Book reviews from our Committee and Members.
Members of the Committee have put together some book recommendation which you may find of interest.
Anne Bailey
Book review – July 2023
Meditation for beginners – Jack Kornfield ISBN978-0-553-81692-1
In this tiny book, Jack provides a clear, step-by-step way to include meditation in our daily life. Jack is a world renowned Vipassana Meditation Teacher and trained in the Theravada school of Buddhism. His style of meditation is also known as Insight Meditation. The book contains the explanations and guided practices that you’d typically be taught during a beginner’s meditation retreat. However, experienced meditators would also find this book useful in returning to the simple basics. There’s no requirement to be Buddhist or hold any kind of beliefs in order to practice the meditations found in this book. Jack gently encourages us to choose a form a meditation we prefer and to stay with it so that we can practice regularly. Jack concisely explains why we meditate along with its benefits. We’re then introduced with the first meditation which is ‘Connecting with the breath’. Jack explains the practice and likens training to work with the breath to training a puppy. We can expect our minds to wander many times, but can gently and without judgement bring them back to the breath. The following meditations are ‘Working with the Sensations in the Body’, ‘Working with Feelings and Emotions’,’ Witnessing your Thoughts’, ‘Forgiveness Meditation’, ‘Loving-kindness Meditation’, An Eating Meditation and A Walking Meditation. You can progress at your own pace. However, you could choose to stay with the first practice as meditating on the breath is something that can be done for a lifetime. The book explains how to cultivate a daily meditation practice and advises that some days are better than others and that we need to not judge this in any way. Jack reminds us that our minds have been wandering all our lives already, so when we try to change this wandering mental habit it’s not going to happen overnight. What’s really helpful for beginners, is that this book comes with a CD or as an audio book so that you can listen to the six guided meditation instructions. When you want to do longer meditations, you can visit Jack’s website and choose one that appeals to you and listen to it for free. This tiny book is clear, concise and allows you to start practising mediation straight away.
Sue Hargreaves
Book review June 2022
‘Once upon a time, you….’ by Maria Oliver Pub. Halldron Books ISBN 978-1-8383024-1-2
This is the book I purchased for my great grandson, George (age 3), who has yoga lessons at his nursery. I met Maria at the BWY Sangha in April, and thought that his mum could use it to continue to encourage him with his yoga.
It is a story book with a difference , where the child gets to choose what happens next and encourages them using their own imagination.
It starts with the story of climbing a mountain – Mountain Pose at the top- and then the story starts to unfold as they see something flying towards them- What is it? A Flying horse? A Golden Eagle? A Dragon? It appears to be a Golden Eagle – Eagle Pose- carrying an egg. The child then is encouraged to curl up tight in Child’s Pose, like an egg. The eagle then asks for help and the child flys with the eagle – where to? Several places are described for the child to choose, and then the reader turns to the appropriate page to find the place is full of various creatures etc., e.g. If the child chooses the forest, then they find a tree, butterfly, pigeon, fox, squirrel- poses are illustrated. The story can continue in the same way, moving to another chosen place, or it can end at a different page , if the child has done enough.
At the end of the book there are several breathing exercises and affirmations. Again, both are easy and interesting for the child to follow.
The book is colourful with lovely illustrations. The idea is simple and gives the child control over what happens next , with a wide variety of poses to try .
Sue Hargreaves
Gardening for Mind Body and Soul by Annie Burdick( ISBN978-1-80007-162-9)
This book was an Easter present from my sister and is divided into 3 parts:
1 Gardening for Physical Health
2 Gardening for the senses
3 Gardening for Mental and Spiritual Well-being
Part 1 describes the garden as a secret to physical and mental rewards by connecting you to the natural world. It gives practical methods of gardening to get fit with flexibility and balance, helping to lower blood pressure, building endurance, soaking up Vitamin D and taking your yoga outside.
Part 2 focuses on sensory experiences that the garden provides. Smell, sounds, touch, patterns in nature, creating habitats, flower, herb and vegetable growing are explored . It gives practical ideas for each and their uses – such as a bug hotel and bird feeder or bath, the use of textured plants, creating a Zen garden , planting a rainbow of flowers, cutting flowers and pressing them for different uses, storing the veg you grow and recipes.
Part 3 encourages you to take time to appreciate the living things in your garden and see the results of the work you have put in to gain joy from it and be on a mentally happier pathway. Again , practical ideas on boosting positivity, learning patience, channeling calm, gratitude and acceptance are suggested. Sustainability, crafting and embracing community also figure.
It is a small handy book and is easy to read and dip into. Yoga is at the base of it and figures throughout, including simple breathing, asanas, and meditation.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and will use and expand on some of the practical ideas and use as a reminder that simple pleasures and experiences are what we should focus on each day. Enjoy!
Kathryn Smith
Yoga Nidra by Swami Satyananda Sasaswati.
A truly fascinating book which goes into detail about the whole scope of Yoga Nidra. These include: Theory, Practices; with Yoga Nidra scripts, Scientific investigations and much more. This is a well written manual for all Yoga Nidra enthusiasts and has information on learning whilst performing Yoga Nidra. Yoga Nidra is not just a relaxation, but a healing tool for mental stress and physical ailments. There are references to studies on stress and cancer along with how Yoga Nidra affects our sleep and dreams. A fantastic resource for any student of Yoga wishing to explore Yoga Nidra in detail.
Judith Lynch
Animal Asanas
Yoga for Children
A charming book with approachable text written by Leila Kadri Oostendorp, a teacher experienced in training teachers of yoga for children. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. The author pays attention to safety, advice for parents and the benefits of yoga but she also stresses the fun and creative aspects of children imitating animal postures. Wonderfully illustrated by Elsa Mroziewicz Bahia with brightly coloured imaginative animal drawings, page borders and step-by-step stick figures to illuminate the text and help describe the postures. There is the bonus of an additional poster of the animal shapes tucked inside the back cover. This book is a joy to own and useful to boot.
