Viniyoga Therapy for Anxiety with Gary Kraftsow

6 stars: Another brilliant DVD yoga practice from Gary. It brought back many fond memories of the hours I studied with him at Maui School of Yoga Therapy. Working with breath and chanting while doing asanas takes yoga practice to another level. I agree with the reviewer who stated that this kind of practice is not for everyone. I prefer this to many other forms of yoga practice as Gary has always adapted postures to the needs and condition of the student. Well done.2010 was a year of personal losses, as well as, the year I began the process of becoming the primary care giver to my husband. My history of pain related to spinal issues and nerve compression was making continuing yoga practice difficult and challenging. Finding time to practice without interruption was almost impossible. This DVD was like taking a private class with Gary. After 10 days of practicing with this DVD I can not say which of these two practices is my favorite. They both are awesome. After each one I have been able to find that calm, centered quiet mind that I have been missing. I do a practice shortly before bedtime. The quality of my sleep is improving. Pain has been reduced and an improvement in my Range of Motion, although I am still facing an MRI for my shoulder.I made a few adaptations to minimize pain in a few of the asanas and found they worked for me without increasing any risk. In Apanasa, Dvipada Pitham an Jathara Parivritti I placed a small peanut-shaped ball or pillow between my knees. In Paschimatanasana I found the best adaptation for me was a pillow of an appropriate size under my knees. I employed a visualization technique from Ideokinesis of visualizing moving from the total skeleton/bones rather than muscles. Sitting on a balance ball for the meditation and pranayama sequences is also appropriate at this time.The nights that I did not particularly think that I had the energy to do a practice, I found that once I started the energy was there followed by renewed hope that I was improving "one practice at a time."Thank you, Gary.

This video is appropriate for beginners with no yoga experience or experienced practitioners. The focus is on mood change, body awareness and breathing. As some other reviewers have pointed out there it is free of music. With as much as the video is dedicated to pranayama and chanting I think the lack of music is necessary. If you practice yoga to music you have a tendency to go the speed of the music. You are perhaps less attuned to your body. If your goal is to curb anxiety, give this music free video a chance, practice with music at other times.In response to one viewer who said the people were very "wooden" looking, I suggest that after the first go around, you try doing the video either with eyes closed or eyes away from the screen. Focus on yourself. The models are there just to give you an idea of the shape of the postures. Turn inward, and you will get more out of this video. I found it very interesting.I was less impressed with the lecture portion of the video. There is a lot to say in the field of yoga philosophy. I didn't think the explanations found here were compelling.Much of the benefit in Viniyoga derives from seriously connecting your breath to your movement. If you just do the postures without much thought to your breathing, I don't think they are challenging enough to make much difference in your life. However, if you gradually increase your exhales as you deepen your inhales, I agree with Gary that you will turn on your parasympathetic nervous system, creating a sense of relaxation and calm.

So far, I have found this video tremendously beneficial. For me, the effect of the 45-minute routine in Practice #1 (including pranayama) is calming, invigorating, and clarifying all at the same time, and the benefit lasts for much of the day.Whether you prefer this video or Viniyoga Therapy for Depression may depend on your particular physiology and psychology. I actually expected to benefit more from the depression video, having long regarded myself as depressive and not particularly anxious; yet so far, this is the one I really respond to. It may be that I'm learning something about my own inner state.In any case, I do recommend listening to the lectures and the explanations before beginning the practice; they clarify the underlying principles and provide important instructions about breathing, posture, etc. Also, it's worth sitting through the Questions and Answers just to hear Gary's inspirational story about his Honda and his brain tumor.I am truly grateful to Gary Kraftsow for helping me get through this very stressful time (see date) without the aid of medication, not counting the occasional gin and tonic.

Excellent! Well-thought-out and produced! Thorough lectures about various topics related to anxiety and yoga. I have a thorough understanding of what I am doing, and why I am doing it. I am so impressed that I bought the low back and upper back series' as well. This doctor knows what yoga is all about, and how to manipulate the body to free us from undesirable symptoms. I recommend taking a day off to familiarize yourself with his info. This isn't just yoga. The sequences are very well-thought-out. I recommend this to everyone! I'm not easily impressed, as I have a gazillion yoga DVD's from Ravi and Ana. This is different. This is therapy.

I like the depression one a tad better I found it hard to do the breathing and movement with this one. I do however love the way this man talks you threw everything Down to each movement detail. He is clearly very good at what he does and I highly recommend his videos for self help.

I have never been able to do breathing exercises before, but with this DVD with the poses, it was possible and easy. I felt so relaxed and invigorated at the same time afterwards and very centered. This is easily the best yoga practice I have ever done, I highly recommend this DVD, worth every penny and then some.

I love this yoga tapeThe yoga is easy enough for me to do and I do find it relaxing