Light on Yoga: The Bible of Modern Yoga

I purchased this book for my yoga teacher training, and it’s been perfect. The printing is clear, the shipping was fast, and the book arrived in perfect condition. Everything about it is great. Overall: Highly satisfied and exactly what I needed for my training.

The yoga classic Light on Yoga outlines the history and philosophy of yoga. One definition of Yoga is it's the "true union of our will with the will of God." In fact there is a lot about God or the Universal Spirit in the introduction. There is much in the ethical teaching that corresponds with the Christian faith. It's been suggested that Jesus spent time in India. After reading this, I wondered if that might be true. This is not to say yoga is a religion. It's not. It's a science of all religions. Or to put more clearly it is a way of living, thinking and behaving. If you're interested in deepening your practice or looking for a way of improving your life this is an inspiring guide. Light on Yoga is written by B.K.S. Iyengar, who is considered one of the foremost yoga teachers in the world. His purpose is to "describe as simply as possible the asanas (postures) and pranayamas (breathing disciplines) in the new light of our own era." And it explains 592 photographs and 200 asanas with clear instructions and the benefits of each pose. It also outlines the eight limbs or stages for yoga for the quest for the soul. 1. Yama (universal moral commandments) 2. Niyama (self purification) 3. Asana (posture) 4. Pranayama (rhythmic control of the breath) 5. Pratyahara (emancipation of the mind...) 6. Dharana (concentration) 7. Dhyana (meditation) 8. Samadhi (state of super consciousness...) Yoga can be transform your life by just practicing regularly. Your views on food and health and spirituality will begin to change for the better. It's not a surprise that yoga has exploded in the United States. This is an amazing reference for your body, mind and soul.

This is a truly classic and the most comprehensive text of Yogasanas. What I liked about the book in addition to intricately detailed steps of achieving poses is -- (1) For difficult poses, it also gives alternative preparatory poses that a beginner can start following to graduate to the actual pose, (2) Towards the end of the book, Shri Iyengar has given week-by-week yoasana guide to start following and go from being a complete novice to the most advanced practitioner. On average it takes 3-6 months to achieve decent skill, and up to 2-3 years to become a master. (3) Also towards the end of the book are given specific Yogasanas to be done for specific health problems, like migraines, heart trouble, high/low BP, backaches etc. (4) The guidance given on how to practice Yogasanas and Pranayama together is excellent. It shows the depth at which Iyengar himself had studied the theory of yoga and pranayama! Excellent!!! People who have criticized this book saying it's not for the beginners, should note my point #2 above. I think these people have not paid attention to ALL the sections in the book, and hence have felt discouraged. The only thing I wish was there was categorization of Asanas according to their focus muscle or organ groups, e.g., "back-bending", "forward bending", "side twisting", "inverted poses" etc. But apart from this, the book is gold and a must have possession for anyone who's serious about following Yoga! Two thumbs up!

Light on Yoga (Yoga Deepika) is just that - it throws a lot of light on the 'practice' of Yoga. There is a small introduction on the philosophical aspects of it before Iyengar's trademark precision instructions start. Iyengar had to learn asanas the hard way. Basically when his teacher sent him off to teach, he had not mastered advanced asanas. So he had to learn certain asanas on his own. Hence his famous quote "Your practice is your teacher". His book is also written with such an audience in mind. He says getting a good teacher is very important but if you cannot I will be your teacher through this book. I mean the volume of information is absolutely stunning. If you are an absolute beginner please do go to a beginner's class for atleast couple of months before starting your own practice based on Iyengar's book. I say this because his courses that he gives at the end of the book will seem a little agressive for someone who has not understood where he stands. For example he suggests doing Sarvangasana on the first week of your practice. For some it may be right for most it may not be. This book has been my ready reckoner for the past 5 years. I simply cannot thank BKS enough. I have never met him but he is my Guru.

From http://booktalksbyjulie.blogspot.com/ - One of my great passions in life is yoga and even though a lot of other activities have been put on hold during my pregnancy, yoga has been a lifesaver. If anyone has any type of condition and/or just wants a deeper understanding of the yoga poses, “Light on Yoga” is highly recommended. It is broken down into three sections. The first section as an introduction to yoga, starting with its origins in India and going through the transitions yoga has experienced. The second section is a dedicated to the yoga poses and covers each one in detail with photographs and step-by-step instructions of how to reach the pose. What I liked most about this section is the inclusion of the benefits of each pose, the ailments that can be helped by that pose, and the precautions of the pose. The last section is dedicated to describing yoga breathing and the concept of Pranayama. I will admit that this is my least referenced section of the book but it covers the techniques of breathing, its effects on the body, and how to maintain it through your practice. Most of the time, I don’t reference appendices much. But that is not the case with “Light on Yoga”. The two appendices include a list of sequences that the poses can be performed in and the second appendices recommend specific poses for specific disease and conditions. This is what makes the book so different from all the other yoga books out there. “Light on Yoga” is a great reference for anyone that wants to experience yoga the correct way and I highly recommend referencing it.

I’ve been curious about getting some actual in depth knowledge about yoga, purchased this book after a bit of research and due to the reviews I assumed this was the best option. I was extremely happy this book called out to me, I have read only the introduction and it has been so joyful and beneficial (I claim benefit because I had just finished reading the yoga-sutra and although I made detailed notes on the yoga sutras of Satchidananda’s work, reading Iyengar’s more simple/ and relatable versions of the same context was more insightful for me). I recommend this work to anyone who is on the path of becoming a better and more simplistic version of themself and really wants to put the effort in to achieve this. Probably going to end up buying his yoga-sutras too. 😂❤️👍

My massage therapist is also a certified Iyengar yoga instructor. After a year plus of massage therapy, she suggested that I might have greater benefits working with her one on one in Iyengar yoga. In my early 60s, I have had lumber surgery and a cervical spine fusion. I was very hesitant to try this but she has taken additional classes in working with people like me. In order to learn more about Iyengar yoga, I purchased this book - it was very illuminating and answered many of my questions - the lead one of which was 'what am I getting into'........Well I am several weeks into working with my instructor and it was a good decision for me, between the use of blocks, the yoga strap, the 3-minute-egg, the folding chair, the ropes anchored to the wall, and an amazing, patient teacher, I can do this. I recommend this text by the founder of Iyengar yoga and I know that I will reread it again. PS: I had studied t'ai chi for several years back in the '90s (remember those?) before life became too complicated - unfortunately, it is hard to find t'ai chi classes in the suburbs and Iyengar yoga is fulfilling spiritually as well as physically - if you were a t'ai chi player and miss the stillness of the moving meditations, look into Iyengar yoga.

Perfect for what I needed.

Good book for yoga.

Ottimo libro per apprendere le basi del Vinyasa Yoga e non solo secondo il maestro Iyengar. Nel libro ci sono tutte le immagini delle asana, anche delle varianti, e sono spiegate ciascuna con il loro significato e indicazioni per la loro esecuzione. Non propriamente per neofiti.

Love this book

Esse livro mudou a forma com que eu via o yoga e a prática. Muito boa a introdução no começo e o curso intensivo de 300 semanas no final é apenas tudo na minha vida.

Perfect t