Although the subtitle of this book describes it as being "An Intermediate Guide," I'd say that it is most appropriate for yoga beginners OR more experienced yoga practitioners who are new to the philosophical aspects of yoga. Yoga Zone found Alan Fingers focuses on how to incorporate yoga into your life both on and off the mat by teaching basic asana (posture) sequences as well as simple self-growth exercises.
In the segment on "Reducing Stress," Finger reviews the nine impediments to yoga practice (from the Yoga Sutras), provides guidelines on how to practice yoga anywhere, and offers a beginning-level asana sequence (17 total poses) for stress relief. The next section of the book, "Moving Yoga Off the Mat," introduces other concepts from the Yoga Sutras, such as behavior couplings. Finger also talks here about how your five senses can influence your yoga practice and provides suggestions for stimulating each area.
The chapter on "Discovering the Self" presents additional information on ancient yogic concepts, including the koshas, or sheaths that make up the self, and the chakras, the seven energy centers of the body. Again, Finger suggests strategies for connecting these traditions with your asana practice, and he also offers an asana series for finding your core. This 18-pose sequence includes breathwork and is slightly more challenging than the first yet still at a beginning level. The final two chapters, "Finding Balance" and "Restoring the Body," provide information on kara/dharma as well as the yamas/niyamas. The book concludes with a restorative asana series--four poses held for lengthy periods of time.
I've been practicing yoga regularly for about 4 years now and consider myself to be an intermediate yogini. I found this book to be somewhat below my level, as the asana sequences consisted of very basic postures and I had already familiarized myself with most of the philosophical information. Still, I enjoyed reading this book; it provided me with a nice review of the yogic concepts, and the practices looked to be soothing and enjoyable. I would definitely recommend this guide to any level of yoga practitioner who is looking to take their practice beyond the mat.
