A must-read for yogis
920251
I'm glad I read this book, it is very well-researched and gives a perspective on yoga that you rarely see.  For those of us who have gone down the rabbit hole of yoga, this book is a much-needed eye opener to some of the risks of yoga.  I learned a lot from this book, despite not agreeing with everything the author had to say.  This author has received a lot of criticism for his research and writing on yoga, but I think he takes a very fair approach.
3074204
There was a time when,  in order to find the inner secrets  of Yoga,
you had no option but to dedicate your life to the yogic path and  spend years as a disciple among those who would slowly reveal those  secrets to you.  Fortunately,  Yogani has done all that for you.  He has gathered these  secrets the slow and hard way,  and presents them all in a single  easily-accessible book.
The book is a comprehensive exposition of the higher techniques of yoga and tantra.  The question-and answer sections are based on real questions from a yahoo group;  this makes them very real and informative.
 In revealing what is usually kept secret,  Yogani pulls out all the stops.  The book reveals heavy-duty yoga techniques,  such as Advanced Kechari,  which is,  as far as I know, nowhere else available in print at this time.
In a departure from the more paternal Guru Tradition,  Yogani teaches in athe tradition of a Yogic Scientist.  He presents the known material,  without requiring you to participate in a myth of his omniscience.  You progress under the advice to pace yourself;  you are invited to be your own guru,  judging when you are ready for the more powerful techniques and holding back if  you temporarily find them to be too much.
 This is not to say that the book is too advanced for the less advanced yoga practitioner.  Everyone can benefit from the many gentle methods which make up the main body of the book.  But for advanced yoga practitioners in particular, the book is worth its weight in gold.
2263833
This is really a great book offering many insights into how to live your yoga practice on a daily basis. It is easy to read, insightful and inspirational.  I have already recommended this to many friends.
4403480
This book is about the mindset of Yoga. It wasn't about the poses. I'm new to the teachings, and it is an absolute must have. Discipline in eating, speaking, listening, and silence. I think everyone would benefit from reading this.  What an uplifting read. Positive reinforcement is what you get on the pages of this book. I definately recommend The Yoga of Discipline.
3342291
Suza Francina's book "The New Yoga for Healthing Aging" is a must-have for anyone over 50 as well as for those of us who work with the aging baby boomer population.  This book is chock full of inspiring photos of seniors in different asanas, sage advice and some sample routines.  I can't believe that some of these people are over 90!  Wow!

Francina is Iyengar-based, so many of the poses are shown with props and there is good information on how to use the props safely.  In this book you can also find medical research and advice on using yoga for a variety of conditions including arthritis, osteoporosis, hip replacements, alzheimer's and parkinsons.  Many of the seniors in the book share their stories on how yoga has helped them with their issues, and this can be very encouraging for people who may be fearful of trying yoga.

Especially helpful are the suggestions for getting up and down from the floor and the section on teaching seniors.  Any teacher who works with the aging population will find these parts invaluable!  I hope that this book can not only help me to be mindful of my teaching skills but also about my own aging body.
4702726
The author truly unfolds herself and tells a story that is filled with insight into yoga poses and relationships.  Anne Samit expresses feelings that resonate with experienced yogis, along with the courage of anyone new to the mat.  Her willingness to share openly is inspiring!  The reader will repeatedly find that they are nodding their head in agreement about the life lessons described in this book.
4354216
Sophia Paul has done a magnificent job of putting this entire subject into easily understood lay language.  She has provided a pathway to really understanding Yoga and its many benefits for those who have had little if any introduction to this 5,000 plus years practice.  I heartily recommend this book to anyone who wants to get an introduction to Yoga as well as to those who have already entered into its practice.
3164065
Amazing book to help all Yoga Teachers, but especially great for the newbie, Darren Main is a master with words and incorporating yogic philosophy into the modern business world.  I have used his book countless times since becoming a yoga teacher, and recommend it to all new yoga teachers once they complete their RYT 200 program.  If you're a yoga teacher or aspiring to be one, this is a great choice of book!

Mandy Cummins, ERYT200
MandyCummins.com
3779197
The first thing that would come to mind when I hear about Yoga are those complicated-looking poses the supposedly promotes a healthier lifestyle. But when I read this book, I realized there is so much more to it. The author tackled what yoga is about and gave an in-depth discussion about its origins and schools.

