Tuesday 29 October 2013

RICHARD HITTLEMAN'S YOGA 28 DAY EXERCISE PLAN - RICHARD HITTLEMAN


RATING: B-

My first knowledge of yoga in this life was a Richard Hittleman TV show my mother used to watch. She even bought his book. Now that my mother and father have both died, I have inherited the family literature, including this book.

Although it does mention and introduce some other aspects of Yoga, it is primarily focused on the physical postures and increasing ones looks and physical fitness. However, the book does mention other branches of Yoga, which is something that escaped me as a child watching my Mom rolling round the floor trying to get into shape. Not as bad as I thought - but I am somewhat 'advanced' for this sort of 'starters' keep-fit style book.

I would recommend the book mostly to those wishing to get in trim or having a flashback to Western Yoga of the 1960/70's era.

Wednesday 9 October 2013

THE TIBETAN YOGAS OF DREAM AND SLEEP - TENZIN WANGYAL RINPOCHE


RATING: A-

The connections between experience/realms was very interesting reading. Chapter three mentions women should sleep on their left side and men on their right - although I can see the logic of this from the pranic viewpoint, I find that getting less blood to the left hand side of the brain and more to the right gives me more realistic/useful dreams, whereas on the left, I get muddled messes. I also tend to sleep in the male position more often to control sinus issues and daytime problems. I found the description of three different levels of dream very interesting. I was also interested to learn the Tibetan viewpoint on what uses dreams have.

I would recommend the book to those interested in learning how to use dreams beneficially, those interested in Tibetan Buddhist practices, and those interested in the Bon Dzogchen ideas.