Happy Yoga

Customer Reviews

• Read this book and get happy...really!  May 18, 2006 (18 of 18 found this helpful)

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  This is a lovely book ostensibly about yoga (and it is), but more than that, about life. It is about how ordinary people can learn from yogic wisdom and apply it to our mainstream lives. It is about how to be enlightened, simply and happily, rather than rigorously and with struggle.
  
  Full of wisdom and strong opinions from the author (especially about veganism---the author is a vegan), you may not agree with everything, but you will enjoy this book greatly and learn a lot. It will make you think and examine your beliefs. It will also make you happy---the subtitle is "7 Reasons Why There's Nothing to Worry About". An example of one secret: "You Can't Get Happy (You Can Only Be Happy)".
  
  There are brief questions for reflection throughout the book. It is well-organized.
  
  People who will enjoy and benefit from this book are:
  Those who practice yoga very seriously.
  Those who have never tried yoga and who wonder what it's all about.
  Those who think a lot and who spend time worrying.
  Those who want to "wake up", sensing that they are sleepwalking through their lives and missing something.
  Other very serious people.
  
  This is a happy book, although I wouldn't call it light. It's not heavy, either, though. "Fun" and "deep" would be the best description...well..."happy"---and thus unique. I really enjoyed it. Oftentimes I'd feel happy and blissful just reading it and contemplating on the points the author would make.
  
  The only negative about the book is that the yoga postures at the end of each chapter are very advanced---many at the contortionist level---with instructions not anywhere near beginner level. I just looked at the pictures. However, it would be very easy for an uninformed reader to injure themselves while attempting to follow the instructions and illustrations. It would also give a beginner new to yoga the misguided idea that they can't do yoga because it's too hard for them at their fitness level. Untrue! The yoga postures are not, however, vital to the book and can simply be skipped. Still, for this reason I give this wonderful book only four stars.
  ****

• There really is nothing to worry about!  Jan 3, 2005 (21 of 22 found this helpful)

  I discovered Steve Ross on the Oxygen network's morning yoga program, "Inhale." I had been cruising along with my light and lovely Suzanne Deason, the strong and gentle Rodney Yee, and the soothing tones of Patricia Walden--all happy members of my video and DVD yoga collection. While surfing through the TiVo listings one day, I came across Steve's yoga program, and my life hasn't been the same since.How happy I was to find Steve's book, Happy Yoga: 7 Reasons Why There's Nothing to Worry About! I happened across it before going on a plane trip, and practically devoured the whole book on the to and from flights, using the yoga sequences listed in the book while on the ground. This book is not a yoga how-to manual--it's a yoga why-to manual. Yes, the poses are there, but this is not a book about getting the poses just so. The yoga Steve shows you is the essence of yoga, the essence of Self, and the finding of joy.The book gives you just what it says: seven reasons why there's nothing to worry about. The chapter on food alone makes the book worth buying, even if you never decide to be a raw foodie vegan (I'm not, but it sure was great, enlightening reading). In each chapter, Steve connects to yogic wisdom, real-world examples, and just plain common sense to give you a true guide to living a yogi's life, even in the hustle and bustle of 21st century America. As he says, anyone can be a deeply connected yogi in a cave in India. It takes talent to do it in the midst of our every day lives.Steve Ross is an irreverent yoga instructor and life guide--just what the "yoga industry" needs, IMO. Try the book, do the Inner Yoga exercises, and watch your life come more into focus. And don't forget to try the playlist selections conveniently provided at the end of each chapter. You'll never do yoga to New Age chanting CDs again!

• Just Plain Happy  Jul 12, 2004 (13 of 13 found this helpful)

  I've been reading this book for the past 3 weeks along with practicing yoga using Steve's program and I do feel calmer and more at peace, as well as stronger and more comfortable in my body.
  The book features lessons followed by suggested exercises (mental as well as physical) that can guide you on your journey. I've been to many yoga classes and found that they can be indimitading and pretentious to newcomers. This book explains the principles of yoga in a way that beginners can understand and feel in sync when practicing with more experienced others.
  Every lesson had has inspired me - I can already tell that this will be a book that I pick up time & again.

• Excellent yoga book  Nov 28, 2003 (11 of 11 found this helpful)

  Very good book on Yoga philosophy. I didn't find the references to certain studies very scientific though. But as a philosophy book it's very well written. For example, my favorite quote from the book is:
  
  "The extent of a person's evolution is proportionate to their acceptance of the unacceptable"
  
  I'd recommend "Happy Yoga" even for people who have no intention of practicing the physical side of Yoga.

• This book could change your life  Apr 11, 2006 (7 of 7 found this helpful)

  I've read A LOT of self-help books in my life, but this one blows them all out of the water! It totally puts things in perspective, in such a simple way you wonder why you didn't figure it out yourself. As Steve Ross says in the book, sometimes you just need to hear the right words to be able to see the truth. Even if you don't get a life-altering attitude adjustment from the book, you'll probably still enjoy it because it's humorous and fun to read. I don't see how anyone wouldn't enjoy it. I feel like this book is such a treasure, I've given copies to all my loved ones. The most recent loved one I sent it to, simply said "this book is life-changing; I'm at a loss for words" - that's exactly how it feels. I don't think you'll ever regret this purchase!
  
  Additional comment:
  Yes, I have to agree with one of the other reviewers that I couldn't buy the theory that humans are naturally vegetarians. Humans are omnivores and can eat anything - that's part of why we have survived so long and in all kinds of conditions. The author makes a strong case against eating meat - but you don't have to agree with him. This is such a tiny little issue compared to the wealth of information in this book, that I don't think it will detract at all from the experience of reading this book. Don't miss out on everything else the book has to offer because of a trivial issue like this.
  
  Update:
  Nearly 3 years after first reading this book and writing this review, I find my original review a little on the dramatic side. Since then, I've really made it a point to tone down the drama in life and not be pushy about new ideas. Just because I found something right for me, doesn't make it right for someone else. But with that said, I still consider this book the best in my collection. I continue to offer copies of this book to people who are going through difficult times and are looking for answers, without being pushy. I regularly pull this book off the shelf and open it to any random page and start reading; even after reading it so much for 3 years, I still get things out of it because the meaning I find in it changes as I change. I'd still highly recommend this book to anyone who is searching for something, who feels there should be more to life than the daily grind, or who just worries a lot. It could open up a whole new dimension of life you never knew was there.