A new book by Michael Stone, Yoga for a World Out of Balance: Teachings on Ethics and Social Action, features a foreword by B. K. S. Iyengar, who writes: "If the individual is the world, the world is also the individual. One learns through yogic discipline the ways and means to balance one's life so that it's in rhythm with the environment around us. The flavor of yoga is that it helps us to interact and to express interrelationship by balancing not only within ourselves, but also in our relationships with one another and to our natural surroundings."

The author writes about the intersection of committed practice and social action; his theme is that every aspect of life has to play a part in the greater ecological system, which can be accomplished by applying the principles of yama.

Guruji writes: "Yama is considered to the the God of Death. Our instinctual nature includes the qualities of violence, dexterity instead of honesty, libertinism, greediness and the potential for stealing anything and everything, with no respect for our fellow beings. All these unethical desires, whether pursued directly or indirectly, cause death to the Self. Those who go against yama face imbalances, not only in their family but also within the society and community. These imbalances become the cause of death to the Self, even while he person remains alive. One who stays as much as possible with the principles of yama is bound to develop cleanliness and purity in body, mind and speech." The book is available from Shambhala Publications, shambhala.com.