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5th out of 30 books
—
17 voters
The Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice
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...more
• 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...more
Paperback, 272 pages
Published
March 1st 1999
by Inner Traditions
(first published 1995)
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This book is a treatise on a lifetime of asana practice. Desikachar's approach to yoga is built on two sources: a.) Krishnamacharya, one of the great yogis of modern times and the author's father and b.) the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, a largely philosophical text from ancient India that includes commentary on asana practice in its discourse.
My interest in this book coincides with a personal revival of interest in yoga, and I can't imagine a better introduction to the philosophical and spiritual a...more
My interest in this book coincides with a personal revival of interest in yoga, and I can't imagine a better introduction to the philosophical and spiritual a...more
This is an excellent book on all aspects of yoga that is comprehensive without feeling tedious or too heavy. Written by T.K.V. Desikachar, the son of Krishnmacharya, it strikes a perfect tone where you feel like your teacher is beside you guiding you along your journey. Krishnamacharya is credited with spreading yoga to the west, as he taught yoga indiscriminately to both Indians and Westerners alike as well as women (small side note: How the Brahmin class for centuries could have thought that w...more
Jul 24, 2008
Chaundra
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Tracie Pope
Recommended to Chaundra by:
Rachel Hawes
Shelves:
that-shaped-me,
yoga
A great book to reflect over and provides some really wonderful insights into what is a very healing and balanced approach to yoga. You go through the whole thing thinking "This man speaks sense". I'm not sure I'm quite ready to incorporate all of it into my practice (and some of it I might never), but the parts that I have, have made a difference already. A great one for people looking to start to delve a bit deeper into a very authentic, yet adaptable philosophy of yoga.
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This is a wonderful resource for those interested in developing a personal Yoga practice with depth and meaning.
In addition to practical and expert advice about the asanas (postures) of Hatha Yoga, this book gives the reader a rich insight into the Yoga tradition in terms that are amenable to the minds of modern readers.
Additionally, this book is a loving tribute from a son T.V.K. Desikachar, to his father,
a true Yoga Master of the old school, Tirumalai Krishnamacharya (1888 to 1989)
who was...more
In addition to practical and expert advice about the asanas (postures) of Hatha Yoga, this book gives the reader a rich insight into the Yoga tradition in terms that are amenable to the minds of modern readers.
Additionally, this book is a loving tribute from a son T.V.K. Desikachar, to his father,
a true Yoga Master of the old school, Tirumalai Krishnamacharya (1888 to 1989)
who was...more
After reading so many books on yoga, this is probably the best that I have come across! I am extremely happy to have found and read this. I really believe that when you have a need, and articulate it, the right thing would come your way. Just like when it is said that the guru will appear when the student is ready, this book is most suited for me at this point of my practise.
I find TKV Deshikachar's approach is similar to many of my own personal beliefs when practising and teaching yoga, so I fi...more
I find TKV Deshikachar's approach is similar to many of my own personal beliefs when practising and teaching yoga, so I fi...more
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 consi...more
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 consi...more
This book is by the son of T. Krishnamacharya, the founder of modern yoga, teacher of B.K.S. Iyengar and K. Pattabhi Jois, who studied with him in their early years and later developed Iyengar and Ashtanga yoga, which have spread worldwide. Their fame has far outstripped their teacher, who was a modest man who never traveled abroad.
T.K.V. Desikachar lived and studied with this father all his life. Although he trained as an engineer, he now teaches the full spectrum of Krishnamacharya's yoga. Th...more
T.K.V. Desikachar lived and studied with this father all his life. Although he trained as an engineer, he now teaches the full spectrum of Krishnamacharya's yoga. Th...more
July 2009:
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, autob...more
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, autob...more
Jun 11, 2007
Angela Dawn
added it
This is a wonderful resource for those interested in developing a personal Yoga practice with depth and meaning.
in addition to practical and expert advice about the asanas(postures)of Hatha Yoga. This book gives the reader a rich insight into the Yoga tradition in terms that are amenable to the minds of modern readers.
Additionally, this book is a loving tribute from a son
T.V.K. Desikachar, to his father, a true Yoga Master of the old school, Tirumalai Krishnamacharya(1888 to 1989)
who was a lege...more
in addition to practical and expert advice about the asanas(postures)of Hatha Yoga. This book gives the reader a rich insight into the Yoga tradition in terms that are amenable to the minds of modern readers.
Additionally, this book is a loving tribute from a son
T.V.K. Desikachar, to his father, a true Yoga Master of the old school, Tirumalai Krishnamacharya(1888 to 1989)
who was a lege...more
The commentary on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali at the end of this book are amazing and the book is well worth the purchase just for that! According to B.K.S Iyengar "this is the foundation of the yogic life". This is what a practice is all about whether directly through heightened spiritual awareness goals or indirectly through the goals of physical fitness and postural re-alignment! Enjoy the blessings that are spiritual truths no matter what your youthful religious indoctrination was! Dive In
Desikachar is the son of a yoga "hero" - Kirshnamacharya. This book follows the son's interpretation of his father's philosphy. He does an excellent job of explaining difficult concepts; the chapter on meditation was incredibly interesting. I enjoyed how he explains the role of yoga for someone living in the modern world. At times this book was dense, but it is worth reading. The translation of the yoga sutras in the third part of the book and Krishnamacharya's poems are simply beautiful.
