5 comments about Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual: An Illustrated Guide to Personal Practice.

1. Excellent book with pictures of poses for ashtanga yoga. Great detail including variations of poses.



2. Ashtanga, even the primary series, is not great for beginners. But if you're an experienced yogi of any type, this book is fabulous.



3. It's an amazing book which is also very very user-friendly. Besides clear explanations of all the terminology such as "Ashtanga", "Bandhas" and so on, it's equipped with a spiral binding and a hard cover so that you could read/ watch it by practice the movements. In addition, it will teach a series movements instead of separate movements (like some Yoga books do) so that you could have an idea of the whole "flow" of the movements. It's very useful and practical. I would strongly recommend this book to whoever wants to learn this amazing Ashtanga Yoga.



4. This book is an excellent way to explore each of the postures of Ashtanga yoga. It has foundational information about the basics such as breath, followed by each posture with variations, and guides for the standing, sitting, and closing sequences. It is a perfect gift for someone beginning a personal yoga practice or for the student looking to move on to second series postures.



5. I love this book! it has all the positions you can think of, and different ways of doing each one to make them easier or more advanced. I loved how it showed the guy in the book doing yoga poses on cliffs and stuff. It was inspirational (although i won't be doing that anytime soon!) It came in great condition, and quickly.

5 comments about The Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice.

1. This book is interesting but is a somewhat detailed read. It teaches the background of yoga and ideas toward developing a personal plan toward practicing yoga.



2. I have used this book both a teacher and a student. I use this book for all our teacher training programs with huge success. This is a gem of a book. A necessary read for students and teacher's of Vinyasa. Having practiced at the KYM mandiram and having met Desikachar makes this book even more amazing as he is a living vibration of this book.



3. I had to pick this book up for my yoga instructor certification course. Initially, I approached like I do all textbooks, with dread and out of necessity. I expected it to be WAY over my head, especially since I am relatively new to rigorous practice of yoga. However, Desikachar's writing style and tone make this book completely accessible. I have learned so much from this book and what I have found is that Desikachar's words are very easy to incorporate into my dharma talks and apply to my yoga practice. The book is very well organized and very well laid out with each section building on the previous section's information. There is even a Sanskrit pronunciation guide in the back of the book! In addition to that, Desikachar's gift is his ability to share his knowledge and his passion in a way that engenders hope and allows the readers to have faith in their abilities, at whatever level of their yoga practice. It's not so much that he tells you what to do and places an expectation on you to do it. No, it is more as if he shares what he knows and wants the reader to be able to experience the joy and the profound effects of yoga. I highly recommend this book to any level yogi who practices any style of yoga.



4. Being a yoga teacher, I am often asked if there were only 1 book on yoga that I could recommend, which would it be? The answer is The Heart of Yoga. There is no hidden agenda here. The essence of yoga from the heart of a yogi. My second choice would be Srivatsa Ramaswami's-- Yoga for the Three Stages of Life: Developing Your Practice As an Art Form, a Physical Therapy, and a Guiding Philosophy. Second only because it did not have a translation of the Yoga Sutras included, as does The Heart of Yoga.



5. We assign this book for our Advanced Yoga class. It is a great way to bridge physical activity with mental activity in the practices of yoga. I enjoyed this book, but it is not for beginners. I think some basic understanding of the practice is needed before reading this which is in more detail.

5 comments about 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back: Natural Posture Solutions for Pain in the Back, Neck, Shoulder, Hip, Knee, and Foot (Remember When It Didn't Hurt).

1. 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back: Natural Posture Solutions for Pain in the Back, Neck, Shoulder, Hip, Knee, and Foot (Remember When It Didn't Hurt)
   After reading Esther's wonderful book I was lucky enough to be able to work with her individually. She teaches new ways to sit, stand, lie down, and walk -- moves you thought you knew how to do, right? -- which align, stretch, strengthen and relax the body. The book does a great job of capturing her teachings. After being told all my life to "stand up straight", I finally know how to do that. I've had major neck surgery and a knee replacement, as well as being told I need foot surgery. Besides great improvements with all the types of pain listed in the title, all of which I had, I was delighted to see how much better good posture makes me look (I'm no sylph),and and how much more easily I move.



