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Summary: A mini encyclopaedia
Review: After an intermittent period, Im practicing yoga again and have found this book an excellent guide. As warned, its always adviced to start doing yoga with the help of a teacher. But once you are familiar with yoga, this book will help you tune yourself to great extent. The minute details which Sri Iyengar explains is mind boggling. I stand wondering (no pun intended) if there are so much things to even simplest of asanas like tAdAsana (mountain pose). The photos are excellent and helpful. The technique is very detailed and lets you know what may go wrong. The effects are also very useful. I especially like the short stories related to some asanas, they make an interesting read.One -ve point about the book is the asana headings - the whole text is in same font, which makes it a bit difficult to find where a particular asana explanation starts. If the asana headings were in bold font, it would be easy read. That shouldnt be a big nuisance though. This book is about hatha yoga. There is a chapter for pranayama at the end, but i recommend the "Light on Pranayama" - which is much more detailed. Anyway if you buy it and are serious about hatha yoga, you can be assured that it will be a companion for the rest of your life.
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Summary: the most thorough and comprehensive yoga book there is!
Review: Although this isn't the prettiest or most colorful book there is, it certainly is the most detailed, comprehensive and thorough book on yoga. It is a must have for serious students as this book will last throughout your practice. Beginning students may find this a little intimiating with all the advance poses, but it's a great goal to have in mind! I am a yoga teacher and highly recommend this book.
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Summary: EXCELLENT BOOK - THE TOP IN ITS CLASS
Review: Both the complete novice and the seasoned yogi will benefit from this book. Mr. Iyengar not only provides simple step by step written instructions, but also enough photographs to completely undertake the study of Yoga on an auto-tutorial basis. As long as diligent, intelligent, careful reading and imitation are observed, the serious student will benefit from the this book tremendously. However, one should pay heed to Mr. Iyengar's advice of ultimately studying with a competent instructor. In your search for books on Yoga, this reviewer urges you NOT to be persuaded by marketable and fashionable products. The dedicated student will learn all the basic lessons of Yoga by carefully reading Light on Yoga, and through the negotiation of all 200+ poses without the aid of special props and without concern for the seemingly gargantuan task. Two important requisites for a beneficial study of Yoga are explicitly stated several times throughout the book: determination and perseverance in all aspects of life lead to success. In its structure and content, Yehudi Menuhin's foreword exemplifies the duality of simplicity and profundity that Yoga can offer. The beauty of this book resides in its minimalistic conciseness. In this respect it is a hidden treasure as well as a faithful embodiment of the ultimate goals of yogic practice: mental, physical and spiritual development. It is also an ancient radicalism aimed at the heart of our modern quick-fixes and 30 minute workouts. In case some of the other readers missed Mr. Iyengar's instructions with respect to the duration of each of the poses, please note the following. Light on Yoga recommends that one should always begin by GENTLY, CORRECTLY and RESPONSIBLY negotiating each pose before holding it for at least 20 seconds (a bit longer if you are physically capable). Always keep in mind that Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual discipline. Therefore, one should take note of his or her own capacity when doing any of the asanas. It is imperative that all poses be held for as long as possible once the CORRECT posture is GENTLY and RESPONSIBLY negotiated. After some practice one should hold each posture slightly beyond what seems to be humanly possible at the moment. Once one becomes an expert the duration can be extended according to one's personal physical capacity. The key is to first follow the advice and cautions outlined throughout the book. What follows is the classic battle of mind over matter. Learn to master the body by focusing your mind on the discomfort and use your mental powers of Self control to learn to relax the affected areas. Ultimately, the body will be strong and no longer a major concern. The mind is then free for further development. This requires patience as well as discipline, and it is what Mr. Iyengar is trying to get across. Yoga is a life-long discipline with the hidden power of providing durable results only to those who persevere. Do yourself a favor and do not look for the easy way out by searching for pretty pictures and a standardized array of time frames. The reader, of course, is free to choose from the myriad books available, but I urge you to keep one thing in mind. Such books are NOT the treasure that you will find in Light on Yoga. Quite frankly, there is no other Yoga book on the market that even comes close to genuinely caring for the personal benefit of its reader. Read this book, study it and take notes before reading it again and repeating the cycle indefinitely for the rest of your life. You owe it to yourself. I wish you success in your exploration of this life-changing gift from a living legend. Have faith in the ancient history that precedes your Self. With time and patience one can create a proper sequence of asanas to fit comfortably within a busy schedule and according to one's needs and capabilities. Trust me on this one. Mr. Iyengar recently reached his 80th year of youth, health and vitality. But do not be awed by this. Neither should you worship him. Instead, admire his humility. Learn from him. Simply let him guide you. He is human...and so are you. Namaste.
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Summary: The Master tells it all!
