Kakaku：478 saved$4.78
Hunter House
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (A natural and innovative application of the Yoga practices) 『Yoga is too often depicted as something for crazed new age adults who wear necklaces with healing crystals hanging from their neck. "The Yoga Zoo Adventure: Animal Poses and Games for Little Kids" is a guide explaining how Yoga can be taught to children and give them much benefit and education in the process. The practices of yoga can inspire creativity, imagination on top of the much more obvious physical benefits of exercise to help kids get and stay fit. "The Yoga Zoo Adventure" is a natural and innovative application of the Yoga practices, highly recommended. 』
(Easy language for children!) 『Reviewed by Cayden (age 4) and Max (age 2) Aures and Mom for Reader Views (9/08)
"The Yoga Zoo Adventure" is filled with yoga poses and fun games for young children. The book begins by giving a brief history of yoga and then goes on to explain why yoga is beneficial to young children. "In essence, yoga is concerned with stilling your thought, which begins with simple forms of self-discipline and self-control." (p.3) Each one of the 106 activities in the book has easy-to-follow, detailed instructions. Following the activities there is a section on animal fables and another section that gives facts about the animals in the book.
After we went through the entire book here is what my children had to say:
Cayden: "I liked acting like all different kinds of animals! My favorite was when we were pretending to be giraffes looking for leaves way up high in the trees! I liked the wheelbarrow and zookeeper game too! It was fun when you (mom) did the animal poses and games too! I liked the stories and when we read the things about the animals that we were being."
Max: "Fun! Liked frog! Hop, hop! Snake and tiger too!"
Parent's comments:
My children and I really enjoyed this book! Even though on the cover it says it is for ages 3-7, Max, at 2, had a lot of fun with the poses and games as well. His coordination just isn't there for some of the activities but he still had a great time trying! I also loved the fables and facts at the end of the book; not only were my children exercising but they were learning as well! All of the activities were appealing to my children and "The Yoga Zoo Adventure" by Helen Purperhart will definitely be a book that we will use over and over again!
』
(Great book!) 『The Yoga Zoo Adventure is a delightful book for children and parents alike. What a wonderful way to work both bonding time and exercise into a family's day. In today's society, is seems more and more difficult to find time and ways to really include vitally important family time in our daily lives. Through The Yoga Zoo Adventure, this can easily be done, as well as aiming for a more healthy lifestyle that is fun.
In The Yoga Zoo Adventure, your child will travel through a virtual zoo of their minds. Visiting such places as the Ape Cages, Desert Animal Compound, Reptile Building, Insect House, Predator Pavilions and the Aquarium just to name a few. Each section has easy to follow instructions for a yoga move that mimics the real action of an animal. An example of this is as follows:
Prowling like a shark:
~~ Lie on your tummy. ~~ Bend your legs up and point your toes toward the ceiling to make your "tale". ~~ Bring both arms behind you and entwine your fingers together. ~~ Slide your arms up to the middle of your back to make your "fins". ~~ Lift your head and swim like a shark prowling for food in the ocean by moving your tail back and forth and your fins up and down. *taken from page 98 of The Yoga Zoo Adventure
Also included are fun bits of information on each animal, delightful games and songs and a great ending, complete with several pages discussing The Importance of Zoos and the animals that are included within the book. The Yoga Zoo Adventure is a great book for several reasons - it's fun, educational, promotes a healthy body and is a great tool to bring children and parents together. I have a 6 year old and a 2 year old and we had a ton of fun with this book. It states, on the cover, that the age range is 3 - 7, however I truly feel that The Yoga Zoo Adventure goes well beyond that age bracket.
Excellent and highly recommended! 』
(Great Book) 『The Yoga Zoo Adventure by Helen Purperhart
I enjoyed this book. As I said before, I am not a yoga person but this book is a blast to do with children. Anyone that has kids at home or work with children like I do will love this book. Thumping like a gorilla or stomping like an elephant gets the kids imagination going, the heart pumping, and the giggles abound. We have done the butterfly change so many times I cant count and it works great after reading "The Very Hungry Caterpillar." Just in time for spring! But the worse thing about this book is I can't keep it on my shelf! My friends keep borrowing it or the kids keep thumbing through it to find something new to try!! Just thing what fun it would be if you did like yoga....for me it is a keeper. 』
(Healthy Fun for the Whole Family) 『The book is designed for ages 3 to 7, but it was easy enough to engage my older children, along with our toddler, in hours of laugh-out-loud, adventurous fun.