2. After being diagnosed with several chronic back problems and being told that back surgery was inevitable, I felt desperate to find a way to avoid surgery. I stumbled upon this book by accident, but was immediately intrigued by the foundations and lessons presented in this book. The book is well-written, uses simple, straight-forward language, and includes detailed photos and descriptive steps to work through the lessons. In addition, the book itself is beautiful, and includes hundreds of photos and diagrams to illustrate the principles. The steps themselves are simple enough, though not necessarily EASY; they will take some practice to get used to, but they can be incorporated right into your everyday activities and do not require extra "workout time" or special equipment. I am just starting to incorporate these steps into my daily routine, and I am already noticing some small improvements in my posture and a reduction in pain. The testimonials from other individuals who have either read the book or have taken a class with Esther Gokhale are absolutely amazing and inspiring! There are several printed in the book, [...], which also includes a wealth of information! I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking to ease back and neck pain, or simply just wants to improve their posture, since it truly is the foundation for a strong, healthy body. I'm thankful to Esther for her immense research and long hours that went into this book, and for her generosity in sharing this wealth of information with the rest of us!



3. This book is really wonderful! Fortunately I don't have to deal with any severe back problems, but am mainly interested in the posture aspect of the book. The background information (accompanied by photos and illustrations) about how the spine works, how our everyday life can compromise its health, how many other cultures don't have the kind of back problems that we have come to accept as inevitable, is truly fascinating. The solutions offered are easy to incorporate into daily life. They address the way we sit, stand, lie down, bend down and walk. The descriptions are easy to understand, and the many photos make it very easy to follow the instructions. I am definitely much more aware of how I move and of my posture and I am sure that the benefits in the long run will be enormous.



4. This is an elegantly written, beautifully illustrated book which should be on the shelves of everyone who has ever had a back twinge, stiff neck, or generally poor posture. I would recommend it to those who are concerned about the accumulative effects of habitually poor sitting, sleeping, or walking postures, because it nurtures an increased consciousness for what postures will inevitably lead to problems down the road while offering a clear and memorable program for making sustainable, longterm changes. I often find myself now, for instance, when driving or sitting at my desk, automatically placing my shoulders in the correct sitting position and lengthening my spine as I work. It increases my productivity, and saves my back! For someone who hasn't had extreme back problems, but is on the cusp of middle-age, I find this book has opened up a whole new language for body care that is already having a positive impact on my health.



5. I suffered from nightly back pain for months. I purchased two new beds before going to a chiropractor. I only experienced limited temporary relief. I then purchased 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back. (for less than one co-pay to the chiropractor) While there are beneficial exercises in the book - most helpful to me were the postures I could use in my everyday life - sitting - walking - and even sleeping. The author also includes photos of common mistakes of what NOT to do. Easy to read, colorful and sturdy book binding. I am back pain free after only about 10 days.

5 comments about The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself (New Harbinger/Noetic Books).

1. After I finished reading this book, I purchased other copies and gave them to people I really care about. They have since done the same for others. If you are going to read one book of this genre this year, this one is it. What I loved most is the simplicity. The message is concise, and to the point. A quick read, not to be missed.



2. "The Untethered Soul" is a wonderful book containing some difficult Spiritual concepts that are so well written that they are easily understood.
   
   I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is on their journey to their Spiritual path.



3. As Singer described the crazy mind (our inner roomate), I found myself laughing through the the first 50 pages of this book. I realize that my laughter comes from the deeper self which observes the mind.
   I recently read Eckhart Tolle's "Power of Now" and "A New Earth". Singer's book is a great adjunct. I highly recommend this book.



4. The search for Truth can be so convoluted, so complex,and yet, Michael Singer points out that it is rather simple. Truth transcends dogma, creed,relentless searching and, most importantly its source is within us, waiting for simple choices to be made. This elegantly simple book presented itself to me when I was looking for a different book, and after reading the first paragraph of the first chapter I bought it. It is laser-like in its focus and clarity. His prose is simple, direct and practical.
   
