Journey Into Power How to Sculpt Your Ideal
| Brand: | |||
| Average Rating |
|
Wake up the power inside and turn your life around!
Whether you are looking to lose weight, trying to increase your strength and stamina, hoping to sharpen your mental edge, or seeking to go deeper within, Journey Into Power can take you there. Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga isn’t just the ultimate workout, it’s the utlimate life transformation program.
In this unique and inspiring audiobook, Baron Baptiste brings us the same revolutionary program for body, mind and spirit that has changed the bodies and lives of Hollywood celebrities, all-star athletes, and thousands of people just like you. Baptiste shows us that the key to true power is not to chase an ideal version of ourselves, but to reveal the perfect self already within. Using his wildly popular weeklong bootcamps as a model, Baron has developed a long-term program that anyone can use to shed excess stress, weight, and emotional baggage to emerge lighter, leaner, and empowered. Here are just some of the benefits:
Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga is the ultimate commitment that yields the ulimate transformation. It heals, detoxifies, and electrifies body and mind at their deepest levels. You will find your true strength, your real self, and a new way to live that is both authentic and joyfull! more info
A great self-teaching guide
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This book is an extremely well structured course in the fundamental poses that comprise the Vinyasa style of yoga. Whilst we use this book as a guide for beginners at my yoga club, it would suffice as a self teaching guide. Detailed descriptions of the key elements of poses, as well as risk factors to consider, act to encourage good form and can often correct mistakes of some more experienced practitioners. For around the price of one yoga class, you can’t go wrong.
Nice book BUT……..
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
PROS: I found the book very helpful and inspiring for beginners and yoga teachers at the gym. Baptiste makes great detailed explanation to each pose and tells a few illuminative parables. The structure of the book is great. I absolutely agree that book is nice compilation of beginners yoga poses for fitness purposes, but Baptiste have not created anything but great book, what is a lot. Thank you Mr. Baptiste!
CONS: What is bothering me that the book is written the way, that many people think that Baptiste have created his unique Yoga system, Baptiste Style)) oooops. What kind of style??? Yoga is more than 2000 old system of exercises.
Also It would be appropriate for a good yoga student (as Mr. Baptiste) to insert direct citations of such GURUS as Iyengar, Delai Lama, or Patanjali Yoga Sutras, Upanishadas, Hayha Yoga Pradipika. Instead Baptiste proclamete himself as a new guru who driving spiritual revolution.
SUGGESTIONS FOR ADVANCEMENT: Try “Jivamukta Yoga” by Sharon Gannon and David Life – people totally dedicated to yoga, recognize themselves as only students of REAL spiritual teachers like Shri K. Pattabhi, Swami Nirmalananda, etc.
Great for Everyone
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve read countless books on yoga, nutrition, and exercise. I believe this one is my favorite to date. It covers yoga in a very clear and concrete manner, with beautiful photos of each pose. Baptiste also has a great style to his writing, and really provides the reader with inspiration, courage, and motivation to change their lives with a healthy lifestyle.
Great for the do-it-yourself guy!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’m a do-it-yourself kind of guy. So, when I decided to give yoga a try, naturally I started buying yoga books and studying them. There’s no way I would have gone to a yoga class. I have nothing against them—it’s just not for me. And I think a lot of men would feel this way.
I have eight books, covering various types of yoga, such as Ashtanga, Bikram, etc. I’ve also done a lot of reading about yoga online. I even had a subscription to “Yoga Journal” magazine.
Then I came across this wonderful book by Baron Baptiste. He gives detailed descriptions of the various poses (asanas), and talks about diet and health, as you would expect. But it’s not just about exercise, breathing, and diet. He teaches you to trust your “inner self.” With Baron, it’s about a new way of life, a better way of living at peace with yourself.
So, if you have any interest or curiosity at all about yoga, you’ve got to read this book!
Thanks again, Baron! You’re the best!
Baptiste is magical
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Baron Baptiste’s yoga and philosophy are truly outstanding and worth reading, cover to cover. His yoga has changed my life.
