Customer Reviews

The Yoga Deck: 50 Poses & Meditations for Body, Mind, & Spirit

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I started taking a yoga class with some ladies from work and we've all enjoyed it very much. Since we only have class once a week we were all looking for something to keep us going the rest of the week. I happened to find this Yoga Deck and I love it!! I took it to work and one of the ladies went and bought it at lunch time, the others are looking for their copies.

This is not actually a book, it's a deck of yoga cards. There are cards focusing on meditations, breathing and of course, yoga poses. Each yoga card shows a pose, explains how to do the pose, gives a mantra to say if you'd like and then explains what the pose will do for you and your body.

What I like most about this deck is that you can follow the pre-made routines, targeting different focuses in your life (such as stress relief, muscle flexibility, etc.) or you can make up your own routines.

This is a great deck for anyone interested in learning yoga, as well as for those who just want to learn more about yoga.

"At least 5,000 years old, yoga literally means union of body and mind. It has been used throughout the centuries to promote and maintain physical and mental health, flexibility, and youthfulness." - From the Yoga Deck

There are literally thousands of yoga postures from a variety of traditions. One of these traditions-Hatha yoga-strives to balance mind, body and spirit by combining physical poses (asanas), breathing (pranayama) and meditation (dhyana). The Yoga Deck is 50 cards designed to promote health and well-being using each of these practices.

Clearly illustrated, The Yoga Deck contains:

* Six Breath Cards - Offering simple yet powerful ways to use your breath to decrease tension, increase energy, and promote physical and mental health. The Alternative Nostril Breath and Sufi Mother's Breath are two such breathing exercises.
* Six Meditation Cards - Each features a lotus flower, the symbol of simplicity and perfection, and focuses on a philosophical aspect of yoga or a spiritual idea. Heart Meditation and Meditation of Intent are two examples of these types of cards.
* Five Warm-Up Cards - These offer bulleted instructions, listing of benefits, and instructional illustrations. Knee Hug, Shrugs and Circles, and Cat and Dog Stretch are three such warm-ups.
* Thirty-two Posture Cards - The front of each Posture Card features an illustration of the pose while the reverse side describes how to do the pose and lists the benefits. An affirmation to complement each pose is also offered. A few poses include Proud Warrior, Yoga Mudra, Mountain, Half Moon, Cobra, Bridge, and Fish.
* One OM card - Included for use before and/or after your session.

A 4-part fold-out accompanies the deck and serves as an introduction to yoga-including an explanation of how it works-as well as an instruction manual for getting the most out of the cards and exercises. Colored with tones of dark blue-green, gold, white, and a very pale shade of blue, the cards measure approximately 5.5 x 3.75 inches. The top comes off the sturdy box quite easily-providing easy access to the deck-and the box can stand upright.

Practical and instructional, The Yoga Deck is a great tool for Yoga enthusiasts, aiding in progressing along the path of well-being, emotional balance, and spiritual growth. Detailed instructions and pose illustrations allows even those new to Yoga to benefit from this ancient practice.

(To see 6 images from this deck, visit the Reviews--Decks section at JanetBoyer.com)

This is a great introduction to Yoga, and the deck format is a good approach for this subject. It easily allows you to pick and lay out a routine, or divide positions and meditations into sets. It's also ideal for travel and work with groups.

The graphics and instructions are clear and simple, but what I most enjoyed about this deck is that each card clearly labels the benefits of each position, as well as precautions to take for certain medical conditions. These features have not been as adequate, if present at all, in other volumes I have perused.

Overall, I'm very happy with this deck, and much more interested in Yoga than I was before I bought this.

I love this deck and since travelling is a big part of my life, it's perfect. Many cards can be used wherever you are, on a plane, in the office, at the beach, park, or in a car.

This deck is NOT one of the better ones out there. If you have any kind of medical/physical problem this deck of cards does not give you the necessary precautions. This deck does not replace a good teacher.

If your a beginner get the "KISS guide to yoga" book --it's very good at explaining things and DK publishers also have the illustrated Iyengar Yoga book ---which is an excellent choice because it will give you good sequencing of asanas and it covers all sorts of medical/physical problems and how to work with them.

If you are set on getting a deck --look into "Basic Yoga for Everybody" by Gertrud Hirschi, it's a better value.

These cards are very useful in my attempts to practice yoga as a novice. Having a visual aide that you can place at close range is something I appreciate as I work my way through the various poses. Since they are so compact I can take them to different locations, whether it be travel or outside on the deck.

i've been developing my practice of yoga for several years now. though i'm definitely still novice, i must say that, for someone who has done quite a few classes and tapes, these cards are a fabulous addition to my practice.

they really helped me to create my own series of postures that helped with my various moods/activity level. i'm not one for using their mantras, i like to make my own *and i sometimes found them a bit cheesy*. but they're wonderful for explaining postures and making your own practice.

I had trouble complying with a yoga practice using both dvd and books. I hated having to cue the dvd, and a lot of the books weren't spiral bound, so they wouldn't lay flat! Then this product came along... I LOVE this yoga deck! I am a beginner and I find it very self-explanatory. I think if you are someone who has some sort of physical limitations, you might want to start off with an instructor and bring the deck in to have them help you with modifications in your home practice. It is a stellar product and I now look forward to my practice.

I am currently in a 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training program and Olivier Miller's Yoga Deck and Yoga Deck II are fantastic resources for both students and teachers. With the deck you can very quickly pick out a yoga routine to meet the needs of your students or for yourself and vary the routine from day to day very easily to meet changing needs. Each asana is clearly explained and illustrated and the benefits derived from each posture is explained. There are even cards for pranyama (breathing exercises) and meditation. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND these products. By the way, you really don't need both decks if you are just beginning yoga. But I recommend both decks for those who are beginning teachers are more yoga practioners who may want to expand their practice.

This is truly a wonderful and unique product - with the deck I am finally able to incorporate yoga into my busy lifestyle. It is so easy to use and so accessible that I find myself using it any time I can spare a few minutes.