of preparation to be better each time we choose to come back and experince new lives. Even if we don't agree with the idea of re-encarnation, it will pay to have a look at it as an outsider, and consider the principles (such as the one for cause and effect), that we can see take place in our world once and again. Read it, and welcome the peace and the wonder in your own life.
Rating:
Summary: An Indispensible Guide
Review: I do not recommend this book for persons seriously interested in the study of eastern philosophy. This book has nothing to do with yoga; that is, the teachings of the rishis'. I should have known from the title that this book has little to do with yoga,since it should have been yoga philosophy,the discipline, and not yogi philosophy,a person who studies yoga. If you like your "yogi" philosophy sprinkled with the word "Occult" almost (it seems) every other sentence,(which Eastern Philosophy is not)then this is the book for you. Personally I recommend the writings of Ramakrishna,or Yogananda(the autobiography of a Yogi). This book was a terrible disappointment to me;I stopped reading it before i was five pages into it. I would recommend Hare Krishna liturature before I would recommend this lightweight effort.
Rating:
Summary: Fourteen Lessons by Yogi Ramacharaka
Review: I found this little handbook to be of profound content. It's language and simplicity were refreshing by any standards. In a world of occult books that are very often next to indecipherable, this little gem, if thought about deeply, adds a wealth of information to the soul without compromising quality, depth or broadness of vision to it's simplicity. I LOVED this book and have read it over and over again. It's gifts of clarity and vision have altered my viewpoint drastically and forever. I would highly reccomend this book to anyone who seeks and for those who would like to find answers on a very deep level. It doesn't matter how far advanced you are on the path, this little gem sparkles from every where. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Fourteen Lessons by Yogi Ramacharaka
Review: I found this little handbook to be of profound content. It's language and simplicity were refreshing by any standards. In a world of occult books that are very often next to indecipherable, this little gem, if thought about deeply, adds a wealth of information to the soul without compromising quality, depth or broadness of vision to it's simplicity. I LOVED this book and have read it over and over again. It's gifts of clarity and vision have altered my viewpoint drastically and forever. I would highly reccomend this book to anyone who seeks and for those who would like to find answers on a very deep level. It doesn't matter how far advanced you are on the path, this little gem sparkles from every where. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: transcendent
Review: the complete title of this book is "Fourteen Lessons in Yogi Philosophy and Oriental Occultism". Some previous reviewers were disappointed with the book's lack of yoga information. Upon reading the title and introduction, I think the book will live up to what it was written for in 1903. This is an amazing look back 100 years, to an earlier master. I think I would like to know more about this yogi.
Rating:
Summary: Each step is the beginning of a thousand different paths
Review: This book is one of the first in a series of books that presents all areas of Yoga philosophy. To fully appreciate this book you must finish it as the last few chapters tie everything together. To fully appreciate the author, you must read the whole series of his books, which covers Hatha, Raja, Gnani etc. I believe the author would be the first to admit that in the volumes of books (eight, I believe) he has written, he has just scratched the surface. This is not a meditation book, but the beginning series of a foundation course in yoga philosophy that can make a difference in your life and make further study of yoga more meaningful.
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