Veggie Blog

This thoughtful and heady book approaches Yoga from both a personal and therapeutic angle. This is typical of the Viniyoga tradition, which tailors practice to individual needs. Gary Kraftsow, a world-renowned Viniyoga instructor, illustrates in words and over a thousand photographs why Yoga is (or should be) a holistic practice, which takes all aspects of a person’s well-being into consideration.

Although the first part of this book goes over the basics, it is not really for a Yoga novice. Rather, it’s for those who want to add depth to their practice by exploring the Viniyoga tradition. Kraftsow goes deeply into breathing, and explains the importance of sequencing postures and also touches on sound and props. The basic poses are discussed, as are the risks of each type of posture (forward and backward bends, lateral bends, twists, extensions, inversions and balance). This is merely the beginning. The next two hundred pages – the therapeutic applications, called Yoga Cikitsa – are really the meat of book.

Kraftsow doesn’t just throw out a few healing sequences, he sets the stage by talking a bit about anatomy and the different systems of the human body. Then he reveals how the Yoga postures work to help with each condition – back problems, asthma, hyper and hypo-tension and thyroid conditions, to name a few. He also devotes a whole chapter to Yoga and emotional health, an area that is all-too often neglected. Anyone who has practiced Yoga seriously for a while has noticed that breakthroughs in their practice tend to coincide with emotional breakthroughs. It doesn’t take a big leap to understand the healing relationship Asana can have on the emotions.

This is not a book for the casual Yoga enthusiast who pops into class now and again to gain a bit of flexibility. It’s for those who are fascinated by Yoga’s complexity, and who want to add more facets of it to their practice.

Book: Yoga for Wellness by Gary Kraftsow
View this book on Amazon (affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no cost to you)

Helen Garabedian is a yoga instructor and a mother. So it makes sense that in 1999 she decided to combine her love of yoga and children to create Itsy Bitsy Yoga. Helen has since written two books, created a line of baby yoga clothing, and created several DVDs, all in the Itsy Bitsy Yoga line.

Garabedian has written two books instructing parents how to do Itsy Bitsy Yoga with their children. The first book, Itsy Bitsy Yoga: Poses to Help Your Baby Sleep Longer, Digest Better, and Grow Stronger [Fireside, 2004], is geared toward younger babies. The poses are mostly with baby on his back or in a parent’s lap. The second book, Itsy Bitsy Yoga for Toddlers and Preschoolers: 8-Minute Routines to Help Your Child Grow Smarter, Be Happier, and Behave Better [Da Capo Press, 2008], is for older children who are able to stand, walk, and participate more in the yoga activities.

Book: Itsy Bitsy Yoga by Helen Garabedian
View this book on Amazon (affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no cost to you)

Ananda and Crystal Clarity Publishers are pleased to announce the online publication of the complete first edition of Paramhansa Yogananda’s Autobiography of a Yogi.

Through this online version, we hope to make Yogananda’s spiritual classic freely available to seekers throughout the world. The print version of the 1946 Autobiography is available direct from Crystal Clarity Publishers through secure online ordering. We hope you enjoy this free gift of the first online edition.

Ananda was founded by Swami Kriyananda, a direct disciple of Yogananda. Kriyananda was inspired by his guru to start ‘World Brotherhood Colonies’. Ananda, and its sister colonies throughout the world, are the fulfillment of Yogananda’s dream. See Chapter 48, in this 1946 edition, to read Yogananda’s own words on World Brotherhood Colonies.

This is a verbatim reproduction of the original 1946 edition, complete with the original photos, many of them not seen since earlier editions. Although subsequent printings, reflecting revisions made after the Yogananda’s death in 1952, have sold over a million copies and have been translated into more than 19 languages, the few thousand of the original have long since disappeared into the hands of collectors.

Now, with this online version, the 1946 edition is widely available, with all its inherent power, just as Yogananda first presented it.

