Book Review:

Carson, Kimberly and Carol Krucoff. Relax into Yoga for Seniors.  Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, Inc., 2016.

Without reservation, I can recommend this book and not just for seniors looking to incorporate yoga into their wellness regimen.  I would also recommend it as imperative reading for yoga teachers regardless of whether or not you plan on working with seniors.  You see, the information in this book readily applies to yoga practitioners of any age.  The book offers a common sense and thoroughly researched approach to the implementation of yoga as a sensible self-care measure.  Specifically, the chapter on “Yoga for the Perfectly Imperfect Body,” provides clear guidelines and precautions for how yoga can be helpful with medical conditions such as osteoporosis, heart and circulatory issues, arthritis, joint replacements, lung disease, chronic pain and cancer – the type of information everyone who practices and teaches yoga needs to know.

The book also provides specific and gentle yoga postures, exercises and techniques with suggestions for how to formulate them into a regular yoga practice.  Every bit as professional, timely and essential as their yoga teacher training workshops, Kimberly Carson and Carol Krucoff have gifted us with a must have book for yoga practitioners of any age.

 

Daily Periods of Time Alone

Bird Migration: Each year, with the onset of winter, flocks of birds from the Northern hemisphere fly long distances to warmer territories in the South.  Birds navigate their way by following internal compasses comprising tiny grains of a mineral called magnetite, stored in their brains.  During rest stops they recalibrate their inner compasses using the positions of the stars to account for the fact that magnetic north lies 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) from the North Pole.  When rest stops are too short, birds can get disoriented.  In a similar way we possess a sense of inner knowing that helps us to find our way in life.  But, unless we allow ourselves daily periods of time alone in which to tune into this inner knowing and recalibrate it against the changing circumstances, we, like migrating birds, can lose our way.

From the book 1001 Meditations by Mike George