   One of the teachings of Buddhism is that "When the student is ready to learn, the teacher will appear." Perhaps that is why this book stands out for me--it was a message I was ready to hear, and its transformative power is remarkable. There are no elaborate skills to master here--you just keep returning to the simple lessons he provides and in a short period of time you feel deep changes taking place. He explains how the psyche works, why we do the self destructive things we do, and how we untangle the intricate web of false assumptions we operate out of that keep us in fear, anxiety and confusion.
   
   Notice all of the 5-Star ratings. This is one to read over and over again...



5. I gave this book to all of my friends. Singer gives the reader perspective to "let go of the little things" and truly live in the moment. Now to put it into practice...

5 comments about Yoga as Medicine: The Yogic Prescription for Health and Healing.

1. This book is perfect for Yoga teachers. It has helped me to give information to one of my students with high blood preasure. Another with knee problems. This book will give you lots of information from the medical point of view without losing the yoga. I always suggest my students to consult with their doctors since I'm not one, but also give them the additional information I find in this book for them to share it with their doctor. I'm learning a lot more about the human body through the practice of Yoga and this book is complementing every step of the way.



2. It was a nice book and was a well received gift. I read the other reviews and they were really detailed and helpful when purchasing this.



3. For someone like me that isn't into all the esoteric jargon involved in yoga, this book was perfect for me. Written by a western MD, it has practical, everyday suggestions for incorporating yoga into your daily routine. Highly recommend!



4. this book is wonderful! an essential for any yogi. it has wonderful detailed information and good quality pictures. deals with how to do yoga when you have a headache to what helps with cancer patients. i love how this book adds a medical side to yoga. my mother is a nurse and not a fan of yoga, so having a book like this helps validate how wonderful and useful yoga is! anyone can benefit from adding yoga to their lives!!!



5. This book is really the complete text on how to use yoga for almost any major ailment. The author, MD Dr. McCall (also the medical editor for Yoga Journal), writes from a scientific perspective. He quotes and footnotes his volume extensively, and merges science with ancient wisdom in 568 pages.
   
   The book opens with an overview of what yoga is and is not, discusses briefly the various forms you can follow (ashtanga, iyengar, etc), and moves quickly into the physical and mental ailments yoga has been observed to help.
   
   Yoga models of various body types illustrate the most helpful poses for anxiety, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, IBS, MS, HIV, headaches, stress, depression, menopause, back aches, cancer, insomnia, infertility, high blood pressure, chronic fatigue, carpal tunnel, fibromyalgia, arthritis and asthma.
   
   Contraindications for each condition are provided, along with research notes, holistic approaches to treatment and tons of yoga exercise options (with black and white photos).
   
   Quotes and passages from such well-known yoga instructors as Rodney Yee and Patricia Walden are incorporated into each section as well.
   
   An important chapter in the back cautions practicing yogis to avoid new injuries through incorrect postural alignment and overeager stretching.
   
   I appreciated reading the author's summary at the end about how our society could benefit from incorporating yoga therapy into mainstream medicine. I agree we should be teaching yoga in schools, to the aged in nursing homes, to the chronically ill, and in community centers everywhere. He suggests doctors and nurses themselves should practice yoga, both to lessen the stress in their professions, and also to be able to see first-hand the health benefits of yoga as both preventative and restorative medicine.
   
   Overall, this isn't a sit-down-and-read book, although flipping through it is enjoyable. It's a fantastic reference source to keep in your yoga or medical library. Anyone can benefit from this information - we all get headaches, back aches, stress and anxiety. We all all know people with asthma or incipient heart disease who might be helped by sharing this information.
   
   Highly recommended!

5 comments about Light on Yoga: The Bible of Modern Yoga....

1. Must read for all yoga students. It has been recommended by my various yoga teachers. It is very descriptive and is filled with photos of more poses than I have seen in any other book.



