Total Aikido: The Master Course


Gozo Shioda - 1997
    Your strongest posture is the one that fits your constitution.That cannot be taught to you, you have to find it for yourself. It is not a question of widening your stance or narrowing it, if the truth be told.But, people will do what is comfortable for them, so if you allow them to, they will just make it up for themselves. That is why, you must always return to the basics.This is what is important.-Gozo ShiodaAikido students and enthusiasts the world over will be delighted with this English translation of Gozo Shioda's hidden principles, finally made available by the Yoshinkan school of aikido. An outstanding student of aikido founder Morihei Ueshiba, Shioda, who taught thousands of people in his lifetime, left a profound legacy, successfully teaching the spiritual and practical applications of a martial art that could all too easily become mired in one or the other.In this sequel to Dynamic Aikido, the preeminent master continues his explanation of the essential principles but in finer detail. Comprehensive and fully illustrated, Total Aikido covers the basic postures and movements with special emphasis on certain key points for perfecting one's technique to achieve maximum effect with the minimum of effort. Demonstrations are provided in a dojo setting, with helpful pointers for avoiding common mistakes. To enable students to develop greater strength and control, they are shown how to increase their speed, shift their center of gravity, and synchronize movements with those of their opponents.This is an essential work for students of all levels, a treasury of expert information.

Judge Me, Dear Reader: Emma's Story


Erwin E. Wirkus - 1978
    A member of the Church from the beginning and a staunch supporter of her husband through his trials and eventual death, Emma lived a difficult life, yet many wonder how she could have turned her back on the beliefs that she held so strongly and suffered so much for. Judge Me, Dear Reader is the story of Emma, one of the greatest champions - and most criticized members - of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. By showing Emma in a more sympathetic light, the author reminds each of us that Emma - and everyone else - will be judged according to the desires of their heart by the only one who can see things clearly: the Lord.

Moving Zen: One Mans Journey to the Heart of Karate


C.W. Nicol - 1975
    W. Nicol left Wales to study Karate in Japan. He quickly found that the study of the martial art engaged his whole being and transformed his outlook on life. Moving Zen is the multifaceted story of a young man who arrived in Japan to study the technique of, and spirit behind, Karate.Joining the Japan Karate Association, or Shotokan, Nicol discovered that Karate, while extremely violent, also called for politeness and a sense of mutual trust and responsibility. He learned that the stronger the Karateka, the more inclined he was to be gentle with others. Those who have gained a measure of skill but have not yet achieved spiritual maturity are the dangerous practitioners. Studying kata, Nicol came to realize that these forms are, in essence, moving Zen and that the ultimate goal of all the martial arts is tranquility.Through the help of many gifted teachers, C. W. Nicol gained his black belt, and moved progressively closer to his goal of tranquility. His story, Moving Zen, was first published in 1975 and has achieved the status of a modern classic.

Krishnamurti: The Years of Awakening


Mary Lutyens - 1984
    Sent from his native India to study at the finest school in Britain, the charismatic youth was groomed for the messianic role of World Teacher—a mantle he would ultimately cast off, unleashing a storm of controversy within the spiritual community. And through inner doubts and physical agony—through bitter trials of the mind, the body, and the soul—he would follow his own path to enlightenment and become a shining beacon of joy and truth to millions the world over.

Dynamic Karate


Masatoshi Nakayama - 1966
    This book fills the gaps left by others.The late Master Masatoshi Nakayama, chief instructor of the Japan Karate Association, left this book as a testament. It reveals his great experience as a karate competitor and teacher, describing and illustrating in detail all the correct movements involved in the particular block, punch, or kick you want to perfect, as well as instructions--on combining blocking techniques with decisive counterattacks. Also included is a glossary of all Japanese karate terms and a guide to their pronunciation.Because of the lightning speed of karate techniques, normal camera work often fails to record the action accurately. For this reason, many of the photo sequences found in Dynamic Karate were taken using a stroboscope with a flash time of 1/10,000 of a second, enabling you to follow each movement as it is actually performed.

Breathe: A Life in Flow


Rickson Gracie - 2021
    He has joined the pantheon that includes Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, and Jackie Chan as one of the most famous martial artists of the twentieth century. Jiu-Jitsu, the fighting style developed and pioneered by his family, has become one of the world’s most prominent martial arts, and Vale Tudo, the “anything goes” style of Brazilian street fighting over which the Gracies had a monopoly, was an early precursor to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Simply put, without the Gracie family, there would be no sport of “MMA,” no 4-billion-dollar UFC empire, and no “Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu” at strip malls all across America.In Breathe, for the first time, Rickson will share the full story of how his father and uncles came to develop Jiu-Jitsu, what it was like to grow up among several generations of world-renowned fighters from the Gracie clan, and the principles and skills that guided him to his undefeated record. From learning to assert himself on the streets of Rio to gaining fame and honor in Japan and emerging through heartbreaking tragedy, the martial arts master shares tales of overcoming challenges, extolling universal virtues and showing readers how pride and ego are the enemies of success. With never-before-seen photos and profound insights into the sport and way of life that only a studied legend can provide, Breathe is an entertaining and magnified view of an enduring legacy as well as an inspiring tale of weathering life’s complexities and overcoming them with style and grace.

