Light on Yoga: Yoga Dipika
by B. K. S. Iyengar
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Book Reviews of Light on Yoga: Yoga Dipika
Book Review: Throws real light on yoga - with no mumbo-jumbo !
Summary: 5 Stars
This is truly a book for those who wish to achieve balanced health of body and mind. Far, far superior to Dr Deepak Chopra's works on 'Quantum Healing', 'Ageless Body, Timeless Mind' and other such pap. The author, BKS Iyengar, is a superb advertisement for his own theories, ideas, teachings: he is, I think, something like 80-odd years of age, but he still has the constitution, stamina, energy, appearance of a VERY healthy and athletic forty-year-old.
There's absolutely no mumbo-jumbo in the book, it reflects the life-experience of a marvellously analytical, modern scientific mind exploring the ancient wisdoms about the human body and mind.
A true classic. Deserves to be amongst the Great Books of the Century.
G.S. Chand
Book Review: Another great tool for yoga teachers.
Summary: 5 Stars
I cannot imagine trying to teach yoga without this book. Begin at the very first page, don't skip the forward or the preface. The information in the appendicies is also very helpful.
In Appendix I you will discover how he feels the asanas should be divided into primary, intermediate and advanced. If you follow the 3 courses as suggested you will cover 300 weeks of yoga. The difficult part with that section is that he list the asana work for each week in sanskrit.
Appendix II is titled "Curative Asanas for Various Diseases". This could be helpful in cases of sciatica, headaches, nervousness, flatulence. Be sure to take a look at it too. Some will be helpful.
The Glossary of sanskrit terms is also helpful.
Book Review: Unbelievably useful
Summary: 5 Stars
If you are taking yoga on as a serious study you must get this book!! It's like a yoga bible. The intro alone will set you on a path of a new and complete understanding of the philosophy of this age old practice. Then to boot - you have a complete pictorial compilation of all the postures with descriptions of each and the breathing techniques.
Don't worry about it being written by Iyengar himself if you intend on practicing other branches of yoga - this book was recommended to me by a well known and respected Vinyasa instructor, Marco Rojas. I work mostly in Ashtanga and Yin/Yan yoga. Seriously, this book will set you on your way regardless of how you ultimately choose to practice.
Book Review: Nice but Harmful?
Summary: 3 Stars
I practiced Iyengar Yoga according to this book and with instruction of good teachers, but found that the book leaves out some crucial aspects of yoga, while emphasising some aspects of posture/asana that may make the practice too mechanical. It is fine to learn good alignment, but it is important to note that what is in the heart is more important than how the posture looks from the outside. A good book to balance this one is Mark Whitwell's "Yoga of Heart," which describes the importance of the goal of yoga- integrating your life- as well as the importance of 1) a regular simple daily practice, 2) understanding how to gauge what YOUR body should and can do from day to day.Book Review: A Near Perfect Classic
Summary: 4 Stars
Iyengar is probably the world's most accomplished living master of asanas, and this book aptly illuminates that fact. The only drawback is that Iyengar is fully stuck in the classical "hatha" mindset of yoga. Thus, the more modern approach, which integrates the siddhis, pranayama and the foundations of meditation that are more fully explored by modern masters such as Desikachar or McAfee, are notably absent in Iyengar's approach.In spite of this shortcoming, the book is jam packed with infinite detail about the structure and form of asanas. There is no other book on asanas even approaching this quality and I keep my copy as a contant reference.