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Below is a selection of books of interest for the wellness professional. Be sure to also check out:

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Massage Therapy Books

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Anatomy of Pilates

An anatomy book for Pilates practitioners, this book will help you learn and teach the Method Pilates. Clear anatomical drawings that relate to our specific exercises, with definitions of muscles and how they work and where they attach. Muscle recruitment is explained for each exercise. Illustrated throughout. Published by the Physical Mind Institute, an authoritative certification center for the Pilates Method.

Click here to buy Anatomy of Pilates for US$39.95.

The Complete Guide to Joseph H. Pilates' Techniques of Physical Conditioning

This book covers Joseph Pilates's complete floor program. Introductory chapters outline the history and philosophy of Pilates, including the eight principles of the method. The book guides readers through basic, intermediate, and advanced routines, with detailed descriptions of each exercise and nearly 200 step-by-step photographs. A special chapter lists exercises for alleviating specific conditions such as back, ankle, and shoulder pain.
Click here to buy "The Complete Guide to Joseph H. Pilates' Techniques of Physical Conditioning" for US$13.97 (30 % off)

Joseph H. Pilates Archive Collection, The: Photographs, Writings and Designs

This book is a testament to Joseph H. Pilates and his unique system of exercise. To be able to see pictures of the creator of the Pilates technique and his more advanced students is a guide and an inspiration to professionals and students of Pilates. This book will appeal to those who practice Pilates with access to equipment. To these people it can be a manual well worth its price. Observing the form in pictures helps to do the exercise in proper form and learn new techniques.

Buy Joseph H. Pilates Archive Collection for US$24.47 (30% off).

Pilates for Pregnancy

Because of its emphasis on focused breathing, gentle stretching, and precise technique, Pilates is an ideal exercise program for expectant mothers. By following the clear explanations and photo sequences in this special lay-flat binding of Pilates Workbook for Pregnancy, readers will train and strengthen the body's core muscles - without risking harm to mother or unborn child. Strengthening these muscle groups helps ease labor and aids in swift recovery after pregnancy. Pilates Workbook for Pregnancy uses original Pilates matwork techniques to create a program designed specifically for pregnant women. Appropriate for future mothers at all levels of proficiency, the book offers three versions of each Pilates movement: easy, for those with little exercise experience prior to pregnancy; moderate, for those who are fairly active; and challenging, for those who already practice Pilates.

Click here to buy Pilates for Pregnancy for US$10.36 (20% off)

Pilates' Return to Life Through Contrology

This book represents the first major publication in 1945 by Joseph H. Pilates and William J. Miller detailing the exercises, poses, and instructions fundamental to the matwork developed by Joseph and Clara Pilates. Based on his concepts of a balanced Body and Mind, drawn from the approach espoused by the early Greeks, these are the exercises that currently sustain a worldwide revolution in fitness strategies and exercise techniques.
Click here to buy Pilates' Return to Life Through Contrology for US$20.97 (30% off).

Your Health: A Corrective System of Exercising That Revolutionizes the Entire Field of Physical Education

This book represents the first major publication in 1934 by Joseph H. Pilates and includes his early Twentieth Century philosophies, principles, and theories about health and fitness. He bases his work on the concept of a balanced Body and Mind, drawing on the approach espoused by the early Greeks. While some of his personal philosophies reflected early 20th Century viewpoints, his athletic and fitness doctrines were years ahead of his time.

Click here to buy Your Health: A Corrective System of Exercising That Revolutionizes the Entire Field of Physical Education by Joseph Pilates for US$13.97 (30% off).

Reiki the Healing Touch:First and Second Degree Manual
(Revised and Expanded Edition)

Reiki, a technique for stress reduction that also promotes healing, allows everyone to tap into an unlimited supply of "life energy." Reiki was discovered by Dr. Mikao Usui, a Japanese Buddhist, early in the 20th Century. Reiki is easy to learn. It has been successfully taught to thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds. A treatment feels like a wonderful glowing radiance that flows through you and surrounds you. It creates many beneficial effects including relaxation and feelings of peace, security and well being. Many have reported miraculous results. Hospitals and doctors' offices are beginning to include it as part of their therapy, and this new edition describes several successful approaches now being used across the US to integrate Reiki into patient care.

This revised and expanded edition includes important new information on the theory and practice of Reiki, including the Japanese Reiki Techniques taught by Dr. Usui as well as the Hayashi healing guide. Also included are pictures of the Usui Memorial in Tokyo, and of Mt. Kurama where Reiki was rediscovered.

This book is a must for anyone wanting the latest information on Reiki. Its referenced history of Reiki contains the most detailed and verfiable information currently available. Written with inspiration, clarity and vitality, it captures the essence of Reiki and is an excellent introduction to the subject as well as a user-friendly manual for the experienced practitioner.
Buy Reiki the Healing Touch from $17.