2. Great book for anybody, but especially needed for beginers. For every asana there is at least one picture to illustrate the proper technique. Helps with breathing and flow, describing how your muscles are working and proper focus.



3. Iyengar himself has disavowed this book long ago...even so, it's the single greatest reference book out there.
   
   The first thing that will blow you away is the treatise on hatha yoga. The ease with which he describes the philosophy of yoga foreshadows his complete book on the subject. It's quite a foreshadowing!
   
   The bulk of the book is an exhaustive detailed pictorial and written description of most practical poses (and several impractical ones).
   
   However, I fell in love with his close to 300-week practice schedule in the back of the book. I must say that it's implausible that someone can follow it exactly and include all the poses all the time (even he says to skip the ones you can't master), it's a very keen insight into what HIS practice might have been like back when this book was published, before he started a huge yoga school.
   
   Now he has curriculum that changes every year (to keep teacher coming back to $$$chool - smart man!). The current Iyengar school details exact angles in which to keep your body in specific poses. I love 'Light on Yoga' because it lacks that exactness, and allows you to feel the energy of poses, rather than getting stuck in anatomy of the poses.
   
   A must read, and must re-read, and a must re-re-re-re-re-.........



4. This book generally shows the progression of the poses from beginner to advanced. You will not be talked down to in this book. I like having more information then I need so that I can reference back and progress when I'm ready.



5. This is a great book. I especially love the yoga plans given in the end and prescriptions. Great buy. If you truly want to link in to hatha yoga. Get this.

5 comments about Anatomy Coloring Book, The (3rd Edition).

1. I am terrible at remembering things and have a hard time studying but this book is a big help with my massage studying. Although it has a lot more information than I need it makes learning a lot more enjoyable.



2. Basically it's new. If you need to buy this textbook for your Feldenkrais Body Class, I say thumbs up. Fast delivery etc. Woo.



3. This is a good re-enforcing tool when learning muscle groups. However, the text is a little too small for my liking. The most helpful aspect is when coloring in groups, its much easier to visualize how they work together, and makes memorizing them easier. The biggest drawback to me was the size of the drawings and text; too small.



4. The Anatomy Coloring book was a "suggested" book for my anatomy class. Another person in my class had it and said it was a big help and since I need all the help I can get I bought it. I made much better grades after I received it and when the others in my class saw it, they were hooked as well. The coloring book really helps you to visually learn anatomy. It is the perfect companion but ONLY if you are serious about using it!



5. I purchased this wonderfully priced book for my medical term course and it was such a good book. The delivery was a blink of an eye and the book was in superb condition when I recieved it. I would highly recommend you to purchase this book from this company. I am a very picky consumer and when I find a good find, I tell the world.

5 comments about Yoga Anatomy.

1. This book is really good. It has an excellent introduction of breath anatomy and explains exactly what muscles and actions are being used in a posture. I also like how it links postures together. For example when looking at forward fold (Uttanasana) it says, for more in deptch exploration look at the sitting version Paschimottanasana. So it also helps with sequencing and linking ideas together. Chef recommends!



2. I am very curious about which muscles do what in my yoga poses, and why some poses hurt more than others, and what I should be doing with my back muscles in certain poses. I had hoped that this book would provide some answers, but I discovered that the book was written about yoga from an anatomy perspective rather than the other way around. I don't understand 90% of this book, because I don't know which muscles are being referenced and what the motion is that he's talking about. Adducted? Trapezius? I'm totally lost.
   
   If I bought some kind of anatomical dictionary and used it to translate this book, I've no doubt the book would be wonderful. The illustrations are amazing, and I can tell that the text and the breakdown of each pose are thorough and not at all dry. Nevertheless, I'm going to have to ask a friend who's an RN for some help reading it. Yogis, be warned: you'll need some knowledge of anatomical terminology to understand this book.



