Yoga Body by
Yoga is so prevalent in the modern world--practiced by pop stars, taught in schools, and offered in yoga centers, health clubs, and even shopping malls--that we take its presence, and its meaning, for granted. But how did the current yoga boom happen? And is it really rooted in ancient Indian practices, as many of its adherents claim? In this groundbreaking book, Mark Singleton calls into question many commonly held beliefs about the nature and origins of postural yoga (asana) and suggests a radically new way of understanding the meaning of yoga as it is practiced by millions of people across the world today. Singleton shows that, contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence in the Indian tradition for the kind of health and fitness-oriented asana practice that dominates the global yoga scene of the twenty-first century. Singleton's surprising--and surely controversial--thesis is that yoga as it is popularly practiced today owes a greater debt to modern Indian nationalism and, even more surprisingly, to the spiritual aspirations of European bodybuilding and early 20th-century women's gymnastic movements of Europe and America, than it does to any ancient Indian yoga tradition. This discovery enables Singleton to explain, as no one has done before, how the most prevalent forms of postural yoga, like Ashtanga, Bikram and "Hatha" yoga, came to be the hugely popular phenomena they are today. Drawing on a wealth of rare documents from archives in India, the UK and the USA, as well as interviews with the few remaining, now very elderly figures in the 1930s Mysore asana revival, Yoga Body turns the conventional wisdom about yoga on its head.
The Origins of Yoga and Tantra by
Yoga, tantra and other forms of Asian meditation are practised in modernized forms throughout the world today, but most introductions to Hinduism or Buddhism tell only part of the story of how they developed. This book is an interpretation of the history of Indic religions up to around 1200 CE, with particular focus on the development of yogic and tantric traditions. It assesses how much we really know about this period, and asks what sense we can make of the evolution of yogic and tantric practices, which were to become such central and important features of the Indic religious scene. Its originality lies in seeking to understand these traditions in terms of the total social and religious context of South Asian society during this period, including the religious practices of the general population with their close engagement with family, gender, economic life and other pragmatic concerns.
Yoga and Psychology by
Explores the influence of yoga in the seminal Indian philosophy of Bhartrhari and in the Western psychology of Freud, Jung, and the transpersonalists, providing unique insights into the differences between Eastern and Western concepts of human nature.
Ocean of Yoga by
Explore the vastness of yoga through the art of meditation. This collection offers short readings on a variety of yoga-related themes, including the eight limbs, the seven chakras, and yoga's sister science, Ayurveda. Meditations for awareness and well-being are included, as well as guided relaxations and opening and closing meditations for yoga class and home practice. Weaving together the practical experience of yoga with its ancient oceanic depths, the series of meditations encourage a centering that directs attention to the breath, the present, and appreciating the gifts that each moment of life can bring. Providing nourishment for the heart, mind and body through awareness, let this book turn your attention to the essence of yoga and invite you to go within while remaining rooted in the present moment.
Yoga Teaching Handbook by
With expert advice from world-renowned yoga teachers, this book explains how to develop yoga teaching into a successful business. Covering everything from how to be creative with sequencing, to setting up and running a studio space, this book shows how to refine teaching skills and is an essential handbook for all yoga teachers and trainees.
Yoga for a Happy Back by
This unique book offers a framework for using yoga therapeutically to heal back and spinal problems. Combining detailed instruction on evaluation and treatment techniques with personal narrative and case studies, Yoga for a Happy Back bridges the gap between practicing yoga for better physical health and understanding the role of the mind-body connection in back pain. Utilising her vast experience as a physical therapist and yoga therapist, and the latest advances in the field, Krentzman advises on how to design therapeutic yoga classes for individuals with back pain. She includes information on creating class themes, and never before published sequences from the Purna yoga tradition for alignment based treatment of specific spinal conditions. With over 300 photos and illustrations, this book enables practitioners to access the benefits of yoga therapy for the treatment of orthopaedic dysfunctions and to promote general spinal health.
Desktop Yoga by
For most of us, our desk is like a second home. In fact, we probably spend more time glued to our desks than at home, resulting in severe backache, frozen shoulders, difficulty in walking and generalised, debilitating body pain. All this affects the quality of life and work, yet we don't do anything about it and keep putting it off. Desktop Yoga solves this dilemma in a flash with simple and effective yoga exercises to do at your desk.
Moving Consciously by
The popularity of yoga and Zen meditation has heightened awareness of somatic practices. Individuals develop the conscious embodiment central to somatics work via movement and dance, or through touch from a skilled teacher or therapist often called a somatic bodyworker. Methods of touch and movement foster generative processes of consciousness in order to create a fluid interconnection between sensation, thought, movement, and expression. In Moving Consciously , Sondra Fraleigh gathers essays that probe ideas surrounding embodied knowledge and the conscious embodiment of movement and dance. Using a variety of perspectives on movement and dance somatics, Fraleigh and other contributors draw on scholarship and personal practice to participate in a multifaceted investigation of a thriving worldwide phenomenon. Their goal: to present the mental and physical health benefits of experiencing one's inner world through sensory awareness and movement integration. A stimulating addition to a burgeoning field, Moving Consciously incorporates concepts from East and West into a timely look at life-changing, intertwined practices that involve dance, movement, performance studies, and education. Contributors: Richard Biehl, Robert Bingham, Hillel Braude, Alison East, Sondra Fraleigh, Kelly Ferris Lester, Karin Rugman, Catherine Schaeffer, Jeanne Schul, and Ruth Way.
