I grant myself permission to buy new magazines whenever I go vacation. This is a little indulgence that I enjoy, whether it's a road trip down to the beach or a non-stop flight to destinations far & near. And so as I prepared for my flight to San Francisco yesterday, I decadently perused the newsstand at the airport with reckless abandon.

After browsing the latest issue of People, (okay, that might be just a little too indulgent) my eye caught the cover of a Yoga Journal that I had not yet seen. I've been a subscriber for a few years, but this was one of the "special editions" that are periodically issued separate from the regular subscription: "Yoga at Home: Everything You Need to Practice on Your Own."

Touted as the "2009 Complete Guide" from the editors of Yoga Journal, this magazine sports a price of $8.99, which definitely puts it into the "decadent" category as far as impulse magazine buying goes. As I picked it up, the gate attendant announced my flight. I quickly pulled out a $10 bill, purchased the magazine and hurried onto the plane.

I rationalized the purchase as being "work-related research." Yeah, that's the ticket. And who among us hasn't struggled with establishing a home practice? I found with my purchase that age-old question, "What should I do?" was answered in sequences, photos and languaging that's easy to follow and understand. Several of the sequences are outlined by teachers who are presenting here at the San Francisco conference, and include:

~ Forward bending practice with Yin Yoga's Sarah Powers
~ Restorative practice with Judith Hanson Lasater
~ Standing poses with Anusara Yoga's Desiree Rumbaugh
~ Backbends with Rodney Yee
~ Down Dog in De "Tail" (get it, dog-tail) with Jason Crandell
~ Beginner's Guide to Inversions with Aadil Palkhivala

Additionally, there are practice sequences from other great teachers for inversions, twists, abdominals, block work for strength, and even a beginner's primer "Meditation for Everybody" by Frank Jude Boccio. As I thumbed through the pages, I was inspired and pleased. Inspired to see so many great do-able sequences, and pleased that my indulgence yielded a worthwhile investment.

Do yourself a favor ... go indulge!

Posted by Pamela Walsh on January 16, 2009 05:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sarah Powers began teaching in 1987. She interweaves yoga and Buddhism into an integral practice to enliven the body, heart, and mind. Her style blends a Yin sequence of long-held poses to enhance the meridian and organ systems with a flow, or Yang, practice influenced by Viniyoga, Ashtanga, and Iyengar. Sarah leads retreats with her husband. They live in Marin, CA.

View Sarah's Classes
http://www.yjevents.com/yjevents/sf09/teacher_powers.php

Posted by Alan Zucker on January 12, 2009 11:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)