Rating: 
Summary: Light on the Yogi's Path.
Review: This is one of those books that you simply have to review. B.K.S. Iyengar's works are unparalled in the field of modern yoga literature. With hundreds of illustrations and in-depth descriptions of all the important asanas (postures), it really is the "bible" of yoga today. If you prefer to practice at home, this is the book for you. It is the next best thing (and a cheaper alternative!) to a good yoga class. Part I gives in brief the theory of Raja Yoga and how it is complemented by, not separate from, Hatha Yoga. The theoretical part alone makes "Light On Yoga" worth the money. But it is really a book for serious practitioners of yoga. If you like this part of the book and want to know more, you might want to check out some good commentaries on "The Yoga Sutras Of Patanjali" and "The Bhagavad Gita" (Iyengar has his own). In Part II (the heart of the book) are all the major asanas, generously depicted by over 600 photographs. The Sanskrit names of the asanas are used, along with a short explanation of each one in English. Then, you get step-by-step instructions on how to execute the pose, with ample warnings and tips. Each pose has a number or difficulty-level assigned to it (1-60), and there are basic and advanced stages of many postures. Take that seriously and do not go too far too soon. Lastly, the author tells you what health benefits you will reap from a pose. Part III introduces you to the complex area of pranayama. But for this, I would recommend "Light On Pranayama," which is a companion to the present volume. Appendix I has a 300 week course divided into three stages: easy, intermediate and difficult. Appendix II lists various ailments and the asanas that can cure them. There is also a glossary, a table of asanas and an index. Another reviewer asked if the health precautions make sense. They do. Do not dismiss Iyengar's warnings. Do not practice certain asanas (particularly, inverted ones) during the menstrual period. Do not perform the head stand without assistance if you are a beginner, especially if you have sensitive eyes. Be sure to follow the courses as given in the back of the book, since practicing asanas beyond your capacity can be harmful. Start with the easy poses first and add gradually the intermediate and advanced asanas as your body adjusts. Some asanas must be approached with great caution. Be very careful if you decide to try those at home without a teacher or friend to assist you. My only real complaint? I wish that these gurus would give simple English names for the asanas, as an alternative to the confusing Sanskrit/Indian names. It would make memorizing the order of asanas in a given routine easier. Iyengar is a true master of his art, and this book is the best guide on the subject available today. Whether you want to become a full-time practitioner, or are just looking for basic exercises to improve your health with, this book will give you what you need. I wish I had found "Light On Yoga" sooner. Granted, there are countless other books on the topic that describe the same asanas and all. But this one is the most exhaustive and the most reliable. Also good is "Yoga: the Path to Holistic Health." That other book by Iyengar is not as comprehensive as this one, but it is a full-color, coffee-table book with 360-degree views of the main poses. A big plus is that it makes use of props--benches, chairs, pillows, etc.
Rating:
Summary: Light on the Yogi's Path.
