From a longtime yoga teacher, this highly visual, broadly informative resource gives serious yoga practitioners a wide-ranging framework that will enrich their practice. As any yoga student or teacher knows, there’s more to yoga than Downward Dog. Meta Chaya Hirschl’s immersive guide offers a complete vision of yoga, from its historical and spiritual roots to modern practice. Whether you are a novice yogi or an experienced instructor, Vital Yoga will help you unlock yoga’s full potential—and your own. Focusing on the traditional eight limbs of yoga, Hirschl covers a wide range of essential topics in three sections: Before the Mat, On the Mat, and Into the World. In Before the Mat, you’ll learn about the history and philosophy of yoga, with fresh insights into: • Fundamental texts like the Bhagavad Gita • The role of vibration in yogic practice • Mantras for everything from health to job hunting In On the Mat, you’ll find practical instructions for every aspect of yoga, including: • Breathing consciously to guide your vital energies • Meditating to master and heighten your senses • Posing with intention, strength, and balance And finally, you’ll go Into the World. For Hirschl, the true benefits of yoga come not from perfect poses, but from using yoga every day to help yourself and others—so she covers how you can improve your confidence, health, and even your sex life with yoga, and how you can teach others to do the same. Throughout, Vital Yoga invites you to delve into the heart of yoga with derivations of Sanskrit terms, “stealth” yoga practices you can do anywhere, wisdom from the great sages, and accounts by contemporary yogis. Its goal is to help you connect to your inner self, transcend fear and attachment to the stresses of life, and achieve bliss—and when you’ve achieved it, you’ll be able to share it.

This is a full-color yoga book like no other on the market. Meta Hirschl opens the door to the full vision of yoga with graphics, photographs, and personal stories. Interwoven with discussions about the eight limbs of yoga as presented in the original literature, including the core principles, Sanskrit Devanagari, mantras, poses, breath work, mediation, a derivation of terms, compassionate communication guidelines, basic teaching principles, wisdom and photos of the great sages, recipes, and illuminating accounts by contemporary yogis. Throughout, readers are guided to connect with their inner selves, transcend fear, emotional turmoil, and attachment to the stresses of life. This informative reference features a highly visual format, including a first-ever historical timeline of yogic philosophies, texts, and key figures. Introduced too is yoga therapy for everything from low back or knee pain to depression. Each chapter concludes with specific invitations to delve further into the heart of yoga. It is designed to enrich any chosen style of practice, and this book is ideal not only for yoga students and aspiring yoga teachers, but also for healing arts practitioners and their patients, as well as anyone seeking to cultivate a vibrantly healthy body, mind, and spirit.

From a longtime yoga teacher, this highly visual, broadly informative resource gives serious yoga practitioners a wide-ranging framework that will enrich their practice. As any yoga student or teacher knows, there’s more to yoga than Downward Dog. Meta Chaya Hirschl’s immersive guide offers a complete vision of yoga, from its historical and spiritual roots to modern practice. Whether you are a novice yogi or an experienced instructor, Vital Yoga will help you unlock yoga’s full potential—and your own. Focusing on the traditional eight limbs of yoga, Hirschl covers a wide range of essential topics in three sections: Before the Mat, On the Mat, and Into the World. In Before the Mat, you’ll learn about the history and philosophy of yoga, with fresh insights into: • Fundamental texts like the Bhagavad Gita • The role of vibration in yogic practice • Mantras for everything from health to job hunting In On the Mat, you’ll find practical instructions for every aspect of yoga, including: • Breathing consciously to guide your vital energies • Meditating to master and heighten your senses • Posing with intention, strength, and balance And finally, you’ll go Into the World. For Hirschl, the true benefits of yoga come not from perfect poses, but from using yoga every day to help yourself and others—so she covers how you can improve your confidence, health, and even your sex life with yoga, and how you can teach others to do the same. Throughout, Vital Yoga invites you to delve into the heart of yoga with derivations of Sanskrit terms, “stealth” yoga practices you can do anywhere, wisdom from the great sages, and accounts by contemporary yogis. Its goal is to help you connect to your inner self, transcend fear and attachment to the stresses of life, and achieve bliss—and when you’ve achieved it, you’ll be able to share it.

According to the yogic tradition of India, the seven chakras, or energy centers, concentrate and distribute refined life-force energy throughout the body. Yoga master Alan Finger, well-known for his many Yoga Zone teaching videos, presents detailed yoga practices and meditation instructions for understanding the chakras and bringing them into balance. This book is for serious students who wish to cultivate subtle energies using ancient tantric methods. Illustrated with photos and anatomical drawings, with audio recordings of guided meditations to supplement your practice available for free online.

In this essential book, Dona Holleman blends her unique philosophy of yoga with substantial and detailed descriptions of the asanas. First published as "Dancing the Body of Light" (from which the central chapter on asana is reprinted) this edition includes access to an audio recording online.Drawing from over 50 years of experience in yoga practice and teaching, Dona's ambitious and uncompromising book, written in a crisp, clear and no-nonsense style, is a must for all serious yoga practitioners and teachers.