"There is no daily practice without some formal training; and there is no deep spiritual training without the mess of relational life. The two are one," says Michael Stone. At the root of yoga practice there is a vast and intriguing philosophy that teaches the ethics of nonviolence, patience, honesty, and respect.

Innovative teacher Michael Stone draws from numerous disciplines--including Buddhism and psychotherapy--to provide an in-depth, completely clear explanation of yogic philosophy, along with teachings on how to bring our understanding of yoga theory to deeper levels through our practice on the mat--and through our relationships with others. Yoga, says Stone, is a practice that helps us be more present with the actual, fluid life we are living right now--and there is no yoga without the conditions of your life. This book describes how to work with those conditions and how to fully appreciate yoga as a practice of being intimate with moment-to-moment reality.