Yoga for Dummies proves that this 5,000-year-old Indian discipline can be all things to all people--the athlete striving for more-limber limbs, the stressed-out professional needing mental calm, peace, and clarity; the pregnant mom-to-be looking to keep herself toned and her emotions balanced, the spiritual seeker wanting to access the higher planes of consciousness.

Georg Feuerstein, Ph.D., and Larry Payne, Ph.D., are internationally recognized yoga experts. After explaining how to prepare your body and mind for yoga--including warnings about how to practice safely--they jump straight into the postures (asanas), instructions for which make up the meat of book (relaxation, breathing, movement, sequencing, compensation, sitting). Feuerstein and Payne carefully and in great detail lead the reader through every step, although they do advise first-timers to supplement the book with actual classes until they have the basics down. Throughout the book, clear explanations accompany black-and-white photos and drawings. (Unfortunately, following the written instructions is hard enough when your feet are in the air or your head's down by your ankles, and the book would have been improved if the pictures always appeared on the same page as their instructions.)

Readers then learn about tailoring a yoga program to their needs; using props; practicing "Yoga Throughout the Day"; incorporating yoga into sex, meditation, menopause, and pregnancy; using yoga to treat back problems and PMS; and practicing yoga with kids. The book also covers yogic ethics, philosophy, and resources. It's not all asanas and pranas, though--Yoga for Dummies is sprinkled with the humor characteristic of the For Dummies series (a section explaining that the ego is the ultimate source of stress is titled "Wherever ego, I go") and practical advice (the Forgiving Limbs maneuver allows you to bend your legs and arms a bit rather than try to fully extend them, so that you can perform postures you're not yet quite limber enough for). This is both an excellent beginner's guide and a good reference for more advanced yoginis who want a brush-up course. --Stefanie Durbin


Book Description
Yoga is not a fad. It has been around in the United States for over a hundred years and has a history of approximately five millennia. It is clearly here to stay. Yoga has brought health and peace of mind to millions of people. It can do the same for you.

The benefits of Yoga are many. When adopted as a lifestyle, Yoga extends over the entire day. Find out how this can be done and why Yoga is so often loved by people who are Interested in becoming more fit and flexible Looking for stress relief Seeking to live a more peaceful and joyful life

Yoga For Dummies guides you slowly, step by step, into the treasure house of Yoga. And it is a fabulous treasure house! You will find out how to unlock your body's extraordinary potential and enlist your mind to do so, and in the process strengthen your mind as well. This book covers the following topics and more: Five basic approaches to Yoga Selecting a Yoga class Practicing Yoga safely The mechanics of Yogic breathing Classic foundational postures Exercises to target problem areas Putting together your personal routine Yoga for special situations

The focus on this book is on Hatha (pronounced haht-ha) Yoga, which is that branch of Yoga that works primarily with the body through postures, breathing exercises, and other similar techniques. When necessary, the book provides helpful photos or illustrations to help you better understand the exercises or postures.

One author (Georg Feuerstein) is internationally recognized as a leading expert on the Yoga tradition and has authored many seminal works on it. The other author (Larry Payne) has a thriving practice as a Yoga teacher in Los Angeles, where he teaches and responds to his clients' specific health challenges. In this book, their combined 55 years of experience have merged to create a reliable and user-friendly introductory book that can also serve you as a beginner's reference work on an ongoing basis.


From the Back Cover
Includes tips to get great abs and ease back pain Exercise your mind and body the fun and easy way® Just breathe! Release tension, lose the stress, and get in shape with this friendly guide, which comes packed with step-by-step instructions, pictures, and tips to help you create your own personal YOGA program. So discover how to tap the ancient power of YOGA – and start strengthening your body and mind today! Praise for Yoga For Dummies "Larry Payne is a gifted YOGA teacher." – Michael Keaton, actor "Yoga For Dummies is an invaluable tool in my practice. My patients swear by it." – Dr. Leroy Perry, five-time Olympic sports chiropractor "[Dr. Georg Feuerstein] is the leading authority on Yoga today. Yoga can be transformative. To learn how, read this book!" – Larry Dossey, bestselling author of Healing Words Discover how to: Create harmony between work and play Change habits that promote stress Pick the right clothes, props, and place Combat PMS and menopause or enhance your pregnancy Warm up with the right moves


About the Author
Georg Feuerstein, PhD, is an award-winning YOGA author and founder-director of the YOGA Research Center in Northern California. Back specialist and YOGA teacher Larry Payne, PhD, cofounded UCLA Medical School’s YOGA curriculum.

ANNOTATION

"...easy and effective Yoga techniques...provides advice on how to design and follow a personal Yoga program for regular, everyday use as well as for unusual and stressful situations."

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Once considered the exclusive domain of Eastern mystics, Yoga is, in reality, a practical mind and body discipline that can enrich the lives of everyone - physically and spiritually. Today, Yoga is employed by atheletes in training, recovering heart patients, chronic back pain sufferers' and new mothers, before and after delivery. In Yoga For Dummies, George Feuerstein and Larry Payne draw on their comprehensive, expert knowledge of Yoga to demonstrate, in simple and plain language, that anyone can use Yoga for improved health and greater peace of mind.