Publication Date:March 1, 1999 Shipping:Eligible for Super Saver Shipping Promotion:Save $5.00 when you spend $25.00 or more on Qualifying Items offered by Amazon.com. Enter code BMLSAVES at checkout.Terms and Conditions Availability:Usually ships in 24 hours
Product Description The first yoga text to outline a step-by-step sequence for developing a complete practice according to viniyoga--yoga adapted to the needs of the individual.
• A contemporary classic by a world-renowned teacher.
• This new edition adds thirty-two poems by Krishnamacharya that capture the essence of his teachings.
Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, who lived to be over 100 years old, was one of the greatest yogis of the modern era. Elements of Krishnamacharya's teaching have become well known around the world through the work of B. K. S. Iyengar, Pattabhi Jois, and Indra Devi, who all studied with Krishnamacharya. Krishnamacharya's son T. K. V. Desikachar lived and studied with his father all his life and now teaches the full spectrum of Krishnamacharya's yoga. Desikachar has based his method on Krishnamacharya's fundamental concept of viniyoga, which maintains that practices must be continually adapted to the individual's changing needs to achieve the maximum therapeutic value.
In The Heart of Yoga Desikachar offers a distillation of his father's system as well as his own practical approach, which he describes as "a program for the spine at every level--physical, mental, and spiritual." This is the first yoga text to outline a step-by-step sequence for developing a complete practice according to the age-old principles of yoga. Desikachar discusses all the elements of yoga--poses and counterposes, conscious breathing, meditation, and philosophy--and shows how the yoga student may develop a practice tailored to his or her current state of health, age, occupation, and lifestyle.
Interesting but not for BeginnersJune 10, 2008 We assign this book for our Advanced Yoga class. It is a great way to bridge physical activity with mental activity in the practices of yoga. I enjoyed this book, but it is not for beginners. I think some basic understanding of the practice is needed before reading this which is in more detail.
This is it!June 8, 2008 Being a yoga teacher, I am often asked if there were only 1 book on yoga that I could recommend, which would it be? The answer is The Heart of Yoga. There is no hidden agenda here. The essence of yoga from the heart of a yogi. My second choice would be Srivatsa Ramaswami's-- Yoga for the Three Stages of Life: Developing Your Practice As an Art Form, a Physical Therapy, and a Guiding Philosophy. Second only because it did not have a translation of the Yoga Sutras included, as does The Heart of Yoga.
Very Enlightening and InspiringApril 17, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I had to pick this book up for my yoga instructor certification course. Initially, I approached like I do all textbooks, with dread and out of necessity. I expected it to be WAY over my head, especially since I am relatively new to rigorous practice of yoga. However, Desikachar's writing style and tone make this book completely accessible. I have learned so much from this book and what I have found is that Desikachar's words are very easy to incorporate into my dharma talks and apply to my yoga practice. The book is very well organized and very well laid out with each section building on the previous section's information. There is even a Sanskrit pronunciation guide in the back of the book! In addition to that, Desikachar's gift is his ability to share his knowledge and his passion in a way that engenders hope and allows the readers to have faith in their abilities, at whatever level of their yoga practice. It's not so much that he tells you what to do and places an expectation on you to do it. No, it is more as if he shares what he knows and wants the reader to be able to experience the joy and the profound effects of yoga. I highly recommend this book to any level yogi who practices any style of yoga.
An Amazing ResourceJanuary 21, 2008 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I have used this book both a teacher and a student. I use this book for all our teacher training programs with huge success. This is a gem of a book. A necessary read for students and teacher's of Vinyasa. Having practiced at the KYM mandiram and having met Desikachar makes this book even more amazing as he is a living vibration of this book.
Good for understanding the origins and practice of Yoga.December 17, 2007 This book is interesting but is a somewhat detailed read. It teaches the background of yoga and ideas toward developing a personal plan toward practicing yoga.
