Young Yogi and the Mind Monsters

By Sonja Radvila and Kaori Hamura Long

The Yoga Sutras through a Child’s Eyes…

Mind is a monster! Just ask Young Yogi, who knows that a troubled mind can keep you up at night and haunt you all day long. But thanks to the wisdom of Patanjali and his Yoga Sutras, there is a way to end the turmoil. Join the adventures of Young Yogi as he learns to tame the Mind Monste

• Language: English
• Publisher: Atmosphere Press
• Release date: Nov 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781646693412

Book preview

Praise for Sonja Radvila’s Young Yogi and the Mind Monsters…

This delightful children’s story is for everyone: young, middle-aged, and elderly. Join Young Yogi as innocence fades away and he makes the journey to self-discovery. Thoughts shape reality; Young Yogi learns how to play with the mind, awake and in dream, plumb the depths of the ocean and rise above it all. The craft of illustrated storytelling comes alive here, with lessons on the power of Yoga in abundance on every page!

Christopher Key Chapple, Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology

Director, Master of Arts in Yoga Studies, Loyola Marymount University

Author of Yoga and the Luminous: Patañjali’s Spiritual Path to Freedom

In his Yoga Sūtras, Patañjali presents a philosophy that we are not this restless and ever dissatisfied mind, but pure consciousness at our deepest core. But as every parent knows, young children are especially challenged to separate themselves from the volatility and pressures of their emotions and desires.  

Loosely and creatively following the sequence of the first chapter of the Sūtras, Young Yogi and the Mind Monsters is a richly evocative and captivating tale that will be welcomed by yogi parents seeking tools to instill Patañjali’s seemingly daunting yoga philosophy into their children. Through a series of very lively and fun-filled adventures suitable for young children, the story presents the conceptual framework of the teachings – that our ultimate natures are distinct from the impulses of this monster mind, which so frequently acts against our best interests – along with practical techniques as to how to control it. Another welcome example of yoga philosophy’s inherent ability to benevolently affect all areas of our modern world, including, in this Tale, our most precious one, the minds of our children.    

Edwin Bryant, Professor of Hinduism, Rutgers University

Author of The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali: A New Edition, Translation, and Commentary

Sonja’s new book brings the Yoga Sūtras to life in a brilliant re-imagining that captures their meaning in surprising ways at each turn. It is both a wonderful introduction to this fundamental yoga text and also a means to rediscover it anew, bringing us on a journey through these ancient sayings. Every page of the story is a joy, accompanied by beautiful, colorful, vibrant illustrations. Having spent many years reading, translating, and discussing the sūtras, I know it is not easy to convey their essence in an understandable way. Though written as a book for children, this book is a treasure for adults, too. I am already hoping there will be a sequel to take us through the rest of the Yoga Sūtras!

Zoë Slatoff, Author of Yogāvatāṛaṇam: The Translation of Yoga

PhD candidate

Sonja Radvila’s retelling of the Yoga Sūtras captivates the hearts and minds of children and adult seekers alike. This joyful one-of-a-kind story takes the reader to the essence of the yogic wisdom in a lucid as well as relatable way. Along with the exquisite illustrations, Young Yogi’s exploration into our ability to break free from suffering and find peace in life is a true must read.

Sharmila Desai, Founder of Ashtanga Yoga Morjim, Co-Author of Yoga Sadhana for Mothers:

Shared Experiences of Ashtanga Yoga, Pregnancy, Birth & Motherhood

Sonja and Kaori have done something amazing. They have made the Yoga Sūtras accessible for kids and badly educated adults (me). With the awareness of mental health issues in kids, this book gives keys to unlock doors to happiness, understanding the mind and peace, which are the same thing. Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras are notoriously difficult to understand with the many commentaries available. This new understanding gives light where there is darkness.

Hamish Hendry, Author of Yoga Dharma, Founder of Ashtanga Yoga London

Young Yogi and the Mind Monsters

written by Sonja Radvila

illustrated by Kaori Hamura Long

Copyright © 2019 Sonja Radvila

Published by Atmosphere Press

No part of this book may be reproduced

except in brief quotations and in reviews

without permission from the author.

Young Yogi and the Mind Monsters

2019, Sonja Radvila

atmospherepress.com

For Happy

Foreword

The revival of yoga is a blessing, not simply for its clear benefits to health but also for its enriching philosophy and guidance for daily life.

In this delightful book, the timeless wisdom of Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras is presented in the form of a children’s story.

The original text is from ancient India and shares a practical exposition of the philosophy and practice of yoga. However, its sutra form usually requires some elaboration and explanation in order to glean full meaning.

In Sonja Radvila’s retelling of Samādhi Pada, the first book of Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras, we are offered a spiritual gem, an insightful and accessible companion for parents, children, and seekers of self-knowledge.

Join Young Yogi in his battles with the Mind Monsters.

Be entertained by his adventures and discoveries as he is introduced to the teachings and practices of yoga. Travel inward together toward self-mastery and freedom whilst unraveling the mysteries of the mind, the nature of the self, and the wonder of the world we reside in.

This work is the fruit of seeds planted during intensive study of Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras in Byron Bay, Australia.

I trust you will enjoy this contemporary interpretation of eternal wisdom for the young and young at heart. May it nourish and inspire questioning minds and guide all toward spiritual prosperity and peace.

Dena Kingsberg

Practitioner and teacher in the lineage