I've recently incorporated yoga into my own life and thought it would be great for my children to join me. The Yoga Zoo Adventure offers the perfect blend of simple yoga positions and creativity, offering a fresh approach to encouraging movement, self-expression, and relaxation.
The book contains easy to follow, step-by-step, instructions for games and activities, along with stories and a special learning section on zoo animals. Not only fun to complete, it's a joy to read.
A great way to engage your children with the building blocks of a healthy lifestyle, or a fun book to pick up on a rainy day. 』 『
This ingenious book uses the postures and movements of zoo animals to teach yoga movements to children. The first part of the book covers theoretical and practical information for parents and teachers working with yoga. Part two takes readers to every part of the zoo, from the insect and reptile houses to the ape cage and theoceanarium. Here youngsters come face to face with a tiger, look in the eyes of a giraffe, do the monkey dance, and walk as gracefully as a flamingo. Part three introduces the rules of the yoga lifestyle through a number of animal fables. Part four contains background information about the animalsdescribed in the book.
Kakaku：260 saved$2.60
DK CHILDREN
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (perfect!) 『This is a great book for girls, encouraging them to get into sports. Shows a group of about 8 girls (and 2 boys) learning yoga. The kids look to be around 8 years old, but my 3 year old loves looking at the pictures and trying the poses. The photography is beautiful and the text is very informative. The book does not "talk down" to the kids, as some kids books on yoga do. Two other great books in this series are I Love Gymnastics and I Love Tennis. Highly recommend all three of them.』
(Yogi) 『I take teen classes with Mary Kaye and enjoy them a lot! All of my family and friends have purchased the book and love it! I think the book is a great way for kids to learn yoga. The classes and the book combine balance poses and hip openers and end with relaxing poses. I always feel great after yoga, and I am glad I discovered it early in my life!』
(Yoga with ENERGY) 『WOW!! Finally a great yoga book for kids. Some of the other instructional books out there seem boring to my children...and me! This book is so well done. Some of my kids do yoga regularly and some don't, but they all enjoy looking at this book and trying the yoga poses. The pictures are very self explanatory. For the non-readers, the children are able to look at the pictures and do the poses. For the older children, they can see how to do the pose and then read an explanation in very easy to understand text. We look forward to another book from this author for teens!!! Namaste.』
(We Love Yoga!) 『My children are too young for the yoga classes offered in my area (and there are very few studios). This book was suggested by my sister who lives in the NE, my 3 and 5 year old children love it! It is a great resource for learning the basics of yoga at home. It's also something different and fun for my kids who are now tapped out on the "sameness" of the classes offered....gymnastics, ballet, etc. We now love yoga!』
(Fantastic!) 『Great book. Excellent photos and poses. My kids and I love this book and we now do yoga everyday. We can't wait for her next book.』
IPhone 3G used's review (Beautiful Yoga) 『I study yoga and bought this book at my studio. I love the pictures-- they inspire me as a yogi and they teach me form just by looking at them. I like the book better than many of my artist model books as many of them fuzz out the private regions! this book is about yoga, pure and simple, in the buff and captures graceful women and thier art.
My only problem was that the woman are all athletic and strong and make yoga look like it is only for the well built when yoga is for everyBODY.』
(Beautiful Photography Book) 『I love the photography in this book. It is powerful and beautiful at the same time. I started using yoga about three years ago to help me destress and relax after a good run and this book helped me reaffirm why yoga is such powerful tool for women. The women featured in this book are amazing. I only wish I could do the poses they are doing!』
(I am woman, hear me roar!) 『I am very much a believer in the power and beauty of the female form, which this book portrays flawlessly. The poses these women can get into are amazing, and you can see their joy and energy in every image. Yes, the figures are nude, but even if you're squirrely about nudity, the photographs are so beautiful and the representations so tastefully done that you'd almost have to be crazy to be offended by them. Besides, yoga pants and track suits don't exactly portray the awesome beauty of the female body.:) Definitely check this book out.』
(A beautiful illustration of the power of females) 『This book was an amazing gift from a friend who knew I was interested in posed black and white photography. I really enjoy looking at this book and seeing the amazing positions these women can achieve with their own bodies. For me, it is a reaffirmation of the strength all women carry inside them. Highly recommended for photogs, yoga lovers, and art lovers everywhere!』
(A Powerful Collection!) 『I have only been doing yoga for about a year now, so I'm nowhere near as strong and skilled as the women in this book. This collection reminds me of the beauty of the female form and inspires me to work towards the power and elegance of the models. The photography is all black and white, the perfect medium for portraying the complex and graceful yoga poses. They show so many different aspect of female power: strength, flexibility, peacefulness, joy, and sensitivity. I never get tired of looking at this book!』
Kakaku：606 saved$6.06
Shambhala
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (A decent beginning book on pranayama) 『This is a good book that takes a slow approach to learning pranayama and integrating it with an asana practice. While I think there are better books out there such as Iyengar's "Light on Pranayama," many beginners may find this level of detail intimidating. However, this book takes things slow and that is a good thing for people experimenting on their own which is probably not the best way to learn pranayama.
