Customer Reviews

Journey Into Power : How to Sculpt Your Ideal Body, Free your True Self and Transform your Life with Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Baron Baptiste isn't making himself out to be the enlightened, do-it-my-way-and-no-other-way type of teacher. He encourages you to look within and see if what he has to say resonates with truth. He teaches self trust as the primary essence of a yoga practice that will transform you.

There are so many yoga books out there. I should know. I've read most of them. Many of them are good but no other book explains as deftly how a handful of asanas (yoga postures) can transform your mental and spiritual sides or how a relationship with yourself begins, as with all good relationships, with listening.

Baron Baptiste's program for life transformation demands a commitment to yourself not to some fly-by-night program that is cut out exactly the same way for everyone.

Baron Baptiste is like the Stephen R. Covey of Yoga. What he has to share will resonate with anyone courageous enough to look at themselves, their bodies, their habits, their lives with honest and compassionate eyes. I know I will read and reference this book over and over.

Baron rocks! This book has lived near my bed since it arrived a few days ago. I am reading through it slowly, while picking out chunks from here there and everywhere. His writing is expressive and straightforward, his philosphy is simple but deep, his "diet" chapter is inspiring, and the instructions for the poses are clear and concise, as are the photos. The whole programme is laid out, broken down into chunks, and at the end Baron suggests short programmes for people who cannot manage more than 20 minutes.
I have to admit, I love Eric Schiffman's book, but it can be a little TOO wordy. This is not. HIGHLY recommended. (as are his videos - Soul of Strength and Power and Precision are both incredible workouts, and I have only bee practising yoga for a few months - go for it!)

Baron clears the way for a lot of people new (or newer) to yoga. I have been practicing on and off for a couple of years with tapes at home, read numerous books, but somehow felt as though something I should know was missing or incomplete. This book speaks to people who have busy lives, have no intention of going mystical, but like what yoga does for them. This is a great guide to incorporating yoga into the busy American lifestyle. I plan to buy all Baron tapes that I don't already have. This is really worth your time.

I've been doing Yoga daily for over 7 years and have a library full of books and videos pertaining to yoga. "Journey Into Power" is perhaps the most useful of all of my books because it is real-life practical.

It is written in a way that gets to the heart of Yoga so that folks like myself (with real life jobs and families) can actually incorporate and benefit from his approach. This is not a book that is just a bunch of philosophical theory, but rather an approach to Yoga and life that is easy to practice daily.

I'm 45 years old and I'm in the best shape of my life thanks to Yoga in general and Baron's work in particular. A MAJOR key to this is the approach to nutrition that Baron clearly lays out (it is NOT a diet, just a common sense approach to nutrition which is very easy to follow). I now have incredible amounts of energy.

Before I started to eat in the way he recommends, I could only do a Power/Vinyasa practice a few times a week and alternated with a more gentle practice. Since incorporating his dietary principles I've been able to have the energy to do some form of Power Vinyasa Yoga almost EVERY day and my more gentle practices are quite rare.

Just for the record, I generally do between 30 minutes to hour or so of Power Vinyasa Yoga 7 days a week, it's rare that I can do the 90 minutes Baron says is the ideal amount, but he also stresses that it's better to do "a little yoga a lot rather than a lot of yoga once in a while". Trust me, if you do even 20 minutes every day you'll have life changing results.

Anyway, The increase of energy that I now have has been an earth shattering breakthrough for me. I had attributed my previous energy level to my age but now I can see just how much impact upgrading my eating has had on my health and energy level (and I was already eating a pretty clean vegetarian diet for close to 17 years).

As far as the physical side of the practice this book is laid out in a very user friendly way. There are alignment tips highlighted in blue print at the end of each more detailed explanation. This "summary" of alignment details is such a great idea that I wish all Yoga books would do this.

As wonderful as this book is, I don't know if I would use this (or any book) as my sole guide to yoga. I would suggest getting one of his videos/DVDs so that you can be led thru the sequence (of course "live" classes would be ideal, but hard to do on a daily basis, perhaps you can suppliment with classes. Home practice is the heart of developing a significant practice and it's hard to find an excuse not to practice if you can roll out your mat at home :) ).

I don't have his "Journey Into Power" Videos in particular, but I do have "Soul Of Strength" which follows the sequence of the book quite closely. I also love His "Unlocking Athletic Power" and "Core Power" which are shorter practices (under 30 minutes) which are very easy to fit in on any morning. Who can't get out of bed 30 minutes earlier to give yourself the gift of a stronger, more healthier body and calmer mind.

A particular video program by Baron that I found really helpful in implementing his ideas is "Transform Your Life, Yoga W/ Baron Baptiste" which is a documentary (PBS) that takes you on one of Baron's Bootcamps in Hawaii, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!, it also has a 20 minute routine at the end of the documentary so you get a nice short Power Yoga Practice ("Power Yoga Basics" is the title of that section).


