Kundalini Yoga

I found this book to be just what excerpt on the back cover of the book states, it is an illustrated instructional book on Kundalini Yoga. This is not a book on yogic philosophy and lifestyle. Shakta Kaur Khalsa has written a great visual guide book on what Kundalini Yoga is, showing real people performing Kundalini Yoga. These photographs depict what you would do if you attended a Kundalini Yoga class. I found that these pictures give the reader excellent visual instructions on the specific nuances of how the Kundalini Yoga breathing, Mudras, and Kriyas are performed. This Kundalini Yoga book serves the following purposes, it gives the reader a clear picture of what they would be doing if they attended a Kundalini Yoga class. It also serves as a cheat sheet to help the Kundalini Yoga student who attends class to review the postures and be able to do them at home on their own, without the Yoga teacher, and it also serves as a guide to share with a spouse, children, or friends who may want to join you in doing Kundalini Yoga. If the readers is interested in finding out what Kundalini Yoga is about, or if they would like to have a visual reference for what is done in a Kundalini Yoga class, or a book of photographs which demonstrate Kundalini Yoga Kriyas, I would highly recommend this book. If the reader is looking to read about the Kundalini Yogic philosophy and lifestyle I would recommend they purchase, "Kundalini Yoga The Flow of Eternal Power" by Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa. "Kundalini Yoga The Flow of Eternal Power" covers Kundalini Yogic philosophy and lifestyle in great detail. "Kundalini Yoga" by Shakta Kaur Khalsa is just what the book states it is, a visual instructional book on what Kundalini Yoga is and how Kundalini Yoga is performed.

I was very satisfied with this book. I own a lot of different introductory books about hatha yoga, and this is definitely one of the best. in addition to the exercises, it contains excellent explanations of the underlying concepts and foundational techniques, it doesn't just contain a bunch of poses or a few sets, but gives you a wide variety of exercise sets and meditations a long with descriptions of the benefits and purpose of each one. the book provides a great deal of flexibility and room for experimentation, which is extremely rare in a "beginner's text." the photographs and instructions are clear and of high quality, and the book provides a good introduction to the practices and lifestyle of Yogi Bhajan's devotees.

some points of clarification may be warranted from the reviews of the other readers. first of all, "kundalini yoga" as referred to her is the name given by Yogi Bhajan to the style of yoga he developed. it is not the same as the various forms of yogi developed within hinduism expressly oriented around the development of divinity through the cultivation of kundalini. this form of "kundalini yoga" is modern, and bears a much stronger resemblance to hatha yoga than it does hindu kundalini yogis, which are primarily meditative. like hatha yoga, as taught by Swami Sivananda and the Ashtanga lineage and others, Kundalini Yoga represents a fully developed spiritual system and set of lifestyles practices. however, unlike other popular forms of hatha yoga, kundalini yoga is not grounded in Hindusm. also, whereas other types of yoga are some times taught with an emphasis placed on the exercise aspects, with the spiritual and lifestyle aspects deemphasized, Kundalini Yoga is always taught as a complete system.

a great deal of controversy surrounds Kundalini Yoga, 3HO and Yogi Bhajan. as one other reviwer wrote, a number of scandals have occurred within the community over the last thirty years, and these are chronicled on Rick Ross's website. however, a self-proclaimed deprogrammer and cult investigator, Rick Ross himself is a controversial figure and has been investigated and sued on a number of occasions. none of the actions following from Yogi Bhajan's alleged misconduct ever resulted in a conviction.

finally, Yogi Bhajan's credentials as a yogi teacher have been called into question, as has his claim to be the spiritual representative of the Sikhs in the Western hemisphere. these allegations are more or less true. Yogi Bhajan's lineage is completely unknown and many of his teachings violate the basic tenets of Sikhism. to my knowledge, Sikhs do not practice hatha yoga, and many of the beliefs and techniques in Yogi Bhajan's system were clearly borrowed from Hinduism.

all that said, I and many people I know have practiced Yogi Bhajan's Kundalini Yoga for years and have found it to be healthy and emotionally and spiritually uplifting. on that grounds, I recommend this book to anyone interested in yoga, spirituality and mind-body exercise. with regard to the other issues, I suggest you draw your own conclusions about 3HO and Yogi Bhajan, without being overly swayed either by his devotees or his critics.