3. I was first attracted to yoga without knowing anything about it. I found that there is a profound spiritual empowerment in it. Having practiced contemplative meditation I found a great affinity with the yogic arts. I know the title of the book is called Yoga Anatomy but not to mention the spiritual side to yoga is incorrect. To use the analogy of Mr Kaminoff about the car and its engine. It is like having a great engine, steering, transmission and breaks but having no destination, nowhere to go. Remember Mr Kaminoff that we are living in a much too physical era. We have lost the link (yoga) with our own consciousness.



4. This is an excellent resource for building a thoughtful yoga class or practice. Many students have issues with specific muscles and this book helps you respond with good and in-depth understanding of which poses are a good choice for them.



5. I bought this book on the rave reviews but agree that if you just want to learn more about yoga poses and benefits, this book might be too technical. While I like the breakdown of the muscles used for certain asanas... the text refers to many parts that are not defined in the illustration.
   
   It is an extremely "neat" book just to see the illustrations. I would recommend it if you have a good grasp of anatomy and are a teacher.
   
   If this book could be improved for the layman, I would suggest labeling all the parts referred to in the text portion -- into the illustration.

5 comments about The Stranger.

1. This is one of my favorite books. I got really into existentialism back in highschool before reading this (and it helps to know a little about that) and I just fell in love with the book. Not much happens really, plot wise. And, its almost impossible to view the main character in a good light, so it's really not like many books out there. But because of these facts, and not in spite of them, the book is able to hold your entire attention for its terribly short duration.



2. This was an amazing book, as well as an amazing translation. I loved it and I would wholeheartedly recommend it.



3. Like most of Camus' works, The Stranger's plot is simple but the meaning is trivially existentialist and compelling. The Stranger begins with the death of narrator Meursault's mother. After napping on the bus to her retirement home, Meursault is disengaged and unmoved by the vigil and funeral procession, and continues to be until the finale of his trial.
   
   Meursault appears insensitive throughout The Stranger and lives for pleasure in the moment. When asked by ladyfriend Marie if he loves her, he responds nonchalantly, "...it didn't mean anything but that I probably didn't." Meursault, however, does have feelings for her, but chooses not to acknowledge them.
   
   When faced with the conflict of killing a man for being a threat to his friend, Meursault's "live in the moment" persona erupts inside of him enough to pull the trigger five times and not panic. Throughout the lengthy period of time Meursault spent in prison, he continued to be indifferent, unmoved, and dispassionate. Though he did not feel like a criminal, he still struggled to come to terms with his disposition.
   
   The end of the novel is disconcertingly troubling. Meursault fights to disengage his feelings from Marie as she sits in the visiting room of the prison, and struggles to choke back words of defense for himself during the trial. He listens to the prosecutor demean his image and is powerless over it. Finally, Meursault feels like a criminal, but convinces himself that he will be spared despite his murderous crime. However, Meursault is sentenced to a public execution and consequently becomes even more dispassionate than he had been. His final thoughts of resignation were impersonal and repugnant, due to the fact that Meursault had become entirely convinced that his world was truly a physical one and he had reached the inevitable end.



4. Essentially this book is about a man whose alleged crime is merely the excuse used to remove him from society. During the trial of the central character we are told he is guilty of neglect, lacks empathy, and is in a sense socially maladjusted. For this he is executed. Today all we need to do to witness such an injustice is turn on the news to see so many of our fallen members of society judged on their social habits and personal shortcomings in the name of justice and the greater good.



5. Camus was well known for defending values of justice, freedom and human dignity, I don't think his great work "the stranger" was a negative portrayal of human life in any way. The stranger is simply Camus' way of presenting his philosophy of absurdity in a very artistic, logical way.
   
   Camus's absurdist philosophy implies that life has no rational meaning, and there isn't a rational reason for the order of events in this world, therefore existence itself is absurd, which of course would contradict all religious beliefs that there is a divine reason for everything that happens and that life itself is divine. However, Camus in pursuit of his absurdist philosophy never believed that the absence of meaning in our lives should push humans into despair and agony, rather he believed in humans dignity under the pressure of this indifferent world.
   