Diana Davidson
Yoga Sequences Mark Stephens – wide selection of sequences for many abilities and physical conditions.
Intelligent Yoga Peter Blackaby – practical up to date advice for teachers on anatomy, postures and patterns of movement.
The Complete Idiots Guide to Yoga- Joan Budilovsky – a fairly old book now but one I recommend to students as a none threatening and slightly humours way of learning more about posture, traditions and philosophy of yoga
Restorative Yoga – Sue Flamm – Helpful when teaching students with physical difficulties.
Anne Goldstraw
Yoga as Medicine – the Yogic Prescription for Health and Healing by Timothy McCall, M.D.
A heavy 500 page book full of wonderful wise words about ageing and how Yoga is medicine for everyone regardless of their health. It is split into 3 sections l. yoga as medicine, 2. The science of yoga, 3. Contains 20 chapters on specific health conditions and concerns covering weight loss to anxiety. The author is a Doctor. The book shows some excellent poses and is very easy to follow. I have planned my yoga classes around this book for several months now.
Chair Yoga by Kristin McGee
A lovely book giving everyone the chance to practice Yoga using a chair. It is not just for the infirm and ageing. Plenty of poses are strong and challenging. Also excellent sequences too. It makes it fun and accessible for everyone. Clear easy pictures of the poses on most pages. In my weekly Zoom classes (for the time being) I do Chair Yoga monthly and it is very popular. It gives many students the confidence to go that little bit further be it sitting forward bends, back arching, sitting twists and helps to practice Balances easily knowing the chair is there to help you. It makes sitting on a chair doing Cow-Cat achievable by not having to go down on all fours. A great book and it works for me.
Judith Lynch
” Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs” Alison Trewhela and Anna Semlyen
An authoritative yoga therapy book based on research at the University of York between 2005 and 2011.
” The Spirit and Practice of Moving Into Stillness” Erich Schiffmann
A comprehensive book with staged instructions to take you from elementary to advanced versions of asanas.
“Yoga Anatomy” Lesley Kaminoff and Amy Matthews
Very useful well-illustrated guide to postures and breathing techniques.
Sue Hargreaves
‘S a novel ‘ by John Updike. Published 1988 by Andre Deutsch in hard back edition . Available as a Penguin Classic paperback.
This book was an early present from my late partner in Sept 1992 and I did not read it immediately. Since his death I have reread it and found it entertaining and easy to read.
The first page quotes from ‘The Scarlet Letter’ by Nataniel Hawthorne, which is the story of Hester Prynne, and you could say that it is Updike’s version of this novel.
It is not a book on Yoga, but is the story of an American woman , Sarah Worth (S) who walks out on her husband and family to find ‘love’ elsewhere after being introduced to yoga. This is an ashram in Arizona , where a Hindu mystic called Arhat, has brought his followers. She struggles to adapt to the spartan ashram life, and to subdue her ego and obtain moksha. She tells her story through letters and tapes to her husband, daughter, brother, mother, and others, including her dentist, hairdresser, bank manager & psychiatrist.
She tastes a form of freedom which is set in post -hippy times, and it is full of yoga spiritualism just a couple of decades from that time. It is humorous, full of sanskrit references- the glossary at the end of the book is very useful- and reminds me of the time when life moved much more slowly.
A ‘yoga’ book with a difference!
Kathryn Smith
Props for Yoga . Volume 1 Standing asanas, Volume 2 Seated asanas, Volume 3 Inversions All by Eyal Shifroni.
These are a fantastic set of books by a Senior Iyengar Yoga Teacher in Israel. They are very easy to follow with plenty of illustrations and explanations. There are also lists of effects and applicability. I have found these books to be of tremendous help both in my own practice and in my role as a Yoga Teacher. There are many variations and supports for each pose (there are 22 variations of Adho Mukha Svanasana (Down Dog)) clearly set out and plenty of detail for every variation to enhance Yoga practice. Well worth a look!
Audrey Youngman
Yoga for the Disabled by Howard Kent.
Howard Kent was a television producer (also a newspapers editor) and in the early 70’s ran a television show on yoga.This brought yoga to a wide population and yoga classes sprung up around the country. A lady wrote from Scotland “What about the “disabled”. I run a class for people with MS. Howard took a lease on a house Ickwell Bury and this book describes the work undertaken there. The teachings spread and people came from all over the world to participate. The quarterly magazine went world wide and Howard gave lecture around the globe. From Howard’s teachings I have taught yoga for M.S. for almost 20 years.
Indra Devi
My second choice leads on from my first and they are the three books by Indra Devi. I met her at Ickwell Bury and she became my guide and mentor. I visited her many times in Buenos Aires. She inspired me to do many things. These three books are probably out of print.
The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook by Edmund J. Bourne
This is a practical guide to anyone suffering with panic attacks etc. It gives details on the causes of anxiety and visualization for anxiety, How to cope with panic attacks, relaxation techniques, meditation. I used this book on an almost daily basis when I taught yoga in Styal prison and still use it comprehensively.
A book I used in Styal prison was Freeing the Spirit through meditation and yoga. This was published by the Prison Phoenix Trust. The authors being Sandy Chubb and Sister Elaine MacInnes. The Prison Phoenix Trust helps prisoners turn their lives around by using their cells as places of spiritual practice. This book is in easy to read format and would be sent to prisoners who requested a copy.
Bone Loading by Ariel Simkin and Judith Ayalon Is a programme of 40 bone loading movements which are explained step by step.