T. K. V. Desikachar (1938–2016)

As the title promises, there is good stuff about how to design a practice that works for you. Of course, like all such guides, the examples in this book involve much more than a student like me could fine time, energy, or inclination to do.

Section x. has the most understandable translation of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali that I've found.

"Health, Healing, and Beyond" is a beautifully crafted tribute to the life and teachings of Krishnamacharya, epic in scope yet intimate in nature. Desikachar speaks with quiet wisdom and a profound sense of purpose that keeps our interest continually engaged. He introduces us to the basic texts and concepts of yoga, gives insight into a variety of yogic practices, presents a yogic theory of health and healing, and explores the nature of the student-teacher relationship. Through Desikachar's show more affectionate humor and sensitive writing, we learn as much from the lives of father and son as from their teachings."--Donald Moyer, Director of The Yoga Room in Berkeley, CA

"My father's teaching first and foremost was based on the truth that each student must be taught according to his or her individual capacity at any given time. And each step is to be experienced for what the Bhagavad-Gita shows it to be: an episode in the greatest of all adventures, the eternal journey of the soul."--T. K. V. Desikachar. show less

In the Heart of Yoga, T.K.V. Desikachar offers a distillation of his father's system [Sri T. Krishnamarchaya] as well as the essence of his own practical approach, which he describes as "basically a program for the spine at every level - physical, mental and spiritual". Desikachar discusses all the elements of yoga - poses and counterposes, conscious breathing, meditation and philosophy - and shows how the yoga student may develop a practice tailored to his or her current state of health, show more age, occupation, and lifestyle. This is viniyoga - yoga adapted to the needs of the individual. show less

Loved it. Glad I purchased it. I didn't really understand yoga before reading this book. I learned that yoga is way more than being a human pretzel. Yoga is a mind, body and spiritual practice. It is about experiencing clarity and peace within your moment to moment experiences. I highly recommend this book to anyone even remotely interested in yoga.