Yoga is not limited to postures and bodily fitness--in fact this is only a small fraction of a much more sophisticated system that is intended to guide the practitioner beyond one of the last frontiers of human existence: to the depths of unconscious thought, liberation from illusion, and the realization of supreme reality. It is a systematic method for exploring consciousness and its relation to the grand scheme of things. This book translates the ancient yoga scriptures to prose that scientifically oriented readers of the 21st century can digest. It explains the backgrounds of traditional yoga as described in the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Yoga Sutras, and then develops a modern metaphor for learning and teaching raja yoga. It contains instructions for meditation practice and many tips for supporting the practice in day-to-day life.