Raja-Yoga Revised Edition

This is my first review though I purchased 100+ books from Amazon in last 10+ years...all on religion and spirituality...Swami Vivekananda is my first and forever teacher in my life.Back in 1986 I had my first personal life crises. Raised as atheist in former Soviet Union, I suddenly found myself without family, without home, money and most importantly all my reasons for life crumbled... All habitual way of thinking collapsed and I could not understand what was the purpose to be alive...One day through miraculous circumstances somebody (whom I didn't even know) brought me the old book...actually not even a book - it's a copy of the old Russian translation of the book "Raja Yoga" which was published in Russia in 1913 before bolshevik's revolution. Such books were banished from all the libraries in Soviet Union but people who had special privileges to access closed vaults in public libraries were making their own copies... Most of spiritual and religious books were removed from public in those years.When I got this book I was not in the mood to read anything but only because I had to somehow fill my time I started reading it...From the first night on, I was gradually transformed... for the first time in my life, the atheist in me started seeing that the Life actually does have meaning because it is not random, not accidental neither incidental !My transformation that first years was nothing less than magical. People around me told me the same...Many synchronicity happened. Since then every time when I am in deep trouble - I grab this book. I can't say how many times it pulled me out of despair into the meaningful life.Now I will try to explain (is it even possible?) why it is so special.There are many good books on Raja yoga and good comments on Yoga Sutras of Patanjalli which I have in my library.Swami Vivekananda's language is not academic - it reflects his own development - from logic of analytical analyses, which does not include any traces of presumption of religious doctrine, all the way to inevitable rise of the spiritual concepts to explain the worldly phenomena, up to spiritual awakening. For people like myself, his language was the only language which I could understand and if only individual has brains with open mind, he simply cannot refuse the rock solid logic of Swami Vivekananda.The end result - from logical deliberation he pulls you into the most complicated aspects of Advaita Vedanta, nature of human mind and human behavior, up to practical methods to get control over your mind and have experience beyond worldly phenomena. He leads you gently and slowly like a baby on the path towards the highest expansion of consciousness.After reading so many wonderful books on the same topics, I still check all the information coming my way against the opinion of Swami Vivekananda, - in the end it appears always true.As of today I have all his printed lectures in my library. The other book which I always keep next to me is his Jnana Yoga. These two books should go together.I think everybody who wants to self develop must read these books. Even if the methods described in them do not resonate with you (all people are different), still the information about WHO YOU ARE will help you to choose your path.This review should be my negligibly small pay off due to the man who awoke spirituality in me and revealed the meaning of life.My sincere wishes to all the seekers.

I enjoyed reading two of his other books ‘Karma Yoga’ and ‘Bhakti Yoga’ many years ago. They were filled with noble thoughts, very inspiring and their purpose clear and accessible to a reader. We have to acknowledge the highly discerning intellect of this pioneer and exemplar of Truth, who brought the knowledge of Yoga to the West. However,iIn the book ‘Raj Yoga & Patanjali Yoga Sutra’, I think that the essential Truth, the great message, for the reader, is contained in the first part. There he informs that the system of Raj Yoga cannot be learned from a book, but rather has to be taught by a teacher/master through personal instruction. After that, there does not seem, to me, much point in intellectual elaboration of Patanjali’s aphorisms (which appears to be a component of the system of Raj Yoga about which he is writing), without his offering the possibility / avenue of personal instruction for any interested student.

One of the better books on the Yoga Sutras, Swami Vivekananda can be credited for bringing awareness of the Yoga Sutras back to the general public in India which had largely been forgotten for many centuries, a very important and good man, God bless him, he was an intellectual of his time and helped out India in general alot. As well this is a good translation of the Yoga Sutras, one of the better ones you can buy, especially in english. Another important point is that there are three versions of this generally available being one with only the introduction half, one with only the Yoga Sutras translation half, and one with both and this one has both so make sure to check when you look at different copys of Swami Vivekananda's Raja Yoga that you get the one with almost 200 pages.

All the new age writings and teachings do is restate his writings making a platform to make money. VIVEKANANDA'S thoughts are timeless and free to all seekers.

This is a wonderful introduction to Raja Yoga. However, if you've never studied with a Spiritual Master, or 'naturally' Awoken to aspects of your Conscious Real Self, it is possible (likely) your body-mind /intellect may likely not GRASP the deeper /internal concepts. Just saying...

Simple, direct, intelligent, - also easy to read. Definitely recommend to all who are reading the Sutras and interested in Raja Yoga. I learned a lot.

Greatest book on Yoga- swamiji has written this book more than hundred years before , But even now there is no book on this topic which can even be compared with this. Being a vedantin he has treated the suject matter almost interms of not only " Yoga" but really in terms of " Yoga Vedanta " .The translation of each sanskrat sutra in english and swamiji's commentary on that is superb. A must book for serious yoga reader.

The best book written on Raja Yoga in modern time including the two types of possible practices. Demystifying YOGA - the union of self with ultimate SELF. Thank you

I already had a copy of this book that was falling to pieces so I bought the Kindle version.Some people might find it annoying to have so many Sanskrit words which might be unknown to them but there is an eventual translation as the author goes on. I would recommend this book to any and all genuine seekers of truth............if they are attracted to this way of finding it.

Probably the best source for understanding Raj Yog.

Blessed to have come across this book and read it. If you are on spiritual path or seeking to be on spiritual path this book will be invaluable. Thanks to people and foundation for preserving and making this book available to everyone.

Great little book. Very clear and well written - feels quite contemporary. Writer has a good understanding of the western point of view.

wonderful depth