PJ
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
This is a largly contrived and shallow look at yoga (as are baptiste’s other books) but it is helpfull with some postures.
Thank you, Baron.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. For some reason, I have overlooked Baron as a teacher until now, perhaps because I had heard his name linked with celebrities and unfairly assumed he was Hollywood’s answer to Yoga. I see now that I misjudged him, and I urge others to pick up his book and give him the chance I didn’t for so long.
He is very heartfelt as he tells you about his personal journey into Yoga and comes across as a sincere friend instead of a know-it-all guru (those of you who have met such people know what I’m talking about). His honesty and humility caught me off guard as he strongly suggests that we must listen to ourselves as we move through the poses, just as we must honor ourselves as we move through every day life. He can only *do* just that ~ make suggestions. Instinctively, we each know what we need to take from Yoga and what to pass up. In other words, the practice of Hatha Yoga is for everybody, not just the lean, flexible vegetarians of the world. Believe it or not, many think Yoga belongs to a certain subset of people or to a particular religion when really, it belongs to anyone…anyone can make the practice of Hatha Yoga their own. Anyone can benefit, and benefit greatly.
The section of the book dedicated to the asanas (poses) is very well written with detailed descriptions of alignment, including a list of “Don’ts” (as in, “Don’t hyperextend your knees here…”). I love that. If a person cannot get to a class and benefit from the help of a real live teacher, he will need all the detail he can get in regards to foot placement, the tucking of the tailbone, etc. Baron does a wonderful job of breaking down each pose so that a person can check himself and learn proper alignment rather than fall into a pose having no clue where the body should be, risking injury. Ideally, this book should be read in conjunction with taking a class, but if this and a good Yoga DVD is all you have, you’re in pretty good shape. I take classes and still enjoyed reading Baron’s suggestions for alignment (like pretending one is opening a pickle jar with each hand in Downward Facing Dog, gently rotating the hands outward ~ this helps flatten the palms down to the floor and ends up rotating the shoulder, just what you need). I’ve noticed a few books by other well known Yoga practitioners sorely lack this kind of attention to detail.
His section on eating is, like the rest of the book, a gentle suggestion to cut down on the junk in your diet and reach for more nutrient dense foods. It’s basic but refreshingly to the point about how our body cannot function at its best unless we give it the proper fuel. He offers a guideline for introducing healthier eating habits into your diet, but really…I can make it even simpler. Try eating fruit for breakfast and a salad with plenty of veggies for lunch, leaving dinner the meal where you can eat anything your heart desires. Over time, you will see and feel the benefits of your first 2 meals of the day while still enjoying your favorite comfort foods like pizza or a hamburger at dinnertime. Whether you continue eating exactly this way for the rest of your life, or actually find yourself making even better choices at dinner, you’ll be doing yourself and your body good in a very natural, non-dogmatic kind of way (right up Baron’s alley ~ he has no use for dogmatic behavior).
The end of the book is about meditation. Again, he offers great ideas, but I find meditation to be a very personal thing. You may or may not like his approach, but that doesn’t mean meditation won’t work for you. Sometimes you need to explore this option and see what else is out there before you actually find something that works well for you (kind of like your Hatha Yoga practice). Maybe you just need to work on living better, practicing the poses and/or eating better, leaving meditation for another time. Whatever the case, while I like Baron’s approach to meditating, I find Kathy Freston’s meditation CDs to be much more helpful.
Whether you apply all of the book to your life or just sample a few ideas, it will be well worth it. One teacher of mine says, “Take what you need, and leave the rest behind.” Approach Baron’s book with this in mind, and you’ll start your own journey towards balance in both body and life.
A fresh, new way to look at yoga.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
“Power Yoga” is nothing new. Yoga, as a discipline, has been around for a few thousand years. “Power Yoga” is simply a modern, and arguably very Western, way of practice. It is also not a bad marketing idea – and at first glance, this book, with it’s slick, glossy production and carefully styled photographic art, appears like many of the books currently in print which have made self-help a multi-billion dollar industry, hawking this or that new way to be smarter, better-adjusted, more beautiful, and/or more healthy.