Spa Vacations: Your Guide to Healing Centers and Retreats
Written by Annalisa Cunningham, a member of NAMASTA's Board of Advisors, this guide profiles a broad array of spa getaways, wellness retreats, healing centers, and hot spring resorts. More and more spas are offering yoga as part of their services. Annalisa offers sound suggestions for vacations that focus on fitness, nutrition, overall health, and spiritual well-being.
Click here to buy Spa Vacations for US$5.00 .
Canadian visitors click here:
Spa Vacations
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Retreats: Guide to International Yoga Retreats by Annalisa Cunningham
Written by Annalisa Cunningham, a member of NAMASTA's Board of Advisors, Yoga Vacations highlights over 100 different vacation centers and retreats for both the beginner and advanced yoga practitioner. Rated 4-star by Amazon.com's readers, it includes detailed, thoughtfully written entries providing information on teachers' styles and philosophies, recommended levels of experience, and activities and services, as well as the basics on accommodations, meals, and fees. The author, a 20-year yoga instructor, makes a distinction between yoga vacations and retreats to help readers customize their perfect getaway. Some destinations are strictly retreats - places for quiet, in-depth yoga study - while the vacation settings listed allow free time for nearby shopping and sightseeing.
Click here to purchase Yoga Vacations for US$1.97 (paperback).
Canadian visitors, click here: buy this item for CDN$1.01

Shiatsu Theory and Practice: A Comprehensive Text for the Student and Professional

Shiatsu Theory and Practice provides a clear and complete introduction to the theory and practice of Zen Shiatsu, presenting vivid detail on the theoretical foundations of both Traditional Chinese Medicine and five element theory. It offers remarkably clear, high-quality illustrations and photos that support text discussions. The all-encompassing second edition takes the reader through an exploration of the various approaches to treatment routines, with case studies, explanations, and step-by-step descriptions of techniques and also includes fuller descriptions of points and when and how to press them, a new section for each meridian, and an expanded section on governing and conception vessels.
Buy Shiatsu Theory and Practice for $59.95!

Cheng Tzu's Thirteen Treatises on T'Ai Chi Ch'Uan
For books destined for the more novice student, use the search box at the top of this page. For the serious student, consider Cheng Tzu's Thirteen Treatises on T'Ai Chi Ch'Uan. This classic is an excellent supplement to the tai chi chuan practice. The book is very clearly written and includes prints and pictures that are printed larger than in other editions. The larger pictures of Cheng performing the Tai Chi form are especially useful. This edition of Cheng's book is also the only one authorized by his estate, and contains a preface by Cheng's wife. This book was rated 5-star by Amazon.com readers.

Click here to buy Cheng Tzu's Thirteen Treatises on T'Ai Chi Ch'Uan for US$15.75 (30 % off)

The Healing Promise of Qi: Creating Extraordinary Wellness Through Qigong and Tai Chi
"The Healing Promise of Qi" unlocks the secrets of one of the most powerful of Chinese healing arts. Developed over millennia in China, qigong (literally, life force + mastery, or refinement) is a set of techniques used to increase your vitality, longevity as well as achieve and maintain optimal health and inner peace.
In the groundbreaking The Healing Promise of Qi, Dr. Roger Jahnke, internationally respected doctor of Chinese medicine and author of the bestselling "The Healer Within", clearly and simply explains the concepts of qigong in practical terms. With the help of 125 superbly rendered illustrations, he describes a multitude of simple qigong tools, practices, and techniques for accessing and utilizing the incredible power of qi. Rather than focus on a particular form of qigong, Dr. Jahnke presents concise, easy-to-follow techniques from among the more than 25 traditional and modern forms that he has mastered and taught to thousands of people across the United States and Canada.
Buy "The Healing Promise of Qi" for US$17.47 (30% off).

The Healer Within: Using Traditional Chinese Techniques To Release Your Body's Own Medicine, by Dr Roger Jahnke.
In the last decade, even health agencies of the U.S. government have agreed that 70 percent of all disease is preventable and that 60 percent of adults are insufficiently active and, therefore, at risk for premature death. Jahnke, a doctor of oriental medicine, translates Asian traditions of self-healing (such as Qigong and yoga) into a graded four-part program of self-healing for daily practice by the sick or well.

• The first component, gentle movement of the body, consists of five rhythmic exercises described and illustrated with clear line drawings.
• The second, self-applied massage, combines massage of the ears, hands, and feet--each area a microsystem of the body that relates to specific, distant body areas or organs - with general self-massage.
• Next are breathing practices using abdominal breathing in specific techniques such as the "sigh of relief." These techniques are intended to help you take in more oxygen and get rid of tension.
• Concluding the program are several methods of deep relaxation and meditation, crucial to calming and focusing the mind. The meditation chapter provides an easy introduction to various meditative techniques and deep relaxation.