Review: This is one of those books that you simply have to review. B.K.S. Iyengar's works are unparalled in the field of modern yoga literature. With hundreds of illustrations and in-depth descriptions of all the important asanas (postures), it really is the "bible" of yoga today. If you prefer to practice at home, this is the book for you. It is the next best thing (and a cheaper alternative!) to a good yoga class. Part I gives in brief the theory of Raja Yoga and how it is complemented by, not separate from, Hatha Yoga. The theoretical part alone makes "Light On Yoga" worth the money. But it is really a book for serious practitioners of yoga. If you like this part of the book and want to know more, you might want to check out some good commentaries on "The Yoga Sutras Of Patanjali" and "The Bhagavad Gita" (Iyengar has his own). In Part II (the heart of the book) are all the major asanas, generously depicted by over 600 photographs. The Sanskrit names of the asanas are used, along with a short explanation of each one in English. Then, you get step-by-step instructions on how to execute the pose, with ample warnings and tips. Each pose has a number or difficulty-level assigned to it (1-60), and there are basic and advanced stages of many postures. Take that seriously and do not go too far too soon. Lastly, the author tells you what health benefits you will reap from a pose. Part III introduces you to the complex area of pranayama. But for this, I would recommend "Light On Pranayama," which is a companion to the present volume. Appendix I has a 300 week course divided into three stages: easy, intermediate and difficult. Appendix II lists various ailments and the asanas that can cure them. There is also a glossary, a table of asanas and an index. Another reviewer asked if the health precautions make sense. They do. Do not dismiss Iyengar's warnings. Do not practice certain asanas (particularly, inverted ones) during the menstrual period. Do not perform the head stand without assistance if you are a beginner, especially if you have sensitive eyes. Be sure to follow the courses as given in the back of the book, since practicing asanas beyond your capacity can be harmful. Start with the easy poses first and add gradually the intermediate and advanced asanas as your body adjusts. Some asanas must be approached with great caution. Be very careful if you decide to try those at home without a teacher or friend to assist you. My only real complaint? I wish that these gurus would give simple English names for the asanas, as an alternative to the confusing Sanskrit/Indian names. It would make memorizing the order of asanas in a given routine easier. Iyengar is a true master of his art, and this book is the best guide on the subject available today. Whether you want to become a full-time practitioner, or are just looking for basic exercises to improve your health with, this book will give you what you need. I wish I had found "Light On Yoga" sooner. Granted, there are countless other books on the topic that describe the same asanas and all. But this one is the most exhaustive and the most reliable. Also good is "Yoga: the Path to Holistic Health." That other book by Iyengar is not as comprehensive as this one, but it is a full-color, coffee-table book with 360-degree views of the main poses. A big plus is that it makes use of props--benches, chairs, pillows, etc.
Rating:
Summary: My original copy of this book is probably older than you are
Review: This is the definitive Hatha Yoga manual - with some discussion of Pranayama (although his Light on Pranayama covers that subject in detail). A gentle man. A general when instructing. He is the father of a modern hatha yoga based on the eight-limbed yoga of Patanjali. How far back does the yoga tradition extend? Past the Upanishads, past the Vedas, past the Indus valley and into the mists of pre-history. Yoga is not a fad, unless humanity is.
Rating:
Summary: Simply the best
Review: This is the definitive text on hatha yoga. This is the book you want if you are serious about beginning your yoga practice. This is also a text of reference for professional teachers used throughout the world. It is no exaggeration to say that all yoga instructors in the United States know this book, and most of them own a copy and refer to it regularly. Iyengar's text is characterized by a thoroughness of content, a detailed, precise, step-by-step "how to" for instruction in asana and pranayama. There are 602 photos of Iyengar himself demonstrating the poses with extraordinary flexibility and precision. I have an early, hardcover edition with the photos collected together at the back of the book. The newer editions have the photos spaced appropriately throughout the text. The 34-page Introduction entitled, "What is Yoga?" is a concise overview of the nature, aim and extent of yoga as gleaned from the ancient texts, in particular Pantajali's Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita and Swatmarama's Hatha Yoga Pradipika (from which Iyengar gets his Sanskrit title, Yoga Dipika). These are the three great texts of yoga and Iyengar knows them well. This Introduction rewards patient study, and is the kind of pithy text that needs to be returned to again and again, and yet it is written in an accessible, inspired, and inspirational style. Iyengar emphasizes precision and careful technique and a whole body mindfulness as prerequisites to success in hatha yoga. From my experience this mindfulness is absolutely essential for two main reasons. One, you will surely strain or pull a muscle, usually several little ones, if your mind goes astray or if you practice with your attention elsewhere. Count on it. Two, the full import and effect of asana