Essential Yoga: An Illustrated Guide to Over 100 Yoga Poses and Meditations (Paperback)

by Olivia H. Miller (Author), Nicole Kauffman (Illustrations) (Illustrator) "This chapter focuses on breath expansion and control, known as pranayama..." (more)
Key Phrases: suit your comfort level, sure your chin, engage your abdominal muscles, Knee Hug, Downward Dog, Yoga Mudra (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
One of the simplest yet most comprehensive yoga books to be published in recent memory, Miller's work could become a classic. Using elegant, gentle prose and graceful line drawings to illustrate poses, the book serves as an excellent introduction for those unfamiliar with or just getting used to breathing in downward facing dog position. Miller, who has been practicing yoga for over 25 years and [has written] for Yoga Journal and other publications, takes a three-pronged approach to teaching yoga, focusing on the equally important components of breathing, poses and meditation. She doesn't spend much time on the history and origins of yoga, and quickly moves to technique. Focusing on hatha yoga, Miller teaches readers breathing exercises and how to warm up, and then proceeds to standing, seated, prone, supine and inverted poses. Subsequent chapters share suggested meditations and suggested flow series. The latter section lays out routines practitioners can follow (among them, the popular sun salutation and camel vinyasa), as well as series of poses that Miller devised [with yoga teacher Paul Howard] that target specific conditions (including ones for anxiety and tension relief, cold prevention and improving circulation) and sports (e.g., running, swimming, tennis and rowing). By giving variations for each pose, Miller makes her book appropriate for all levels, although the positive and upbeat tone will especially comfort beginners struggling with the challenging pigeon or full shoulder-stand positions.
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Product Description
From the author of the best-selling Yoga Deck comes Essential Yoga -- the only hatha yoga book to offer this many poses (over 100), this many illustrations (over 180), and this many suggested sequences (over 50). Practical and interactive, it focuses on the poses themselves, providing clear, concise instructions and detailed illustrations for each, all in a lay-flat format that's easy to refer to during yoga practice. It also includes six classic moving meditations (such as Sun Salutation and Camel Vinyasa), 10 beginner-to-advanced sessions, and 48 mini-sequences designed to build strength for specific activities or alleviate health problems. Essential Yoga combines physical poses (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayamas), and meditations (dhyanas) into a simple and complete reference guide for yoga practitioners of all levels. Along the way, author Olivia Miller provides guidance on proper technique and alignment; modifications for beginners or those with knee, neck, or back pain; suggestions for preventing injury; and ways to keep a regular practice interesting and active. For beginners as much as experts looking for one complete book that has it all, Essential Yoga is it.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (April 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811841154
• ISBN-13: 978-0811841153
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #58,697 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent guide to Hatha Yoga, May 23, 2004

By	G. Brazitis (On the move, again....) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Essential Yoga is an excellent guide to the novice student looking to expand their yoga practice. This book covers the Pranayama (Breathing Ch.1), Asanas (Warm ups Ch.2 Poses Ch.3), Dhyana (Meditations Ch.4) and Vinyasas (Flowing Poses Ch. 5) as well as Recommend Sequences (Ch. 6 & 7). It omits other stages of yoga such as Yamas and Niyamas, Pratyahara, Dharana, and Samadhi which would give the beginner a fuller picture of yoga. However, the authors state this book is for "someone who wants to do yoga and not just read about it".

Overall, I really enjoyed the graphics, general appearance, and construction of the book. This one seems to be well built in its lay-flat format which is good when you find yourself on the mat. The choice of yellow header may be hard for some readers since it does not reflect strongly against the white pages. The red text and graphics do appear well but the text might be small for some readers.

There are some very good breathing exercises (Ch.1) for more advance students of yoga. Usually, advance techniques like these are introduced to the novice student after becoming well versed in poses and basic breathing techniques.

The Asanas (Ch.2 & 3) have nice graphics of the postures with modifications. I liked the Sanskrit Names under the English Names of the poses. The benefits of each pose are presented in the beginning but no warnings which should have been included. The descriptions for getting into the posture are minimal which is nice since you want the basics to spend more time doing them, which is fine for the more advance yoga practioner but beginners might feel somewhat lost.

The Meditations (Ch. 4) were wonderful. The explanations were fantastic and the descriptions were very solid. It really allows the reader to visualize and affirm the thoughts during the meditation. I really enjoyed them.

The Vinyasas (Ch. 5) are described very well and the artwork was clean and crisp. It is nice to see a yoga book include more than the basic Sun Salutation. However, the poses didn't have their page numbers next to them to help the user reference them which seems odd because later in the book they are there for the Chapters Yoga Sessions and Recommended Sequences. No big deal, but the omissions itself is quirky.

The Yoga Sessions and Recommended Sequences (Ch. 6 & 7) are basically designed for students that allow them to work on specific conditions, goals, such as athletic improvements or time constraints. The poses do have corresponding page numbers for quick reference if you are rusty on certain poses. Beginners might be discouraged by this since they would be flipping back and forth too many times.

Beginners should always find a good teacher to start learning yoga. This allows the teacher to answer questions and make adjustments for them to get the maximum benefit from their yoga practice, then progress to books, videos, and retreats as ways to supplement their yoga practice.

Bottom line, this book would make a nice addition to your yoga library and give you some nice inspiration to help expand your yoga practice.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT for EVERYONE!, August 18, 2005

By	Sirena - See all my reviews

This is the GREATEST yoga book!!! I wouldn't buy another. I'm a beginner and the illustrations (TONS!) are amazing. The book also gives you explanations on all positions and groups the exercises for the area that you want to focus on. The sessions range from 20 minutes to 1 1/2 hours!!!! EXCELLENT BUY!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, November 22, 2004

By	jw (pgh, pa) - See all my reviews

I tried a lot of other yoga books but this one seems the most informative and flexible... The many routines presented in the back of the book are varied and easy to follow, duration anywhere from 20min to 2 hours, thumbnail pictures means no flipping once you do the routine the whole way through. "Lie flat spine" actually does lie flat, to my suprise. Directions are clear and concise. It's no substitute for a teacher, but it makes my home practice MUCH easier and helps give me direction. And there's room for me to grow. I think someone else mentioned the yellow headers didn't contrast very well, the brown text doesn't contrast well in dim light, but that's all there is to complain about. Seriously, an excellent book.