Anatomy for Yoga with Paul Grilley

An invaluable resource for both yoga students and teachers, this comprehensive DVD includes nearly 4 hours of in-depth lectures, demonstrations and comparisons of human skeletal anatomy as it relates to yoga practice.

Using a wide range of yoga students, acclaimed teacher Paul Grilley explains the key concepts of compression, tension, proportion and orientation. These concepts help us to understand why no two people will ever experience the same yoga posture in the same way. Paul's light-hearted yet provocative approach will challenge many misconceptions about yoga while providing the foundation for the development of a truly personal yoga practice.
This DVD is encoded for all regions.

Buy Anatomy for Yoga with Paul Grilley now!

Yoga as Medicine: The Yogic Prescription for Health and Healing

Western-trained internist and Yoga Journal medical editor McCall has practiced Iyengar yoga for a decade. In 2002, he traveled to India, where most scientific research on yoga's medical benefits has been conducted. The results of that visit and McCall's subsequent study of yoga therapy and ayurveda (India's ancient medical system) are presented here, translated into Western medical terms. For example, McCall demystifies such concepts as samskaras (unconscious patterns that negatively affect behavior and health); scientists, McCall says, explain these patterns as repeated firings of neurons that change the brain's wiring. Although McCall's focus is on yoga therapy, he includes material that will be helpful to most students.

Buy Yoga as Medicine: The Yogic Prescription for Health and Healing (available in paperback)

Anatomy of Hatha Yoga: A Manual for Students, Teachers, and Practitioners

Winner of the 2002 Benjamin Franklin Award for Health Wellness, and Nutrition - Publishers Marketing Association.
Anatomy of Hatha Yoga is the only modern authoritative source that correlates the study of hatha yoga with anatomy and physiology. Hatha yoga is comprised of stretching, strengthening and breathing exercises in upright, lying down and inverted postures. Yoga teachers and students, personal trainers, medical therapists, or anyone who is curious or troubled about how the body responds to stretching and exercise will find in this book a cornucopia -- partly new and partly old -- of readable and reliable information. It was written and edited to meet the needs of a general audience largely unschooled in the biomechanical sciences, and yet to attract and challenge the interests of the medical profession. This book features 230 black and white photographs and more than 120 diagrams and anatomical illustrations.

Chapter 1 summarizes general principles of anatomy and physiology as applied to hatha yoga. Breathing is next in chapter 2 because yogic breathing expedites movement and posture. Breathing is followed by pelvic and abdominal exercises in chapter 3 because the pelvis and abdomen form the foundation of the body. Standing postures will then be covered in chapter 4 because these poses are so important for beginning students, and because they provide a preview of backbending, forward bending, and twisting postures, which are covered in detail in chapters 5, 6, and 7. The headstand and shoulderstand, including an introduction to cardiovascular function, are presented in chapters 8 and 9. Postures for relaxation and meditation are treated last in chapter 10.

Click here to buy Anatomy of Hatha Yoga for US$28 (30% off)

Bikram's Beginning Yoga Class

Despite its name, this book is the reference for Bikram's challenging 26 asana series.
Photography by Biswanath Bisu Ghosh.


Buy Bikram's Beginning Yoga Class for US$12.57 (30% off).

Light on Yoga: Yoga Dipika by B.K.S. Iyengar

The definitive guide to the philosophy and practice of Yoga by one of its greatest living teacher. Light on Yoga provides complete descriptions and illustrations of all the positions and breathing exercises. Features a foreword by Yehudi Menuhin. Illustrations throughout. This boooks ranks in the top 600 books sold on Amazon.com and has a 5-star rating by its readers.

Buy "Light on Yoga: Yoga Dipika" for US$12.60 (30% off)

Yoga: The Path To Holistic Health
Iyengar's tried-and-true technique emphasizes breath awareness, alignment, balance, suppleness, and strength to achieve the yogic union of mind and body, a sure path to holistic health. A pioneer in the use of sequenced asanas, or poses, to develop flexibility and endurance, Iyengar has also created an innovative approach to using props-- blankets, blocks, chairs, and belts--to help students overcome stiffness and other limitations and practice restorative variations of demanding poses. This beautifully produced volume is the most useful Iyengar text to date with its sharply detailed, step-by-step color photographs; generous page layouts; clear explanations of how to do the various poses and the benefits of each; and in-depth section on yoga therapy for specific ailments, an Iyengar specialty. The Library Journal recommended this book for public libraries and health sciences libraries that support alternative medicine courses.

