Yoga Mala

By Sri K. Pattabhi Jois

Book Overview

The seminal treatise and guide to Ashtanga yoga by the master of this increasingly popular discipline There is a yoga boom in America, and Sri K. Pattabhi Jois is at the heart of it. One of the great yoga figures of our time, Jois brought Ashtanga yoga to the West a quarter of a century ago and has been the driving force behind its worldwide dissemination. Based on flowing, energetic movement, Ashtanga and the many forms of vinyasa yoga that grow directly out of it--have become the most widespread and influential styles of practice in the United States today. Mala means "garland" in Sanskrit, and "Yoga Mala"--a "garland of yoga practice"--is Jois's distillation of Ashtanga. He first outlines the ethical principles and philosophy underlying the discipline and explains its important terms and concepts. Next he guides the reader through Ashtanga's versions of the Sun Salutation and its subsequent sequence of forty-two asanas, or poses, precisely describing how to execute each position and what benefits each provides. Brought into English by Eddie Stern, a student of Jois's for twelve years and director of the Patanjali Yoga Shala in New York City, "Yoga Mala" will be an indispensable handbook for students and teachers of yoga for years to come.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0865476624
• ISBN13: 9780865476622
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: North Point Press
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.64 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.4" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

yoga mala

This book is a must for ashtanga practitioners, having been written by the guru of this form of yoga, Sri K Pattabhi Jois. The forward by Eddie Stern provides an interesting background of the life of Pattabhi Jois and how he came to teach western students. The opening chapter describes what is meant by 'ashtanga' (eight limbs) of yoga, with valuable information regarding yogic philosophy, lifestyle and dietary concerns, quoting from the ancient texts. Following is a detailed description of the vinyasa/asana practice. Ashtanga is a challenging and methodical practice of yoga, with emphasis on correct method; from the first sun salutation to the final resting position, there is exact placement of the gaze, the timing of the breath, and sequence of movement. Those with an interest in yoga generally, or who practice a different form, may also find this book of value, since yoga is yoga and the ultimate "goal" is the same. It is my feeling, however, that without an existing practice and enthusiasm for this method, the book may seem a little dry in the last section. I have had a copy with me for years, it is an invaluable reference.

Necessary for anyone practicing Ashtanga yoga

This book is a must for any Ashtanga practicioner. The beginning of the book describes the philosophy. The rest shows pictures of Jois and grandson Sharath in the poses as well as detailed explainations.

Great

Yoga Mala is written by a living legend with many years of practice and teaching experience. I would recommend this book only to those already familiar with Ashtanga, as parts of it will make no sense unless you are. Indispensable knowledge is interspersed with lovely throwbacks to earlier days in India, eg. the part where it is suggested a nice flat floor smeared with cow dung is essential to any good practice space. Gotta love it!

Lays the ground work for a strong Ashtanga practice

I found this book to be an excellent source on both the philosophy of Ashtanga yoga as well as a great how to of moving from one asana to the next in the Primary Series. Do not buy this book if you are trying to learn the Primary Series from a book. Although the level of detail in this book is great, Ashtanga is better learn watching/learning from a live person, or if you are really pressed for money and/or do not have an Ashtanga teacher near you get a good video (David Swenson, Richard Freeman, John Scott, and others have excellent tapes out). With that said, this book is a wonderful reference tool and offers exact breath counts. In Ashtanga, every movement is associated with a breath, this book provides information on how to get in and out of every posture in the primary series following the breath (i.e. how many inhalations and exhalations should be accomplished moving between postures). This book also offers great detail as it relates to living the yoga you practice. While I may not agree with Jois' entire philosophy, it is a great deal of knowledge to be gained from this book. This book is a must read if you are an Ashtanga practioner or teacher. This book will help you deepen your practice both physically and spiritually. I would also suggest this book for anyone curious about the philosophy of Ashtanga yoga.