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Having started Kundalini Yoga in Feb. of this year (2001), I was anxious to "bring home" my practice of Kundalini Yoga. My teacher is wonderful and recommend this book because I wanted to find or learn some thing so that I could do my exercies at home. Kundalini Yoga, by Shakta Kaur Khalsa, was my answer. This book is the very very best at introducing, explaining and depicting exercies, mudras and medidations relating to Kundalini Yoga, the Yoga of Awareness. The pictures are colorful, clear and the directions are precise and easy to read. I, we, are all lucky to have such an author to give us such great work and allow us to bring home our daily practice of Kundalini Yoga. My hat is off to this book and its context. Thank you.

Sat Nam

Scott Heiple Norman, Oklahoma

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I want to thank Shakta Kaur Khalsa for her incredibly beautiful books, her beautiful writing, and her beautiful teachings! Certainly her "gift number" must be 5 since she is such a talented teacher and communicator!

I bought the "Kundalini Yoga" book about a year ago and still thoroughly enjoy selecting various "kriyas" (exerices) to perform. One of my favorites is the kriya for disease resistance! The book is so beautifully produced and Shakta's writing is so lyrical. I have given many of the Kundalini books as gifts to help others discover their life potential.

Also, I purchased the companion CD to the Kundalini book and often use that music to accompany my yoga practice. The music is beautiful and the CD has so many tracks!

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the incredible benefits yoga offers. The descriptions are very clear and the writing is so very inspirational. There is such a wealth of information that even now, a year later, I am still using it as a reference as I get deeper into yoga.

I also enjoyed the nutritious recipes. I overcame a cold very quickly by preparing a delicious datemilk. I've made some of the soups as well, all very tasty and healthy!

I plan on buying more of Shakta's books. They are my absolute favorites when it comes to yoga!

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This is a FANTASTIC resource and addition to one's yoga routine. Of course, it is only an introduction, but it is informative, accurate (to my knowledge), and easy to understand. It has a wonderful design and layout. It tells you everything you need and is a wonderful guide.

If you are curious about Kundalini Yoga this book is for you:

"Kundalini Yoga, the mother of all yogas and the most powerful yoga known. As brought to the West in 1969 by Yogi Bhajan, it produces results 16 times faster than ordinary yoga.

Its power comes from the Kundalini, an enormous reserve of untapped potential within each of us. It is normally depicted as a coiled or sleeping serpent, located in an area towards the base of the spine.

By gradually and safely awakening this serpent and employing its power, you will benefit greatly from an elevation in consciousness, promotion of physical well-being and an expansion of awareness. You will feel more relaxed and at ease with yourself. Your life will be transformed into one which is happy, healthy & harmonious."

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Urban Tantra: Sacred Sex for the Twenty-First Century

I'm a personal growth coach with a graduate education in integral psychology. I have had a lifelong interest in the wisdom traditions of the world and this was also part of my study. I also work with people having various kinds of sexual issues or seeking more fulfillment.

When I ordered this book, I had a mixed reaction to the reviews and I was honestly expecting not to like it. However, I found it to be quite refreshing, fun, extremely witty and also informative. It talks about real sex between real people and how sex can be used as a spiritual practice and tool for transformation.

Strickly speaking, tantra is path to spiritual transformation that uses the stuff of everyday life as a gateway to something more transcendant. There are many tantric practices and the sexual practices are only a small and rather minor subset of this overall topic. If you are looking for an a good introduction on this deeper tantra or for more context, see Introduction to Tantra : The Transformation of Desire. This is an excellent, concise and accessible introduction to traditonal tantra before it was imported to the West. Although it is written from a Tibetan Buddhist perspective, the concepts apply well to any type of traditional tantra.

