A.M. and P.M. Meditation

Rating:
Summary: Excellent and I'm a Beginner at Yoga...
Review: I encourage everyone who's interested in yoga to buy this DVD. And if you are a superbusy person in a high-stress field (like me), this is REALLY the DVD for you!

For the first time, I bought something based on the cover and it is EXACTLY what it promises to be. This is EXACTLY what I wanted: an introduction to yoga, and something that did not require me to stand on my head or take up three hours of my day.

I've never done yoga before, although I'm as familiar with anyone with the famous cross-legged, feet on thighs pose. This DVD is not about that. Unlike the previous reviewer, I did not find it to be rushed at all. Yes, there is a definite pace to the workouts, but I find this to be wonderful, because I know exactly how long I will be, and it is so easy to include it in my day. If there was a rushed quality about it, I found it to be only because some of the stretches felt so darn good I wanted to hold them for longer. Heck, folks! Just hit 'pause' on the remote! After just three days of this, I found myself maintaining better posture, a centered breathing state, and overall being more calm and centered and focused at work and more at ease overall.

I began with the PM yoga workouts for the first couple days or so, just because I didn't make the time to do the AM one. Within two days, I found myself sleeping better, having dreams, and I found I was not waking up with headaches and muscle soreness.

Then I began adding the AM workout to my day. GOODNESS GRACIOUS it's a fabulous way to begin the day.

The meditations are calming, centering, and not "New-Agey". Great for anyone who wants to just hit 'pause' on their day for a few minutes!

I appreciated the instructors' background interviews that are provided on the DVD. It has made me want to come back and purchase more material. And it also brings them down-to-earth, makes them accessible. They're not gurus, they're just wonderfully ordinary people who found their niche in this. And they do an excellent job.

Strongly suggested to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: Gentle, clear introduction to mindful meditation
Review: I was hesitant to spend [$] on a DVD that I might not use very often. But I am pleased with what I have found, so far. I have taken some mediation classes and practiced mediation, mostly superficially, on and off for over 20 years. I consider myself a novice. Someone with more advanced practice, might have a different view of this material, although I suspect anyone could benefit from these exercises. The a.m. meditation is led by a very gentle man who guides the viewer (a bit too fast) through some brief stretches before beginning about a 15-20 minute mindful meditation. The meditation is both relaxing and centering. He also has a separate 10 minute stretching series (mostly in a chair) that can be done separately before or after meditation (or independently) to loosen up the hips and back. (This is the single best feature.) The third component is the p.m. meditation. This is lead by a woman who (quickly) leads the viewer through some yoga poses--again to limber the back and hips, in order to prepare for a seated, 20-minute meditation. The p.m. mindful mediation has a slightly different focus than the a.m. One focuses on bringing energy in to start the day, the other on calming down at the end. Both focus on mindful breathing and relaxing in a helpful way. Neither of these people is harsh or judgmental. Although they are quite flexible themselves, they stress that this practice is about getting in touch with oneself and not pushing too far. They offer several alternative ways of sitting to provide maximum comfort to the beginner. The music is harmonious and calming. The Maui backgrounds are beautiful and relaxing. The DVD has excellent production quality. There is also an interview with each of the "teachers." I suppose this is good to get background on meditation, but it's not essential. At first, I was disappointed that the DVD included yoga, since I wanted meditation instruction. But the movement prior to seated meditation is quite beneficial. The only hesitation I have is that the introductory stretches as a bit rushed. I've taken some yoga classes, so the movements were mostly familiar to me. Someone who hasn't done yoga before could do them-they are not difficult-but either way, the producers should have allowed even a few more seconds to hold some of the stretches in order to limber up and become more in touch with the body. To be fair, once the viewer becomes familiar with what is required, it probably won't seem as hurried. It is also recommended that the viewer have a cushion or pillow, a mat, a blanket (to sit on-for maximum comfort) and a yoga strap (a long towel would work, too) to assist in the stretching for the p.m. meditation.

Rating:
Summary: Another great mediation DVD!
Review: This is a wonderful practice. Either am or pm meditation. Starts out with a brief introduction, then a bit of yoga, and a lovely meditation practice. The drawback is that there are no submenus designating different start points, so you have to fast forward to bypass the spoken introduction and/or the yoga. Beautful scenery, but you really don't notice it unless you peek ;o) At the end of Rodney's am practice they show a closeup of his face and have you open your eyes. It would be much nicer to see a beautiful sunrise during the time when your eyes are open. Other then those slight flaws, the content is very good. This is a good DVD to get you going if you have never tried meditation, or to add to your dvd collection.

See my other dvd reviews on amazon. thanks!