Kripalu Yoga: A Guide to Practice on and Off the Mat

by Senior Teachers of Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health and Richard Faulds

Book Overview

"Over an extraordinary thirty year history, Kripalu Center has been a pioneer in combining authentic yoga with a contemporary Western lifestyle." --John Abbott, President, Yoga Journal From the senior teachers of the world-renowned Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health-the largest yoga and retreat center in North America-comes this comprehensive guide to the unique and influential Kripalu method, which emphasizes individual growth over outward perfection...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553380974
• ISBN13: 9780553380972
• Release Date: December 2005
• Publisher: Bantam
• Length: 432 Pages
• Weight: 1.87 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.3" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Highly Recommend

Along with affirming the other reviews on this book, I would like to add that I have recently begun teaching yoga and have found this book to be an excellent tool for developing my class formats and information sharing. There is a wealth of information, presented in clearly stated, understandable and comprehensive text, that I can quickly commit to memory to share with my students, or jot down in an outline to reference during class instruction. Having purchased and read volumes of books on yoga, this is the first I have come across that has been helpful in that regard. Kripalu is a beautiful form of yoga that brings the true essence of the practice to life.

Very thorough book.

This book offers good instruction for beginning yoga practicers such as myself as well as more advanced poses. It includes complete steps to correctly acheiving poses while taking care to help the user protect his or her body in the process. There are also modifications for some poses. The benefits to particular areas of the body are included. I enjoyed the testimonials and found some helpful to me. The book also includes the spiritual/body connection aspect of yoga. I found this book to be very helpful and interesting.

Yoga for all!

A few years ago, I had the good fortune to take a class with a Kripalu teacher. I had heard of it but was very unfamiliar with the style. The class was a pleasant surprise - there was no ego in the class - not with the teacher or the students. We were all very different with various abilities and limitations - but rather than dwelling on it, we were encouraged to embrace ourselves exactly as we were. The emphasis was on acceptance - not some lofty physical goal. "Kripalu Yoga" by Richard Faulds captures the spirit of Kripalu yoga in a beautiful manner. Kripalu means 'compassionate' and this is an apt description of this style of yoga. Named after Swami Kripalu, a guru whose teachings were brought to America in the 60's by disciple Yogi Amrit Desai, this gentle yoga form encourages breathwork, inward focus and meditation in motion. Faulds gives clear instructions to help the reader begin to apply these principles to their own yoga practice. Breathing exercises are featured and here you'll find the ujjayi breathing (ocean breathing or "victorious breath") clearly explained. For some, this is a difficult breath to master - but the techniques in this book help anyone comprehend how to tap into it. There are many pictures of poses along with good instructions. Routines are included as well. I also enjoyed reading the stories of other Kripalu student's experiences. It certainly will convince you of the benefits of yoga! Also featured in this book is information on chakras, fasting, yoga philosophy and spirituality, and meditation. While this may sound like a lot to process, Faulds explains everything an easy going and gentle manner. There is nothing here that feels intimidating at all. No matter what shape you are in, no matter what background you come from, no matter what spiritual belief system you are tuned in with, Kripalu is the most accessible form of yoga. I would especially recommend this book for people who are new to yoga and a bit put off by the acrobats that are now dominating the current yoga scene.

Helped in my understanding

I have doing Kripalu yoga for 3 years. However, I have not had access to a teacher nor could I travel to the headquarters. Therefore, I only had the videos. I have been waiting for a book on Kripalu yoga for some time. This book more than adequately met my need for additional understanding.

An excellent book for those interested in learning about yoga or kripalu yoga

This book captures the full essence of Kripalu Yoga. I am a Kripalu Yoga Teacher and Meditation Teacher (feelbetternowyoga.com), and I think Richard Faulds has done an amazing job of explaining what Kripalu yoga is and what makes Kripalu yoga unique. I highly recommend this book to anyone who teaches or practices Kripalu yoga.