Instruction
Yoga Mind, Body and Spirit
A Return to Wholeness
by Donna Farhi
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Donna Farhi is an internationally well respected, visionary yoga teacher who,
in this volume, shares her special philosophy, while delving deep into instructions
on the poses. She uniquely leads us through multiple variations of the
poses including restorative and prenatal forms and the correct use of props.
For Donna Farhi, the human body is a symphony
of muscles, bones, nerves, breath and spirit. In her incredibly detailed
exposition, Farhi focuses on the "intelligent patterns" that we can align
within our yoga practice, allowing us greater harmony and expressiveness
through movement. She begins by taking us through the "living principles" of
yoga, the yamas and niyamas, and then identifies "the seven moving principles" -
breathe, yield, radiate, center, support, align, engage and return. Each
principle of movement is illustrated in depth through drawings showing precise
alignments of the muscles and skeleton.
After laying this extensive foundation of philosophy
and alignment, Farhi moves into part two, the asanas. Through text and photographs,
she demonstrates the postures and includes multiple variations of each while
also showing preparatory stretches with specific guidance for beginners and advanced
practitioners. She includes comprehensive instructions on how to modify poses
for every level and covers restorative practices using props such as blankets,
bolsters and blocks. There is also a special prenatal symbol for each pose indicating
in which trimesters it is safe for pregnant women to practice. Farhi concludes
the book with a thorough guide for structuring your own sequences while offering
several suggested sequences made up of the postures in the book.
This is an extremely thorough guide to a well-rounded
practice unifying styles of ashtanga, Iyengar, Kripalu and viniyoga. It extensively
covers restorative and prenatal practices and the proper use of props. It
is a comprehensive, authoritative work which will be welcome on any yogis
bookshelf.
Donna Farhi has taught yoga for over two decades and is a registered movement therapist. She travels internationally for her retreats and teacher trainings. She is one of America's most respected yoga instructors and has been a columnist for both Yoga Journal and Yoga International. She lives in New Zealand. |