Having said that: don’t judge this book by its cover. It is not all about glamour, and neither is Baptiste. Can yoga make you healthier, stronger, and more beautiful? Sure it can – but so can just about any other physical activity, if practiced diligently. What Baptiste is offering – in a way that even a person who is perhaps not so “spiritually” inclined can understand and apply – is a chance to change the way you think, act, and live – and yoga is a wonderful vehicle for this.
Some of Baptiste’s “Ten Principles” for practicing Power Yoga might sound a little goofy or new-agey (e.g., “You are either now here, or nowhere”) – but they are also catchy and easy to remember, and the discussions of each principle are clear and straight-forward, not to mention quite helpful. As for the actual postures, Baptiste gives clear and detailed instructions on how to prepare for and execute each form, and the photographs are quite well-done and helpful.
Overall, this is one of the most straight-forward and user-friendly books on yoga I have yet come across. Some of the poses will be difficult for beginners, but as Baptiste gently reminds us, everyone starts out as a beginner – expertise and confidence come only with work and patience.
Good luck on your own journey into power!
Journey Into Power
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a great book. Anybody that may be curious about yoga this is a great place to start. Anybody that is an experienced with yoga read this book.
Baron does a great job at explaining the yoga concepts simply. He take the intimidation out for those of us that do not know the sanskrit words for poses. Baron also has a very human side that you don’t always get to see in yoga gurus. He has a great sense of humor which just adds to the appeal of the book.
Also, if you are looking for a physical workout as well as a spiritual one, look no further.
A Truly Transforming Book
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have done yoga on and off for the last few years, along with other exercises for variety. After a debilitating back injury that forced me to give up all other forms of exercise (at least for the moment), I found Baron’s book. The first time I did Child’s Pose, Downward Facing Dog, and Rag Doll, with his excellent descriptions, my back felt stretched, and most important, pain free! For the first time in a month I had hope that my back would actually heal again.
I have done yoga every day since then, even though some days I can only manage 10-15 minutes (still building up the endurance). For anyone who has back pain, I urge you to check this book out, and don’t be afraid of the poses! Baron is very specific, and his modifications are truly aimed at beginners. This is yoga for everyone – all you have to do is take the first step on your own journey to power. I am grateful that I did.
Namaste
The perfect compliment for an avid cyclist
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This book sat in my stack of books “I’ll get around to” for nearly a year before I started reading it. Even without actually doing the yoga practice, I was amazed at the deep meaning in Baron’s words, his humble reverence to the art of yoga, and the inspiring way he teaches it. So after a few months went by, I decided to start following his routine in my very own “hot yoga room” – okay, its a small storage room I converted, but it does have nice windows and a southern exposure. A wall mirror (for alignment checks), my ipod and speaker with a variety of yoga music, and a mat was all I needed.
It took me several months before I was even attempting all of the poses and series, but I stuck to it, continued to study his words and pictures every morning (well, maybe 4 or 5 mornings per week). Eventually, my body and mind adapted to this wonderful routine, and the results are amazing.
I’m a 47 year old male athlete who has always incorporated strength training into my evolving emphasis on sports – basketball, then tennis, now mountain bike racing. Now that I’ve been doing this routine, I have no need for the weight gym, I’m as strong as I need to be, my core strength is the best its ever been, and I find “stillness” and calm mentally and emotionally by adhering to this. And I never get bored with it, the routine remains challenging, in different ways, each and every session. Baron’s comments on staying in the “now”, and working right at your “edge” on each pose, is worth reading over and over.
yeah, this has changed my life for the better. I’m devoted (hopefully for life). Definitely recommend this book to all athletes who are so inclined.
lastly, Baron’s philosophy of “heat” is key. I have a space heater on a timer that kicks on early in the morning and heats my yoga room to 90+ degrees prior to my starting each morning. It takes some getting used to (the abundant sweat), and requires serious hydration (I usually go through a liter of water during each session). Also, I put a beach towel over the yoga mat after warming up, otherwise I”m in a puddle. But the heat and sweat really adds to the practice. Good luck.