Back to this book.... once I got beyond my resistance to it given my knowledge and biases toward traditional tantra, I found it to be a practical tool for people looking to find deeper meaning in sex. Tantra is sort of a buzz word in the West and has a technical definition in the East. However, the authors define Tantra as... "living, authentically, consciously and sensuously. And that can be done in an infinite variety of styles and practices, all of which can bring about prolonged states of love, connection and bliss." If I accept this definition and judge the merit of the book by their own definition, then it succeeds in describing a path for busy Westerner's who wish to find more meaning in relationship and/or sexuality in general.

This book also focuses on Tantra as "primarily concerned with inner mystical experiences, not relationships." As such, it does not have a gender bias or even a heterosexual bias. In the author's words, "Gender is not two bins into one of which everyone must be dumped. It is more like a rainbow spectrum along which everyone can find the particular shade of color that looks best on them." This quote crystallizes the openness, curiosity and acceptance that characterizes the overall tone of the writing.

If I had to summarize the content, I would say it's a collection of psychological, spiritual and practical insights. It challenges basic assumptions most of us have about sex and suggests alternatives, exercises and challenges to the cultural paradigm. Often times the language is edgy, explicit and politically incorrect. However, this doesn't detract from the content, my sense is that is an attempt to reach beyond the ignorance, shame and guilt that so often plagues people in this area of their lives.

While there is some information on the chakra system (subtle energy system), Eastern practices, etc., this is not another New Age book on this topic. In addition, this book contains very concrete tips, techniques, exercises and inquiries that most Western people could connect to.

In short, this is a very fun book. It is fun to read and you will learn a lot from it. Even if the language or suggestions at time seem too far out or don't fit for you, you will still find a lot of value. You may also be surprised that as you delve deeper into exploring this territory there are new vistas waiting for you. This is a nice blend of ancient wisdom, modern insight and down-to-earth sensuality. In my opinion, it is a successful fusion of wisdom old and new applied in a way that the average person can relate to.

If after you get done reading this you want to delve deeper into Kundalini yoga or approach the chakra system gently from a credible and understandable place, then you might enjoy Kundalini Awakening: A Gentle Guide to Chakra Activation and Spiritual Growth. This book is geared toward Westerner's who have difficulty relating to esoteric teachings. It provides an experiental guide to learning about chakras, kundalini, etc. It also explains some difficult concepts in easy to understand language and is written by an author with a gift for simplicity and practical application. You can also look at my listmania lists for other references, including in-depth scholarly ones.

And I have the book. This review is on Carrellas and her whole philosopy the book and the class. As for the book you can find anything in this book for free on the internet. It is nothing new at all. She spends some pages complaining about white-bread folks and making sure everyone knows she is a radical lesbian. Same old boring song and dance, "look at me, see how different I am!" She talks about learning advanced meditation techniques from masters. But if you have the smallest, most basic knowledge of Tibetan Buddhist tantra when you read this book, or see her and hear her rant in person, it pretty obvious that it is all made up hogwash...

I love meditation and I have had a psychic opening from practicing it. I have bliss-ed out during meditation; so I do know what it feels like. I have read all Lama Yeshe's books and I love him dearly. But I do not want to join the Buddhist religion or philosophy, so I keep searching. When I first got into Meditation, I skipped by these sex tantra books believing it to be an abuse of spiritual practices. Ive read extensively how some while practicing meditation & tantra will develop psychic abilities and siddhis and get so caught up in that ... that they never progress down the path any further. At the very least, I saw this type of thing as an annoying distraction that could turn counter productive and destructive.

So I went to this class Urban Tantra to see if I could get some first hand instructions on breathing techniques. The classes are advertised that way... as "breath work", so I was very excited to think I would learn something better or new.

Basically what the whole class amounted to was imagining or simulating sex by breathing heavy & fast *THROUGH THE MOUTH* and visualizing sex with some chakra stuff and kegel exercises thrown in. So if you want to try it, lay on the floor, breathe heavy and very very fast, and moan for a few hours and save your money. (This stimulates the lowest chakra only.)

