|
|
| Hullo peeps, I've just received a gift certificate to my online bookstore of choice, and so I have money to spend on yoga books! I was wondering what you all think about Yoga Mala? Is it a must have for the ashtanga practitioner? Did you find that it added to your study of the primary series even if you did that under tutelage from a good teacher?
I already have Light on Yoga, so I am interested to know if the asana descriptions are significantly different as they are presented in Yoga Mala... If we are to take an example in order to compare, let's try adho mukha svanasana. I was disappointed with the lack of detail offered in LOY about this pose. In summary, it says to place the hands by the sides of the chest, fingers straight and forwards, press the trunk off the floor, straighten the arms, move the head towards the feet, straighten the legs and press the heel down, and rest the heels and soles of the feet completely on the ground. Which to me amounts to simply stating the obvious. Anyone who has watched any old video attentively could have provided this exact same description. Meanwhile, I know from the gazillion adjustments I get in this particular pose that there is much more that needs to be done than what is described above... So can I expect the Yoga Mala to provide more information with regards to the "micro-details" (of macro importance!) relating to this and other asanas?
And if there isn't much more info in Yoga Mala about alignment in asanas, what are its other selling points? I think there is a copy of this book at my shala, so I'll check it out on Sunday when I don't have to rush back to my car (darn parking meters, GRRR!) but I would still appreciate your point of view.
sp
PS: I'm considering purchasing Light on Life and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali as well. I think that otherwise, with Light on Yoga and Anatomy of Hatha Yoga, my library on asanas is large enough for the moment. I need to tend to the other limbs instead, methinks. |
|
| |
|
| sp,
I got a copy of Yoga Mala for Christmas. It's interesting as a source, especially for his ideas on which poses are good for which ailments, but I wouldn't buy it for his descriptions of asanas. It's all a bit light on detail and there's quite a lot of referring to previous vinyasas/asanas to keep it short eg:"the vinyasas that follow have been specified earlier".
There are strange omissions too, no pavritta trikonasana or parshvakonasana or backbends.
Can anyone explain why he recommends taking in much milk and clarified butter? I've been trying to cut down on saturated fats!
Ian |
|
| |
|
| You won't get micro-details in Yoga Mala. You'll also see a picture of down dog with a rounded lower back, which most people around this forum would say is inappropriate. (I asked about this in your "man bites dog" thread.)
I enjoy yoga books, and I read Yoga Mala, but opted not to buy it at this time. It was good to read as it is by ashtanga yoga's founding father. But if you're interested in asana detail and alignment principles etc. as it applies to asthanga yoga, you might consider Ashtanga Yoga by Gregor Maehle. He goes into detail on the practice as it applies to asana, and also devotes a lot of attention to philosophy by expounding upon the Yoga Sutra. I haven't spent much time with the philosophy part of the book yet (it does comprise quite a bit of the content!) but I learn something new every time I open the book and try to apply it in my practice. I bought it via ashtanga.com.
The author's site includes a sample excerpt, which can be found here:
http://www.ashtangayogabooks.com/ashtanga_yoga_practice_philosophy/ashtanga-yoga-book.php
--Jason |
|
| |
|
| So if I do not have any Ashtanga books, would the one by Gregor Maehle be a good one for a beginner whos starting Mysore practice? thanks |
|
| |
|
| Not read Gregor's book, I'd recommend David Swenson for a starter, or Michela Clarke's book,
Ian |
|
| |
|
| I would also recommend David Swenson's "Practice Manual."
--Jason |
|
| |
|
| Ignatz, I have David Swenson's dvd and it is very good for beginner's. At least it was and is for me. I didn't get the practice manual, but wanted too.
Slowpie,
wait a sec while I go get my books  I also have LOY, I do intend to get LOL later on. My book order was quite huge and I went for well rounded to see what was out there. I have the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Satchidananda. I haven't started reading it yet, but liked what I little I did read.
What other limbs where you looking into? Are you wanting books for inspiration or guidance? I got a little of everything, probably too much. But I am pleased with what was recommended here.
|
|
| |
|
| Other limbs?
Well, yamas and niyamas in terms of stuff I'd like to read about and for which I am considering Light on Life and the Sutras of Patanjali. I am superficially working on these on a day to day basis, trying to think about how they apply to situations I encounter, but I'd like a bit more stuff to read so that I can broaden my way of thinking about these things and better understand the yogic philosophy. I intend to read more and keep thinking about the yamas and niyamas, then eventually write a sort of essay about each to force myself to think about it more deeply. Perhaps I'll post the results here when I write them.
And pranayama and dhyana (meditation), together and separately I guess. I don't think I need any more book resources for this now, as I'm talking about practicing very basic breathing techniques for the moment, none of the more advanced and potentially dangerous breath control techniques. I'm not prepared for that yet, and I figure that when I feel ready to learn, I should seek out a teacher to instruct me properly anyways. I am not sure, but I imagine that as my practice progresses, pratyahara and dharana, and if I'm lucky samadhi, will start to make sense to me and come become a natural part of my practice. When that time comes, I will focus on those limbs specifically. But I think I have a long ways to go with the first 4 limbs before I reach that point.
sp |
|
| |
|
| I am currently reading Donna Farhi's Bringing Yoga to Life. It has helped alot. She gives a lot of good examples of every day situations that you can apply a new way of thinking to. She references the Sutras and other teachers. I bought a lot of books at once and flipped through them until I decided where to start. I am glad I picked this one. I plan on reading The Living Gita next. Then the Sutras. Everyone kept recommending the Sutras for me, but I didn't understand what they were. I bought it on faith that so far everyone here has been a big help. I was surprised when I got it, I think I was expecting the Sutras to be a very serious toned set of rules.
But I posted a question about correcting people yesterday, then shortly after that I read in Farhi's book about how the Bible says to love our neighbors and our enemies. And someone else added in that these general are the same people. That someone who is our friend today might be a jerk tomorrow. To let it go, they might be having a bad day, and that on day 3 they will probably realize they are wrong and apologize. I read this right after a fight with bf. I stormed off, opened my book, read that and decided to try and see what happened if I let it go. I went back upstairs and forced myself to stop being mad. This morning disaster hit and he got upset over something and I was trying to be positive and said it was not the end of the world. He snapped and said we're ruined we are going to lose our house we're never going to get out of this debt, and I calmly said it will be ok that we had pepole that would help us out and even if a check bounces the bank isn't going to destroy us, then walked away. A little while later, he came up and apologized to me for over reacting. This was crazy, I am always the one that over reacts and he's always the one that is calm. I don't think he's ever apologized before either, even when he was wrong. |
|
| |
|
| I just got my David Swenson practice manual. I'll be able to take notes before I go to Mysore class. That way I won't sit there looking lost all the time! Thanks for the book advice. |
|
| |
Yoga Mala
