The Heart And Science of Yoga: A Blueprint for Peace, Happiness And Freedom from Fear

by Leonard Perlmutter, Jenness Cortez Perlmutter

Offers support and insights to advance your understanding, deepen your practice and nurture your Self-transformation. This title helps you to find easy-to-learn meditations, prayers, teaching stories from the world's great spiritual traditions, breathing practices, and an introduction to ancient Ayurvedic health principles.

511 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 2005

About the author

Leonard Perlmutter is the founder and director of The American Meditation Institute in Averill Park, NY and the author of “Transformation,” the Journal of Meditation as Mind/Body Medicine. Over the past 40 years, Leonard has served on the faculties of the New England Institute of Ayurvedic Medicine in Boston, MA and the International Himalayan Yoga Teachers Association in Calgary, Canada. He has studied in Rishikesh, India and is a direct disciple of medical pioneer Swami Rama of the Himalayas. Mr. Perlmutter has presented informative workshops on the benefits of meditation and Yoga Science at numerous medical centers, universities and prestigious forums. Leonard lives and teaches in Averill Park, NY.

Reviews

[Georgia H.]

The Heart and Science of Yoga by Leonard Perlmutter is very personal to me and tied to a very specific period of my life. I took Leonard Perlmutter’s (Ram Lev’s) class at the American Meditation Institute in Averill Park, New York, quite a few years ago—around 2008—and revisiting the book now feels a little like revisiting that experience. 🌿

The book works especially well as a practical “user’s guide for the mind.” It blends yoga philosophy, meditation, breathing techniques, personal stories, and mind-body practices in a way that feels natural rather than forced. The Ayurvedic material was interesting, although less central to what I took away from it.

The class itself went beyond the book and included a lot of history and philosophy of meditation, along with helping us find our own individual mantras. That part was amazing. I took the course in the spring, and I still remember meditating to the sound of spring peepers outside. Honestly, heavenly.

I have a very busy mind, so meditation has never come easily to me. Despite trying very hard, I only once managed to reach what felt like a true flow state—something approaching samadhi—and then never managed to find it again. LOL. Shucks. 😂 Still, the point was never perfection.

Some of the breathing practices stayed with me, and I still use them when I am stressed and need to center myself. That practical usefulness is probably what I appreciate most about the book now.

“Meditation is not what you think it is. It’s a method of accessing unerring wisdom from the superconscious mind so you can experience a happy, healthy and creatively rewarding life.”

I also appreciate Perlmutter’s personal storytelling. The ideas overlap with books like The Art of Joyful Living and A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose , but the approach is different—more structured, more practical, and very grounded in yoga science and meditation practice.

Revisiting this book years later reminded me that even when you never become some perfectly serene meditation master, the techniques can still stay with you and remain useful in real life. For me, that is more than enough.

[Kate]

So far very very good. Already had a very productive & pleasant morning putting into practice what it says. We'll see if it lasts!

[Marcella]

A philosophy book - detailed, thoughtful, and practical. The core tenant is mindfulness and it is explained & related through the lens of many traditions (e.g., Christian, yogic, Jewish, Muslim, the authors’ own experiences, and literature). The writing is very understandable.

The authors provide practical and step by step recommendations and practices. There is a lot of food for thought here. I found myself reading this a chapter a day and actually contemplating the read chapters. They truly explain, even sometimes indirectly (e.g., use of the word dis-ease to drive home the meaning of disease!). And even some of the items that I thought silly on my first read, then later tried and found benefit from (e.g., the gentle yoga part 1 exercises).

And as with most books, there are aspects I agree with and those I don’t. And just because there are those I don’t in this book, does not discredit this book.

I think this is beneficial read for almost anyone.

[Noor]

Om namaha shivaya

[Helen]

Still reading this one. It is a very interesting read. It presents how meditation and positive thinking can create a balanced self, so that we can attain inner peace and good health. The author is a yoga scholar. He presents how yoga philosophies can echo the teachings of some of our other great religions.

[Niels Madsen]

This is a very comprehensive cover of the essence of yoga techniques and an easy to understand practical manual. We all need more of this...

[Carol]

I return often to my yoga bible and never seem to stop reading it...