One more thing I want to clarify regarding Baron's approach to nutrition.

His idea of the fruit fast is to detox yourself. Whether or not it is scientifically valid or not I can't say, but the main idea of the fruit fast is to give you a chance to clean out your body (and mind) for a few days. So much of eating is psychological and you can see in the video "Transform your life" (which follows the plan laid out in the book) how people who never could have imagined that they could live on fruit only for three days not only "survive" it, but totally thrive on it and feel great after 3 days of fruit.

Still, Baron says that the "Fruit" detox part of the cleansing diet is only a TINY part of his approach to diet, his main focus is on the way one would eat in their day to day lives and their relationship to food. The fruit fast is something you might only do one or two times a year (a total of 6 days in a year)and it is hardly a fast since you can eat as much fresh fruit and drink as much fruit juice as you like (tomatos and avocados are included since they are fruits).

In terms of one's normal cleansing diet, he doesn't "Forbid" folks to indulge occasionally, and in facts encourages it so that you don't have to feel deprived. He is not fanatical or dogmatic in any aspect of this program but always encourages to use ones true intuition to know what's right for you. His approach is very practical and possible for anyone who really wants to empower themselves in so many ways.

Anyway, this book is outstanding and I am grateful to Baron for making this available to those of us who are interested in taking a life changing "Journey into Power".

Namaste

This book is of immeasurable value to both novices and master practioners of yoga. Baptiste is a gifted teacher with great heart and caring for his students, which shows in his text and also the photos of him modifying the postures so that even the newest beginner can benefit from the practice.

This book is extremely accessible and is full of good, clear color photos of the postures, many of which are shown in a series of photos representing views from various angles. An empowering and thoughtful "spiritual focus" is given with each pose.

In addition, the book is broken into 5 clearly written sections for easy learning and reference. Sections include a recommended series of postures for time limits and different physical conditions and fitness levels, food/diet and detoxification to cleanse, heal and lose excess baggage, a non-complex section on meditation that is wonderfully simple, but not simplistic. Baptiste demystifies yoga without being unmystical.

Baptiste's style of yoga uses proper form and modifications to help students get deeper into postures and glean the greatest results and there is a very good illustrated section with each pose on how to use these simple physical and spiritual principles - something that's been missing from any other yoga book I've ever seen.

By far this is the best and most useful book on yoga I have ever seen, and I've seen more than a few. This is Mr. Baptiste's first book which has been well worth the wait!!!

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. For some reason, I have overlooked Baron as a teacher until now, perhaps because I had heard his name linked with celebrities and unfairly assumed he was Hollywood's answer to Yoga. I see now that I misjudged him, and I urge others to pick up his book and give him the chance I didn't for so long.

He is very heartfelt as he tells you about his personal journey into Yoga and comes across as a sincere friend instead of a know-it-all guru (those of you who have met such people know what I'm talking about). His honesty and humility caught me off guard as he strongly suggests that we must listen to ourselves as we move through the poses, just as we must honor ourselves as we move through every day life. He can only *do* just that ~ make suggestions. Instinctively, we each know what we need to take from Yoga and what to pass up. In other words, the practice of Hatha Yoga is for everybody, not just the lean, flexible vegetarians of the world. Believe it or not, many think Yoga belongs to a certain subset of people or to a particular religion when really, it belongs to anyone...anyone can make the practice of Hatha Yoga their own. Anyone can benefit, and benefit greatly.

The section of the book dedicated to the asanas (poses) is very well written with detailed descriptions of alignment, including a list of "Don'ts" (as in, "Don't hyperextend your knees here..."). I love that. If a person cannot get to a class and benefit from the help of a real live teacher, he will need all the detail he can get in regards to foot placement, the tucking of the tailbone, etc. Baron does a wonderful job of breaking down each pose so that a person can check himself and learn proper alignment rather than fall into a pose having no clue where the body should be, risking injury. Ideally, this book should be read in conjunction with taking a class, but if this and a good Yoga DVD is all you have, you're in pretty good shape. I take classes and still enjoyed reading Baron's suggestions for alignment (like pretending one is opening a pickle jar with each hand in Downward Facing Dog, gently rotating the hands outward ~ this helps flatten the palms down to the floor and ends up rotating the shoulder, just what you need). I've noticed a few books by other well known Yoga practitioners sorely lack this kind of attention to detail.

His section on eating is, like the rest of the book, a gentle suggestion to cut down on the junk in your diet and reach for more nutrient dense foods. It's basic but refreshingly to the point about how our body cannot function at its best unless we give it the proper fuel. He offers a guideline for introducing healthier eating habits into your diet, but really...I can make it even simpler. Try eating fruit for breakfast and a salad with plenty of veggies for lunch, leaving dinner the meal where you can eat anything your heart desires. Over time, you will see and feel the benefits of your first 2 meals of the day while still enjoying your favorite comfort foods like pizza or a hamburger at dinnertime. Whether you continue eating exactly this way for the rest of your life, or actually find yourself making even better choices at dinner, you'll be doing yourself and your body good in a very natural, non-dogmatic kind of way (right up Baron's alley ~ he has no use for dogmatic behavior).