Yoga Basics by
A comprehensive introduction to yoga including its philosophy, history and different branches. Instruction on basic elements like breathing and postures are complemented by a set of routines that promote health and well-being while developing flexibility and strength.
Medical Therapeutic Yoga by
For yoga to be used safely as medicine and to meet the needs of today's society, yoga postures should evolve by embracing the current evidence base. Medical Therapeutic Yoga provides this evolution. * This book serves as a modern, non-dogmatic, evidence-based guide to yoga posture and breath prescription based on the most current biomechanical and neurophysiological theory and common mechanisms of injury. * Medical Therapeutic Yoga covers injury prevention and wellness, clinical evaluation and diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation, and organizational and professional health and well-being. * The book applies yoga as medicine for physical therapy, occupational therapy, athletic training, sports medicine, pain management, and physical and rehabilitative medicine. * Evolution of the postures and breath techniques, via the evidence-based precepts presented in the book, will provide a patient-centered biopsychosocial model of assessment through the lens of integrative medicine and orthopaedics. * Medical Therapeutic Yoga brings a large body of work, known as medical therapeutic yoga, to health care professionals, making provision for safe and relevant application of yoga postures as medicine. * The book is accompanied by an online reference of photographic sequences for medical yoga program planning and prescription. This book will be invaluable for health care professionals, yoga therapists, and yoga teachers, including but not limited to: * physical therapy and manual therapy * chiropractic * osteopathy and orthopaedics * physical and rehabilitative medicine * occupational therapy * athletic training * massage therapy
Yoga to Fight Fatigue by
A book with simple and easy-to-do asanas to overcome simple and chronic fatigue. The purpose of the book is to rejuvenate your mind and body with an abundant flow of positive energy at the end of a stressful day.
Yoga for Diabetes Relief by
Diabetes is one of the most common yet dangerous lifestyle disorders that we face today. Filed with anxiety at this juncture, you wonder about where to begin and what to do. 'Yoga for Diabetes Relief' prepares you to tackle diabetes with serenity. This powerful book gives you a wake-up call as it shares simple and effective exercises to help you control this disorder. Through these effective yoga exercises which help strengthen your immune system, improve blood circulation, control excess secretion of stress hormones and harmonise your blood sugar levels, you can take charge of your life once again and continue to lead a fulsome and healthy life with peace of mind.
Yoga for Dementia by
Proven to enhance wellbeing, posture, breathing and sleep, and reduce anxiety and agitation, this programme shows how yoga can be adapted to benefit people with dementia. Based on the findings of a pilot therapeutic yoga programme for people with dementia in care homes, this book offers substantial yoga sequences, breathing exercises, meditations and mindfulness exercises for improving symptoms associated with dementia. It offers an innovative Reminiscence Yoga approach, which uses sounds, music, guided imagery and familiar actions to stimulate memories. The book demonstrates the many benefits of yoga for people with dementia, and describes the ways that each yoga exercise can be adapted for people of different abilities.
Yoga for Strength and Stamina by
A step-by-step book to strengthen and improve your body stamina through simple asana. Make this book your companion and welcome your usual hectic lifestyle with a renewed vigour.
Relax into Yoga for Seniors by
Relax into Yoga for Seniors presents twelve principles of yoga practice for seniors, including those with limited mobility. This evidence-based workbook will guide you safely--step-by-step, and with posture illustrations--on a six-week program for improved balance, flexibility, and overall well-being. Managing the emotional and physical challenges that come with aging can be difficult. Seniors face a number of age-related issues, such as chronic pain, hypertension, heart disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, and anxiety and depression. And while some people may consider yoga a young person's practice, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests yoga can be beneficial for a wide variety of age-related ailments. Relax Into Yoga for Seniors--based on the innovative Yoga for Seniors program, and including new material for fans of the Relax Into Yoga for Seniors DVD--provides a step-by-step guide that combines the best of modern, evidence-based medicine with the ancient wisdom, experience, and tradition of yogic teachings. With this book, you'll explore what yoga is and how to do it safely, including important movement considerations like how to get up and down from the floor with care, and how to stand and sit with healthy postural alignment. With this popular program, you'll be able to create a safe and effective individualized practice that will address your needs, take personal limitations into consideration, and help you relieve pain, become more flexible and active, and connect more deeply with your inner experience. Relax into Yoga for Seniors includes free downloadable guided audio practices and printable PDFs. Instructions for downloading these extra features can be found on page 229 of the book.
Caring with Vitality - Yoga and Wellbeing for Foster Carers, Adopters and Their Families by
Few foster carers or adoptive parents realise the benefits that yoga and related mind/body approaches can unlock for them and their families. In this positive book Andrea Warman uses her vast experience of work in fostering and adoption to identify the areas of life that many families struggle with and, in partnership with yoga expert Liz Lark and nutritional therapist Alli Godbold, presents everyday, tried and tested strategies to help improve your family life - whether it's encouraging a calm household, improving sleep or simply finding some personal space. The book describes easy-to-follow mindfulness exercises and yoga poses to suit your needs and the length of time you have to spare, whether you are looking for energy and strength or relaxation and calm. It also shares healthy tips, ideas and recipes - many coming from carers Andrea has met over the years. The authors also reveal how, through shared confidence-building activities like cooking and gardening, families can not only enjoy spending relaxing time together but help children to develop the life skills they need for a healthy future. Caring with Vitality is an inspiring, practical, accessible read for foster and adoptive families, and can also be used by agencies and related professionals providing support for parents or carers.