Review: During early 1980s there weren't many books on Yoga and it was easy to spot this book. I was amazed by the number of photographs as well as the depth of asanas covered in this book. From a simple Standing posture to the most complex asana ever performed, Mr. Iyengar shares his experience in a way that even beginners can start practising Yoga w/o a teacher. What I like most of this book is not that asanas, but the great, concise introduction to the philosophy of Yoga. In a nutshell his whole understanding of it has been condensed to a great advantage for the reader. Another unique aspect of the book is the layout of the asanas, or groups thereof, for practise for a student - weekly progression can be accomplished by following the schedule. The asanas according to the category of physical ailments is another plus for either a student or a teacher. Even a great book will have to have something missing? The posture photographs depicts the steps, but from another book (Yoga Self-Taught by Andre Van Lysbeth) I found it immensely helpful to look at photographs of common mistakes one can make/avoid while performing an asana. While I have had this book for more than 20 years, it is only now that I refer to it more often - i.e., after I have passed the intermediate stage. That is because the sheer number of asanas covered as well as the precision with which Mr. Iyengar illustrates could more of daunting for the beginner; a beginner may think this is too much.
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Summary: The Most Important Book Ever Written
Review: Ever wondered why you are here? Or what we humans really are? Or how to live right? The answers are all here. The short introduction alone is worth much more than the price of the book. I have read the intro at least a dozen times, and each time I get something more out of it. (Unless you have reached a place in your life where you are "ready" to understand, many truths often pass right by unheard). And I must admit, I need to read it again now! This book contains everything you need to know about yoga. With each pose, Mr. Iyengar explains not only how-to-do-it, but WHY-to-do-it (how the pose benefits you). Looking at the pictures, a beginner can easily be intimidated, but do not compare yourself to Mr. Iyengar, who has devoted his life to yoga. Beginners have MUCH to gain! NOTE: (1) This book costs only a third of what you are used to paying for a book this size. NOTE: (2) Books, and especially videos, are no substitute for studying with a good teacher. With his teachings and with this book, Mr. Iyengar has given a gift to mankind, a gift of undescribable beauty, joy, and compassion. You need this book. The world needs this book.
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Summary: Cant Miss for whoever is interested in yoga/spiritual stuff
Review: Guru Iyengar's book cant be missed for whoever is interested in yoga/spirtual stuff or the like. After reading the introduction, you will have a new insight into life and I personally read the introduction many times. And the instructions for the asanas, pranayama, and the banda are indispensible for every yoga student. I bought this book 8 years ago and I was amazed and started learning how to do yoga. In the book, Guru Iyengar said you need a teacher or a guru and its true. I tried to do it without a teacher for 6 years and got very little improvement and even hurt myself. It is very important you have a teacher because the book doesnt convey those minor details which is critical in every asana poses. I now go to local Iyengar Yoga class weekly and practice daily by myself and I feel I learn much much more and benefit much much more. It takes time, but doing yoga(Hatha Yoga, asana, pranayama) will equip you with good health and you will feel you start integrating your body, mind and spirit. Its just wonderful. I dont know what else to say. Go to a local Iyengar yoga center and start go to class and practice it!
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Summary: Not for Beginners
Review: I bought this book for my friend who just started doing yoga. She was just a beginner and many of the stretches and poses in this book are for the more advanced. Some of them are just plain impossible for the average person. Great book if you're a master yogi, not if you're just getting started.
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Summary: The Best Yoga Book on the Market
Review: I fell in love with yoga after severely breaking my leg in three places. Rehab only took me so far, but thankfully yoga took me the rest of the way. After discovering the many health benefits of yoga, I began studying it seriously. Part of the journey of any student is to become a teacher. For two years, I taught yoga classes at local gyms and dance studios 5 times a week. As a teacher, I became more of an avid student than I was before. I bought just about every book and tape on yoga, and I even had friends bring me books from respected Yogi's in India. But the best book I ever found was Light on Yoga. It starts at the beginning with, "What is Yoga?" before continuing on with each position. It details the technique in both written form and with a photograph, and then it discusses the effects of each position. You see, yoga is not just designed to make you more flexible or releave stress--each position can help treat/prevent certain sickness and infections. For those of you who are just getting started, this book might seem overwhelming when you see photographs of Iyengar doing things with his body that seem humanly impossible. But don't focus so much on the flexibility aspect, as the healing aspect. If you take each position to your own level, you will be doing a great service to your body, and to your health. Bottom line--buy the book and join a local yoga class!
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Summary: The modern bible of hatha yoga
Review: I keep this book near me whenever I'm doing my yoga practice. Mr. Iyengar's deep insight into the fundamental structure of each asana provides the best foundation possible for deepening one's personal practice. Also very useful is discussion of the therapeutic benefits of many of the asanas, including series of asanas that can be used to to address a number of ailments. This book is not a replacement for a qualified yoga teacher. However, the level of understanding of hatha yoga this book provides make it indepsensible. This is a great spiritual book for the modern age.
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Summary: This is the best book on yoga!
Review: I learned of this book, Light on Yoga, more than 30 years ago. I was always impressed because it lacked the pop culture sensibility of almost everything that came after it. The prose is precise & methodical, & there are few allusions to the spiritual aspects of yoga. Although I found having the 500+ photos all at the end of the book sometimes unwieldy, I soon became used to flipping to the end to see how the postures should look. This is still the very best book on yoga ever & one to which almost everything subsequent pales in comaprison.
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