Book Recommendation by Esther Veltheim
As a BodyTalker, whether you practice yoga or not, you are going to love this book. The Injury-Free Yoga Practice is a book about alignment, anatomy and how not to get hurt doing yoga. And yet, as you can tell from the above quote, Dr. Weiss writes from a very unique perspective. His reverence for the work, combined with his deep knowledge of both yoga and chiropractic, translates into an exploration of the body that is nothing short of inspirational….and very practical.
As BodyTalkers, we all know how important alignment is, especially where our work is concerned. We know that poor alignment disrupts our body’s energy systems and, in so doing, compromises our overall health. We also know that the way our body aligns itself is a direct reflection of how we feel about our self and the world. When we are “out of alignment” or have poor alignment, our self-esteem and our world- view reflect this distortion. Strangely, even though we have these understandings, alignment is a subject we easily dismiss when pondering our health and wellbeing.
The Injury-Free Yoga Practice explores the fundamentals of alignment as a codified system that applies consistently in every yoga posture. Personally, I am discovering that application of the alignment principles, as Dr. Weiss presents them, is transforming my experience of my body both on and off my yoga mat.
And those of you working to fulfill your studies of anatomy and physiology, you will so appreciate the way these subjects are brought to life. Discussions on anatomy are presented, not as a secondary curiosity, but in a way that reveals how anatomy is the underlying rationale for every principle of alignment used in yoga practice….and in life. And the so-called “secret” tips to alignment that never seem to be shared fully are revealed in a way that makes them immediately applicable, not just to asana but to every move you make in life.
The Injury-Free Yoga Practice is born of Dr. Weiss’s many years living not just as a yoga teacher and diligent practitioner, but also as a holistic chiropractor and anatomy instructor. The book is, in part, a compilation of ideas developed by many great teachers of alignment-based yoga, including Anusara and Iyengar. But what seems to make this book such a unique and distinctive contribution to the growing body of knowledge about yoga is the place this book is written from. Writing from the perspective of years of observation and hands-on adjustment, Dr. Weiss shares great insight into the intricacies of human alignment.
Practicing yoga can be either therapeutic or the cause of trauma. The postures themselves are not inherently safe or dangerous. The outcome of yoga practice depends on one essential criterion: the successful application of alignment. Yoga has the potential to be one of the most sophisticated and empowering means of creating structural alignment in the body.
Clearly alignment should not be an afterthought. Nor should it be considered a facet of advanced asana practice only. Alignment is essential at all levels of practice and all areas of life. Healthy alignment ensures that asana and all our movements in life are performed safely and expertly.
As far as yoga is concerned, yoga postures need not be overly advanced to be beneficial. The most basic postures are generally the most therapeutic, since they are the easiest ones in which to establish precise alignment. What this means is that even for those of you who do not practice yoga, as long as you have a body this book can transform your experience of being in it. But chances are that by the time you have read this book you will want to take up yoga!
For those of you who are already practicing yoga, The Injury-Free Yoga Practice offers you the essential tools for creating a safe and advancing practice that will provide years of health and vitality. Click here to purchase the book.
Steven Weiss, MS, DC, RYT has over 30 years of experience as a holistic chiropractor, nutritionist and dedicated yoga student and teacher. For 17 years, Dr. Weiss served as the resident chiropractor and nutritionist at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies in Rhinebeck, NY. He is a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists. Besides teaching anatomy and alignment for yoga teaching training programs, Dr. Weiss is a post-graduate instructor with two chiropractic colleges, presenting programs for chiropractors that explore yoga-based biomechanics and therapeutics. His yoga training has been in various traditions with an extensive background in Anusara and Iyengar yoga, studying with teachers in India and throughout the United States.
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