Click here to buy Yoga: The Path To Holistic Health for US$28 (30% off)

Progressive Power Yoga by Mark Blanchard
While training athletes and celebrities, veteran yogi Mark Blanchard has created this life-transforming fitness regimen to help you sculpt maximum muscle and gain more flexibility and overcome stiffness by rotating three different routines each week.

Since the human body adapts to the same workout after only 6-8 weeks, and the physical benefits decrease just as quickly, doing only one routine isn't sufficient to constantly challenge and re-shape the body. Do each of these three fat-burning, muscle-toning videos at least once a week and you may never need another exercise routine.

Perfect for all fitness levels and body types, this athletic practice is an ultimate body-mind-spirit exercise system. With more than 2,000 poses available, Mark has designed three innovative, diverse yoga programs that could burn more calories, build leaner muscles and reduce more stress than jogging, stepping, or kickboxing. You will love how you feel and look after doing these amazingly effective workouts.

Buy "Progressive Power Yoga" by Mark Blanchard.
VHS are $22.95, DVDs are $24.95, order the set of 3 and get 20% off.

Yoga for Wellness: Healing with the Timeless Teachings of Viniyoga by Gary Kraftsow

This extremely well-illustrated book is a must-have for yoga teachers who want to take into account the particular conditions of their students from a therapeutic perspective.

"There's more to yoga than stretching and bending and twisting. In Yoga for Wellness, one of America's top yoga teachers gives a clinic on the holistic nature of yoga practice, especially in regard to healing and well-being. With over a thousand photographs, Gary Kraftsow covers the basic postures, the specific movements of each posture, and how to sequence postures in a routine. More importantly, he moves from form to function, showing how sequences of postures can alleviate ailments in each system of the body, from lower back pain to hypertension - even depression and multiple sclerosis. In case studies of his own clients, we see how Kraftsow's holistic approach has him recommending not only posture prescriptions, but breathing exercises, sound techniques, and visualizations, not to mention such commonly neglected wisdom as eating a healthy breakfast and getting closer to nature.
Yoga for Wellness is the rare yoga instruction manual that teaches the basics of yoga while also paying more than just lip service to the original intention of yoga - achieving a balance of mental, physical, and spiritual wellness."
Review by Brian Bruya, Amazon.com
Buy "Yoga for Wellness" for US$ 17.47 (30% off)

Born Yogis

Adorable photos of babies in yoga poses make this enchanting book a perfect baby shower presentand an inspired gift for yoga practitioners as well Babies are born little yogis and yoginis. At every stage in development, babies naturally curl and rest into a variety of asanas (poses) that would make a yoga student green with envy. In Born Yogis, 50 black-and-white photographs of babies demonstrating the asanas pair with inspirational quotations from classic yoga works. Each charming photograph by Doug Kim is accompanied by the babys name and age, along with a carefully selected passage from one of the classic yoga texts describing the pose and its benefits. Whether it is a 7-month-old baby doing the Bhujangasana (the Cobra pose) or a 36-month-old performing the Simhasana (the Lion pose), the new interpretations of an ancient practice in this beautifully designed book will charm and inspire yoga followersand bring a smile to new parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, or anyone who loves babies.

Click here to buy Born Yogis!

Yogilates®
Traditional yoga focuses on breathing, flexibility, and quieting the mind, while Pilates matwork concentrates on strength and power from the center. Pilates and yoga instructor, dancer, and personal trainer Jonathan Urla has done just that by creating Yogilates® which combines yoga and pilates. Fully illustrated with black-and-white photographs, Yogilates®, a 5-star Amazon book, shows how to assess posture and flexibility and gives guidelines for progressing in a sensible manner, emphasizing safety along with fitness.
Click here to buy Yogilates for US$18.87 (30% off).

Anatomy of Movement by Blandine Calais-Germain .

An exceptional book, rated 5-star by Amazon.com readers, Anatomy of Movement presents a dynamic, integrated approach to the study of the physical structures of the musculoskeletal system and their functional relationship to the movements of the human body.

In clear and concise text illustrated with more than a thousand graphic drawings, the author guides the reader on a lively tour of the muscles, bones, ligaments and joints of the arms, legs and trunk. The focus throughout the book is on anatomy not for its own sake, but in its functional relationship to the actual movements of the body in dance, exercise and other physical disciplines.

Author Blandine Calais-Germain's lifelong involvement with dance, both as performer and teacher, eventually led to an interest in other physical disciplines, and then to more formal study of the complex and integrated movements of the body.

From her work with dance and physiotherapy, the author developed an innovative method for teaching the physical structures of anatomy in relation to movement. This method, the subject of her companion volumes Anatomy of Movement and Anatomy of Movement: Exercises, has been enthusiastically received in workshops that she presented for many years in France. Her two books have been translated and published throughout the world in many languages.
Click here to buy Anatomy of Movement for US$28.50.

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