Mastering the Mind and Realising the Self

Stephen Sturgess has been practising yoga and meditation since 1969, and is a disciple of Yogananda - who appeared to him in a superconscious dream in 1982 - as well as being taught by Swami Kriyananda for 30 years. Subtitled 'the spiritual guide to true happiness and inner peace', this wise and beautiful book more than lives up to its title and distils decades of wisdom and practice into a digestible format. The five parts cover the mind, the different states of consciousness, the Self, meditation, and yoga practices for meditation. The whole book is very clearly set out in many subsections and explains in modern terms much of the traditional yoga teaching for gaining mastery over thoughts and feelings. The section on the Self takes the reader through an exercise in transcending physical identity and realising Oneness with the Source, which is our true nature – the I AM. The author provides many helpful affirmations and prayers in the fourth part as well as practical guidance on meditation and yoga practices. A highly valuable book for seasoned practitioners and beginners alike.