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justinecass's review
informative
slow-paced
4.0
This book pulled a lot of what I learned in my YTT into a single text. This is a very long and dense read but very helpful to continue to reference in the future. Recommend for instructors or those wanting to deepen their personal practice.
abbythompson's review
4.0
July 2009:
Namaste Book Club first book club pick.
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Review for Yoga Teacher Training December 2008:
Another really interesting perspective on the spirituality and practice of yoga. TKV Desikachar is the son of Krishnamacharya, yogi, teacher, scholar, doctor, and much more. Krishnamacharya is a rock star in the yoga world for all he has accomplished in bringing yogic principles to a broad audience. This book combines biography, autobiography, discussion on Indian spirituality and religious principles as related to yoga, discussion of asanas and pranayama, and a translation of the Yoga Sutras with the original text translated and then a narrative putting it into larger context.
This is a tough book to read all the way through because it is so dense. The material is much more easily understood if read in parts and in conjunction with other texts. I know I'll be returning to this book again and again through the training process and as a teacher of yoga.
Highly recommended for more advanced study/extended interpretation of the spirituality, history and practice of yoga.
Namaste Book Club first book club pick.
********************************************************************
Review for Yoga Teacher Training December 2008:
Another really interesting perspective on the spirituality and practice of yoga. TKV Desikachar is the son of Krishnamacharya, yogi, teacher, scholar, doctor, and much more. Krishnamacharya is a rock star in the yoga world for all he has accomplished in bringing yogic principles to a broad audience. This book combines biography, autobiography, discussion on Indian spirituality and religious principles as related to yoga, discussion of asanas and pranayama, and a translation of the Yoga Sutras with the original text translated and then a narrative putting it into larger context.
This is a tough book to read all the way through because it is so dense. The material is much more easily understood if read in parts and in conjunction with other texts. I know I'll be returning to this book again and again through the training process and as a teacher of yoga.
Highly recommended for more advanced study/extended interpretation of the spirituality, history and practice of yoga.
bookbuyingaddict's review
5.0
A fantastic insight into yoga 🧘♀️ no matter what your level and an absolute must for developing your own practise doing what feels right for your body . 10/5 💖💗🙏🏻🕉
jim_donovan's review
5.0
T.K.V. Desikachar is the son of a guru Sri T. Krishnamacharya -- so, he grew up with yoga ever present in his life. His perspective, explained so a westerner can understand (or at least hear it and try to understand) is very helpful.
To learn yoga, and I mean more than just learning a lot of yoga poses, will be easier with this sort of basic and practical insight into the history of the traditions from India. It is curious that the early yogi experts were all men -- that women were not even considered as a part of any practices. It is also interesting that the study was a very personal and often one-on-one with a guru. Not much like it is taught today, at least here in the west.
The book was a part of teacher training for leading yoga practice -- the first couple of chapters give great perspective for the undertaking that's ahead. I'd suggest this guide, over any other yoga writing to help you get serious about a yoga practice especially if you want to understand ~more than just poses~ in your practice.
To learn yoga, and I mean more than just learning a lot of yoga poses, will be easier with this sort of basic and practical insight into the history of the traditions from India. It is curious that the early yogi experts were all men -- that women were not even considered as a part of any practices. It is also interesting that the study was a very personal and often one-on-one with a guru. Not much like it is taught today, at least here in the west.
The book was a part of teacher training for leading yoga practice -- the first couple of chapters give great perspective for the undertaking that's ahead. I'd suggest this guide, over any other yoga writing to help you get serious about a yoga practice especially if you want to understand ~more than just poses~ in your practice.
marcelina's review
4.0
Buyer beware: this book's the size of a textbook.
Great read! As a yogi that went into the practice not knowing the technicality of things such as the breath and so forth, this book really went in depth to make sure beginners, and even experts, understood the importance of such things.
Photos and drawings were helpful along the way and this book really does what it says, helps you develop a personal practice. Read it for a yoga book club so most of it felt a little repetitive since we all take the same class, but nonetheless it wasn't a bad read!
Highly recommend if you're starting to practice yoga.
Great read! As a yogi that went into the practice not knowing the technicality of things such as the breath and so forth, this book really went in depth to make sure beginners, and even experts, understood the importance of such things.
Photos and drawings were helpful along the way and this book really does what it says, helps you develop a personal practice. Read it for a yoga book club so most of it felt a little repetitive since we all take the same class, but nonetheless it wasn't a bad read!
Highly recommend if you're starting to practice yoga.
olivia_piepmeier's review
4.0
This was one of those books that even though it was an enjoyable and enlightening read, I am so glad to be done with it. I read it for a yoga training workshop so it felt like homework but not in an entirely terrible way. Before reading this, I knew nothing about the 8 limbs of yoga other than asanas (the poses). I like Desikachar's voice and how he explains things. These are not easy topics to explain, so kudos to him. The part that took me the longest was the Yoga Sutras. It's like reading the Bible but not because it's not a bunch of peoples names and lineages. I see the value in including it, but by the time I got to it I was ready for it to be over.
I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in taking their yoga practice deeper than just the asanas. The workshop that required it was a kind of pre-teacher training, but you don't have to want to teach to be able to value this.
I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in taking their yoga practice deeper than just the asanas. The workshop that required it was a kind of pre-teacher training, but you don't have to want to teach to be able to value this.
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