Skip to main content

Book Review: The Stories Behind the Poses

Editor's Note: This review was originally published in Manhattan Book Review.

Dr. Raj Balkaran

Dr. Raj Balkaran delivers a must-own book for yoga enthusiasts, spiritual seekers, and students of mythology in The Stories Behind the Poses. The fully illustrated hardcover volume tells the eternal stories from Indian myth anchored in the Brahmanic worldview underpinning the spiritual beliefs and the physical practice of yoga. Beyond merely a retelling of epic tales of the struggles and triumphs of gods, goddesses, kings, demons, and various characters, Balkaran delves into the transformative power of meaning-making. Artist Devika Menon brings each story to life with her inspired and informed illustrative interpretation of how mythology yielded each yogic pose.

The Stories Behind the Poses is an elegantly written and illustrated page-turner for anyone who appreciates origin stories from rich cultural traditions. The book is beneficial for yoga practitioners and anyone who appreciates Indian rituals and philosophy. Balkaran tells each story compellingly, creating a reason for the reader to empathize with moral and ethical dilemmas faced by powerful beings. Each story is itself a meditative tool to guide the yogi. The book invites anyone with a yoga practice to deepen their physical practices by internalizing the lessons from each tale and how it relates to the physical manifestation of the yogic posture.

 

Buy from Capital Books

 

Popular posts from this blog

Minding the Wealth Gap

As a Black investor and startup founder, Cliff Goins IV brings firsthand experience and sharp insight to one of America’s most urgent issues: the racial wealth gap. Having navigated the worlds of finance and entrepreneurship, Goins has seen up close the systemic disparities in wealth creation, access to capital, and asset management. From unequal opportunities in homeownership and education to persistent challenges in business funding and employment, the historical gaps are perpetuated in present-day practices. In "Minding the Wealth Gap," Goins skillfully blends data, lived experience, and the insights of experts to illuminate the deep-rooted economic disparities facing Black Americans. More importantly, he highlights the power of collective uplift. Through the voices of nine dynamic “gap closers,” Goins shows how real change happens when Black investors and leaders open doors for others. Each success “play” or strategy underscores the ripple effect of support. Selena Cu...
Read more

Slow Down: The Degrowth Manifesto

In "Slow Down: The Degrowth Manifesto," renowned Marxian scholar and philosopher Kohei Saito offers a compelling argument against the relentless pursuit of economic growth that permeates contemporary capitalism. Saito’s thesis focuses on the concept of degrowth—a radical reduction in production and consumption that aligns with sustainable ecological limits rather than constant expansion. Pictured above is Kohei Saito Saito makes a significant and timely contribution to the ongoing conversation about sustainable living. Slow Down adopts an interdisciplinary approach, drawing insights from environmental science, economics, and social theory to present a clear and urgent depiction of the current ecological crisis. Saito critiques the widely accepted belief that economic growth equates to progress and questions the sustainability of existing global consumption patterns. He advocates for a fundamental reshaping of our economic systems to prioritize human well-being and ecologica...
Read more

A Beginner’s Guide to the Roots of Yoga

The modern practice of yoga in Western culture is often criticized for disconnecting from its cultural, historical, and spiritual roots. In many studios and gyms, yoga is reduced to a fitness routine—focused on stretching rather than its original purpose of enlightening the mind. In "A Beginner’s Guide to the Roots of Yoga," celebrated practitioner Nikita Desai reconnects readers with yoga’s ancient Indian origins. Drawing on her Indian heritage, Desai explores the deeper meanings behind yoga’s forms, postures, and intentions, offering a rich historical and philosophical context for those seeking a more authentic practice. Desai shares her personal journey of reclaiming yoga’s essence, inviting readers to do the same by integrating cultural awareness into their practice. Her tone is welcoming and nonjudgmental, making the book accessible to readers of all backgrounds. Although I do not practice yoga, my meditation roots lie in Zen Buddhism. Through conversations with prac...
Read more