With his expert teachings, philosophical insights, and pragmatic imagery, world-class yoga instructor Tias Little turns the anatomy of the physical body into a tool for navigating the subtle body.
Yoga of the Subtle Body unites practical somatic concepts and wisdom teachings in this guide to the anatomy of the physical, mental, emotional, and subtle bodies. Tias Little is a master teacher, and he brings his precise instruction to the wisdom teachings and philosophy of hatha yoga. He offers us a guided tour of the body's structure and physical anatomy, then uses this new structural awareness as grounds for exploring the subtle body. In a meaningful and pragmatic way, the book maps the connection between the body and the rich symbolism that pervades the yogic imagination, including the chakras, nadis, and koshas. We come to see how the (yoga) body cannot be seen apart from the psycho-spiritual forces that animate it. Further, Tias offers readers clear, illuminated instruction for yoga, pranayama, and meditation techniques that apply these body-mind principles. This book is essential reading for all serious students and teachers of yoga.
Each chapter focuses on one of the eight key energetic/anatomy centers of the body: feet/base, pelvis, sacrum, belly, diaphragm, heart/lungs, throat, and crown. The book is organized literally from the ground up, and figuratively from physically basic to conceptual/subtle. Each chapter has a list of poses for activating and applying the lessons, guided meditations, and excerpts from yogic texts. These practical exercises allow readers to immediately integrate the chapter's lessons into their practice.
About the Author
Tias Little synthesizes years of study in classical yoga, Sanskrit, Buddhism, anatomy, massage, and trauma healing in his dynamic, original style of teaching. One of the foremost yoga instructors in North America, he offers intensives at all major yoga conferences and institutes, including the Yoga Journal conferences, Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, Esalen Institute, and Omega Institute. Tias is also the founder of the Prajna Yoga school in Santa Fe, where he hosts retreats, workshops, and teacher training programs with his wife, Surya.
Industry Reviews
"Tias Little is a necessary bridge between East and West. By being steeped in yoga practice, meditation, and Western anatomy, he digs deep into the mystery of being and unearths the wisdom he shares in this book. This book is immediately accessible to the beginner and yet will keep on delivering provocative inspiration throughout your lifetime. I am so happy and honored to be on the path with Tias."--Rodney Yee, author of Moving toward Balance
"The body and spirit are exact mirrors of each other--a fact much more apparent to the ancients than to those of us distracted by our modern materialism. Tias even-handedly blends the anatomy we know today with the anatomy of the energetic body. His many years of experience imbue this book with an easy authority."--Thomas Myers, author of Anatomy Trains
