Customer Reviews

Yoga for Wellness: Healing with the Timeless Teachings of Viniyoga

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I was fortunate to obtain an advance copy of this book at the recent SouthWest Yoga Conference. Over 100 copies sold out in 3 days. No wonder, for in a crowded field, this is a landmark book. Not only yoga therapy, but also for yoga practice in general. Based upon deep understanding of the principles of movement, breath and adaptation, many principles and illustrative examples of therapeutic yoga applications are presented for common aches and pains, chronic disease and emotional health. These sections are preceeded by short, relevant discussions of the anatomy and physiology involved. It is worthwhile to stress that the therapeutic applications are not isolated or stand alone examples but rather logically derive from the Viniyoga principles which are clearly, if succinctly presented in the first two chapters; Principles of Practice and Biomechanics of Movement. These explanations alone may be worth the price of the book for serious yoga students, for the Viniyoga principles are somewhat revolutionary from the perspective of many contemporary yoga practices in America. Yet, when well presented, they are eye opening, intuitive and persuasive, as I am sure many attendees of Gary's popular lecture "Reading the Body for Yoga Therapy" will attest.

The breadth and depth of information in this book will appeal to everyone from the beginning student to the most advanced practioner. It is a book that will be a reference for a lifetime of work in yoga. The photographs and sequences will change the way people think and practice, being a model for all different levels of practioners. I am most grateful to Gary Kraftsow for writing this book and putting down on paper his vast experience in this rich tradition we call Viniyoga.

I like this book. I've been trying to get back into my practice for the last couple of years, after a number of orthopedic rehabs. I haven't been too successful; most books are awfully rigid about the "right" way to do the postures.

Then I got my hands on this book. There are still a few postures I can't do, and shouldn't do, and will never be able to do. For the rest, Mr. Kraftsow shows adaptations that are allowing me to ease back into my practice, and feel like I'm doing myself some good. If you've looked everywhere else, try this.

I do have a problem with this book, though. It's not for beginners. It does give decent descriptions of what you should be doing at each stage of a posture, and how each stage should feel, but it doesn't give those things with the descriptions of each series of postures. I think that's a big drawback; you're not going to follow one of his practices and keep flipping backward to find out how exactly to do it. On the other hand, if you're not a beginner, this may be as good a book for you as I'm finding it is for me.

As a yoga instructor, I use many yoga books for reference. After taking a workshop with Kraftsow, I bought this book and have not been disappointed. I find that I refer to this book over and over again, even over my Iyengar books.

Kraftsow's advice on modifying asanas for health reasons or physical limitations is right-on. Too many yoga classes nowadays are seen purely as another type of aerobics class with no value placed on "honoring the body". In my opinion, too many yoga teachers nowadays are approaching asanas from the "one size fits all" perspective, without taking into account an individual's capabilities or limitations.

I believe that Kraftsow's advice and the photos on how to modify asanas to prevent or help injuries is invaluable. This book should be required reading in every yoga teacher training class.

While OTHER how-to yoga publications or videos present an overwhelming (for me) amount of information in limited [beginner, intermediate, advanced]or unrealistic ways [20 poses in illogical sequences, with no indication of how they're affecting one's body], Kraftow here provides intelligent, logically organized and physically manageable information. He includes photos of most of the full sequences as well as what the poses look like when done inattentively [increasing the potential for injury]. Along with these, details on how to use each posture for individual comfort and maximum benefit are listed. I like the fact that the asanas are grouped by the major movement emphasized (forward bends, backward bends, twists, lateral bends), which provides a variety of options for daily/weekly practice; also, the sequences make sense and provide enough of a workout without exhausting the practitioner. I especially appreciate the inclusion of recommended sequences for particular ailments, both physical and psychological.

I have two criticisms: the first is that the directive captions (inhale, exhale, # of reps, etc.) for the photos have been put in confusing locations and are not large enough to be viewed clearly during practice. I've gone through all the illustrations whiting out (corrective tape is most efficient)the existing captions, printing clearly the directions in the spots where they are most easily seen, and adding more arrows or lines of demarcation so that I have a visual aid to grouping the sequences as intended. It has been worth the effort!

Second criticism: Kraftow urges the reader to use the book as a supplement to supervised practice, but of the yoga practitioners in my area, the ones I'm aware of teach Kripalu or Iyengar-style. I've sent one e-mail to Kraftow's address about this, but have not yet received a response.

This book has almost a "stream of consciousness" presentation style. It is difficult to just dip into to get the information you want. However, it is rich in information about how to adapt postures for various body structural problems and has a good section on postures for various problems, including structural problems and as chronic diseases. Mikunda Stiles book "Structural Yoga Therapy" does not cover chronic diseases, but it does a better, more organized presentation of yoga for structual problems than this book does. I bought this book, and I'm glad to have it, but for me it will be a supplement to the Stiles book.

This book is a must for any Yoga instructor. One of the reasons people begin learning Yoga is because they have back pain, knee pain, or some physical injury and have not found relief through other methods. "Yoga for Wellness" addresses many of the more common "aches and pains" as well as chronic illness and stress related problems. If you are a Yoga instructor, this book will help you help your students.

This book kept me from having surgery. I tore 2 knee ligaments skiing. I'm not into surgery, so I did the knee yoga practice from this book for a few weeks; then had an MRI. The ligaments were completely torn but my knee was functional and didn't hurt. The orthopedic doctor was so impressed...he said he had never seen a torn knee that was so functional before. He sent me to PT for a few more weeks, and I was fine.
I've also used the practices in the book for different digestive disorders & I've had great results.
The back of the book is more about healing conditions, the front is more about moving in different directions.

I purchased this book because it seemed to contain information similar to another yoga manual, The Anatomy of Hatha Yoga, but with the information presented in a more down-to-earth, less scientific manner (The Anatomy of Hatha Yoga is excellent, just a bit above my head!). This book is neither strictly a reference tool nor a specific practice guide, yet author Kraftsow touches on both of these areas. He presents information mainly in the form of vignettes describing past clients with whom he has worked. After providing an overview of the anatomical issues involved in various types of posture groups, Kraftsow goes into therapeutic applications of yoga, covering complaints ranging from common aches and pains to physical diseases to emotional issues. He stresses the importance of customizing the prescribed yoga routine to each individual, but the wealth of information provided offers plenty of guidelines to allow readers to develop their own specialized practices. This book would also be very useful for yoga teachers looking for assistance in providing their students with individualized guidance, particularly with respect to wellness issues. Highly recommended work to anyone looking to enhance health and wellness through yoga.

I've purchased many copies of this book for friends who are involved with healing. It provides the yoga poses and complete yoga sequences for each needed type of healing. Presentation is clear and complete. And, even better, there is an excellent index.