cannot be appreciated, nor the psychological and spiritual lessons implicit within the practice be understood without a deep and continuous concentration--the mindfulness leading to meditation. The technical instruction of the poses includes some commentary on beneficial effects. It should be noted that according to tradition there are 84,000 poses known (or perhaps the number is 840,000) of which about 84 are said to be necessary for health and the progression to samadhi. It is also said traditionally that a cat was the first yoga teacher. I want to note that only a gifted person with a natural suppleness can hope to master all the poses that Iyengar demonstrates. So don't despair. Most authorities will tell you that a dozen or so will suffice. Even though detailed instruction is given in only three pranayamas, the subject is nonetheless throughly introduced and explained in the twenty-five elegant and succinct pages that constitute Part III of this book. Included and noteworthy is Iyengar's well-know warning: "Pneumatic tools can cut through the hardest rock. In Pranayama the yogi uses his lungs as pneumatic tools. If they are not used properly, they destroy both the tool and the person using it." There are two appendices, one on "Asana Courses," which may be useful for teachers or for those who like a highly structured approach. The other is on the curative effects of asana for various disorders including arthritis, asthma, diabetes, flatulence, etc. I take this second appendix with some reserve and note that a comprehensive study of the curative effects of asana awaits its great genius. Nonetheless, the traditional experience, which Iyengar relies on, is part of the ancient practice of ayurvedic medicine, one of the great healing traditions of the world, and as such commands the highest respect. Personally, it is obvious to me that certain asanas facilitate certain natural bodily processes, and it is well know that a concentration of attention and blood flow to an effected part of the body can assist the body's healing mechanisms. Asana, properly understood in this context, is part of a maintenance program for a healthy body. Iyengar's is preeminently a practical approach seeped in the ancient traditions of India. As such there is a distinctive, but unavoidable Hindu cast to his instruction. (Separating yoga from Hinduism is like trying to unscramble an omelette.) Nonetheless Iyengar strives for a universal approach and does an excellent job of achieving it. Note this from the introduction: "Food, the supporting yet consuming substance of all life is regarded as a phase of Brahman. It should be eaten with the feeling that with each morsel one can gain strength to serve the Lord...Whether or not to be a vegetarian is a purely personal matter as each person is influenced by the tradition and habits of the country in which he was born and bred."
Rating:
Summary: A Beginners Must, a Yogi's Reference Mannuel.
Review: This was one of my first books when I started yoga. The detailed descriptions and pictures of poses on all levels are both a guidance and inspiration for practice.
This is really a handbook for what the body can do. If you are looking for general information or inspirational work, look to Iyengar's other works.
This, however, will show you exactly what to do while you are thinking those peaceful thoughts!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: What a great book with all the positions I've learned in this book I am ready to try running for office again.
Rating:
Summary: a modern bible for yoga
Review: When most reviewers of this book refer to it as a "bible", they're not exagerating. It deals with everything one needs to know about the practice of hatha yoga. Every single pose is explained in detailed along with its benefits and there is a section regarding physical contra-indications. The written information is so dense however, that it is sometimes difficult to differenciate between one pose and another, or where one ends and the next follows. One major draw back to this edition, however, are the quality of the photographs: they are gloomy and dark b/w pictures that make some of the poses look like freak-show acts, with all do respect to Mr. Iyengar and Yoga. I must confess that if I've seen this book a year ago when I first started practicing yoga I will have skip it. But now I'm ready for it and I've read it thoroughly and have fall for it. This is a book that anyone who practices yoga must own. If you're a begginner, I will reccommend Iyengar's "Yoga: the Path to Holistic Health" which more contemporary and the 360 degree pictures are just excellent.
Rating:
Summary: Everything a beginner needs
Review: Whether you are looking for a physical improvement or a mental one, Light on Yoga will give you what you need. Each asana is accompanied by at least one (usually more) photographs to illustrate the proper technique, a synopsis on the effects, and details instructions that anyone can follow. Breathing, focus, position of each limb and which muscles to focus on are all covered thoroughly. When applicable, there are even variations that can be applied, depending on the student's comfort and skill level, so that no one need skip an important technique just because he or she is starting out and has no outside help. Iyengar then further assists the beginning student with a list of which poses to start with and add each week, for a comprehensive schedule that will keep you improving for years. Also included is a list of common ailments and asanas that can relieve these ailments. Anyone interested in strength, flexibility, balance, and inner peace should have at least this one book.
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