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Yoga Chick: A Hip Guide to Everything Om by Bess Gallanis captures an era when yoga was becoming part of popular fashion and lifestyle culture. Yet underneath the playful styling is a practical idea: yoga can fit around a busy life, and it does not need to feel intimidating or overly solemn.

What does the book include?

The publisher lists six illustrated yoga sequences intended for different moods and needs. The book also covers ways to prepare for practice, relaxation, meditation and journaling. Recipes, beauty ideas, aromatherapy and gemstones appear as part of its broader lifestyle presentation. It is a mixed-format book, not a specialized anatomy or medical reference.

Some of those lifestyle elements reflect the period in which the book was written. A reader today might enjoy the cheerful tone while separating useful movement suggestions from claims that have not been independently demonstrated. Gemstones and aromatherapy can be personal rituals, but they should not be presented as cures.

Is it only for young women?

The marketing clearly speaks to young women, but many of the underlying beginner questions are more general: How do you start a short routine? How do you make time to move? How can you avoid comparing yourself with experienced people on social media or in a studio? The book’s friendly format may appeal to anyone comfortable with its original tone.

How can you use it today?

Choose a sequence that fits the time and energy you have available, move at a comfortable pace and use the journaling prompts if you enjoy reflection. You do not need to buy new clothing or follow every lifestyle suggestion to take part in yoga. The NCCIH yoga overview recommends learning with a qualified teacher and avoiding extreme poses or forceful breathing if you are a beginner.

Can you still buy Yoga Chick?

Yes. Hachette Book Group lists the paperback and an e-book format. The publisher confirms Bess Gallanis as its author. The book remains a genuine available title; there is no need to substitute an unrelated modern book.

Related reading on Veggie-Blog: Cool Yoga Tricks and The No OM Zone.

Book: Yoga Chick: A Hip Guide to Everything Om by Bess Gallanis
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Leza Lowitz is a much-published writer and director of Sun and Moon Yoga Studio in Tokyo.

“A must-have for anyone who is new and serious about exporing the subject further. Also recommended for advanced practitioners who may want to ‘brush-up’ on their Sanskrit.” — Yoga Magazine UK

“This slim volume is a lot more than its title lets on.” — The Asian Reporter

“…A joy to read: it has accuracy in its translations, beauty in its presentation, and conveys the spiritual richness of the yogic tradition. It will definitely enrich the life of many yoga teachers and students.” — Ascent Magazine

Joseph Campbell called Sanskrit “the great spiritual language of the world.” Designed by ancient Indian holy men to express the states of enlightened consciousness through syllabic sounds, Sanskrit is widely used in the West during yoga practice to channel spiritual pathways and to discuss important meditative and philosophical concepts. This book introduces 180 Sanskrit words (including chakra, karma, om, namaste, veda, nirvana) with Devanagari scripts, pronunciations, chants and brief cultural/historic explanations. A practical reference that makes an excellent gift book for any student of yoga, meditation or Eastern religion.

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The old version of this post described three yoga exercises, Warrior III, Plank and Side Plank, but the instructions were so garbled that they were hard to follow. I have not watched the video that goes with the post, so I have rewritten the steps from standard yoga practice. They are general instructions, not taken from a study. They are demanding poses, so read the safety notes before you try them.

What does Warrior III train?

Warrior III is a standing balance pose that works the standing leg, the back of the body and the core. The old post began from Mountain Pose, and that is a good way to start. Stand with your heels slightly apart and big toes touching, legs straight, chest lifted and arms by your sides. Place your hands on your hips. Shift your weight onto your left foot and lift your right leg behind you, keeping it straight. Hinge forward from your hips, not your waist, until your torso is parallel to the floor and your raised leg is in line with it. Keep your hips level and your weight evenly spread across the inner and outer edges of your standing foot. Begin with five breath cycles and build up gradually, as the old post suggested, but do not rush to fifteen. To come out, lift the torso and return to Mountain Pose, then repeat on the other side.

How do you do Plank Pose?

Plank builds strength in the arms, shoulders and core. Begin on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders. Step your feet back until your legs are straight and you are balancing on your toes with your feet together. Keep your arms straight, your shoulders away from your ears and your body in one line from head to heels. Do not let your hips sag or lift. Harvard Health notes that most experts suggest holds of 10 to 30 seconds, done as several shorter sets, rather than one long hold. The video that goes with this post, “How to Do the Plank Pose” from Howcast, shows the pose. I have not watched it, so use it as a guide only, and not as a safety check.

What is Side Plank?