I am a former Teaching Fellow in physiology and an ex-scientist. Currently, I work in psychology and part of my business involves the use of biofeedback. With that said, I want to point out that practicing breathing techniques without appropriate instruction can be dangerous at worst and could cause a variety of physical symptoms such as anxiety and panic. It wise to take things slowly and this book is written by someone who is responsible and has taught this material in a variety of settings over many years.
In general, I am an advocate of a slow and gentle approach to any type of yoga practice, but particularly breathing techniques. I also think that if you get this book, you should also consider "The Science of Breath" which provides a scientific framework for the ideas presented here and a more broad treatment by advanced practioners with psychological and more scientific backgrounds. I'm not saying this book doesn't have a lot of value, but I agree with the other reviewers that it's not a standalone text.
If you are only going to buy one book on pranayama, I would say that Iyengar's "Light on Pranayama" is the best. However, it is an area that is best studied from a variety of points of view and certainly Mr. Rosen has made an important contribution to the literature on this topic for Western audiences.』
(wonderful book - beautiful instruction) 『The reviewers below fail to recognize there are different schools of yoga - with the attendant different approaches to pranayama. In the Iyengar method - which Rosen employs - the approach is slow. You begin with ujjayi breath, start to incorporate breath retention, i.e., viloma, and well down the road (i.e., months/years) start to incorporate alternate nostril, bastrika, etc.
I began pranayama with an eclectic practice - pasted together from Integral Yoga, Sivanadana, various media (Shiva Rea, etc.), Kripalu.
I find the most fulfillment with the Iyengar method. Pranayama is slow and rewarding - gives me intimacy with myself. Rosen's book is intelligent and well constructed - a door opening to that path.』
(A bit dense...) 『A wealth of information, but not geared toward beginners. I'll keep this book to refer to it later on, but I need something more user friendly to start. Building awareness of internal organs while breathing is covered extensively in this book. I'd like to have begun with general breathing and body scans before getting too focused and specific. As someone else commented; the book is organized somewhat backwards.』
(one of a kind - the book that fills a void) 『Just as Light on Yoga can be a bit daunting to the beginning yoga student, so Light on Pranayama can feel overwhelming to those trying to incorporate a home practice of pranayama. Having practiced Iyengar yoga for seven years but still finding it challenging to incorporate a regular home pranayama practice, I found Richard's book was exactly the roadmap I was looking for. If some find the introductory chapters unecessary, it is easy to skip them. I like having them there so that the book is accesible to as many students as possible - plus it is always interesting to see how each new teacher approaches the poses. And of course context is always helpful. However, the book is worth the price for the pranayama sections alone. Deliberate and thoughful instructions make it easy to follow. Also worth mentioning is that this book has recieved excellent reviews in every yoga publication on the newsstand - Yoga Journal, Yoga Internationa, Ascent, and numerous online publications. This book is a must for anyone interested in pranayama practice.』
(Provides a detailed plan for the study of yoga and breath) 『I have been a home practitioner of yoga for some time now, but I struggle with the breathing, or pranayama, necessary to go deeper into the asanas (postures), and so I was hoping that ths book would provide detailed breathing instruction. Although the author definitely does include step-by-step instruction for how to perform some of the most common types of yogic breath, this information does not come until the end of the book. Instead, the first part of the book focuses on growing accustomed to breathing normally while performing a series of basic yoga poses modified with props (as per the Iyengar tradition). The author offers a planned study guide which first incorporates the basic poses and then eventually works up to the breathing exercises.
