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Foreword - This welcome book by Indra Devi is further evidence of the interest that has been awakened in the United States, Canada, and other countries of the Western world, for the practical aspects, applicable to our own mode of living, of the ancient science of Yoga.

Preface - Frankly speaking, I did not intend to write again on Yoga postures, since in my previous book, Forever Young, Forever Healthy,1 I have already described them and spoken at length on relaxation, breathing, diet, weight control and such common complaints as tension, nervousness, insomnia, colds, headaches, constipation, asthma, arthritis, etc. . . .

Acknowledgments - My grateful thanks to my best friend and guide, Dr. Sigfrid Knauer, for his understanding, cooperation, and advice; and to Dr. Ehrenfried E. Pfeiffer, for the privilege of letting me use material from the manuscript of his work, Balanced Nutrition—Know What You Eat and Why.

01. Introduction - Welcome, friend, to the ever-growing circle of yoga students here in the Americas as well as the world over. Let us hope that the study and practice of this most ancient, yet still unsurpassed, art and science of living will give you the key to youth, health and long life, and help you find harmony, peace of mind and true happiness. It has done that for countless people throughout the centuries, and it is now your turn to try this age-old method and test its effectiveness.

02. First Week - As the title of my book implies, the course of exercises outlined here for home practice is designed to teach the rudiments of Yoga so that they can be incorporated into the daily routine of the average man or woman living in our Western world. I have taken into account not only the pace to which life in the United States is geared, but also the fact that most of you have not had a chance to keep your muscles limber and your joints supple.

03. Second Week - A week should now have gone by since you started your first Yoga exercises, and you may have already noticed their effect—provided, of course, that you have been doing them regularly. Let us check and see whether you can detect any results so far.

04. Third Week - Now that you have been practicing the Half-Headstand for a whole week, you should be ready to try the full Headstand, or Shirshãsana. By far the simplest, safest approach for the beginner is to try the posture first in a corner, in order to have maximum support. When you attempt the Headstand this way, you need feel neither nervous nor insecure, for the walls afford protection on both sides and exclude the possibility of a fall.

05. Fourth Week - Today you are starting the second half of the course and only three more weeks remain before you will have completed it.

So far, you have learned seven of the basic exercises, ten additional postures, and six breathing exercises. Choose from among them those which best suit your particular physical condition as well as your personal needs, ability and time. From now on, use these as the basis for your own exercise routine.

06. Fifth Week - We shall begin this week's lesson by doing the final stage of the Headstand. In case you are wondering why we always start with this posture, preceded only by the Rocking, the reason is that it is easier to balance while standing on your head when your body is not yet tired from other exercises.

07. Sixth Week - You are now starting on the final week of your yoga course. You have learned a great deal in this short time and, let us hope, have derived some benefit from what you have learned. Your real task now will be to continue the daily practice of Yoga postures, not permitting yourself to grow lax simply because you have completed the lessons.

08. Diet + Recipes - Many of my students and readers have asked me to outline a diet for them. As I have already pointed out in Lesson Two, this is difficult to do since food requirements and tastes vary not only with the individual but also with one's age. Here, for instance, is my own diet, which would hardly satisfy most people, partly because I am a vegetarian and partly because I take only one meal a day—for breakfast and dinner I eat very little.

09. Author Letters - Publisher's note: The following are but a few of the letters in praise of Indra Devi's popular and effective method of teaching Yoga, and in appreciation of her first book, Forever Young, Forever Healthy.1

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