The Little Book of Yoga Breathing: Pranayama Made Easy. . .
by Scott Shaw
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Book Summary Information
Author: Scott ShawEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2004-01-01
ISBN: 157863301X
Number of pages: 96
Publisher: Weiser Books
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Book Reviews of The Little Book of Yoga Breathing: Pranayama Made Easy. . .
Book Review: A great concept but too many errors
Summary: 1 Stars
The concept for this book is great - a tiny pocket-sized book with just enough information on pranayama to assist a regular yoga practice. Ideal for a quick reference before all the prananyama exercises are memorized. Although small in size, this book is more likely to harm than help.
Aside from the fact that this book defines prana (life force energy) as "life-giving oxygen", the greatest downside of this book is the enormous amount of incorrect translations and improper naming. Some of these errors are with the most well-known pranayama terms/techniques:
Kumbhaka = breath retention (everyone else) / "pure breath" (author). Kumbhaka is the period between inhalation and exhalation when the breath is held. However the author calls a breathing exercise by this name - the forceful inhalation and exhalation through one nostril.
Ujjayi = victorious breath or ocean breath (everyone else) / "hissing breath" (author). The throat is constricted, allowing a small passage of air that creates a snoring sound. However the author teaches to singular nostril breathing with breath retention between and no mention of throat constriction.
The author closes this book with "pranayama standing and pranayma walking". These seem to be inventions of the author. In my training, all pranayama is done sitting down - for health, concentration and safety reasons. The author also includes two body tension exercises that include the pushing of hands up and in front. These look foreign to pranayama and yoga. Perhaps coming from the author's roots in martial arts.
Pranayama is a very detailed and delicate physical and spiritual practice. Much knowledge is required BEFORE a person begins. Changing one's breathing without proper knowledge can have negative health results. The content in this book, although small, is plagued with errors and improper techniques. In addition, important information in not included. A book this small could not possibly hold the information necessary to begin a pranayama practice. If this book were designed as a quick reference guide to refresh someone's memory - that would be great. However to try to teach pranayama is less than 50 miniature pages is just not possible.
If a person is serious about learning yoga, I cannot stress enough the need to find a real teacher. If a person desires a genuine knowledge of pranayama, I recommend books by actual yogis - BKS Iynegar or Swami Satyananda Saraswati.
In the words of Swami Vivikananda: "PRANAYAMA is not, as many think, something about the breath; breath, indeed, has very little to do with it, if anything. Breathing is only one of the many exercises through which we get to the real Pranayama."
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