This book doesn't really work for people like myself who originally came to yoga via asana practice alone but then eventually desired to incorporate pranayama into their practice. However, for the beginning yoga practitioner looking simultaneously develop an asana and pranayama practice, this might be a useful reference manual.』
『For several thousand years, yogis have drawn on the powerful practice of pranayama, a technique of controlling the breath to maximizepranaor life energy. Pranayama has been practiced to rejuvenate the body and as a means of self-study and self-transformation. While most yoga practitioners today focus onasanas, or body postures, a growing number of people are learning the complementary practice of pranayama to deepen and enrich their practice.The Yoga of Breathis a guide to learning the fundamentals of pranayama and incorporating them into an existing yoga practice. Rosen's approach is easy to follow with step-by-step descriptions of breath and body awareness exercises accompanied by clear illustrations. The book also covers the history and philosophy of pranayama, offers useful practice tips, and teaches readers how to use props to enhance the exercises.』
Kakaku：638 saved$6.38
Lantern Books
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review ("Clearly Practicing Yoga!!") 『After having practiced with Mark today in Santa Monica, I am surely going to wrap my heart around this book. I am confident that the space he provided today at Power Yoga will surely be felt in every word of his book. He clearly teaches yoga from a heart place, so I look forward to deepening this connection through the book. I highly recommend learning from this man either in person or through this book. One Man's Love Story - A Near-Death Experience』
(Yoga of Heart by Mark Whitwell) 『Mark Whitwell is a brilliant yoga instructor! In the "Yoga of Heart" he aptly explains what is missing from some of the current yoga systems and their modern trendiness. Although a bit long-winded, the ideas he addresses are the necessary next steps for those who would like to LIVE their yoga practice.』
(this book is a gift) 『Third century Hermetic writings encouraged followers to "grow as vast as that immeasurable vastness" and wrote "...find your home in the heart of every living creature, make yourself higher than all heights and lower than all depths; bring all opposites inside yourself and reconcile them; understand that you are everywhere..." This is what was missing from my yoga practice. Even with great devotion and a daily asana, pranayama and meditation practice I wasn't close. Mark Whitwell's book changed that. In "Yoga of Heart" he generously, sincerely and lovingly opens his heart and mind and shares what he has learned practicing and studying with masters. You will learn to breathe and move your body to your breath. He teaches you how to take the grace and beauty and healing of yoga off the mat and into life.』
(Don't believe the other reviews! Save your money!!) 『Notice how ALL of the 5 star reviews are by people who have only reviewed products by the author. It is probably the author himself trying to pump up sales.
You might want to check out 'Light on Yoga' by Iyengar for a good introduction.』
(Surrender to wholeness) 『Too often we feel pulled apart, fragmented, dis-intergrated by the admirable goals we have set, the competing roles we fill, the tensions of our every day lives. To ease the pain of this fragmentation many have embarked on a journey or spiritual path only to find that this seeking fails to provide the comfort they desire. In "Yoga of Heart," Mark Whitwell offers a simple solution to this quest for wholeness: Stop struggling, do your yoga, and be receptive to the strength and wisdom that rests, too often hidden, in each of our hearts. In this exploration of the ancient origins of yoga and contemporary practices, Mr. Whitwell demonstrates a remarkably nuanced understanding of the challenges of modern life and relationships, and a sophisticated interpretation of the wisdom cultures that gave rise to yoga. He knits these valuable lessons together and offers a simple practice designed to open your heart to the miracle of your daily life. I have found these lessons and a gentle daily yoga practice to be life altering and now offer them to patients and students when I see them struggle with the sense of emptiness that comes from fragmentation. Lou Lukas, MD 』 『Truth is not something we have to seek out. It is not something that is absent and far away, requiring great effort to find. Truth is present within you as the Life that is you. In Yoga of Heart, Los Angeles-based yoga instructor Mark Whitwell takes us back to the time when yoga was first developed—to the shamanic past of the Upanishads, when yoga was practiced as a means of acknowledging, enjoying, and participating in the very source of Life.
Whitwell explores the deeper tantric dimensions of hatha yoga—how yoga’s purpose is to link the mind to the wonder of our own condition. He shows how hatha yoga is participation in life’s polarities already in union—through the male surrender to the female principle. Yoga of Heart shows how we can forge that union of polarities within our body: aboveand below, front and back, left and right, male and female.
Yoga of Heart focuses especially on clearing the energy centers and meridians, fostering dynamic health and allowing practitioners to create a deeper intimacy with both their partners and the energetic life forces in the universe.』
Kakaku：995 saved$9.95
Stone Bridge Press
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (YOGA POEMS WINS "PEN" AWARD) 『THIS BOOK RECEIVED THE PEN/OAKLAND JOSEPHINE MILES AWARD FOR BEST BOOK OF POETRY.