I spent years training myself to properly nose breathe, it was extremely difficult to meditate and mouth breathe. But this really wasn't meditation anyway. Many people complained about tingling hands and feet Carrellas claimed this was from over-oxygenation and that breathing this way was good. If you search *mouth breathing* you will discover you lose 2/3 of your oxygen by mouth breathing and that it causes premature death and a host of diseases. This tingling wasn't from over-oxygenation it was from lack of oxygen.

And for part of the class, the single folks had to pair up with complete strangers and kinda dry hump and touch each other erotically the class was *not advertised* this way at all complete and utter dishonesty about the content of the class as it never mentioned that people would partner up with complete strangers and touch each other and sit on each others laps, etc... Over half the people would not have attended this class had the content of the class been available for perusal beforehand. Everyone talked about it at lunch break, and I hope some ask for their money back. This class could have easily been broken up into 2 slots, one for couples and one for singles, but I guess Carrellas wont make enough quick bucks that way, eh?

She called this dry humping the yab yum. I wonder if she thinks the Kalachakra is a standing sexual position? She lacks basic information about yin/yang, yab/yum, shiva/shatki and other such inner forces and she spent some time criticizing, in complete ignorance, what she thinks is a man/woman thing.

Anyway, the people that were least attractive, were publicly humiliated because no one wanted to partner up with them. And she even added some sarcastic comments to further humiliate them, as they headed off publicly humiliated and rejected by the whole class to their *alone* spot by the mirror. This broke my heart and showed me what raw ignorance really is. Anyone even a teeny tiny bit advanced would not have done this! I don't understand how anyone could miss the absolute horror of what that felt like for that poor women; I surely couldn't. I could not concentrate after that! The fact that most of the class didn't notice or plain didn't care... that they could wipe it right from their mind and continue on with this unfeeling, unthinking teacher that just publicly humiliated, and then brutalized an innocent women with vicious comments...and she even added in that *this* is the universal force that connects us all; NO IT IS NOT if WHAT you were teaching actually was the universal life force that connects us all you would NOT have been so heartless, brutal, and sarcastic to that women! NO, it isn't the universal force that connects us all if you knew this force in the slightest way, you could not have injured anyone in this way! On a side note, *good* teachers that I have seen will partner up with such single folks but most caring people would not put another human being in this predicament in the first place.

Hey what more can I say? If this is what mind or breath sex is.. I don't want it, folks. At least, not this author's brand of it. Be careful with this brand... knowledge is not wisdom.

She spent quite some time criticizing and polarizing anyone who wasn't gay or into extreme sexual practices a serious hangup with *normal* people was excessively apparent. Think of a lesbian version of Rosanne Barr teaching a class on faking sex... that sums it up pretty well.

"It gives liberation to Yogis and bondage to fools" The Hathayoga Pradipika. This quote is not kindly advice, but a dire warning. Kundalini is not something to toy with. It can cause excruciating physical pain and all kinds of mental problems on someone not completely and utterly spiritually ready for it. Search on "spiritual emergence" and read the personal stories.

This is not "Tantra". There are real teachers and good books out there this is not one of them.

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I thought the book was good, but spent alot of the beginning alienating us boring white bread middle American straight people that may not work occasionally in the sex trade....I say this with a smile and a laugh.

If you are gay, into BDSM, etc. and want to expand on those alternatives with Tantra this book is awesome.....If you want pure Tantra, you can take what you need and leave the rest, or look elsewhere.

It's an easy, entertaining, quick read...and I never thought of myself as a prude, I love the energy information--although it's nothing I haven't learned elsewhere, I just felt a little side tracked at times....

For me personally, and again this is me, but I felt like BDSM worked better when I still clung to many of the issues I've worked through, and I see Tantra as a step beyond, so some of this book seemed like a step backwards.? I also look to Tantra to intesify a long term monogamous relationship, and this book often speaks otherwise. No judgement, just not where I am at this point in my life.

