Journey Into Power: How to Sculpt Your Ideal Body, Free Your True Self, and Transform Your Life With Yoga by Baron Baptiste Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Journey Into Power: How to Sculpt Your Ideal Body, Free Your True Self, and Transform Your Life With Yoga
Book Review: "Baptiste" Power Yoga
Summary: 2 Stars
The name of his brand of Ashtanga Yoga says it all, despite his denials - the man's a raving ego-maniac. The actual yoga is OK, but his rationalizations about "finding your own way" the way he did, to arrive at what he "modestly" says "others may call enlightenment" is just skin-deep, self-indulgent self-infatuation. He doesn't even acknowledge the sources of his teachings; it's as though he invented yoga de novo. My advice is to skip it and go to a book that at least pays tribute to the 1500 or more year-old yoga traditions, and to the rediscover of Ashtanga Vinyasa, Krishnamacharya, his students, Desikachar and Iyengar, and those who brought it to the West -- Van Lysbeth, Norman Allen, and David Williams. A really good one is "Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual: An Illustrated Guide to Personal Practice" by David Swenson.Book Review: Challenge Yourself to Discovering Your Path
Summary: 5 Stars
Baron Baptiste isn't making himself out to be the enlightened, do-it-my-way-and-no-other-way type of teacher. He encourages you to look within and see if what he has to say resonates with truth. He teaches self trust as the primary essence of a yoga practice that will transform you.There are so many yoga books out there. I should know. I've read most of them. Many of them are good but no other book explains as deftly how a handful of asanas (yoga postures) can transform your mental and spiritual sides or how a relationship with yourself begins, as with all good relationships, with listening.
Baron Baptiste's program for life transformation demands a commitment to yourself not to some fly-by-night program that is cut out exactly the same way for everyone.
Baron Baptiste is like the Stephen R. Covey of Yoga. What he has to share will resonate with anyone courageous enough to look at themselves, their bodies, their habits, their lives with honest and compassionate eyes. I know I will read and reference this book over and over.
Book Review: A Great Work - But No Index!!!
Summary: 4 Stars
I found this book accurate, motivational, inspirational and would consider it a cut above anything prior, especially regarding Power (Ashtanga) Yoga. In fact I would consider it to be an absolute reference for anyone interested in this subject, except for one minor (major?) omission. I think this book could be the "absolute reference" except for the fact that there is no (zilch), index. It would be nice to be able to reference poses, keywords in the "Re-wiring" sectiion etc. It feels really cumbersome without this. Otherwise, (maybe it's the author's intent) try to memorize where everything is in this book. Dead-on great, other than this.Book Review: Transformational: Timely and Timeless!
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is of immeasurable value to both novices and master practioners of yoga. Baptiste is a gifted teacher with great heart and caring for his students, which shows in his text and also the photos of him modifying the postures so that even the newest beginner can benefit from the practice.This book is extremely accessible and is full of good, clear color photos of the postures, many of which are shown in a series of photos representing views from various angles. An empowering and thoughtful "spiritual focus" is given with each pose.
In addition, the book is broken into 5 clearly written sections for easy learning and reference. Sections include a recommended series of postures for time limits and different physical conditions and fitness levels, food/diet and detoxification to cleanse, heal and lose excess baggage, a non-complex section on meditation that is wonderfully simple, but not simplistic. Baptiste demystifies yoga without being unmystical.
Baptiste's style of yoga uses proper form and modifications to help students get deeper into postures and glean the greatest results and there is a very good illustrated section with each pose on how to use these simple physical and spiritual principles - something that's been missing from any other yoga book I've ever seen.
By far this is the best and most useful book on yoga I have ever seen, and I've seen more than a few. This is Mr. Baptiste's first book which has been well worth the wait!!!
Book Review: Inspiring
Summary: 5 Stars
Baron rocks! This book has lived near my bed since it arrived a few days ago. I am reading through it slowly, while picking out chunks from here there and everywhere. His writing is expressive and straightforward, his philosphy is simple but deep, his "diet" chapter is inspiring, and the instructions for the poses are clear and concise, as are the photos. The whole programme is laid out, broken down into chunks, and at the end Baron suggests short programmes for people who cannot manage more than 20 minutes. I have to admit, I love Eric Schiffman's book, but it can be a little TOO wordy. This is not. HIGHLY recommended. (as are his videos - Soul of Strength and Power and Precision are both incredible workouts, and I have only bee practising yoga for a few months - go for it!)