Yoga: THE PATH TO HOLISTIC HEALTH

I am a complete beginner to yoga...less than 6 months of practice and I'm 64 years old... Even with an excellent yoga teacher and a once a week class, I felt I needed some type of guide so I could do yoga at home. Videos went too fast for me and often I'd be unable to see the TV from the floor.. This book was absolutely perfect....as yoga requires a lot of practice in order to become more limber and competent. After taking many different yoga books out of the library and this being one of them, I felt I had to own it because this was the only book where I could find a specific pose, read exactly what to do (and what not to do), see beautiful photographs of someone doing the pose and adapt any of the poses to my own level by adding my own props.In no way are all the poses easy and many are advanced, but with props like blankets, blocks and belts, most are adaptable to a person's age and fitness level. Also, I like the fact that many variations are shown for each pose so I have easieroptions if I need it. I would honestly say this book is as appropriate for a beginner as it might be for an advanced student.This book is quite large, actually more of a coffee table book, and if I had to say one negative thing about it, it would be that it's a little cumbersome, having to prop it up somewhere in order to see the photograph while practicing. The advantageof the book being large is that I am seeing a large detailed photo of a person doing each pose, step by step.This book has so much information about each pose that I find myself reading it just to learn what health issues a pose might help. For example for better digestion, a whole group of poses are categorized together and then broken down into specific ailments, specifically if someone had an ulcer or irritable bowel syndrome there are specific poses on different pages for each. There is a guide for those who want to do an individual yoga practice, suggesting 20 weeks of asanas (poses) to do if someone wanted to completely learn yoga without a teacher at all.There is always a list of cautions with each pose and always a list of benefits. Very few yoga books I've read explained this much and often I just do poses for women's health or mind and emotions. There are wonderful uplifting quotes interspersedthroughout the book, like, "Yoga is the golden key which unlocks the door to peace, tranquility and joy".I like looking at the photos of the skeletal system and muscular system which arelocated in the back of the book and there is an extensive glossary that translates sanskrit terms. Every pose is listed in sanskrit and has an English translation.Important information like how to come out of the pose is rarely included in otheryoga books but I found it immensely important for a beginner. I love this book and would recommend it to anyone who wants to own a really complete, well written, and definitively illustrated yoga guide, written by a wonderful master teacher, B.K.S. Iygengar.

I love Iyengar's original book, Light On Yoga. It is truly the 'bible of modern yoga'. Many poses are featured in that book. However, one of my beefs about it was the lack of pictures of poses utilizing props. Anyone who has ever taken an Iyengar Yoga class knows that props will play a big part in the class.This book is an amazing guide to Iyengar yoga - including the use of props. It is a big book with TONS of photos. The pictures are clear as a bell and they are even clever enough to include different views of the pose so that you can learn what all parts of the body should be doing in the pose. Iyengar yoga is very alignment based - postures are precise. Through props, all of us can achieve the perfect alignment that Iyengar is a stickler for.BKS Iyengar offers tips throughout the book - not just on the poses, but on other aspects of the yoga lifestyle - such as philosophy, diet and more. What I really like are the sequences for different medical/physical conditions near the end of the book - this is REALLY handy! With this book and his other book, Light on Yoga, you'll have everything that you need to begin practicing confidently and correctly.

This book is a beautiful portrayal of Iyengar Yoga ......what it is, how it developed, associated philosophy, and clear instruction. Nearly half of the book is devoted to yoga asana routines that address a myriad of physical ailments. Best of all it has beautifully and perfectly photographed asanas showing each pose from every angle and how to get into and out of each. By advocating the use of props ( bolsters, blocks, straps, etc. )it makes it possible for even the beginner to experience each pose. The pictures are accompanied by written instruction and tips for getting the most out of each.I highly recommend this book. Other yoga books show you the final pose but omit proper direction how to achieve it or the underlying purpose --- to guide you how to put the proper effort ( mental as well as physical ) into each asana so as to realize benefit regardless of your degree of yoga practice.