The end of the book is about meditation. Again, he offers great ideas, but I find meditation to be a very personal thing. You may or may not like his approach, but that doesn't mean meditation won't work for you. Sometimes you need to explore this option and see what else is out there before you actually find something that works well for you (kind of like your Hatha Yoga practice). Maybe you just need to work on living better, practicing the poses and/or eating better, leaving meditation for another time. Whatever the case, while I like Baron's approach to meditating, I find Kathy Freston's meditation CDs to be much more helpful.

Whether you apply all of the book to your life or just sample a few ideas, it will be well worth it. One teacher of mine says, "Take what you need, and leave the rest behind." Approach Baron's book with this in mind, and you'll start your own journey towards balance in both body and life.

I found this book accurate, motivational, inspirational and would consider it a cut above anything prior, especially regarding Power (Ashtanga) Yoga. In fact I would consider it to be an absolute reference for anyone interested in this subject, except for one minor (major?) omission. I think this book could be the "absolute reference" except for the fact that there is no (zilch), index. It would be nice to be able to reference poses, keywords in the "Re-wiring" sectiion etc. It feels really cumbersome without this. Otherwise, (maybe it's the author's intent) try to memorize where everything is in this book. Dead-on great, other than this.

"Power Yoga" is nothing new. Yoga, as a discipline, has been around for a few thousand years. "Power Yoga" is simply a modern, and arguably very Western, way of practice. It is also not a bad marketing idea - and at first glance, this book, with it's slick, glossy production and carefully styled photographic art, appears like many of the books currently in print which have made self-help a multi-billion dollar industry, hawking this or that new way to be smarter, better-adjusted, more beautiful, and/or more healthy.

Having said that: don't judge this book by its cover. It is not all about glamour, and neither is Baptiste. Can yoga make you healthier, stronger, and more beautiful? Sure it can - but so can just about any other physical activity, if practiced diligently. What Baptiste is offering - in a way that even a person who is perhaps not so "spiritually" inclined can understand and apply - is a chance to change the way you think, act, and live - and yoga is a wonderful vehicle for this.

Some of Baptiste's "Ten Principles" for practicing Power Yoga might sound a little goofy or new-agey (e.g., "You are either now here, or nowhere") - but they are also catchy and easy to remember, and the discussions of each principle are clear and straight-forward, not to mention quite helpful. As for the actual postures, Baptiste gives clear and detailed instructions on how to prepare for and execute each form, and the photographs are quite well-done and helpful.

Overall, this is one of the most straight-forward and user-friendly books on yoga I have yet come across. Some of the poses will be difficult for beginners, but as Baptiste gently reminds us, everyone starts out as a beginner - expertise and confidence come only with work and patience.

Good luck on your own journey into power!

I've been practicing yoga at home for a little over two years without ever taking a class. In an effort to enhance my home practice, including perfecting my form and moving into some more challenging poses, I previewed many different yoga books from the library, and Journey Into Power is the one I eventually purchased.

In this book, Baron does an excellent job of explaining how to incorporate a regular yoga practice into your life. Although the book is broken into several sections, including one on a cleasing diet, what I found most helpful was his descriptions of the poses (asanas) themselves. Baron groups the poses into about 12 different categories--sun salutations 1 & 2, balancing poses, hip openers, abdominals, backbends, etc--and then explains how to either mix and match the groupings when time is limited or do the entire 90 minute program.

In his explanations of the individual poses, Baron is clear, precise, and thorough. He begins with a "connecting vinyasa" which explains exactly how to move from one pose to the next. For each pose, Baron talks about setup, allignment, breathing, risk factors, and finally, a suggestion for meditation. What hooked me on the book is that after I read his instructions for Crow pose--a challenging arm balancing pose--I was immediately able to do the pose for the very first time! Baron's descriptive style reminds of Brooke Siler's in The Pilates Body, as he has a similar enouraging and non-intimidating manner.

If you are looking to develop or enhance a home yoga practice, you will not be disappointed in this book--and at this great amazon.com price, how can you lose?

Baron Baptiste is an amazing yoga teacher. While I've only done one of his yoga videos, his technique is superior to all others.
Journey into Power offers a condensed version of Baron Baptiste's weeklong "Bootcamp" and gives readers the tools for complete physical, mental, and spiritual transformation, including:

*Rewiring your thinking, because all change begins in the mind.
*Daily power Vinyasa Yoga practice, the heart of the program.
*Cleansing diet habits, which includes "water-rich" foods and how to live to be 100 by breathing more and eating less.
*Meditations for truthful living.
*10-minute tune-ups that help you boost energy, get centered, de-stress, and much more!

For anyone who is interested in yoga or improving their health and wellbeing, this is a book for you.