I have learned that yoga is an art and is definitely a way of life. I really liked that part in book where the author stated that practicing yoga can help eliminate "afflictions". However, it does not mean that we will not experience sorrows anymore. Life still has its natural cycle of fluctuating emotions but yoga would help us find the inner peace.

Of course the best part is still the instruction guide on how to actually apply the different yoga positions. It would have been probably easier if there were illustrations so the readers would know if they did it right. Other than that, this book is a terrific companion for yoga beginners like me.
2199057
In her delightfully accessible and non-judgmental style, Rebecca makes a yogi out of each and every reader. She teaches us how this ancient practice can help to make our fast-paced, technology-infused lives simpler and more enjoyable.  The beautiful part of Rebecca's take on yoga is that there is not just a single path but multiple paths. There is room for everyone as we all do our OM thing mindfully. She encourages each reader, each yogi to be thoughtful about their path.  For me, as a long-practicing yogi, this book gave me lots of food for thought about my own life and my own practice.  Admittedly, I have dog-eared many pages of this gem of a book!
2154468
This book is for any yogis and yoginis who are bewitched by the allure and power of yoga to transform lives and perceptions but who have still maintained a healthy degree of skepticism when it comes to the (unfortunately) abundant schools of misinterpreted yoga -- such as that touted by teachers and yogis who earnestly urge you to "discover your inner lotus." I have never really understood what these kind of vague pronouncements mean in the middle of class, and I think that Neal Pollack would agree. He is also unapologetic and refreshingly ruthless when it comes to revealing some of the darker sides of yoga, money and sex. All in all, this was book was extremely informative and also surprising at times. However, the real magnetism of this book lies in the author's well-written, self-deprecating and almost embarrassingly honest humor. When I was laughing at him, I found myself really laughing at myself. And that truly is something to be treasured.
2578094
Simliar to the first book I read by Donna Farhi (<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Yoga-Mind-Body-Spirit-A-Return-to-Wholeness/dp/0805059709/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Yoga Mind, Body & Spirit: A Return to Wholeness</a>), this book was nothing like I expected, yet still exceptionally wonderful.

I was expecting an overview of the basic ethical principles of yoga. Instead, I was greeted with an intriguing introduction to all the possibilities yoga has to offer, unique angles on the eight-limbed path of true Yoga, and (last but not least) the various "roadbloacks & distractions" that could slow, stop, or reverse your progress.

Like many wonderful teachers and writers, Donna includes personal anecdotes from her own life & her students (without being too specific or identifiable). This makes all of the precepts she covers much more realistic, attainable, and most importantly, worth making the effort for.

Another thing to be adored about Donna (and this book in particular): Donna doesn't sugar-coat anything. This is life, we all make mistakes, we are all imperfect - BUT - we are all also divine and capable. The potential is within us all (it always has been) and the author herself stands at a testament to the life-changing abilities of a genuine Yoga practice.

Simply put, I can easily see why this is must-read book #2 for the Yoga Teacher Training course I am taking ("Yoga Mind, Body & Spirit: A Return to Wholeness" being the first). This is another book that, in my opinion, each & every yoga practitioner should read - and re-read over the course of their journey
271211
This book explores life experience through the lens of the constant presence of yoga. It is a well written narrative. Any sometime or constant practitioner of yoga will recognize the beauty of the metaphors yoga poses bring to life experience. And as my instructors have always said, "As in life, you are never 'done' with yoga."
833016
This book speaks directly to the heart and soul of the yoga teacher.  Where else can you find such honest anecdotes about the ethics involved with teaching yoga? This is an invaluable addition to a well-rounded yoga library.
1561927
This book is excellent for a number of reasons. The detailed descriptions of how to do the postures are wonderful. There are excellent hints for progressing through difficult postures, including some really helpful exercises for helping you get your hip joints in shape to do the lotus pose. Erich really understands how the different poses affect the physical body and the energy field, and imparts this knowledge clearly and eloquently.

There is a whole section on breathing with the postures which I've not seen done so well in any other book. Also, he explains his concept of "lines of energy" which really bring the postures alive.  A line of energy is a directional path of force that moves through your body during a pose.  For instance, when you are doing the Mountain (basic standing) pose, you allow two lines of energy to develop:  one which starts at the navel and runs down through your legs and feet, anchoring you down into the earth; the other lifting you from the navel upwards through the crown of your head. Understanding these lines helps the practitioner to experience each pose as a way of reorienting one's energy, rather than just a set of muscle stretches.

