Yoga for Wellness: Healing with the Timeless Teachings of Viniyoga

by Gary Kraftsow

Overview

A world-reknowned teacher shows how Yoga can not only make you feel better - it can make you feel well

Yoga offers a great, low-impact way to increase flexibility and reduce stress. It also provides an alternative or augmentation to mainstream medicine. This classic fully illustrated and easy-to-follow guide draws on both the physical and spiritual components of Yoga therapy to show how you can use Yoga to heal any number of afflictions. Some of the areas covered include:

- Common Aches and Pains: neck and shoulders, upper and lower back, hips and knees
- Chronic Disease: digestive and respiratory problems, cardiovascular, lymphatic, and endocrine systems
- Emotional Health: stress and disease,mental illness, anger, anxiety, and depression

Yoga for Wellness presents specific case studies and specific sequences, which can be adapted to your individual needs. And with photographs illustrating each step of every sequence, it the perfect book for beginners as well as experienced practioners including teachers. 

"I highly recommend this fascinating, practical guide to the ancient art of Yoga." - Mitchell L Gaynor, M.D., Director of the Strang Cancer Prevention Center and author of Sounds of Healing

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101078297
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	10/01/1999
Series:	Compass
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	766,883
File size:	20 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Gary Kraftsow , Founder and Director of the American Viniyoga Institute (AVI®), has been an innovator in the transmission of yoga for health, healing, and personal transformation for over 40 years. He began his study of yoga in India with T.K.V. Deśikācar in 1974 and received a Viniyoga Special Diploma from Viniyoga International in Paris, France in 1988.

Gary graduated from Colgate University in 1976 and received his Masters Degree in Psychology and Religion from the University of California at Santa Barbara.  Around that time, he opened Maui School of Yoga Therapy.  In 1999, he founded the American Viniyoga Institute, LLC.  Since then, he has become a renowned speaker and teacher of the Viniyoga methodology at many conferences and schools nationally and internationally.

Gary has successfully developed protocol for two National Institutes of Health studies: “Evaluating Yoga for Chronic Low Back Pain” and “Yoga Therapy for Generalized Anxiety”, as well for the “Mind-Body Stress Reduction in the Workplace” clinical trial for Aetna Insurance Company.

He is the author of two books published by Penguin: Yoga for Wellness and Yoga for Transformation, and author of four educational DVD’s: Viniyoga Therapy for Low Back, Sacrum and Hips and Viniyoga Therapy for Upper Back, Neck and Shoulders, Viniyoga Therapy for Depression, and Viniyoga Therapy for Anxiety.  He has also produced multiple online workshops: Āsana Unlocked, Pranayama Unlocked, Meditation Unlocked, Yoga Therapy for Depression, Yoga Therapy for Better Sleep, and Yoga Therapy for Anxiety.

Table of Contents

	Foreword	vii
	Acknowledgments	xi
	Introduction	xv
Part 1	Yoga: A Developmental Approach
Chapter 1	Principles of Practice	3
	Introduction to Asana	3
	Introduction to Breath	7
	Principles of Adaptation	12
	The Art and Science of Sequencing	26
Chapter 2	Biomechanics of Movement	35
	Stretching the West: An Introduction to Forward Bends	35
	Stretching the East: An Introduction to Backward Bends	49
	Revolving: An Introduction to Twists	61
	Working the Sides: An Introduction to Lateral Bends	72
	Lengthening the Core: An Introduction to Extension	85
	Active Reversal: An Introduction to Inversion	98
	Accomplishing the Peculiar: An Introduction to Balance	114
Part II	Yoga: A Therapeutic Approach
	Yoga Cikitsa: An Introduction to Yoga Therapy	129
Chapter 3	Common Aches and Pains	135
	Skeletal System	135
	Muscular System	139
	Neck and Shoulders	143
	Upper and Lower Back	159
	Sacrum, Hips, and Knees	184
Chapter 4	Chronic Disease	203
	Digestion and Assimilation	203
	Respiratory System	216
	Cardiovascular System	231
	Lymphatic System and Immunity	245
	Endocrine System	257
	Nervous System	272
	Urinary and Reproductive Systems	286
Chapter 5	Emotional Health	301
	The Spaceship Voyager	302
	The Limbic Brain	303
	Stress and Disease	304
	Ancient Insights for Modern Healing	305
	Pranayama	306
	Yoga Therapy and Mental Illness	307
	The Three Primary Energies	308
	Anger and Anxiety	308
	Depression	316
	Beyond Therapy	324
	Pronunciation Guide	325
	Asana Index	326
	Index	329
	Contact and Product Order Information	334

What People are Saying About This

Mitchell L. Gaynor, M.D.

I highly recommend this fascinating, practical guide to the ancient art of yoga. Gary Kraftsow brings the ancient wisdom and techniques to the reader in a clear guide that synthesizes breath, sound and movement. -- ( Mitchell L. Gaynor, M.D., Director, Strang Cancer Prevention Center, and author of Sounds of Healing )

Editorial Reviews

Viniyoga provides a methodology for creating an individualized yoga program (the tradition adapts postures to individuals rather than vice versa), and Kraftsow has been recognized for his ability to train teachers and therapists in this method. Kraftsow's illustrated manual is meant to introduce "yoga for all levels" in a hands-on manner, but he seems unclear about his audience's background. Part 1, about yoga practice, assumes knowledge of anatomy and familiarity with the postures, while Part 2, about yoga therapy, explains physiology in detail too explicit for the reader of Part 1. Still, someone with previous experience in yoga or movement therapy can benefit from the chapters on adapting postures and creating sequences. Recommended for libraries with large health collections.--Elizabeth C. Stewart, Portland, ME Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

Kraftsow is one of a few Westerners certified to train teachers and therapists in Viniyoga, an ancient tradition that adapts postures to individuals rather than forcing them into uncomfortable postures. He uses illustrated step-by-step instructions to focus on yoga as a means to attain physical and emotional health. Beginning with a general introduction that explains the principles behind yogic traditions, he uses case studies of people who have suffered from a broad spectrum of ailments to illustrate specific yoga sequences used to treat individual conditions. Each step of each exercise is illustrated with it's own b&w photo. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

"the seminal Viniyoga book" — Yoga Journal

"This book is a definitive bookshelf must-have for the yoga teacher or serious student practitioner..." — Yogachicago.com

From the Publisher