Customer Reviews

Walking Yoga: Incorporate Yoga Principles into Dynamic Walking Routines for Physical Health, Mental Peace, and Spiritual Enrichment

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It's no secret that yoga has taken America by storm. But with yoga having been around for 5,000 years you have to wonder: Why yoga and why now? This book helps with the answer. Not because it offers an encyclopedic explanation. Rather, it shows us how yoga is a powerful antidote to the driven, unrelenting, stressful way we live our lives--and which just may be killing us at the same time. It is as if yoga has arrived on the scene to help us save us from ourselves. What I find refreshing and helpful about this book--being someone who knows very little about yoga and practices it even less--is that it combines both walking and yoga to make it something that can be done every day, every time you walk. Walking yoga is now about tying yourself up in knots and trying to walk. Walking yoga is, fundamentally, practicing the essence of yoga--being in the moment--while you walk. I learned breathing exercises to use while I walk (which I do a lot of) and got suggestions about what to think about--or what not think about--while walking. All kinds of walking exercises are described, including ways to walk with family members and friends, as well as the benefits of walking alone from time to time. Even if you're in a rotten mood, the Sarleys have walking yoga tips that can help you see what your rotten mood is all about and how you might be able to get out of it before you, say, start cooking dinner, yelling at the kids, or barking at your spouse. Yoga itself--the poses--is an integral part of this practice, as something to do before or after your walk, and the book contains helpful photos of the Sarleys themselves in several easy poses, with instructions on how to do them. The Sarley's approach to yoga is that it is not just a physical exercise; it also gets you to really think about your life, puts you in touch with what moves you--both physically and emotionally--and helps you feel good. To me, that alone is worth the price of admission. They also have written several anecdotes sprinkled throughout the book about how walking yoga has improved their own lives and the lives of people they know and have taught. If you hate gyms and pumping iron, think you never have time to exercise, and feel stiff, uncomfortable, and somehow unfulfilled with the way your life is going, this book--and the practices it teaches--is a small start to making some big changes.

This book is an excellent guide if you are ready to take your yoga off the mat, both physically and psychologically. It outlines practical and realistic directions for doing this with clearly written descriptions of poses and stretches and well defined and reasonable plans and programs. It also offers inspiring insights into the deeper (nonphysical) benefits to be found in pursuing walking yoga as a path for growth. Thank you to the authors for illuminating a new trail on my life journey.

From the moment I picked up the book Yoga and Walking, I said to myself "I can do this!" As a women with a loving partner, four children, a full time job and all that goes with them, I have little time for myself. I have been searching for a way to incorporate fitness into my life for years. How could I do this between baseball games, homework and karate lessons, etc.? I have never tried yoga, let alone take the time to go for a walk. In order to tend to all of the details that I need to attend to, I sacrifice my time. When I began reading Yoga and Walking, I immediately felt the love and peace throughout the text. The loving guidance from the Sarleys, as they took the time to describe yoga, its postures and breath work in detail, is evident within each page. I journeyed with them on their walks, I breathed with them. Then I realized, I was reading a book about yoga, without feeling that it was completely foreign. I never felt that this was out of my league, or that I should already know all of the "yoga language". I found that this book had a human quality to it unlike any other; a sense of peace and tranquility. With the words from the Sarley's, "tell yourself that you only have to walk for five minutes", I began on my path to peace and serenity. Now I take a moment for myself. I have a sense of how to bring balance to my busy lifestyle. I take a few moments to breathe and I go for a yoga-walk. It clears my mind and gives me balance. This book is a gentle reminder that we all need to take a moment for ourselves in this busy world. This is not a "how to" book, but a book that brings forth a relaxed, unconditional path to personal, spiritual and emotional growth, one step at a time.

I was anxiously waiting for this book and am not the least bit disappointed. As a Yoga teacher, I refer to this book often for my own Mindful Walking Program I lead at Red Rock Conservation Park in Las Vegas. The Sarleys are insightful and clear. I love the personal sharings they each give throughout their book! Anyone who loves to walk/hike and do yoga, this book puts it all together nicely. Thank you and Namaste

Excellent and inspiring book that got me out on more walks. I really enjoyed the focus on the mental and emotional health through walking, in addition to physical health. The book presents deep Yoga topics in a wonderfully simple way that makes it easy to read and enjoy.It covers postures, breathing, meditation and has a focus on the inner intelligence of each of our own bodies.This integration of Yoga and Walking is a powerful force to bring happiness and mental peace.This is a great book for beginners. It also is clear and full of helpful information for those of us familiar with the topic.

I have had the priviledge of attending multiple retreats with Ila and Dinabandhu Sarley, the authors of Walking Yoga. In class they are not only inspirational because of their extensive knowledge of yoga postures, and how to impart this knowledge, but also because of their blissful presence and desire for everyone to love yoga and walking as much as they do. As an amputee, I feel honored to have found teachers who know how to accommodate and teach all people to fully experience Yoga, with whatever challenges they face whether it is a broken arm, a bad back or, myself, who wears two prosthetic legs.

This book, Walking Yoga, is an extension of their teachings, allowing everyone to receive the great value of the Sarley's wisdom right now. The book is a joy to read, blending in specifics on postures and benefits of walking and breathing with personal stories, and real, practical methods everyone can do to maintain the practice of yoga and walking in your life. Yoga, as the Sarley's teach, is not simply postures. Yoga is living a life of beauty, balance and joy. This book outlines creative ways to get started and maintain the practice of Yoga and walking - and carry these benefits with you - in each and every moment.

I am not interested in sending this book back to Amazon as I do enjoy having Yoga positions at my finger tips. It's a good book for people who have never done yoga or would like to try yoga stretches for warm ups - cool downs during exercise. But I didn't find it helpful for what I thought its purpose was - how to combine yoga and walking. I thought possibly there would be more about how to hold yourself while walking, breathing while walking, positions to do with your arms and legs while you are walking. Possibly I should read this again.... hmmm

Written by husband and wife yogis, this book is a treasure for the beginning yoga student. It teaches you how to create a nurturing, enjoyable, and consistent yoga practice that you can't help but want to continue for the rest of your life! The couple offers numerous tips for sustaining your practice, the most important of which are "experiencing" yoga, listening to your body, being in the moment, and connecting with your inner self, others, life, and Spirit. Also, the book teaches you how to combine the benefits of yoga (increasing your flexibility, conditioning, expanding your range of motion, enhancing your awareness and oneness of mind, body, and spirit) with walking---the authors offer creative, soothing ways to fuse both.

What stands out the most for me about this book is its emphasis on creating a physical practice that is nurturing and uplifting rather than whipping or coercing yourself into shape. I love their philosophy about gently coaxing and inspiring yourself to better health and vitality through yoga and walking. I think inspiration and joy encourage you to sustain a practice forever. Such practice becomes your oasis for relaxation and conditioning and your life can thus become more like a love affair.

Laura Venecia Rodriguez
Yoga at Home: Gain Energy, Flexibility, and Serenity in 20-30 Minutes a Day
[...]

I had trouble with this book because it is poorly written. I love both hatha yoga and walking so I hoped that this book would have something to offer.

You might like it if you are not picky about good writing and you enjoy inspirational life stories.