A Classic Book on YOGA – By a GURU. Review on Yoga - A Path to Holistic Health - B.K.S. Iyengar

Of the numerous books, CDs and VCDs on Yoga omnipresent in the market, I have finally found a book on Yoga, which gave me satisfaction after buying. I have purchased numerous books on Yoga written by authors like Dr.P.D.Sharma(Navneet Publishers), Dr.G.Francis Xavier & CDs of Ramdev Baba, Shilpa Shetty & Anmol Mehta. But all the books & CDs were disappointing in one aspect or the other. Finally, after much searching for a book by a genuine Yoga Guru on the Internet, I zeroed down on B.K.S Iyengar.

Padmashri-Padmabhushan B.K.S.Iyengar is an authority on Yoga & has experience of teaching Yoga for more than 60 years. The aims, philosophy, benefits & different types of Yoga are explained in this book. Certain chapters like the relationship between Guru & the Yogi, Eight Limbs and Meaning of Yoga increases your interest in the book & lends credence to the fact that Yoga is for all-round development of an individual.

The book carefully details the steps of each pose, how to achieve the pose gradually with the help of props, the benefits of each pose & precautionary measures. All the poses & chapters are accompanied by superb colourful illustrations. The book also consists of separate chapters on Yoga exercises for curing various ailments of the digestive system, the muscular system, and exercises for Men and Women’s health. There is also a 20-week exercise Calendar for practicing Yoga daily.

The proof-reading is excellent with no printer’s devil, the language is very lucid & the font is easily readable. Perhaps, the only thing missing is an accompanying CD.

The best part is that, when I was expecting the price to be more than Rs.1500/-, I got pleasantly surprised by finding that the book came at only Rs.995/-, which was the reason why I lapped up the book without a minute’s delay. The book is available on the internet with Amazon and at all major book-shops across India. I bought the book from BOOKZONE at Fort, Mumbai.

In comparison with the other books that I read, I found Shilpa Shetty’s Yoga CD doesn’t emphasize breathing techniques which is an important part of Yoga and Dr.Francis Xavier’s book lacking important details. Some Yoga books, in fact suggest incorrect postures.

I recommend this book as a good buy. Other recommended books for reading by B.K.S Iyengar are: Light on Yoga, *Light on Pranayama, and Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.