SIVANANDA COMPANION TO YOGA

Rating:
Summary: I love this book!
Review: I am just a beginner at yoga and I love this book because the instructions to the different asans (poses) are clear and understandable, AND the more complicated poses are explained through drawings and photos, not just text. You don't need to keep track of all the steps in your head as you move into the pose, it's all there in a series of drawings. So if you are a very visual person, I recommend this book. This book takes you through the most basic of asans to the most complicated. It has all kinds of drawings and photos, as well as chart-like things at the end of each section with a simple outline of the pose and a picture so you can put together your own yoga session. This book also has background on Yoga and things like diet and breathing. Some of the models are so lithe they are gross looking, and some of the poses will make you say "Holy Hell!" to yourself, but secretly you will want to learn to do them too. A great book!

Rating:
Summary: A great introduction to YOGA for anybody
Review: I have used this book for myself and many of my students. I recommend it in my Yoga classes as a great book for beginners to learn the basics about the philosphy and practice of Yoga postures.

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Summary: helpful photos and overview of yoga
Review: I received this as a Christmas gift from my brother a number of years ago and have used it a great deal since then. The photos and illustrations are plentiful and helpful. There is also a good outline of a plan for doing beginner, intermediate, and advanced sequences. Though the sanskrit terms for the poses are sometimes included, they are not prominently used, and that is one drawback to the book.

Rating:
Summary: Great beginner intro, thorough, not exclusive
Review: This book is a great illustrated, how to start up guide for people being introduced to yoga. It embraces the beginner and explains many other aspects besides the basic physical postures. A perfect jumping off point.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Place to Start for Learning Yoga!
Review: This is an excellent overall book on hatha yoga. It is simply stated and easy to understand. It also introduces the reader to deeper aspects of the yoga study. I often refer people to this book, and I refer to it myself often.

Rating:
Summary: I LOVE this book.
Review: This is an excellent overall book on hatha yoga. It is simply stated and easy to understand. It also introduces the reader to deeper aspects of the yoga study. I often refer people to this book, and I refer to it myself often.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Place to Start for Learning Yoga!
Review: This is an excellent resource for learning & discovering Hatha Yoga. It covers everything from the histroy & philsophy of the Sivananda Yoga Center to warm-ups, basic & advanced postures, breathing, diet, cleansing, & purfication techniques. There are excellent illustrations & inspiring photographs of extremly talented instructors performing basic & advanced asanas (postures.) It also includes a detailed outline for learning the asanas & organaizing a practice routine. There are even sections which discuss routines for the young, elderly, & pregnent. Although nothing beats hands-on instruction, this book allows you to learn the fundamentals of Hatha Yoga in a clear, detailed manner. If you are lucky enough to have a good teacher, you'll find yourself going back to this wonderful book for review & inspiration.