A Woman's Book of Yoga: Embracing Our Natural Life Cycles

by Machelle M. Seibel, Hari Kaur Khalsa, Yogi Bhajan (Foreword)

Interest in yoga is at an all-time high, especially among women. Whether readers wish to begin the practice or are already involved in yoga, this innovative book will help them understand the unique benefits yoga provides for a woman's health and mental well-being.

The authors lead women of all ages through the health and life cycles specific to females by illustrating the spiritual and physical advantages of Kundalini yoga, as taught by yoga master Yogi Bhajan. Hari Khalsa applies ancient wisdom to explain how to determine and enhance one's own special relationship with the mind, body, and soul. Using his expertise on women's health issues, Dr. Siebel reveals the scientific basis for yoga's positive effects on the brain. Together, Dr. Siebel and Hari Khalsa create a dialogue of spiritualism and science, elucidating how every woman can reap the rewards of yoga for a lifetime.

Genres: Nonfiction, Spirituality

288 pages, Paperback

First published November 11, 2002

Reviews

[Fjola · Rating 5 out of 5]

As far as books about Kundalini Yoga go, this one is my favorite so far! It's a nice mix of information and postures & kriyas. It goes a little deeper into the spirituality of yoga than most yoga books I've read so far but also has excellent physical information. The play between the two authors, a medical doctor and a Kundalini Yoga teacher, is a great balance. It goes into each stage in a woman's life, but each chapter has information that is relevant to women of all ages. Easy to read, easy to understand, and accessible. Great for beginners and for beginner-minds! Wahe guru!

[Arlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great information, not just on asanas, but meditations, mantras, diet, self-help...

[Cherie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read too many yoga books lately! Nothing stuck out for me, but it's a good book anyway.

[Zsaffryn Terra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I particularly enjoyed the view this novel had on aging. In a culture that hides and resists the natural life cycle, it is empowering to see a different perspective on beauty and what it means to be a woman, not a doll.

This wonderful yoga book is filled with wisdom, mantras, meditations, recipes, and more. I did not give it five stars because there is a small gap in medical knowledge since its print date. The specific example I have in mind is the mention that there isn’t any scientific evidence to back up fasting as a healthy choice.

That is not true.

Fasting’s healing properties play too massive a role in my hormonal health as a woman to overlook that statement in my rating.

Please see “Fast Like a Girl” by Dr. Mindy Pelz if you are searching for help in your own life; and do not hesitate to reach out. 💜

[Em · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kundalini. Not my cup of tea/chai.

[Lundy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seibel MD and Hari Kaur Khalsa blend east/west to yield wisdom and sacredness seamlessly. Written in 2002, an essential in any collection of health resources.

Will recommend to my clients.

[M. Jane Colette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hari Kaur Khalsa's second book A Woman's Book of Meditation was the book that, effectively, convinced me to give Kundalini yoga a prolonged try; this book, which I read next, helped me figure out how to ease into the practice and then how to continue to develop it at home.

I don't think it replaces a qualified teacher... but in tandem with one, it is excellent. It's written very clearly, and while the authors have not convinced me that I ought to start the day with a cold shower (there is a chapter just on that) or to only have sex once a month (yup, that's a yogic prescription), they come across as both knowledgeable and empathetic, and the resulting book is a very practical approach on what/why yoga and meditation work, and how to start implementing the practice in your life.

I'd highly recommend this book for someone who's... specifically interested in Kundalini (or yin or laya) yoga, or for someone who's very open-minded about what it is they wanted from their yoga / exercise / mindfulness practice.

Oh, the menstruation kriya and the PMS kriya? They are miraculous. Like... one cured my three-days before back pain, and the other, along with the mood balancing meditation, I'm pretty sure is having an impact on my overall emotional health.

Anyway--worked for me. Might work for you. But it is not for the cynical.