Side Plank is a harder variation. From Plank, press your ankles together and roll onto the outer edge of your right foot, stacking your left foot on top with your legs straight. Lift your left arm toward the ceiling and look up at it if your neck is comfortable. The old post said to let the abdominal muscles support the body without clamping and crunching, which means staying long through the waist and breathing normally. Hold for five breaths, then lower your left hand to the floor, roll back to Plank and repeat on the other side. Support yourself with your lower forearm if your wrist is sensitive, or lower your bottom knee to the floor while you learn.

What should you watch out for?

These poses put weight on the wrists, shoulders and lower back, and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health reports that the most common yoga injuries are sprains and strains. It recommends beginners avoid extreme practices and advises people with conditions such as lumbar spine disease, balance problems or a pre-existing injury to talk to a health care provider and an instructor, since some poses may need to change. If you have back pain or other back problems, Harvard Health suggests doing the plank on your knees, or standing and leaning against a counter at a 45-degree angle. As general yoga advice (not from a source), a forearm plank takes pressure off sensitive wrists. Stop if you feel sharp pain, numbness or tingling.

How can you build up?

Practice near a wall or a sturdy chair for Warrior III at first, resting a hand on it for balance. Do a few minutes of warm-up beforehand; our guide to warming up before yoga explains how. For Plank, start with short holds and rest in between. Work through our post on holding poses with steadiness and the basic yoga postures and their variations to prepare your legs and core. If your goal is a strong midsection, our post on gaining a shapely waist through yoga has more ideas, though keep in mind that no exercise can remove fat from one area of the body alone. A short, regular practice of three or four sessions a week will do more than one very long session.

Torah Yoga: Experiencing Jewish Wisdom Through Classic Postures by Diane Bloomfield explores an unusual and thoughtful meeting of two disciplines: Jewish textual study and physical yoga practice. It is not presented as a claim that the traditions are the same. Instead, the book uses postures and meditation as ways to reflect on ideas drawn from the Torah and other Jewish sources.

What makes Torah Yoga distinctive?

According to the original description, each chapter begins with a Jewish spiritual concept and examines it through sacred texts, including passages from the Five Books of Moses. Readers are then introduced to meditation and yoga postures connected to the chapter’s theme. The description mentions more than one hundred photographs to illustrate the movement element.

The structure matters: readers encounter the text and its interpretation before trying to express or consider the idea through movement. This gives the book a different emphasis from a conventional posture manual.

Who is the author?

Diane Bloomfield developed the Torah Yoga approach. Her official Torah Yoga website identifies her as the author and provides information about her original book, class resources and related Jewish spiritual study. That source also lists a direct route to purchase the original title.

Does a reader need to be Jewish?

The book’s original description says the themes may engage readers from several backgrounds, while remaining grounded in Jewish texts. People already familiar with Judaism may appreciate the opportunity to reflect through movement; others may value the introduction to a tradition different from their own. Approaching religious material with curiosity and respect is more useful than treating its symbols as decorative wellness accessories.

Is this suitable for new yoga students?

The description presents poses for beginner and more experienced students. Nevertheless, a photograph is no substitute for individual guidance where movement is unfamiliar. The NCCIH yoga safety guidance suggests choosing a qualified instructor and adapting poses for injuries or medical conditions.

Is the original book still available?

Yes. Bloomfield’s official website provides an order route for the original Torah Yoga book. Readers should check the exact format and seller before ordering. This is distinct from other newer books featured on the same website.

Related on Veggie-Blog: Where Did Yoga Come From? and The Yoga Sutras and Edgar Cayce.

Book: Torah Yoga by Diane Bloomfield
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As interest in yoga continues to grow ever more broadly in the U.S., more and more Americans are trying out yoga and discovering its benefits. At the same time, millions of people who already practice yoga are finding that it can play many different roles in their life—from physical release to spiritual growth—and wonder how to unlock that potential fully. The Yoga Mind offers a bridge between yoga as a physical practice and yoga as a spiritual inquiry. A wide-ranging, considered investigation of the deep mind-body connection yoga promotes, it includes the best work of great yoga teachers and philosophers, as well as contemporary yoga teachers and practitioners who draw wisdom and insight from their practice. Selections include writings by Patanjali, B. K. S. Iyenger, Judith Lasater, Margot Anand, Stephen Cope, Geeta Iyengar, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Erich Schiffman, and many others. The Yoga Mind is for people who want to explore yoga’s deepest potential to change and enhance their lives on the physical, emotional, and spiritual planes.

Book: The Joy of Yoga by Jennifer Schwamm Willis
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