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If you have already read some of my reviews, you know my favorite books feel like best friends and "Urban Tantra" rates as an excellent "bf" and a must have for anyone, what ever your sexual orientation is! If you want to raise your sexual IQ and ecstasy, do empowering exercises -one that uses rocking -which is a favorite, than rock it and read it. Barbara is so open, honest and fun. I loved Annie Sprinkle's "Spectacular Sex" and Annie writes the forward to this book and the women and the books compliment each other well. This book is great for couples and for "singles" because you can do the "home work" alone too which is important and some topics may not be your "thing" but you will get some great breathing excercises, imagining and understanding out of this terrific read!

I recommend this book highly and also doing the exercises for better sexual health, pleasure and empowerment. Like Annie and Nina Hartley, Barbara recommends affirmations and I agree and need to do so much more affirming work. I am carrying this book around with me everywhere and I recommend you do too!

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Have you ever picked up a book on Tantra, started to read it and say "oh no this is too complex I could never do this" I did many years ago and have since not found a book on Tantra or the practices that I could not easily work into my day to day life... well Not anymore! Barbara is a genious and in creating "Urban Tantra" has given us the most 'user friendly' book on Tantra ever written. I have read and begun to put the practices she suggests in her book easily and effortlessly into my day to day life with wonderful results of feeling more ecstatic and alive. If you want to feel more ecstatic and alive buy this book today! Thank you Barbara!

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Meniere Man And The Astronaut. The Self Help Book For Meniere's Disease

The author was struck with the disease in his prime, 46-years-old. He lovingly shares how he overcame this debilitating disease in hopes that it will help others who are faced with the same frightening challenge.

In spite of the fact that the cause is unknown and there is no well-defined treatment, he chose to not let the disease defeat him. He won the battle by changing his attitude about the disease and taking back control of his life through exercise, diet, vitamins, alternative therapies and positive mental training.

He urges those who are facing the same battle to create their own personal regime and take control. He then proceeds to give you detailed instructions on the steps he took to take back his life. He covers so much that is would be impossible to list them all in this short review, but some points that jumped out at me were:

1. The importance of finding your triggers and stressors

2. How to cope with an attack, the hearing loss, and diminished cognitive abilities.

3. Medications, surgical options, and alternative therapies.

He emphasizes that the only thing that stands in the way of successfully managing the illness is attitude. It is important to understand that there are viable choices that can be made.

He ends the book with a short chapter titled: Laugh. Love. Life. . . . then, follows it with "100 ways of coping with Meniere's."

Highly recommended.

Kudos to the author for having the strength to tackle a subject that hits so close to home.

One by one he skillfully addresses each aspect of the disease; from symptom recognition, to the effect of each symptom on the human body, and finally to the options available in treating these debilitating symptoms.

Not only did the author present a smorgasbord of pertinent information, but did so from a first-person point of view. Not only in a way that was easily understood, but in a fashion that tugged at the reader's heartstrings as well.

If you a looking for the definitive `read' on Meniere's disease this is the book for you.

It has helped me tremendously in dealing with my sister's husband.

Jim Fostino

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Wonderfully Uplifting and Inspirational

The author recounts his personal journey, courageously overcoming the trauma and effect of Meniere Disease.

With care and erudition he explains the steps he successfully undertook in what might best be regarded as a guidebook for coping with and recovering from the disease.

His honest, intelligent and sometimes humorous descriptions will provide invaluable assistance not only to fellow sufferers but to anyone seeking to restore quality to and optimise their lives after being diagnosed with a debilitating condition.

Insightfully written and easy to follow.

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I was unsure of what to expect when I started to read this book, but it quickly became apparent that it is in fact, a truly uplifting story. Both well written and well structured, it takes the reader on one man's incredible journey from the complete despair at suffering the debilitating Meneire decease to inspirational hope for others in his position. It's pages contain a lot of helpful information but it is also an entertaining read.

