Chakra Yoga: Balancing Energy for Physical, Spiritual, and Mental Well-being

by Alan Finger, Katrina Repka

According to the yogic tradition of India, the seven chakras, or energy centers, concentrate and distribute refined life-force energy throughout the body. Yoga master Alan Finger, well-known for his many Yoga Zone teaching videos, presents detailed yoga practices and meditation instructions for understanding the chakras and bringing them into balance. This book is for serious students who wish to cultivate subtle energies using ancient tantric methods. Illustrated with photos and anatomical drawings, with audio recordings of guided meditations to supplement your practice available for free online.

160 pages, Paperback

First published December 13, 2005

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Superb CD. Didn't get into the text much, but the CD was worth the purchase itself.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Alan Finger as a source for yoga. He was my first introduction and I love that he holds the individuality of a yoga practice. I've never been into the Chakra aspect of yoga. Though recently, I've begun to wonder if it could help me. I do believe emotions get locked in our body so I was hoping for insight on how to use asanas to release them. I did enjoy the book, however it gave too little information for my taste. Perhaps I've been exposed to more of it than I thought. I do believe Mr. Finger delivered a great introduction to the chakras as well as asanas to help open them. It's worth the read.

[Em · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not keen on the chakras, mudras, or nadis. I enjoy yoga, meditation, and pranayama.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first read this: there's a definite and unflinching incorporation of the creationism that helms the at-times pedantic nature of yoga practice generally, for which I didn't nearly have every manner of place. This is particularly true among western frameworks, so I proceeded with the generous analysis of several of the postures, not to mention the chakra forces by which he organizes all of his selections within the book. The author has shared a superb exploration of the body regions and alignments that selected postures are designed to benefit, and how, as well as frequent challenges of form to mind in practice. Returning to the book for another read, after a deepened interest of years to notice facets, tendencies, corrections, trends, varied presentations, varied feelings, and so on, my mind's had more place for recurring nuances of the yoga tradition. So the highly innate positioning and connection of concepts cemented in varied manner by varied practices let alone instructors, had more fertile soils to build upon. The understandings that are conveyed regarding foundations of vitality, or prana, embarked upon by yoga altogether via physicality, mentality, and spirituality: they are surprisingly succinct. It's a tightly packed book, and each aspect merits close attention and continuous efforts.

The author Alan Finger shares so much of what's solidified his life and his family, fortified and extended his family values, and imparted a great amount of aid in the world of his attention. It's not confusing, but it is effortful, and he presents varied sliding scales of participation for his ultimate goal of reader well-being, without any backbreaking poses by any interpretation. The majority of the book may be read as a manual of considerable precision for giving yourself the most from each asana, or pose. It may help prospective readers to highlight that following each detailing is always a synopsis of the objectives, mechanisms of action, and dangers as much as benefits, by which to conduct the asana purposefully in ongoing practice. Each section is dedicated to a Chakra region and imparted by Alan Finger with a sweeping yet anecdotally illuminated accounting of body, mind, and spirit connections pertaining to that region and its ensuing pursuit of bodywork. The reader is hereby ever-prodded to explore the emotional connections that ongoing practice can burnish and celebrate, and even at its most trying, the author reminds us it is an ongoing understanding and celebration of all we come to know from unveiling within, rather than any form of conquest of maneuver, self, other, etc.

We do not always find kindnesses for ourselves among our many cares, but the author is time and again incredible at conveying realistic iterations of meaningful practice in doing so, as well as the value of self care in our lives. It also commands such an understanding of the physiology entailed, and those highlights very much answer to the anatomical challenges of our modern day as much as the unique demands of the human form to be routinely challenged and conditioned against atrophy of strength, agility, movement, and more. I have not listened to the included CD as yet, but the compilations of asanas at back offer an extra convenience in guidance. The Full Asana Daily Sequence consists of 25 asanas, and they could each feature a page # reference since the organization of textual/ pictorial analysis is very much independent of a full session sequence, which in best cases rotates among our chakra muscle groupings. Those #s in this edition are: 74 & 49-50, 29, 40-41, 26-27, 31-32, 59-61, 107, 44, 78, 66-67, 28, 82, 77, 48, 109, 95-96, 51, 63, 48, 97, 33, 119, 116. The balance among regions really stands out when looking at it this way, and in case other readers look to make for themselves an audio guide through the sequence that includes key pointers, the page #s can be aggravating for readers to source otherwise.

[Joe Basile · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful introduction to learning about the chakras and specific asanas you can practice to achieve/regain balance. There are some great anatomy diagrams with common physical imbalances that are helpful. I've never listened to the cd it comes with but it includes a chakra meditation. Namaste.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enlightening. Chakra yoga can help us maintain more balance.