“The Woman’s Book of Yoga & Health” by Linda Sparrowe
The entire title is a bit unwieldy: The Woman’s Book of Yoga and Health: A Lifelong Guide to Wellness by Linda Sparrowe with yoga sequences by Patricia Walden. I call it The Purple Book for short, and I refer to it so frequently I have never lent it out. I’ve even considered dissecting it so I could take certain sections with me on vacations or breaks instead of toting the entire nearly 3-pound book. Thus far, though, it’s intact, and it’s gone with me on short weekends and long family trips. If you are a woman with even a passing interest in yoga–even if you’ve never tried it before–I can’t recommend this book highly enough.
It begins with three series: Essential, Energizing, and Restorative. Sparrowe recommends practicing at least three times a week, and fitting the practice to your needs alternating essential with energizing or restorative if you’re injured or run down. The subsequent chapters offer further specific information, health advice and yoga sequences for a comprehensive array of issues: menstruation, menopause, pregnancy, back injuries, headaches, depression, and more. Yoga sequences are illustrated by clear photos and detailed descriptions, along with benefits and cautions.
This book is a terrific reference, and I’ve learned a great deal about yoga from using it, even though I’ve never read it cover to cover. I can always find at least one yoga pose to suit my circumstances, and usually have to restrain myself from doing more. I can almost always fit in three yoga poses a day, even at my busiest and most harried. What I like best about it, though, is its practical approach. At core, it recommends eating, resting and exercising in moderation.
No matter how often you do yoga, you can’t hope to prevent or heal your health problems without making other lifestyle changes. If you practice yoga, but continue to eat poorly, get very little sleep, or stay in abusive or stressful relationships (in either your personal or work life), chances are you’ll continue to get sick.
While it’s the kind of advice that seems so obvious it doesn’t need to be stated (and many medical doctors don’t), Sparrowe does it in a reminding manner, not a nagging one. I’ve had this book since it was published, nearly seven years ago. Not many books have that kind of staying power, especially ones that can be reductively classed as self-help. This one, I’ve found, is a keeper.
June 9th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
I’ve never tried yoga before (I’m horribly inflexible), but this sounds like a great book. I’m going to see if my library has a copy and see if I can give it a go. I have a mat that’s been languishing for years… maybe I can change that!
June 9th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
A friend had a theory that people were either flexible or runners. I’m def. not the latter, and while I’m not super flexy, the low impact and meditative aspects of yoga work much better for me than more active sports. I walk a lot, and would swim if it were convenient.
June 13th, 2009 at 11:03 pm
We have a pool in our complex, so I try to use that as much as I can (and when it’s not swarming with fratty boys). I’ve certainly learned through repeated trials that I am no runner, so I would like to try some other forms of exercise out. I did do pilates for a semester in undergrad and thought it was interesting - I’m not sure how it can lead to weight loss on its own, but feel it would be a good supplement to other regimes.
Turns out my library does have a copy of this book, so I’m going to try to snag the copy on my next visit.