Brad Cooley
Greensboro, NC
Just what I was looking for
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This book helped me get the most out of my yoga practice. It truely spoke to me and I recommend it to any one who is looking to either enhance or begin yoga.
Take the Journey
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I love Baron and I loved this book. I started an at home yoga practice with his dvd’s and this book and it got me hooked on yoga to where I was at a 5 day a week practice or more. He is so easy to connect with because he is so very personable and genuine. The yogic principles are so straightforward and the whole book is an easy access to a newcomer to yoga.
Baron Baptiste – Amazing
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Baptiste Power Yoga is an amazing practice for yogi’s.
And yet, Baron is one of the few authors who can easily combine Western and Eastern philosophy and religious traditions into the practice. While I haven’t read ALL the yoga books in the world, this is the one that I have read tha combines Biblical references with yoga instruction. He is an amazing person and and amazing teacher.
LOVE IT!
mehhh
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
hippy bla, bla. he knows his yoga poses though.
Also, in the back of the book there is a chapter on nutrition. The 7 day cleanse really does make you feel better. If only to try the cleanse, buy this book.
Great “power yoga” book, but is hatha yoga better…?
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
If you would like to play the vinyasa game, this book is probably it. Mr. Baptiste, like Beryl Bender Birch, claim that he invented “power yoga.” However, others, like Bikram Choudury, claim it is useless and doesn’t even exist. They maintain yoga is hatha yoga, and other authors/yogis are pretenders. I tend to agree with him quite frankly.
For those new to power yoga, ashtanga yoga, blah,blah,blah yoga, it claims to be far superior than hatha yoga (despite hatha yoga being perfected over 5,000 years) because of its focus on tai-chi-like connecting movements betweent the individual asanas. Furthermore, they claim that this type of yoga offers a superior physical workout in both strength and cardiovascular effort because it is meant to be performed in a heated studio or room (90 degrees for Mr. Baptiste). I doubt it, and it has not been my experience. (I have done hatha yoga 90-150 minutes daily for over three years, I lift free weights three times a week, and I’m a long distance runner) Power Yoga is beautful to watch and entertaining to do, but PLEASE, stop with the wild claims people. Don’t tell me that because the room/studio is oppressively hot that you get a superior workout for the heart. (Thy NY Times in August 2004 questioned if it is actually dangerous to do yoga in that type of heat) The book (and Birch’s) goes on and on with these arrogant statements.
Mr. Baptiste’s order of asanas seems logical and it does produce a great workout.
More generally, I find the wild health claims that Mr. Baptiste and other yogi/authors make to be VERY irresponsible. They all seem to believe that yoga cures depression, hypertension, anxiety, hypothyroidism, asthma, etc.(you name it, they claim yoga cures it). Oh, and it’s THE best form of fitness for weight loss, too. That is simply not true. A combination of strength training and cardio (along with a sugar/trash carb restricted diet) is the best way to get fit. Yoga as a complimentary addition is great, too. Introducing fitness–any kind–into a non-exerciser’s life will improve their health. Yet, other authors don’t make the reckless health claims.
As for “dietary advice,” Mr. Baptiste recommends fasting and to consume whole or natural foods. He offers little evidence of the necessity and benefits of fasting which led to a rather stern rebuke from the editors of Yoga Journal when they reviewed his book.
The yogis are correct of course, you should not eat trash, no-fiber foods, sugar, and fattening foods. Most yogis are vegetarians and against dairy consumption. Yet, they offer little to no advice about how someone will meet their protein needs when observing this weight management system, especially those that run and lift weights like myself whose protein needs are greater than just a yogi or yogini.
I like Mr. Baptiste because he brought passion and energy to yoga, not to mention marketing. I just wish he was more careful about the health claims he makes.
Again, if you are interested in a unique yoga workout, Mr. Baptiste is a great instructor and his books and DVDs are excellent.
Namaste,
As always, thank you Amazon for the excellent service.
Goes Beyond Yoga
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I really like this book, easy to read for the novice. It goes beyond the physical side yoga and talks about much of the spiritual aspect. Very motivating and inspiring – it has helped my yoga practice. I have purchased one of his exercise DVD’s as well,which is good, but I like the book better.