Chasing Lance: The 2005 Tour de France and Lance Armstrong's Ride of a Lifetime


Martin Dugard - 2001
    8-page photo insert. 2 maps.

Ashtanga Yoga: The Definitive Step-by-Step Guide to Dynamic Yoga


John Scott - 2001
    An easy-to-use guide, it features color photographs and a series of step-by-step exercise sessions -- starting with a simple sequence designed for beginners that, once mastered, provides the foundation for moving to the next cycle.

Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, Revealed After the Kitáb-i-Aqdas


Bahá'u'lláh - 1988
    

Turn On Your Mind: Four Decades of Great Psychedelic Rock


Jim DeRogatis - 2003
    Whether or not psychedelic drugs played a role (and as many musicians say they've used them as not), psychedelic rock has consistently charted brave new worlds that exist only in the space between the headphones. The history books tell us the music's high point was the Haight-Ashbury scene of 1967, but the genre didn't start in San Francisco, and its evolution didn't end with the Summer of Love. A line can be drawn from the hypnotic drones of the Velvet Underground to the disorienting swirl of My Bloody Valentine; from the artful experiments of the Beatles' Revolver to the flowing, otherworldly samples of rappers P.M. Dawn; from the dementia of the 13th Floor Elevators to the grungy lunacy of the Flaming Lips; and from the sounds and sights at Ken Kesey's '60s Acid Tests to those at present-day raves. Turn On Your Mind is an attempt to connect the dots from the very first groups who turned on, tuned in, and dropped out, to such new-millennial practitioners as Wilco, the Elephant 6 bands, Moby, the Super Furry Animals, and the so-called "stoner-rock" and "ork-pop" scenes.

Gita Wisdom: Krishna’s Teachings on the Yoga of Love


Joshua M. Greene - 2009
    In Gita Wisdom, Joshua Greene retells this timeless text in a completely new way, revealing that it is, in essence, a heart-to-heart talk between two friends about the meaning of life. As Krishna and his friend Arjuna reminisce on a battlefield known as Kurukshetra, readers learn that the two played together as children, were close as young men, and became family when Arjuna married Krishna’s sister. In later life the men shared extraordinary adventures, including a journey to places outside the known universe. Like all great literature, the Gita explores the human condition: who we are, where we came from, and why we’re here. With a helpful glossary that lists names, terms, and places, this accessible, enlightening retelling is the perfect introduction to the Gita’s venerable wisdom.

The Path Of The Masters: The Science Of Surat Shabd Yoga: The Yoga Of The Audible Life Stream


Julian P. Johnson - 1980
    This is Seventeenth edition (revised) 2012

Faith Among Shadows


Malcolm Leal - 2009
    While on special assignment with the Cuban Special Forces, Malcolm receives a blow from a sniper rifle that almost ends his life. It is in this moment of darkness that Malcolm calls upon this God in faith, thus beginning his miraculous journey in search of truth, and his eventual discovery of and conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Ashtanga Yoga - The Intermediate Series: Mythology, Anatomy, and Practice


Gregor Maehle - 2009
    An expert yogi and teacher, Maehle will guide you to your next level with an unprecedented depth of anatomical explanation and unparalleled attention to the practice’s philosophical and mythological heritage. You will learn:The background and applications of each of the three forms of yoga: Karma, Bhakti, and JnanaHow to use Indian myth and cosmology to deepen your practiceThe importance of the Sanskrit language to the yogic traditionThe mythology behind the names of the Intermediate Series posturesThe functions and limitations of body parts integral to the Intermediate Series, including the spine, the sacroiliac joint, the shoulder joint, and the hip jointHow to reap the full benefits of practicing the Intermediate SeriesMaehle meticulously explores all twenty-seven postures of the Intermediate Series through photos, anatomical line drawings, and practical, informative sidebars. He also discusses the philosophical and spiritual background of Ashtanga Yoga and places the practice within the context of Indian cultural history. With passionate erudition, Maehle will prepare you to reap physical, spiritual, and mental fulfillment from your evolving practice.

Ayurveda for Women: A Guide to Vitality and Health


Robert E. Svoboda - 1999
    • A perfect handbook for any woman for whom quality of life is a central issue. • By one of the leading advocates of Ayurveda in the United States and the author of Ayurveda: Life, Health and Longevity. • Provides practical advice on exercise, sleep, diet, beauty care, meditation and massage, sex and relationships, childcare, and menopause.In today's fast-paced world, Ayurveda provides a way for women to live their lives more simply, more naturally, and more contentedly. Women's roles in creating and sustaining balanced, healthy lives for themselves and their families have never been more crucial, and this compelling book will help them fulfill their goals despite the numerous demands placed upon them. Unlike many Western programs for health that treat all individuals the same, the 5,000-year-old science of Ayurveda identifies different physiological and psychological makeups and explains the lifestyle, diet, and environment most conducive to well-being for each. Ayurveda, India's "science of life," is particularly ideal for healing and empowering the female body, mind, and spirit. Ayurveda for Women explores in detail the landmark changes associated with the three stages of life--childhood, adulthood, and old age--and provides practical advice on exercise, sleep, diet, beauty care, meditation and massage, sex and relationships, childcare, menopause, and other issues central to women's lives today. Simple to enact and profound in effect, Ayurveda could be the answer many women are seeking.