Book: Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramhansa Yogananda
View this book on Amazon (affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no cost to you)

Now, under the guidance of a qualified and well-known Iyengar yoga teacher, readers can reap the benefits of yoga with this gentle guide written specifically with today’s baby boomers in mind. Filled with clear instructions, including the use of yoga props and modified poses, plus crisp follow-along photographs, this book takes readers step by step through the asanas (poses) that can prevent or lessen ailments such as osteoporoisis, hip fractures and chronic pain.

What will I learn from it?

It promises clear instructions, including the use of yoga props and modified poses, plus follow-along photographs that take readers step by step through the asanas.

What does the book say about health problems?

The description says the poses “can prevent or lessen ailments such as osteoporosis, hip fractures and chronic pain”. That is the description’s claim, not a medical statement from us, so check with a doctor before starting if you have any of these problems.

Who is the author?

The title credits Suza Francina, and the description says the guidance comes from a qualified and well-known Iyengar yoga teacher as the author.

Who is The New Yoga for Healthy Aging meant for?

The Amazon description says it is a gentle guide written specifically with today’s baby boomers in mind.

Summary of the book description only, not medical advice.

What should I know about exercise and ageing before reading?

Starting later in life still counts. The NIA exercise page says older adults can benefit from three types of exercise: aerobic, muscle-strengthening and balance. WHO fact sheet on ageing and health frames the same idea at population level: staying active is part of healthy ageing.

Gentle yoga touches strength, balance and flexibility in one session, but the NCCIH page on yoga warns that older adults may need to be particularly cautious, since the rate of yoga injuries treated in emergency departments is higher in people over 65. Choose classes or guidance made for your age and mobility, use a chair or wall for support, and move slowly in and out of floor poses.

Talk with your doctor before starting, especially if you have osteoporosis, joint replacements, dizziness or heart disease.

More on this blog: Can Yoga Cure Illness? What Yoga Can and Cannot Do, and How Athletes Use It and Making Yoga a Lifetime Habit: How to Keep Going When Life Is Busy

Book: The New Yoga for Healthy Aging by Suza Francina
View this book on Amazon (affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no cost to you)

Completely restructured to focus more on the how-to components of yoga, this step-by-step guide replaces photos with all-new two-color line illustrations that not only show readers what the various yoga postures look like, but how to get in and out of them easily and painlessly. Non- intimidating and easy-to-follow exercises show readers just how fun and relaxing yoga can be.

Is it a starting point for newcomers?

The description calls the exercises “non-intimidating and easy-to-follow”, and says they show how fun and relaxing yoga can be.

Who is behind The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Yoga?

The book is credited to Joan Budilovsky in the title.

What is inside the book?

It replaces photos with all-new two-color line illustrations that show what the postures look like and how to get in and out of them “easily and painlessly”.

What does The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Yoga cover?

The description presents it as a restructured, step-by-step guide that focuses on the how-to side of yoga.

Everything above comes from the book description on its Amazon page.

How much can you learn about yoga from a book?

A book is a good place to meet the vocabulary, the shapes of the poses and the idea behind each movement. Line drawings and step-by-step instructions can show you where to place hands and feet, and you can read at your own pace. What a page cannot do is watch you. The NCCIH yoga and safety page says that learning yoga without supervision has been associated with increased risks, and it recommends practising under a qualified instructor.

A sensible approach is to read first, try each pose slowly and stop at the first sign of strain. Breathing is as important as shape: the Harvard Medical School yoga article describes hatha-style classes as opening with breathing exercises, moving through postures and ending with rest. Follow that shape at home and keep the effort level where you could still speak in short sentences.

Check with a doctor first if you are pregnant, have high blood pressure, glaucoma, joint disease or a recent injury. Beginners should avoid extreme practices such as headstands until they have supervised guidance.

Related reading on this blog: What Is Yoga? and Before You Start Yoga: Warm-Up, Breathing and Listening to Your Body

Book: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Yoga by Joan Budilovsky
View this book on Amazon (affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no cost to you)