Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #767 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-09-28
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Formats: Color, DVD-Video, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 270 minutes

Amazon.com
Comprehensive but user-friendly, reasonably challenging but accessible to a variety of levels, Yoga Shakti is inarguably one of the best yoga products on the market--no small achievement when one considers just how many of them there are. Instructor-creator Shiva Rea, a California-based yogi of considerable international renown, specializes in vinyasa yoga (a vinyasa is essentially a series of flowing, connected poses, incorporating breath and movement and cultivating heat, strength, flexibility, and balance). Four complete practices are presented, ranging in length from 42 to 85 minutes and including Basic Flow (for beginners), two more vigorous Solar Flow sequences, and a Lunar Flow sequence falling somewhere in the middle in terms of degree of difficulty; familiar poses like sun salutations, forward bends, lunges, twists, and inversions are featured, although Rea adds many of her own touches (such as the four "dancing warrior" sections, sun salutation variations designed for intermediate users and focusing on hips, backbends, and so on), and there are also sections devoted to pranayama (breathing exercises) and meditation. It's all good, but the principal innovation of Yoga Shakti is the "yoga matrix," which allows users to customize and program their own workouts, drawing on portions of any or all of the four sequences to create series of various lengths and levels of intricacy (some guidelines are suggested for the less experienced) and thus keep their practices fresh and evolving. One can also do the various workouts with or without the instruction audio track on (the Indian-New Age-flavored music is quite good, and usually unobtrusive), and there's even an entire second disc, containing interviews, additional instruction, travel footage (filming took place primarily in India and the Maldive Islands), and more. All in all, Yoga Shakti is most impressive. --Sam Graham

Customer Reviews

yoga matrix
great dvd, i love the yoga matrix which allows the user to design the asana flow.

EXCELLENT!
Yes, it's true that you have to have some basic knowledge/experience with yoga to enjoy Yoga Shakti from the get go. She is not hard to follow if you are familiar with the terms. I watched the entire dvd several times to see what it was all about and after only three practices I am quite familiar and at ease with following along. Yoga is wonderful to anyone considering it. I could live without alot of things but not yoga. It truly is more than "exercise". Yoga fulfills many areas of health that are to numerous to list here. This dvd is worth every penny and more! I have already experienced progression from doing the recommended Basic Flow and the Lunar Flow until I feel ready to move forward. It's wonderful to know I have to much more to look forward to that Shiva has included in this dvd. This is the progression I have been longing for but didn't know how to achieve. My body feels wonderful during and after the practice because her technique, sequence, and gentle flow are excellent. The physical aspects aside, the spiritual uplift is incredible as well. I like the music. I have NEVER enjoyed yoga in the a.m. but with Shiva's instruction, I am now and I'm not super tight and miserable. Shiva, if you're reading this, THANK YOU for sharing your gifts with those of us who love yoga and for those who think they may be interested in giving it a try. You are perfection and grace in your practice and I can only dream of achieving your level. I feel like I'm with a personal yogi instructor and friend when I practice and I am so glad I discovered you. I only wish I had years ago. I love my dvd and I have no need to look any further than Shiva Rea for something better. Keep up the good work my fellow sister, Namaste!

Great yoga home video
Excellent. Great music, great flow, easy to follow, she instructs just the right amount....
the yoga matrix option is fabulous. only gripe is that there are no times on the matrix so you can set something up and have no idea how long it will last.