Awesome
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Clear and to the point. Every yoga student should read it, particularly if they want to start their journey into themselves.
Journey into power
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Awesome book, loved it read it in 3 days! Great like everything from Baron Baptiste! Yogis need this book!
Wake up the power inside yourself
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Baron Baptiste is an amazing yoga teacher. While I’ve only done one of his yoga videos, his technique is superior to all others.
Journey into Power offers a condensed version of Baron Baptiste’s weeklong “Bootcamp” and gives readers the tools for complete physical, mental, and spiritual transformation, including:
*Rewiring your thinking, because all change begins in the mind.
*Daily power Vinyasa Yoga practice, the heart of the program.
*Cleansing diet habits, which includes “water-rich” foods and how to live to be 100 by breathing more and eating less.
*Meditations for truthful living.
*10-minute tune-ups that help you boost energy, get centered, de-stress, and much more!
For anyone who is interested in yoga or improving their health and wellbeing, this is a book for you.
best baron book
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have to say, I have taken a few of the Baptiste workshops, taken some of his classes and own many of his videos, but none of it really impresses me like his book does. In this book, the whole personality is set aside so that I can truely interpret what he is trying to say, and I like it. The book makes so many great points, such as comparing your body to your car and caring for it the way you would your car. I have purchased four copies of this book and given them away as gifts, I read some of the passages in the yoga classes I teach and have incorporated many of the techniques mentioned in the book into my everyday life and I have to say I feel much more powerful and clean mentally, phyically, spiritually. Every time I read it I find some new idea or concept that I adapt to my lifestyle and pass on to others. I definitely recommend this book for anyone who is ready to grow and get to know themselves.
This is one of the best!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Byron writes exceptionally well. I don’t know if I’ll reap all the rewards of this program, but it has really changed my life so far. Byron makes you believe that even you can transform your life. The poses are well described, with pictures for each, there are modified poses as well, for the beginner. He takes you through all the steps, meditation, diet, poses and yogic living off the mat to help you transform your life. He has a wonderful be where you are/ less than perfect is o.k approach that makes you want to continue and become better day by day while enjoying the journey. I recomend the DVDs as well so that you can get the hang of the full flow of the program.(it’s hard to flow when reading from a book!) This book is not just about doing the poses, but truly about changing your whole self to become the best you were meant to be. The chapters on diet and meditation are excellent, with easy to follow direction. This is truly a must for all yoga lovers and for people who want to really change their life for the better.
Great
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
this is a Great Yoga Book , I didn’t remember I paid that price though,its basically like his tapes just longer, good explanation and beautiful pictures too. I didn’t bother to finish, but there also a chapter about diet and meditation.
Excellent Book
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is an excellent book about Power Yoga, no matter who claims to have invented it. Baron does a great job describing each pose and modifications. Despite what others have wrote, Baron does not come off as egotistical or narcissistic, far from it.
However, if you are one of those yoga snobs who believe one must meditate for an hour each day, eat a complete vegetarian diet, balance your chakras daily, and sit around and chant OM then this book is not for you.
Baron takes the mystical and new age gunk out of yoga and gives you the essentials you truly need. Those who question his dietary advice are apparently ill advised about true dietary needs. They should read Eat To Live to learn the truth about what our body needs and how to meet them in a healthy way. Most people erroneously believe the info distributed by many who have invested interest in many studies published today.
I highly recommend this book as well as all of Baron’s DVD’s. He is a truly great teacher. If you doubt this you should try one of his videos.
Finest Yoga Book I Ever Read
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Back in 2004, I discovered this book in my county library. As i followed the exercises inside, i found that it was a great workout. I then purchased this book for my own collection. Over the years, this book has helped me a lot. In fact it saves me a lot of time too because I don’t have to go to gym anymore. I have lost over 40 lbs, doing Baptiste’s power yoga daily for 90 minutes for over 300 days. The results were remarkable. I feel more powerful, more relaxed and i never have to go the gym. This book definitely can increase anyone’s lifespan by a significant amount. It will never get obsolete or outdated either.