Tara Stiles

My last review on a yoga book was Jessamyn Stanley's Everybody Yoga. And while that book was more of a memoir with some yoga thrown in Tara's book is more what I was looking for when I went to the library to find a good yoga book.

I practice yoga about 3-4 times a week in the studio and then I try to do another 2 days a week in my home yoga studio I set up in the basement. I started doing yoga more frequently about a year ago but then I stopped totally when I changed jobs do to my work schedule. Now that I'm on a more solid work schedule I've gotten more intentional with my yoga practice and for the last 5 months been on a more regular yoga schedule. My body just feels different and better now and when I go a few days without doing it my body changes and doesn't feel as good.

I fully credit yoga for me being able to ride horses over the Thanksgiving holiday pain-free and not feeling like I was going to be walking funny for a week afterward. Those hip openers I practiced worked! If you are traveling during Christmas you might want to try these poses for those "killer car rides."

I don't know a lot about the different styles of yoga and what they intend to do or not do. I just feel better when doing it. I'm also not looking to do it for some sort of religious practice. Tara has publicly stated this about yoga and I agree with her statement yet I'm beginning to understand and feel the philosophical and psychological impacts as well.

Stiles does not follow any school of yoga or instructor and focuses purely on its physical aspects and health benefits, with no philosophical or spiritual dimension. She eschews the Sanskrit names for yoga positions and does not ask students to chant. Her goal is to make yoga more accessible. "People need yoga, not another religious leader."

I do have a bit of a problem with her using the word "cure" in the book title because I don't think any of these poses are going to cure anything. Will they help? Maybe. Will they make you feel better? Hopefully. But cure is a pretty strong word not to be taken lightly so I don't feel it's the right word to use for the actual book title. Yoga is not going to cure acne.......at least I don't think it will.

Other than that I got what I needed out of the book. So take the poses for what they are worth and feel better. There are still many these poses I can't do at all or can't fully do but I know I'll get there with more practice. Some are just not going to happen because I'm fat.....but I discussed that already in my review of Jessamyn's book. I'm not going to even attempt the headstands.

I'll actually buy this book because I want to reference it for the pose library in the back and the guided flows she recommends for certain pain points like headaches or arthritis and such. Chapters 1-3 were also very meaningful as she discussed what yoga actually is and some of the theories yoga is based upon.… (mehr)