Stephen Cope’s book Yoga and the Quest for the True Self is not the one to pick up for how to do poses. It’s more about why to do poses, and I don’t mean to achieve yoga butt.
Cope is both a psychotherapist and a yogi from Kripalu. His book has a lot of the characteristics of the usual self-help and pop psychology books (stories about people with various problems and their victories through yoga). It’s also a history of the Kripalu ashram, which provides some cautionary ballast to the happy joy love story. Cope’s writing style is conversational and clear. He doesn’t throw out a whole bunch of Sanskrit and leave the reader to sort it out.
While at times he strays a little far along the woo-woo spectrum, he remains grounded and practical. He does not look at yoga as a cure for everything and does, from time to time, note that he did refer various people in his stories to therapy. He seems to believe that yoga, by freeing the body, helps us get to what we need to free our minds, which is where therapy is a useful adjunct.
For me, the price of the book was worth it for these five words: “breathe, relax, feel, watch, allow” (p. 210). This is his recipe for integrating physical, emotional, and energy experience.
Definitely an interesting read; may not be for everyone.
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