Yoga Bodies

With a diversity of bodies and perspectives, this portrait collection presents over eighty yoga practitioners posing and sharing their personal yoga stories. Artfully capturing yoga’s vibrant spirit, Yoga Bodies presents full-color yoga-pose portraits of more than eighty practitioners of all ages, shapes, sizes, backgrounds, and skill levels—real people with real stories to share about how yoga has changed their lives for the better. Some humorous, some heartfelt, others profound, the stories entertain as they enlighten, while the portraits—which joyously challenge the “yoga body” stereotype—celebrate the glorious diversity of the human form. Yoga Bodies is a source of endless inspiration for anyone seeking fresh perspectives on how to live well. “Unpretentious and delightful . . . A collection of first-person portraits of more than 80 people who practice and enjoy yoga. It’s not a book only for yogis—it’s a book for people.” —RealSimple.com

Most people assume that 'postural' yoga is an ancient Indian tradition. But in fact, as Singleton shows, this type of yoga is quite a recent development. Singleton presents a study of the origins of postural yoga, challenging many current notions about its nature and origins.

Presents postures and total body sequences, offers breathing and meditation techniques, provides advice on finding the right style of yoga and shares a nutrition plan centered around clean, calming foods.

Survivors of trauma—whether abuse, accidents, or war—can end up profoundly wounded, betrayed by their bodies that failed to get them to safety and that are a source of pain. In order to fully heal from trauma, a connection must be made with oneself, including one’s body. The trauma-sensitive yoga described in this book moves beyond traditional talk therapies that focus on the mind, by bringing the body actively into the healing process. This allows trauma survivors to cultivate a more positive relationship to their body through gentle breath, mindfulness, and movement practices. Overcoming Trauma through Yoga is a book for survivors, clinicians, and yoga instructors who are interested in mind/body healing. It introduces trauma-sensitive yoga, a modified approach to yoga developed in collaboration between yoga teachers and clinicians at the Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute, led by yoga teacher David Emerson, along with medical doctor Bessel van der Kolk. The book begins with an in-depth description of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including a description of how trauma is held in the body and the need for body-based treatment. It offers a brief history of yoga, describes various styles of yoga commonly found in Western practice, and identifies four key themes of trauma-sensitive yoga. Chair-based exercises are described that can be incorporated into individual or group therapy, targeting specific treatment goals, and modifications are offered for mat-based yoga classes. Each exercise includes trauma-sensitive language to introduce the practice, as well as photographs to illustrate the poses. The practices have been offered to a wide range of individuals and groups, including men and women, teens, returning veterans, and others. Rounded out by valuable quotes and case stories, the book presents mindfulness, breathing, and yoga exercises that can be used by home practitioners, yoga teachers, and therapists as a way to cultivate awareness, tolerance, and an increased acceptance of the self.

Yoga can benefit every body, including yours! Discover how to take advantage of all yoga has to offer with this all-encompassing yoga guide. No matter who you are or what your abilities are, Yoga for Everyone includes a fabulous 50 poses proving something for everyone to love. From plus size yoga and pregnancy yoga, to yoga for the elderly or disabled, you can explore variations and modifications to much-loved yoga poses, from the comfort of your own home. Every exercise utilizes the essential elements of yoga to ensure you can gain all the physical and mental benefits, and will also allow you to perform all 10 sequences, which combine different poses into one singular experience and focus on specific health benefits each pose has on your body. Dive straight in to discover: - A visually illustrated yoga guide showcasing diversity in people and their mixed fitness abilities - 50 yoga exercises with a minimum of 3 modifications for varying body types - 10 sequences that combine the above-mentioned exercise - Expert information in Yoga and how to incorporate these exercises into everyday life For years, books on yoga have asked readers to bend over backward (literally!) to conform to their physical demands. At DK, we believe it’s time to change that! Why not allow for readers to demand that yoga conform to their individual needs instead? This is yoga for real people! Once you familiarise yourself with the yoga exercises that best suit you and your abilities, you’ll begin to notice the benefits of yoga and positive changes they have on your body, whether it’s your enhanced flexibility, your improved posture or your stronger core. What a rewarding experience for readers! Yoga for Everyone aims to teach readers that with a little modification, anyone can practice Yoga, perfect their poses and become stronger and more confident as you go. Whether you want to structure your sun salutation or demand more from your downward dog, this all-encompassing yoga book will be your one-stop guide to achieving perfection with each pose no matter your physical ability, and learn some top tips on yoga anatomy and yoga science along the way. A must-have volume for those who want to take up yoga but don’t know where to begin, or simply those seeking to start a low-impact exercise, Yoga for Everyone can be tailored to your individual fitness needs, so you make the most out of your poses! Why not stretch yourself, literally, this New Year and try something new? Your mind, body and soul will thank you!

Queering and Cripping the “Yoga Body” deconstructs the power relations and dominant discourses that shape the image of a healthy, natural, gendered body performing a postural yoga practice. This book examines empirical yoga research, yoga-related media, and yoga teacher training materials to critique how yoga becomes a manageable, predictable intervention that individuals can and should undertake in order to create healthy, manageable, non-burdensome bodies. It argues that when yoga is positioned as a natural intervention, discourses of morality and purity become intertwined with those of measurability, responsibility, control, health, and gender. It also considers the author’s own embodied experience, as well as those of other queer and disabled yoga teachers and practitioners, and how such experiences can open up possibilities for the teaching and practice of yoga. Queering and Cripping the “Yoga Body” will be of interest to graduate students and researchers studying embodiment, health and mindfulness practices, poststructuralism, queer theory, or disability studies, as well as researchers, teachers, and practitioners of yoga.

"Adapts the practice of yoga by focusing on the poses that offer the greatest benefits to runners. The poses and sequences in this book are intended to enhance strength, stability, and mobility in order to reduce incidents of running injury and add longevity to your sport as you become a healthier and stronger runner"--

“A treasure trove . . . what Yoga, capital Y, is all about.” —Donna Farhi “Nothing less than a gem.” —Judith Lasater “A vital tool.” —Book Riot This daring, visionary book revolutionizes yoga practice, making it truly accessible to everyone—in every body, at any age, and in any state of health Yoga practice has so much to offer us physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. But many of us feel discouraged to practice because we see young, slim, flexible, well, and able-bodied people dominating yoga spaces. Yet, yoga is truly a practice for all—conferring enormous benefits to our overall well-being as our bodies change, age, and navigate various health challenges. Jivana Heyman, founder of Accessible Yoga, views yoga as a basic human right—saying we all deserve to practice it in whatever state we find our body or mind. Accessible Yoga offers a simple, clear, and wonderfully adaptable practice for all people regardless of ability, health, and body type. Heyman has spent over twenty years sharing yoga with people of all abilities and backgrounds, and in this book, he shares his knowledge by breaking down complex yoga poses, breathing practices, meditation techniques, and yoga teachings into clearly understandable and practical tools we can use every day, regardless of our limitations or challenges.