This is one of the best books on yoga available. Nothing substitutes for in-person instruction - so I now use it for reference. But if this books resonates with you - I recommend you go even further and find an instructor in the lineage and continue your studies.
By the way - the first time this book was recommended to me I couldn't get through it. A few years later I picked it up and couldn't put it down - and now use it as a reminder and reference to supplement my yoga studies.
By the way - the first time this book was recommended to me I couldn't get through it. A few years later I picked it up and couldn't put it down - and now use it as a reminder and reference to supplement my yoga studies.
If there is a book that encompasses what yoga is all about, this is it!! Down to Earth and easy to understand. I had this book on my shelf for a number of years and didn't pick it up because it didn't look appealing even though someone told me it was the best book on yoga. When I started my yoga teacher training this was one of the books we had to read to graduate. I'm so glad I was pushed to read it. I only wish I had read it sooner.
This is the ultimate text used in yoga education for instructors. The book ends with readings that require more than just showing up. Hard to ever master, it is the journey that requires not just comtemplation but the sharing, reconfiguring, ruminating, and then giving away once we have a glimmer of what the ideas about yoga mean to us and the questions that arise. I've read it and still cannot say for certain what it's about.
This book was recommended by a dear friend who owns a yoga studio since I was eager to learn more about the topic and develop my practice. Excellent writing and explanation of the asanas, mudras, and the fact that yoga is for everyone not just people who can bend like a pretzel. The inclusion of Patanjali's Yoga Sutra is a welcomed bonus and steeped in profound wisdom.
This book provided a clear and thoughtful explanation of the Yoga of Krishnamacharya. Simple presentations of both the philosophical and physical approach taken by the 'Teacher's Teacher'. A great read for someone looking to develop a yoga practice and a lovely addition to an already well-versed yogi. So happy I found this book. Many thanks to all my teachers.
This book changed my life in many ways. Part physical instruction, part spiritual instruction, and part history, Desikachar goes through the basics of everything you need to know about yoga in a comprehensive and readable way. I especially loved the copy of the Yoga Sutras at the back. I keep reading it over and over, and discovering new things every time.
In my opinion this is the best book on yoga EVER. It gives great remembrance to the legend and Desikacahar's father, T Krishnamacharya but it explains yoga inside and out on a level that anyone can connect with. I have read it now several times cover to cover and in terms of both being a teacher and student I am always referring to it.
Not the easiest read because there is a lot of information and a lot to take in, so it was best digested for me in small chunks over a period of time. A lot to reflect on. This is a great resource if you want to take your personal yoga practice to the next level and infuse it with depth and meaning.
Great book by Desikachar who was a student of Krishnamacharya a prominent yogi, scholar, and healer who is often referred to as "the father of yoga." Almost everyone who practices some form of Hatha yoga in the west owes debts to Krishnamacharya. Desikachar is one branch.
The title proves itself right: it's an excellent guide to the very heart of yoga from one of the most respected and renowned living teachers. Both comprehensive and detailed, it deals with the pillars of yoga practice. With hardly more than one year of regular practicing behind me, I found this book most useful in bringing my yoga to a new level. Endless thanks to all the teachers and the author. Namaste.
This book was assigned to me during my yoga teacher training in 2011. It does a great job of explaining some technical details of practice that I hadn't understood before. It's a great read for any student of yoga.
This is one of my all time favorite books on yoga written about the life and teaching of Sri T. Krishnamacharya, one of the fathers of western yoga and a primary guru of B.K.S. Iyengar. What I particularly love about this book is the complete picture of yoga that it gives as passed from father to son, master to disciple. It ties together the old world of yoga and the new yoga awareness emerging in the west and around the globe. While yoga must change and evolve to adapt to new cultures, there is...more
This book is a great overview on yoga. I would recommend it to anyone who is curious about the varied approaches of yoga as well as the many benefits of practicing yoga .
if you ever wanted to know anything about yoga, this book offers the clearest explanations to all aspects of it. It's great if you started up a practice and need to learn more.
Loved it. Glad I purchased it. I didn't really understand yoga before reading this book. I learned that yoga is way more than being a human pretzel. Yoga is a mind, body and spiritual practice. It is about experiencing clarity and peace within your moment to moment experiences. I highly recommend this book to anyone even remotely interested in yoga.
read for my O2 yoga teacher training.
really good book on many aspects of yoga, including asana and philosophy. it's accessible and will clearly reward repeated study. i can see how i'm reading this now through the lens of where i'm at in my life, and how on rereading it at a later time i will come to this text with entirely fresh eyes. glad to have read this & i will definitely be coming back to it often.
really good book on many aspects of yoga, including asana and philosophy. it's accessible and will clearly reward repeated study. i can see how i'm reading this now through the lens of where i'm at in my life, and how on rereading it at a later time i will come to this text with entirely fresh eyes. glad to have read this & i will definitely be coming back to it often.
Everything a practitioner needs to know about the principles of yoga and how it works. Simple and easy to read. A great basis to get you on your yoga journey.
Beautiful! A great comprehensive manual on yoga that is approachable and inspiring in its simplicity.
Aug 10, 2011
Leah
added it
Great introduction book to youga. A worthwhile read for anyone considering a certification in yoga.
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23. Januar, 05:39 Uhr