ALSO, PACIFIC RIM REVIEW OF BOOKS, SUMMER 2007 WROTE:
"In this beautifully written book, Leza Lowitz seeks to share the inner landscape of her yoga journey and to inspire others to take this same journey from individuation to unity...She accomplishes this by capturing the spirit of yoga with strong images and simple free verse firmly grounded in the experience of practice in mind, body, and spirit...This is not the yoga of the hip and trendy, but the yoga of a true seeker--an ordinary woman who has discovered her Self through movement, and has found acceptance and grace through allowing her body and soul to unfold with yoga. Named after yoga postures and breath work, Lowitz's poems capture the spirit of yoga again and again. In "Sutra Hasta Majoriasana (Threading the Needle)," simple yet powerful metaphor reveals the essence of the pose in body, mind and consciousness.
...untangling a knot that is my life the knot becomes my teacher...
the needle that is sharp at dawn might be broken by dusk...
The thread that is straight today doesn't know it will be knotted tomorrow.
The knot that is tangled today could be woven into gold ten years from now.
That is why I thread the needle, honoring the odds steadying my arms softening my breath working the knot, trusting.
Any reader will recognize the moment when challenges are viewed as an opportunity to learn and grow. A yoga practitioner will recall the pose and know that each moment on the yoga mat is a metaphor for life. Lowitz's words inspire us to embrace each posture as an opportunity to remain mindful of each moment, to learn and grow, and to cultivate faith."
(Yoga Poems- Lines to unfold by) 『Yoga Poems- Lines to Unfold By... is a glorious collection. These poems bring a beautiful perspective to each asana. At the end of a practice, I select a poem of an asana of focus for the day. I quietly share this with the class during relaxation, as the mind is open and the body calm. It is truely heartening to me to see the soulful, connection it often brings to the receiver.
This book is ideal to sell in your studio as well as a simple and delightful gift for anyone in your spiritual community...
laughter, love and light in Colorado』
(Late Blooming Yoga Practice) 『As someone who came to Yoga after 60, I have found Yoga Poems:Lines to Unfold By from author Leza Lowitz inspiring! Not only has she given a beautiful voice to the asanas but she has given me the desire to go even deeper into the heart of Yoga practice. I can visualize the poses in her poetic imagery. The poems are as serene as Yoga is meant to be. I loved the illustrations and only wish that each pose had its own rather than just those introducing the various sections. Donna Mendelsohn』
(108 Stars for Leza Lowitz Yoga Poems!!) 『This is a delightful, delicious, exquisite book. I could nibble on it all day long! Leza's Yoga Poems are lovely to read while sitting in Upavistha Konasana (Seated Wide Angle Pose) or while eating an icecream sandwich after class. It is wonderful company if you are eating dinner alone. This books structure beautifully reflects the eight "limbs" or stages of yoga. Each inspired poem is named after an asana, (the Sanskrit term for a yoga posture), or a breathing practice. Like the other reviewers who practice yoga, I was amazed by how well Leza Lowitz captured the spirit of each asana. She has successfully united her passion for yoga with her love of poetry. The illustrations by yoga teacher and artist Anja Borgstrom are perfect. This is a magical book that also makes a most romantic present. If you are looking for a gift for the special Yogi or Yogini in your Life, or a perfect present for your teacher, I promise, this book will please them!
Suza Francina, author, "Yoga and the Wisdom of Menopause" and "The New Yoga for People Over 50."』
(the poetry of yoga) 『Yoga Poems: lines to unfold by tell the truth about more than the poses they limn; they tell about we who unfold in the poses, our moods our aspirations our whims; lines to unfold by are lines to live by; as we learn to unfold the lines as we learn to unfold the poses we unfold ourselves.』 『 The sixty poems in this book are windows into the mind/body/spirit experiences that come about through yoga practice. Each poem is named for a posture or breath exercise and is inspired by the physical properties of the pose or some aspect of breathing that led the poet to deeper understanding. Listening to these poems read aloud, or contemplating them on one's own, will help yoga students understand their own struggles and inspire them on the way to personal transformation.』
Kakaku：574 saved$5.74
W. W. Norton
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (This Book Saved My Back) 『I had chronic back pain for 13 years. Sometimes to the point of not being able to walk. After many years, I could "manage it" to a point but was often limited in what I could do actively. I kept asking my Chiropractor if there was anything I could do on my own to save my back and he always said no.
After being fed up with going to the chiropractor over and over and not getting better, I was convinced that there must be a way I could help myself. I found this book and another one. The first one did not really help. Then "Cure Back Pain with Yoga" arrived in my mailbox.
