Customer Reviews

The Eight Human Talents

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The best part of living in LA is being able to take Gurumukh's classes regularly. So, because I'm privileged enough to be one of her students, I wasn't in too big a hurry to rush out and read her book, I figured "I HEAR her all the time, she's my teacher, why READ what she's got to say?" Well, when I recently bought it, I couldn't stop reading it. "Eight Human Talents" is wonderful. The tone is calm and loving (like Gurumukh) and provides an invaluable insight to Kundalini Yoga. "Eight Human Talents" explains exactly why this particular yoga is a great solution for modern, everyday stress overload and waning spirit. It describes in detail the kinds of benefits one can expect to attain; stronger body, calmer mind and healthier attitudes - just to name a few. The exercises are well illustrated. The mystery of "chakras" is revealed in everyday language. It is punctuated with her humor, inspiring life stories and beautiful passages of wisdom from her Guru, Yogi Bhajan among others.

Gurumukh stresses in her writing, the importance of having a strong and open heart, not just a strong, beautiful body. She gently reminds us that "we are spiritual beings having a human experience" and above all, she reminds us to breathe. I highly recommend this book for everyone, novice and yoga virtuoso alike. It's good for you!

Since I began doing Kundalini Yoga at the Golden Bridge, where Gurumukh is the director, a little more than a year ago, I've managed to lose a significant amount of weight and learned to relax - no small feats. Even the art I make looks happier!

Congratulations and thank you, to a most excellent teacher and her blessed collaborators. My precious loved ones will surely get a gift of this book.

Every technique comes from somewhere. Yogi Bhajan is the source of wisdom and the techniques in this book. He is a true master of the science of yoga, a world leader in peace and a successful family man and business leader. Gurumukh has loving presented his teachings and made the philosophy of an elevated life and the techniques to do it accessible.

As Director of Training in Kundalini Yoga for 25 years I see many books and manuals cross my desk for review. This is excellent.

If you enjoy it also look at "Breathwalk" (June 2000) by Yogi Bhajan and Kundalini Yoga - the flow of eternal power by Shakti Parwha Khalsa.

This book is one of the most accesible yoga books I have read. Sometimes yoga books can be more daunting than a class itself! The prose is often very esoteric and the poses intimidating. Gurmukh makes the esoteric understandable. The book makes sense of the chakra system for western readers. The poses are attainable, no foot behind the head! I've been Ashtanga for about three years and this book really makes want to try Kundalini.

This is a wonderfully inspirational and uplifting book. It is well worth reading and enjoying. However, it has some flaws as a book on kundalini yoga. "Tuning in" is not given, although this is an important thing to do before practice. If it were just a few exercises, this would not be important. But one full set was given and so were some meditations, so tuning in should have been given also. Since kundalini yoga is done in sets of exercises, and this book mostly just has single exercises, it gives a slightly slanted picture of kundalini yoga in practice. Kundalini Yoga by Shakta Kaur Khalsa and Kundalini Yoga for Mind, Body and Beyond by Ravi Singh are much better books for practice. That said, this book is a very readable and enjoyable picture of the spiritual path.

I am currently really interested in yoga, and have been reading several books on the subject. I bought this one because I was pregnant last year, and used the pre-natal video by the author. I was not disappointed with the video, and I found the book to be a great way to learn more about the author, and most especially her style of "Kundalini" yoga. Kundalini yoga focuses more on the breath, chanting, and mantras than your traditional yogas. The book focuses on the 8 chakras (hence the title of the book), and how you can work to "unblock" them and/or get them to work to their fullest extent. Sounds hokey, I know, but you get into it, and she does have some good points. There must be something to her practice, because all the celebrities don't go to her for nothing!!! (They include Madonna, Cindy Crawford, David Duchovny, Courtney Love, etc.)

I have spent hundreds of hours doing yoga, chigong and related disciplines, but nothing relieved the constant shoulder and neck tension caused by endless hours of deskwork. However,within just a few days of practicing the "simple" exercises in this amazing little book, I was pain-free for the first time in years. Just that fact alone lifted my spirits tremendously. I have no idea why such a simple routine of exercises is so enjoyable and beneficial, but I highly recommend this low-key and loving book for anyone who needs a lift. My deepest thanks to the author.

A must to buy! It helped me a great deal to become more balanced, energized, focused. It taught me how to go with a flow in life. The book reminds us ,once again, what it means to live every day to the fullest - tomorrow is not granted. The book is a wonderfull first step on the road to self-discovery!

One of the most perfect books ever written. I know it has new ideas that many may not be used to but, give it a chance let go of the skepticism. It is life transforming. Do the exercises and the meditations. Just do it!!!!!!!

I recently stumbled upon kundalini yoga and discovered this lady was the "it" teacher in the 1990's in Southern California. She probably still teaches - I guess fame is just faddish. The title of the book is funny because I don't think it has much to do with talent at all. It does a chapter on each chakra. She includes a couple of basic kundalini moves in each chapter. Unlike most books on yoga this one is not all photographs. For each chakra she gives a little philosophy, a little personal experience and then a few kriyas to practice. It is a nice companion piece to have with her workout DVD because the exercises in the book are different from the ones on the DVD. The DVD will will give you a comprehensive workout, and this book will give you some back ground info on kundalini, what it is, how it came to the
United States, what the goals are etc.

This book i wanted since long and finally I got from Amazon.The contents of the book are appealing and will render tremendous benefit to those who take real benefit of this book by practicing Yoga.