Yoga Chant

Opening the Heart Center Through Chanting and Flow Yoga

By: Shiva Rea

Narrated by: Shiva Rea, Jai Uttal, Ben Leinbach

Length: 2 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

The journey of all yogas, in every tradition, leads us to a single destination: an open and loving heart connected to the Source. On Yoga Chant, instructor Shiva Rea - with acclaimed world music artist Jai Uttal and musician Ben Leinbach - guides you into a transformative "inner yoga" practice of the heart where you will experience:

Chant (kirtan) - India's ecstatic sacred sound tradition for opening ourselves to love and devotion.

Vinyasa Flow Yoga - A flowing sequence of asanas (postures) focused on backbends and hip openers to provide the foundation for embodying an open heart and strong spine.

Meditation and Breathwork (pranayama) - Specific meditations and breathing cycles to nourish the heart center with prana (vital life energy).

Use Yoga Chant's tracks individually or as one continuous sequence to rejuvenate yourself morning or night...release tension and constrictions...and connect to the current of unconditional love. For beginners with some yoga experience and intermediate students.

©2002 Shiva Rea; 2002 Sounds True (P)2002 Pavana Suta Music and Old Bull Music

for experienced yogis

This is a well produced audio program, with wonderful music and good pacing. Shiva Rea's voice is quite soothing. For basic postures and meditation, this book works well, but I find that she has trouble describing more complicated or less commonly taught postures. She often uses sanskrit terms exclusively.

Even as a yoga teacher myself, I found that sometimes I wasn't sure what she was explaining, and would have to rewind and listen again. Having said that, I'd get another of her book.

Never fails to balance the whole being

Shiva Rea's voice blends perfectly with the music, with eloquent instruction that allows you to deeply relax and focus.

You must have some backround of yoga poses or you will become frustrated in attempts to understand the instructions. However, I was able to figure out the poses I did not know with minimal effort.

Experience definitely required -- but then great

I tried this prgram after 2 years of regular yoga practice and was confused. Put it aside and tried again after now 5 years of regular practice, and it is perfect. You have to know a fairly expansive set of asana names, because sometimes she really doesn't give you more than that (if you don't know what dhanurasana is, don't get this).
For me it's now the perfect substitute for an advanced class, when I am practicing on my own and don't feel inspired to come up with my own sequence.

Some Information

Shiva is excellent for ashtanga pratitioners who want to add a bit of variety.
This contains two full practices - a morning energizing routine and an night time relaxing routine. You can also do specific sections when you have limited time.

The morning practice has really helped me as I have always struggled with backbends. Also, the Kirtan at the end is very uplifting. The lunar workout is much easier and a wonderful combination of yoga and meditation. It is probably best to actually try the lunar practice first as the morning routine is quite challenging. I travel alot and enjoy doing the "Lunar Yoga" and "Heart Meditation" on planes. It is the only yoga that I found that you can do in your seat.

Below is the timing to help you find navigate the audible file. The first number is the length of the section. The second is the time that it begins on the tape.

Namate

Solar Invocation 0:02:36 0:00:00
Solar Body Prayer: Surya Namaskar A 0:05:46 0:02:36
Solar Surya Namaskar B 0:04:35 0:08:22
Solar Standing Poses I 0:10:24 0:12:57
Solar Standing Poses II 0:05:48 0:23:21
Solar Preparations for Backbends 0:11:33 0:29:09
Solar Backbends for Opening the Heart 0:16:06 0:40:42
Solar Om Namah Shivanya Kirtan 0:10:36 0:56:48
Lunar Invocation 0:01:29 1:07:24
Lunar Surya Namaskar w/ Traditional Mantras 0:09:37 1:08:53
Lunar Lunar Yoga 0:15:26 1:18:30
Lunar Inner Sanctum of the Heart Meditation 0:08:37 1:33:56
Lunar Breathing into the Heart: Pranayama 0:10:26 1:42:33
Lunar Resting with the Self: Shavasana 0:06:54 1:52:59
Lunar Sita Ram Kirtan 0:10:16 1:59:53

Beautiful-- Hypnotic-- Inspiring

Shive Rea has a soothing voice with great cadence. Her directions are clear and direct! She alternates between the yogic names and nick names of poses so your mind learns as your body remembers. Her pace is gentle during the warm-up with slight increses as the session progresses. I have never had the luxury of attending a group yoga class. I learned yoga through books, videos and subscriptions to yoga magazines. Shive Rea intertwines lovely moments of meditation and reflection in her session using beautiful poetry by the mystic Hafiz.
I highly recommend this, or any of her CDs, to all level yogis.
The musical accompaniment to the session is worth the price itself. Anyone who listens to the 10 min. version of the Om Nama Shivaya chant and doesn't end up dancing should check their pulse.
This is an inspirational style of yoga practice designed to bring the mind and body inot balance, those simply up for a "good work out" may find this too woo-woo, new age-y, but a great loss to them.
My daughters 8 and 12 who despise yoga and all it's "strange stuff" actually request the music cuts from this CD.

A total waste of time and money!

I have been doing yoga three times a week in a class for 18 months now so I certainly would not classify myself as a novice. Nevertheless this "D.I.Y. Yoga session" aimed at those with some "basic" experience had me totally lost within the first 3 minutes. I've had several attempts now at following it but it seems to have passed by the attention of the writer that we can't actually see what we are supposed to be doing. The explanations are vague when they need to be exactly the opposite - in yoga it's vital that postures are performed with precision. Even if you have got to an intermediate level in your yoga classes forget this one, you would be far better off following a sequence of your own devising based on what you do in your classes than wasting your time trying to work out what's going on here...