The next morning, I tried some of the exercises in the book. Then I ran about six miles without any pain whatsoever! I never see the Chiropractor anymore. I now have a great sense of when I have back pain what is the cause and how to fix it - a huge freedom. I run every morning and I have this book to thank for being able to do so.
To anyone with back problems, I recommend this book full heartedly.』
(good information) 『The book is structured with a description of the conditions the yoga pose is intended to help. I had been unsuccessful in finding information about piriformus syndrome and found the book informative with helpful exercises.
I found Yoga being used in some therapeutic programs for my son. I also bought Richard Hittleman's 28 day program of yoga some time ago when I had decided to try to get back into shape and found it a great way to begin an exercise program.』
(Cure Back Pain with Yoga) 『I bought this for a friend who recently had back surgery. Apparently, he likes the book as his back pain is diminishing.』
(Happy Alternative) 『An excellent testimonial for this exercise as a happy alternative to surgery for common back pain』
(Yoga helped me!) 『Thank you to Dr. Loren Fishman for this invaluable guide to preventing and curing back pain with yoga. The beauty of this book, unlike many others, is that it actually acknowledges that there are major types of back pain instead of lumping muscle spasm with arthritis or herniated disc, etc. This book respects the differences, and that is common sense, because what's good for back pain in pregnancy is obviously not the same as what will relieve the pain of a herniated disc. Dr. Fishman's approach is clearly safer and more effective. For a beginner like me, the simple, lucid discussion of what yoga is was extremely illuminating. I found the explanations of the various types of back pain - arthritis, sacroiliac joint derangement, etc. - easy to read and coherent. . If you don't know what's wrong with you, Dr. Fishman steers you in the right direction with lucid explanations of causes of back pain, including muscular problems, arthritis, sacroiliac joint derangement, etc. He even provides advice (and yoga poses) for people who have recently had back surgery. The poses themselves are described and/or shown for beginners or for those who are more disabled and at a higher level of difficulty for those who are more advanced. This book is a pleasure to read and to use.』 『From the authors ofBack Pain, an easy-to-use book offering yoga techniques to control back pain and sciatica.
This book distinguishes the nine common causes of low back pain, teaches you how to identify them, and describes appropriate yoga poses to relieve each one of them. Loren M. Fishman, MD, is an internationally recognized expert in yoga and the clinical treatment of sciatica and low back pain. Here he helps you determine how to start your own yoga practice or alter your existing practice, depending on your physical condition and the cause of your particular pain. The postures, each one illustrated by a photograph, target specific sources of pain—from arthritis to sacroiliac joint derangement—and demonstrate how you can manage and ultimately end your pain. 107 photographs. Originally published in hardcover asRelief Is in the Stretch.』
Kakaku：848 saved$8.48
Rodmell Press
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Perfect for Practicing With On the Full Moon--and Rest of the Month!) 『My daughter and I both love The Woman's Yoga Book! Since today is the full moon, and women's cycles are influenced by the phases of the moon, I feel inspired to write a review of this lovely book.
Senior Iyengar Yoga teacher Bobby Clennell brings decades of yoga study and teaching experience to The Woman's Yoga Book. As other reviewers have noted, her writing style is clear, friendly, deep and nurturing. This book reflects her personal practice and many trips to India to study directly with the Iyengars. She is a core faculty member of the Iyengar Yoga Institute of New York and teaches yoga workshops and retreats throughout the United States and abroad.
The beginning of the book presents an overview of the history of menstrual beliefs and practices, examining how modern concepts developed and how ancient traditions from pro-feminine cultures can help us regain a healthy perspective of our body rhythms.
Clennell points out that because today's woman starts her period earlier and has fewer babies (or none at all) she can have between 350 and 400 menstrual periods throughout her lifetime, as opposed to the 100 periods that most women experienced two hundred years ago.
I was delighted with Clennell's emphasis on honoring the menstrual cycle. In an era where women are encouraged to medicate themselves and suppress the cycle, a book like this is sorely needed.
Clennell rightly emphasizes that we are living in a culture that encourages women to ignore the very thing that makes us different from men: cyclical hormonal rhythms. For all our advances in social equality, attitudes toward menstruation are only slightly more enlightened than in the past. The media encourages us to suppress symptoms with drugs, keep up outer appearances and get over it as quickly as possible.
Yoga teachers need to be aware that the young women students in their classes may already be taking one of the new experimental pills that promises a "lifestyle revolution" by eliminating periods and putting an end to premenstrual syndrome.
Bobby Clennell gives sequences for each phase of the menstrual cycle, from
