This is an excellent book for any yoga practitioner. The spiral binding is worth the price of the book alone, and the routines are most helpful. Most yoga books don't outline routines and beginners or people with no access to yoga classes are left wanting. The book fills this need.

Of course it doesn't address the spirituality behind Yoga. If it were to do so, it would be an encyclopedic book. For beginners looking to explore Yoga's spirituality, a very good starting point is Donna Farhi's "Bringing Yoga into Life." Patel touches on certain points in a way designed to pique the reader's curiosity, such as the ayurvedic methods, and she provides websites at the back of the book for further exploration.

The asanas are good, solid beginner to intermediate asanas, and I appreciate the contraindications listed for some of them, which isn't provided by most yoga books. I wish more asanas were listed, such as the half-pigeon pose (a favorite of mine) but the book, at least, whets the appetite for more. The only concern I have about the asanas is that there aren't enough pictures outlining some inverted poses, such as the Headstand or the Shoulderstand; when the head and neck are involved, one cannot be too careful. I like seeing the poses and counterposes in their proper sequences, although I wish the author would discuss the need and reason for following a pose with a counterpose at more length.

And now I'm off to do a routine, with the book laid flat on the floor!

This is an excellent foundational work for beginning yoga
enthusiasts and practitioners. The basics are discussed at great
length. For instance, Kriya yoga is action-based. Sahaya is
spontaneous practice of the art and Viniyoga consists of a
series of fluid movements aimed at deep relaxation and concentration. The Vinyasa Ashtanga emphasize synchronous
breathing techniques to promote health and well-being.
The practice of yoga even extends to food; whereas, the sattvic
are considered to be wholesome foods as opposed to processed
foods. The basic postural elements of yoga are explained.
For instance, the easy posture or leg fold is demonstrated
pictorially together with the more advanced forms. This work
is excellent if you are a beginner. It explains all the techniques in simple English with diagrams depicting the
various motional dimensions of yoga. It is a good value for the
price charged.