Perhaps Erich's greatest contribution to the yoga literature is his way of explaining how asana practice goes with meditation practice. Before, I was never sure how asanas fit in with the rest of yoga practice. Now I understand a lot better. I found Erich's spiritual writings very unpretentious and inspiring. The meditation exercises are wonderful both for beginners as well as people who've been meditating for a while.

This is a wonderful book from a teacher who knows his subject well and who seems to have a truly open heart. I would love to take a class from him someday.
2242820
This book is a godsend for anyone who studies or teaches yoga. It reflects so much care and work and attentiveness to detail.  It really is anatomy for yogis.  I've been studying yoga for close to 40 years and have been exposed to a variety of corrective allignment forms of body work.  So when I'm having trouble in a posture I often refer to standard anatomy books but they can be overwhelming and aren't geared towards helping me understand what is going on in a given posture.  Despite taking several anatomy classes including a wondrous anatomy dissection class, I still don't have enough knowledge to translate what I  read or see in an antomy text into what I'm doing and not doing in a given yoga posture.  There are books that aim to be more inclusive, like Mel Robin's book on the physiology of yoga--but I just get overwhelmed by that much information.  This book helps me see the main muscles working in a given posture and the main reasons I might be having difficulty with that posture.  Of course I would like even more--how can I strengthen or lengthen the muscles that I'm needing to employ in a given posture.  But that is asking for too much and I think really requires work with a well trained teacher.  This  book is just the right size, user friendly and chocked full of information.  The illustrations are remarkable, showing postures from different angles and reflecting the author's extensive study of both anatomy and yoga.  I highly recommend it.
2196619
I've dabbled in Bikram's style of yoga but never felt compelled to plunge in. It strikes me as the antithesis of how yoga, ideally, should be taught: one on one, by a master teacher who is capable of diagnosing what the student needs for his or her physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual development, and who adjusts the asanas and pranayama as the student develops. I realize this is very difficult to find these days, and maybe always was. On the other hand, I know a number of people who have derived great physical benefits from Bikram's yoga classes. Curious to know more about this style and its founder, I bought this book in kindle format and found it hard to put down.

Lorr is a superb writer. A terrific journalist. His account of his adventures in Bikramland, his depictions of his colleagues and the man himself, are colorful and persuasive. He's neither a Bikram detractor nor apologist. He does his best to present an objective account of the man and his yoga. Along the way he digresses into a useful discussion of narcissistic personality disorder, placebos, and other areas not directly related to yoga but important to the territory nonetheless.

For me, the book's great value is in verifying that hatha yoga, practiced without reference to its role as a mere part of a greater system, often never becomes anything more than exercise. That its non-physical benefits are not automatically conferred.

Additionally, yoga, unlike, say, art or literature or science, can't be easily separated from the yogi teaching it. We're used to learning about the messy lives of our favorite artists and separating the artist from the art. Yoga, on the other hand, is supposed to influence and indeed shape the lives of its practitioners. A yogi who fails to exemplify the principles of yoga is an indicator of something that's gone off the rails. Not that anyone is perfect, but by their fruits ye shall know them.

Bikram the man is apparently a mess. He is an exemplar of everything yoga seeks to remove from the personality including his attachments to ostentatious spending, his sexual boasting, and his capricious cruelty and pettiness toward students. He's also, apparently, no longer particularly adept at the asanas that made him famous--there is an unforgettable scene of Bikram collapsed on the ground outside the teacher training tent, shot from trying to participate in a demo. Bikram stays prone until a senior student carries him back to his room for a massage.

Some of the book is astonishing, like the part about Bikram lobbying the Olympic committee to make asana practice an Olympic event. (Hello, Bikram, they have something called gymnastics. Don't get me wrong, I'd be all for yoga's inclusion if it were a competition for Enlightenment, and competitors were racing toward Samadhi.) The system of poses he teaches were derived, according to Lorr, chiefly from his teacher's gym in India, Bikram's "guru" having been a bodybuilder rather than a spiritual champion (notwithstanding that he was the brother of Yogananda).

On the other hand, the book is a great ad for the benefits of sticking to a regimen of Bikram yoga as a cure-all for what ails you, as long as the disease is not one involving an inflamed ego. And it touches on how Bikram, in the early days in the US, taught in exactly a manner that his acolytes are trained to shun--with compassion and attention to the individual, prescribing modifications and at times crafting a bespoke regimen.

The kindle edition has lots of typos and similar errors but that's captious. Engrossing. Five stars.