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 Yoga from the Source -An Authentic Practice Sequence Sep 16, 2007
Marks knowledge and his ability to share his knowledge with all people no matter what age and stage of their life they are in, is well displayed in this DVD. The sequence of asana provided can be practiced in 20-30 minutes daily, and is ideal for those of all ages and those with busy schedules. His philosophy of yoga is so beautifully described and there is much evidence that his knowledge has been gained through his many years of experience with one of the first teachers of yoga in India. Mark's approach is authentic ,no frills just the essence of yoga shines through.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
REAL YOGA Sep 15, 2007
There is just one source. It is in and around us at all times and in all spaces. That source is what "beats our hearts" and gives us life, it is revealed in our breath. Mark's yoga is intimacy with that source, through breath and body movement. This source is always with us and Mark states that yoga is practiced as a celebration of this fact. By breathing the body open in asana, allowing the breath to move the body naturally, one becomes intimate with one's breath, which is the source of life. He teaches that when this intimacy is established, one becomes intimate with all of life (ourselves, others and our environment). Trough this process one wakes up to the reality that we are all the same life, same source, and there is nothing else to be realized.
Mark's yoga is not a process or practice that you do on yourself to acquire anything (better abs or even god realization) it is a beautiful process that reconnects you again and again to your breath, your truth, your beauty, and ultimately your source....the breathing life of all!
Nothing else is required!
Mark has the remarkable abilty to get one to see/feel and appreciate this fact in a very supporive and natural way.
2 of 3 found the following review helpful:
 More loving, but sappy, slow & repetitive DVD Jun 23, 2007
There are several menu choices...
There is the long lecture from Mark about what is yoga & his ideas of the universe... "without the sun, we're nothing... the sun is the same as the fluid in your spinal cord..." As other reviewers said it was slow & boring. The only thing I agreed with was that, "yoga isn't a goal... you can't become more enlightened by a special way, such as you can only be enlightened if you do yoga or this or that... is Buddha the only physical aspect of God? We all are... we all are perfect right now. Don't use yoga just for physical fitness, to always have goals... but to be a way to be aware of yourself & your breath... breath is life.. be happy you're alive... many people do drugs, are materialistic, etc. to avoid the suffering of life... life is suffering... the monks know this. The Dalia Lana was sad to see American were ashamed & guilty that they were not always happy while monks are told that life is suffering early on in life.
This goes on for almost an hour. The rest is more sappy & many things I didn't agree with. He sounded like he had an answer for everything & even gave his "right" opinion to all of life's questions. I didn't feel right with his energy.
There was 15 min of different tempos/styles of new age music while showing moving camera shots of beautiful photos.
There was a 40 min very slow class on yoga... he almost never called out the names & gave minimum instructions such as after showing mountain pose & standing fwd bend, he taught what LOOKED like a lunge but looked up & arms in prayer like warrior 1 but never said. He never said if the knee should be bent or not. You just did what he did when he showed it once. You would repeat each pose MANY, MANY times. He always made sure you breathed at the right time at least. He showed plank as lying totally on your stomach, then upward dog correctly & then fast to downward dog.. There are over 10 people taking the class, 1 or 2 guys, rest women in their 20s to their 70s or older. I felt worried about the older woman, but he never gave modifications or ANYTHING. Some of the other poses he showed (if you call it that) was triangle, side angle.. I forget already, but there weren't many. He would show it once & then correct people... hmmm... actually he would only put his hands on the backs of the youngest, most in shape women..... The camera moved around a lot... badly.... a lot of zooming in & out & too long, very amateur.
The best part for me was the 2 Indian musicians.. a father & son... the father on the Indian sitar? metal kinda guitar.. very large & then son on the tubla (percussion kinda like drums). The father & son are very talented & very fast, dexterous hands. The music was unbelievable... I would definitely buy a cd from them. That portion is about an hour with the father also teaching about how music is like speaking, etc.
Stop Struggling Jun 01, 2006
I have never been more moved by a yoga experience. Mark Whitwell helped me understand that striving and reaching for "perfect" postures only add to suffering, while the simple practice of an appropriate sequence of asana and pranayama (posture and breathing) can remove obstacles to experiencing the joy of my everyday life. Though he comes from an ancient lineage of teachers, his wisdom strips away the cultural aspects of yoga to reveal the true heart of the practice, uniting the polarities within us so the we can be in more active relationship with ourselves and others.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
here comes the sun May 28, 2006
For people who understand that the deepest and most profound teachings usually come wrapped in very humble, deceptively simple packages, this DVD is a treasure.
I read and loved the book "Yoga of Heart" first; the DVD is a chance to get to know author, Yogi and teacher Mark Whitwell better. (and a chance to learn -- once and for all-- how to move in asana with your inhale and exhale.) Mark doesn't teach a 'brand' of yoga, he teaches the one and only Yoga -- Union.
His method of how to improve the quality of your inhalation and exhalation is for everybody; all body types and ages. But there is more than that here. He teaches that "nothing is absent."
If you want to stop seeking; if you want your patterns of thought to fall away so your Truth can reveal itself to you, try Heart of Yoga. Practice with Mark and enjoy the suppleness, intimacy, clarity and joy you will find in your yoga and your life.
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