Customer Reviews

Yoga for Women at Midlife and Beyond

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As soon as I heard this book was available, I ordered a copy and read it. I loved the writing, the descriptions and explanations. The writer's voice is so clear and calming. Reading the book is like listening to a loving yoga teacher. I showed it to the Yoga for Wise Women class I teach and everyone commented how appealing the book was as well. This is an excellent book to guide women in mid-life and beyond in yoga practices that will support their health and well-being.

We all know that we've got to keep moving as we age or we'll freeze in place and crack when we go to stand up. Thanks for writing a book that helps me stay motivated and moving. Pamela D. Blair, Author, The Next Fifty Years: A Guide for Women at Midlife and Beyond

I recently purchased this book and I absolutely love it! I've been practicing yoga since the seventies, but what "worked" back then has not been working for me for quite a while. As we all know, things change a bit for women after we hit fifty and beyond. This practice is superb -- gentle, calming, relaxing yet invigorating, and I don't have to worry about injuring myself. Pat's voice throughout is encouraging and supportive. It is clear that she speaks with wisdom, knowledge, and caring, as well as many years of experience. The variety of routines is ideal and allows you to rotate them depending on your needs or how you feel on a particular day. There is also wonderful information about breathing, meditation, and yoga philosophy, if that interests you. I must add that the drawings in the book are superb. They are clear, uncluttered, and make the postures easy to follow. The artist did an excellent job. Also, Pat includes photos of a number of beautiful women elders, some even in their seventies and beyond, doing poses. What an inspiration! What a fabulous book!

What a relief that someone addressed the older woman when it comes to yoga. The photos show mature women, not the young lithe things featured in yoga magazines. And the New Mexico author is a mid-life woman herself who teaches yoga; and her style of writing is soft and gentle making this book a great home companion The book focuses on ten everyday practices from five to and ten-minute practices to sequences designed to calm, energize, reduce stress and induce more inner reflection. Shapiro even has a sequence for sitting in a chair if you can't stand and another for standing with a chair if you need help with balance. Nowhere is twisting into a pretzel to find nirvana advocated here. The book is basic, simple yoga. Throughout are detailed drawings that demonstrate the correct posture for the different poses.

First, I want to say that this book is friendly and extremely helpful for what it is. That said, I found it to be geared toward women who are much older, infirm, or, for some other reason, unable to perform some of the more rigorous postures and sequences (even at a slow pace) you might find in other practices or wish to include in your own.

I just turned 48 and -- not that I'm in a hurry -- was hoping to find guidelines for women in my age group for creating a somewhat gentler (than, say, formal Ashtanga practice) home practice that is still challenging but less likely to cause injury. I'm still looking for that because most "sequence" recommendation books provide mix 'n' match pose/flow sequences rather than explaining the principles for creating your own. So far, the references I've found to be helpful are:

"The Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice" by T.K.V. Desikachar
"Yoga for Body, Breath, and Mind: A Guide to Personal Reintegration" by A.G. Mohan
"Yoga Mind, Body, and Spirit" by Donna Farhi
"Teaching Yoga: Essential Foundations and Techniques" by Mark Stephens

The last reference has an entire chapter on sequencing, including information and examples for practicing when injured or with specific disabilities, plus chapters on breathing, meditation, and the history/philosophy of yoga -- without excluding any particular "style" or "school." Donna Farhi's excellent work includes an appendix that discusses sequencing in detail. Books such as "Every Woman's Yoga: How to Incorporate Strength, Flexibility, and Balance into Your Life" by Jaime Stover Schmitt may also be helpful, but I haven't gotten through that one yet.

Also, practicing on my own better allows me to proceed at my own pace with my breath rather than rush, which seems to be how I tend to hurt myself.

I hope that by the time I am unable to do a more rigorous practice that I'll be able to create my own more gentle one that is still challenging at any given time in my life.

For now, though, this book isn't what I needed. But if you're older and just starting an exercise program, "Yoga for Women at Midlife and Beyond" is wonderful.

I've been doing yoga for over 30 years and have read a lot of yoga books. This is the first book I've found that really speaks to me as a woman in her early 60s. The author's voice is warm and inviting, the illustrations are easy to follow, and I feel so relaxed and clear after I do one of the recommended practices. Lorraine Schechter, author of "The Seasons of Yes: Poems and Images"