BOOK by David Swenson: Ashtanga Yoga, The Practice Manual
David Swenson began the practice of yoga in 1969 at the age of 13. He found Ashtanga in 1973 through David Williams. In 1974 K. Pattabhi Jois made his first trip to the US and David began studies directly with him at that time. He then traveled to Mysore, India in 1977 and learned the entire system in its original form. David is recognized today as one of the foremost authorities of Ashtanga Yoga. This Practice Manual is the definitive guide to the Primary and Secondary Series of Ashtanga Yoga as taught by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois of Mysore. Clear illustrations of each pose accompany the text as well as pictures of two or three levels of modifications for new practitioners. I really like how Mr. Swenson gives options to many poses giving accessibility for everyone that can't stretch like him. The descriptions of the postures and the transitions are clear and concise and the book includes a wonderfully detailed description of perhaps the most difficult and frustrating part of ashtanga yoga: the vinyasa.
This is one of the most user-friendly yoga books available. It contains the entire Primary and Intermediate series of Ashtanga Yoga. It is spiral bound to easily remain open while practicing. The fact that it can sit on the floor is a real bonus to any student or teacher. It contains over 650 photos with clear instructions and commentary. The heavy stock paper and binding used are high quality.
This book is phenomenal for those experienced in Ashtanga who want to create a Mysore practice. A Mysore practice is a quiet practice. The only sound is your breath, while you go through the sequence at your own pace. It's a profound opportunity to "hear your own voice" and in my experience, builds a deep inner trust. It explains each posture in both the Primary and Intermediate Series in simple to understand language. Also included in this book are a few short practices sequenced together by Swenson, lasting 15, 30 & 45 minutes.
Swenson uses good descriptions of the asanas and the vinyasas that link them and his analogies are a creative look at Yoga: Standing Series and Finishing series as bread slices in a sandwich, with the Primary Series as the filling in the sandwich; and the idea of a vinyasa as the "etch a sketch" which clears the slate for each new asana, and his "physics of flight" and "ground transportation" as a means to jumping forward.
David Swenson is obviously a yoga master, and the poses he models are clear and well illustrated. I would recommend this book as an excellent reference work to support Swenson's Ashtanga yoga DVDs, especially if you have a home practice and do not have access to an Ashtanga yoga teacher on a regular basis. It gives you everything you need to begin or expand on a yoga practice. Plenty of positioning instructions with a focus on the most important benefits of yoga beyond the physical. Helps combine positioning, breath, bandhas and flow.
The focus of the book is the postures and, to a lesser extent, bandhas. You can get a feel for the author's experience by his detailed instructions and observations, including 'Drishthi' or the point of internal focus to be maintained while performing an asana.
Aptly and humbly, the author starts with illustrating who a Yogi (or more precisely how a Yogi looks) is by referring to people in and around his life, like his teacher - K. Pattabhi Jois of Mysore, India - and parents, who achieved Yoga through service. One doesn't become a Yogi by perfecting one's physical body.
The presentation and discussion is very traditional. Sanskrit names are used to refer to the postures, but you will find the translation alongside. Apart from the asanas, a brief discussion of the other 8 limbs of Ashtanga yoga is presented.
The layout of the photographs for the different series - primary, intermediate, et al help one to briefly glance and continue practice. The author has taken liberty, as he explains, in presenting a shorter series of asanas for the time-constrained. Props don't play a big role in the practice. If you are familiar with Yoga and wish to stay inspired about your practice, this book will help you very much. Just don't try to practice in all those risky places the Author has pictured himself in!
This book gives a lot of what other books give (History, Sanskrit Terminology, The entire Primary Series, some or all of the Intermediate Series, modifications to postures, etc.), but this book goes a little beyond. A prime example of this concept is the abbreviated workouts (aka "Short Forms"). The Short Forms range from 15-45 minutes. In addition David Swenson's breaking down of how to properly perform a half vinyasa (the Up Dog, Down Dog, jump through after every seated posture) is unparalleled, a very detailed step-by-step analysis that makes this impossible display of dexterity seem attainable. Any person with at least a base understanding of Ashtanga Yoga, or Yoga in general, could benefit from this book. In fact, anybody interested in developing an at home practice could benefit from what this book has to offer.
The great thing about David Swenson's book is that it is true to the pure form of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, allowing for certain points of style. Most books go for the "power yoga" option, which is really more of a spin-off from Ashtanga Vinyasa, and this can lead to discrepancies and omissions in the form and series of postures. David is also very tolerant in his approach, which I think works well for beginners since this is a very demanding practice and it would be easy to be put off. As long as it is understood that the book is not a substitute for a teacher, this shouldn't be a problem. Alternatives are provided in all situations where a practitioner might have difficulty. As well as the physical practice there is a lot of background information that helps to put the whole practice of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga into context.
What separates this book from every other yoga manual on the market is twofold. First, every pose that Swenson presents comes with two or three variations. This consideration allows one to custom tailor the practice to their abilities. Second, Swenson doesn't seem to suffer from the self-importance that other authors do. There are no long winded explanations on how yoga has changed his life, or how enlightened he feels. It is really refreshing. David's enthusiasm for this subject is contagious!
The poses are very well photographed and annotated, and the book makes an excellent reference but a word of WARNING is due: Despite the quality of the book, Ashtanga Vinyasa Hatha Yoga in full format should only be practiced with a qualified teacher. It is critical that certain internal locks, flow and strength are developed before attempting some of the postures in this book. This is NOT a book for beginners of Hatha Yoga or Do It Yourselfers. I can't imagine ever requiring a more advanced yoga manual.
Above all however, the photos are superb and David's body is so finely tuned that it is very clear to see precisely how the back should be curved etc. In fact considering his age and the great shape he is in, the photos are a constant encouragement to keep at it.
A problem with any book that tries to describe and illustrate a flowing sequence is that it is limited to a static format. Swenson's video "Ashtanga Yoga, The Practice" is the perfect companion to the book as it provides 'life' to the descriptions and pictures of the book.
It doesn't demand strength, agility or more concentration than you're prepared to give. Practicing the short forms gives you a sense of how to make a session longer and more useful, but even a 15 minute short form will do wonders for people starting out. Swenson takes the view that those rock-star positions are ideal forms, something you reach after years of work. Get yourself into an approximation of an ideal form and follow the flow from one position to another, and you'll still feel a huge benefit. And since Swenson shows photos of the approximations and flow, you don't have to guess what's next or what you could do instead.
This is an excellent reference manual for continuing practice - as far as I am aware it is the only book with comprehensive documentation of the first two ashtanga yoga series, with explanations and modifications for both.
While David could use a good copy editor (there are a lot of typos and grammatical errors) this is the most user-friendly yoga book I've seen. The layout and copy content make it a very useful practice companion. I think it is best suited for someone with previous yoga experience. This manual is excellent for real life practice. The photos are large enough to see as a guide while practicing the Asanas and the instructions are very clear, more ever there are options available for less flexible or advanced yogis. I think this book really sets the standard for future practice manuals and is a wonderful contribution to Ashtanga Yoga. The numerous modifications, the tips on difficult asanas, and the well thought out commentary on jump back and jump through is outstanding. This book is a must-have for all Ashtanga students and teachers. David Swenson is a fantastic teacher. In this book and in the related video, he comes across as a caring, careful guide to breathing and asanas. He emphasizes practice, but also lets you know why you are doing what you are doing. And he does so in a way that is neither patronizing nor pseudo-mystical.