This book could only be written by someone who has been to hell and back. It's poignancy tugs at the heart strings at times and yet the story is inspiring and full of hope. The author writes with authority and a hugely positive attitude, which makes me think that this book will be of immense help to anyone suffering any chronic illness.

I feel so strongly about the message of hope this book conveys, that I have recommended it to my daughter-in-law who, as a young mother herself, has suffered through a difficult decease and life-changing surgery.

This is a definate 5 stars for me.

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"Meniere Man and the Astronaut" is a book that every Meniere's disease sufferer should have in their collection. The information in this book will not only benefit those with the disease but also help family and friends understand what the sufferer is going through. There is a lot of very helpful information in this book that can help a person deal with this disease and most importantly it is written by someone who has experienced firsthand what he has written.

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Uncommon Fruits and Vegetables: A Commonsense Guide

I love this volume but would still place The Victory Garden as the first essential vegetable cookbook; then I'd place this as the second vegetable cookbook for a well-stocked kitchen.

The book is arranged alphabetically by plant. An index in the back allows you to find produce by an alternative name. An index in the front sorts the recipes by type.

To give an indication of its range the first few entries are: arugula, asian pear, atemoya, blood orange, bok choy, bolete, boniato, breadfruit ... The books gives a basic introduction to the history and geography of the plant, guides for selection and storage, basic preparation, nutritional value and recipes. For breadfuit, for a green breadfruit there is a salad recipe, for a medium ripe on there are soup and pudding recipes.

The recipes are all practical, everyday meal recipes. This book is an excellent guide for using the produce items that are more recently added to your supermarket produce bins.

I have an earlier edition of this book, and have really enjoyed using it. It includes background and the author's commentary on each fruit or vegetable (and, as one of the authors notes, not your "garden variety" fruit and vegetables, but unusual things like kumquats and quince that those of us who grew up on iceberg lettuce may not have encountered.) She also includes a sampling of recipes for each item. The recipes have the author's usual creative flair, and all the ones I have tried have been really great. But, unless I was really more interested in the fruit part of the equation, I would look into buying her new vegetable book first. It was just published in December 2001, and would therefore be more current. There has been so much change in bringing some of the more unusual foods to market that it may make most sense to have Schneider's most recent book.

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Is there a special section in the produce department of your favorite up-scale supermarket that has mysterious new plants with unfamliar names such as atemoya, boniato, burdock or calabaza? Have you tried carambola, cassava, chayote or cherimoya? No?

If you had a book filled with descriptions of exotic fruits and vegetables would you try them, especially if the book has delicious recipes? Yes?

Then this is a book you should own. It will help you explore 80 different fruits and vegetables, some of them strange and delicious, others just strange. The book has about 420 recipes for you to try. Enough for you to find some new favorites.

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I have the original of this book and find myself constantly reviewing it every time I come back from the tropical food markets. This book is very helpful even if one is familiar with and have grown up eating these kinds of fruits and vegetables. This book provides americanized recipes which is good because aside from being nutritious, most of these fruits and vegetables are beautiful and aesthetically presentable. You can serve fruits and vegetables that do not need to be masked by some gumbo-colored sauce. If you are the kind of cook who likes to serve beautiful dishes this book comes handy. You don't even have to follow the recipes just to use the vegetables. Once you become familiar with the vegetables you will discover how compatible they are with the common vegetables found in your regular supermaket on a dish of your own recipe. For example you could prepare a chicken dish with sliced tomatoes, potatoes, red and green bell peppers,carrots and bok choy with thickened chicken broth with your own choice of spices. The book details the following for each fruit and vegetable: Scientific name, description, beautiful illustrations, selection and storage, preparation and nutritional highlights.

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I began to browse through Ms. Schneider's book because I had some unusual fruit on my hands that needed to be cooked. I became ENTHRAWLED by the fascinating information about vegetables and fruit from A to Z, but not our usual apples and oranges varieties. I couldn't put it down. I will be giving this book to everyone I know!

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