   The stranger, or the main character of the novel: Meursault, who lived in Algiers, (Algiers was a French colony, Albert Camus was born there) is an emotionally indifferent person, who moves through life reacting to no event, even his mother's death. Meursault doesn't believe in God and doesn't have any emotional attachment to anything or anybody. Meursault on the other hand is an honest person who doesn't lie about his feelings and tells it as he sees it; he's simply a person with no hidden agendas and no mysterious motives.
   
   Meursault's life exists as a series of random events with seemingly no logic to why or when the event occur, not even his marriage decision or the support that he gives to certain friends seem logical. For no clear motive or reason, Meursault commits a murder and is taken to prison. The trial that takes place in the second part of the book is the most intense and mentally engaging part of Camus' stranger.
   
   The main focus of the trial shifts radically from the murder to an analysis of Meursault's character: his atheism, his lack of emotions at his mom's funeral, his brief interactions with people he met at his mom's funeral and even his conversation with the priest who came to prison to redeem Meursault and ask him to take Jesus as his savior. The court is trying to find the reason behind this irrational crime, just like society and religion are trying to find reason behind irrational events of life.
   
   Meursault is sentenced to death and pressured again by the priest to choose religion before he dies. At this point, Meursault, who was never emotional about any thing in his life, becomes very emotional about his rejection of religion and accepts death as the only destiny awaiting all humans. Getting rid of all hope, and accepting death was the only conclusion that allowed Meursault his inner peace.
   
   At a time of intense intellectual confusion after the second world war, Camus is not to be blamed for thinking that existence was absurd, at a time where lives are being lost for no reason and religion was being misused all over the world for political ,controlling, and non spiritual reasons. If the reader is interested in philosophy, religion, or literature, the stranger is a fascinating journey into the human mind and an exploration of life's purpose.

5 comments about Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia.

1. I tried reading past the point of Italy but i couldn't. the vague nature at which she describes the end of her marriage leaves me suspicious of her and her motivation. this is a book, this is YOUR BOOK. this book is supposed to be about YOUR spiritual journey as a result of YOUR DIVORCE and circumstances that surround the journey you've chosen to share, how could you not what to talk about that? impossible! reading this made me so upset.
   
   overall, i came to the realization that any drivel can be published and, if marketed right, become successful. I have never returned a book but i did return this one, and the attendant didn't seem very surprised to see it back.



2. I loved this book! It's written like your sitting and chatting with an old friend. Easy, comfortable and interesting. You feel like you know the people and care about what happens to them. I loved the part about her riding her bike past the monkey and what she said! Hysterical!!!
   
   The places the author talks about are very seldom seem by the average person, making it all the more interesting! What a wonderful adventure that most of us can only dream of. Great Summer Book!!! (I can't wait for the continuing story, due out next year!)



3. What a waste of time. This woman needed a hobby or better yet, to get out and do some volunteer work!
   
   She is so stereotypical of what's wrong with America!



4. I was really excited to hear about this book. The title is catcy and seems to invite readers to what could be an inspirational book about the true meaning of life. I received it from a good friend as a gift and although it was written very well I could not have disagreed more with the author about the "meaning of life". The main character (or author) seems to be very self absorbed and almost possessed by selfish and self-defeating thoughts. Why would you leave a perfectly great marriage because it no longer suited your needs (the author didn't want kids!!!) then have the nerve to write a book about it? I think its great the things the author realizes throughout her journey but in this case the ends does not justify the means.
   
   Here is my advice to the author:
   -Notice some people live to eat but many others eat to live...
   -If you want to pray please don't do so in the bathroom.
   -Love is not just about loving yourself or about your human need for love, love can be about loving someone else so as to sacrifice sometimes. As first lady Nancy Regan said relationships are not always 50/50...sometimes they have to be 100/0.
   
   The only reason I'd suggest reading the book is to find out for yourself on which side of this controversial book you'd be on...



5. This is my favorite book. It's hilarious and deeply spiritual at the same time. It changed my life. I read it through once, and then I immediately read it a second time. I've never done that before!