Dragonfly’s Yoga Book Club

Calling all yogis! Join us every Fourth Friday of the month (starting July 24) for Dragonfly’s Yoga Book Club. Each month we’ll pick a different yoga-related book to discuss. (For the first few months, we’ll be discussing some great books that coincide with our 500-HR Teacher Training with Rolf Gates.) These casual discussion are open to everyone. Light refreshments will be served.

7-8 p.m. (Although it will probably run longer.)
$10 suggested cash donation per month. No need to register – just come in!

July 24, 2015

How Yoga Works, Geshe Michael Roach & Christie McNally
The secrets of how yoga works to make us truly whole are revealed here in a delightful story based on how these precious teachings reached Tibet from their home in India, over a thousand years ago.

August 28, 2015

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, Deepak Chopra
The creation of wealth has always been regarded as a process that requires hard work and luck–often at the expense of others. In this remarkable book, the author of Quantum Healing and other bestsellers reveals how to align with the subtle yet powerful, unseen forces that affect the flow of money in our lives.

September 25, 2015

The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter, & Miracles, Bruce H. Lipton
This book is a groundbreaking work in the field of new biology, and it will forever change how you think about thinking. Through the research of Dr. Lipton and other leading-edge scientists, stunning new discoveries have been made about the interaction between your mind and body and the processes by which cells receive information. It shows that genes and DNA do not control our biology, that instead DNA is controlled by signals from outside the cell, including the energetic messages emanating from our thoughts. Using simple language, illustrations, humor, and everyday examples, he demonstrates how the new science of Epigenetics is revolutionizing our understanding of the link between mind and matter and the profound effects it has on our personal lives and the collective life of our species.

October 23, 2015

The Yoga-Sutra of Patañjali: A New Translation with Commentary, Chip Hartranft
In just 196 short aphorisms, this classic work of Indian philosophy spells out succinctly how the mind works, and how it is possible to use the mind to attain liberation. Compiled in the second or third century CE, the Yoga-Sutra is a road map of human consciousness—and a particularly helpful guide to the mind states one encounters in meditation, yoga, and other spiritual practices. It expresses the truths of the human condition with great eloquence: how we know what we know, why we suffer, and how we can discover the way out of suffering. Chip Hartranft’s fresh translation and extensive, lucid commentary bring the text beautifully to life. He also provides useful auxiliary materials, including an afterword on the legacy of the Yoga-Sutra and its relevance for us today.

NO NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER BOOK CLUB

January 22, 2016 – CANCELLED DUE TO STORM

Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom, Rick Hanson Ph.D. and with Richard Mendius MD
The Buddha and other great teachers were born with brains built essentially like anyone else’s—and then they changed their brains in ways that changed the world. Science is now revealing how the flow of thoughts actually sculpts the brain. By combining breakthroughs in neuroscience with insights from thousands of years of contemplative practice, you, too, can use your mind to shape your brain for greater happiness, love, and wisdom. Buddha’s Brain draws on the latest research to show how to stimulate and strengthen your brain for more fulfilling relationships, a deeper spiritual life, and a greater sense of inner confidence and worth. You’ll learn how to activate the brain states of calm, joy, and compassion instead of worry, sorrow, and anger. This clear, down-to-earth book is filled with practical tools and skills that you can use in daily life to tap the unused potential of your brain and rewire it over time for greater well-being and peace of mind.

February 26, 2016

Yoga Body: Anatomy, Kinesiology and Asana by Judith Hanson Lasater
In Yogabody, author Judith Hanson Lasater writes, “You can’t fully understand the dynamic movement of asana without first understanding the basic structure of the human body.” Drawing on almost 40 years’ experience as a yoga teacher and physical therapist, she focuses here on macroanatomy and kinesiology in relationship to asana practice and teaching. Organized into five parts — the locomotor system, the vertebral column, the lower extremity, the trunk, and the upper extremity, Yogabody covers the body’s bones, joints, connective tissue, nerves, and muscles. This valuable guide builds on what yoga teachers already know and enables them to quickly decide what might help their students move with more enjoyment and less difficulty. It helps yoga students understand how their own body functions. Packed with color anatomical drawings, black-and-white diagrammatic asana illustrations, and helpful charts, Yogabody is the Gray’s Anatomy for yoga teachers and students.

March 25, 2016

Meditations from the Mat: Daily Reflections on the Path of Yoga, Rolf Gates
The 365 meditations included in this book offer a way to integrate the mindfulness that yoga teaches into everyday life. Whether used in the morning to set the tone for the day, during yoga exercise itself, or at the end of the day, during evening reflection, Meditations from the Mat will support and enhance anyone’s yoga journey.
FOR OUR DISCUSSION: Pick your favorite passage and share with the group why you love it.

More Book Club Dates TBD. Interested in hosting a book discussion? Contact us!