I’m reviewing this workout after previewing and doing it three times.

General workout breakdown: See Stephanie’s great description of the flow of this approximately 40-minute workout.
FYI, the asanas are sun salutations A (with chaturanga = triceps push-up, urdhva mukta svanasana = up dog, and adho mukta svanasana = down dog) & B (with utkatasana = chair and virabhadrasana I = warrior 1), two variations of uttanasana (standing forward fold: padangusthasana, where you grab your big toes, and padahastasana, where you put your hands under your feet), utthita trikonanasa (triangle) – parivitta trikonasana (reverse triangle), virabhadrasana II (warrior 2) – parsvakonasana (side angle), two hip flexor lunges – rajakapotasana (pigeon), paschimottanasana (seated forward bend), upavistha konasana (open angle / wide legs / straddle), paripurna navasana (boat) + cross-legged lift, half- or full backbend (bridge or urdhva dhanurasana = wheel), supine leg stretches (prep for supta upavista konasana = happy baby, supta upavista konasana = wide legs, supta uttanasana = straight legs together, supta rajakapotasana = pigeon), savasana (corpse), and thanks-giving / Namaste while in sukhasana (seated cross-legged).

Level: I’d recommend this to a beginner with perhaps a little experience through intermediate yogi(ni). In other words, someone new to yoga with a couple of live classes and/or videos under their belt or with a good book or two in hand might find this a doable challenge. Someone both new to yoga and especially to exercise might be better served by some other video first, working up to this one once some strength and flexibility have been gained. More intermediate yogi(ni) might enjoy this on days when slowing down and getting back to the basics sounds appealing.

Class: Eoin alone, with instruction via voiceover.

Music: atmospheric-y music and/or breath – or nothing.

Set: on an outside patio at a beach-side resort in Baja, Mexico.

Production: high quality picture and sound, helpful camera angles usually focused on almost all of Eoin.

Equipment: sticky mat (or equivalent). Eoin is barefoot.

Space Requirements: enough room to perform a full sun salutation without bumping into things and to lie on the floor with limbs extended.

DVD Notes: The menu choices are Introduction, The Routines (w/ or w/o music, w/ or w/o tidal breath, w/ zen track – i.e. minimal cueing - or guided flow, and w/ beginner, intermediate, or dual screen), Deeper Knowledge (has a screen with almost all poses included in the disc. In each 1-4 min. segment, set in a Vancouver park, Eoin discusses the benefits of each pose and instructs on form as a student demonstrates. N.B. Eoin is very hands-on here.), and Extras (an approximately 8 min. Pranayama session, brief ads for Yogathon and YES Retreats, Eoin’s Resume, and Web Links).
I am currently only able to play my DVD on my laptop; apparently some older Toshiba players like mine may be incompatible with the first batch of DVDs. I was not able to play the advanced computer features on my 1-year-old PC, either.

Comments: Long-time Eoin fans may be disappointed this isn’t chock full of challenging poses, but for those who are new to Eoin and/or yoga this is a great offering. I would recommend this one, later Power Yoga for Happiness, and then Power Yoga with Eoin Finn, Vol. 1 (backwards in terms of their original release dates) to those without a ton of yoga experience. Someone like me (a low intermediate still working on flexibility and strength) can still get a lot of use out of this, too. This “beginner’s” program is adaptable to multiple levels or good for revisiting the basics, just like Erich Schiffmann’s Backyard Series: Beginning Yoga. You could even practice Pure & Simple Yoga side-by-side with someone at a different level thanks to the dual screen! :-)
As a busy grad student, I know I will use this DVD not only for its shorter length but also for the simplicity of its flow. It’s nothing fancy in terms of its focus, but this could be a decent regular yoga practice.
The great audio and visual options should become standard! Like Stephanie I’m still working on keeping my breath going at a steady rate throughout a yoga practice, so I really enjoy the Tidal Breath option for now. The first time I felt the breath was a hair too fast, but the second time I had trouble lengthening my breath to match, so maybe it’s not too long or short after all.
My one gripe: I miss having an opening, like in PY4H and the original PY. Going right into sun salutations is a bit fast for me, so I have to remember to be warm before popping this in.
N.B. Pure & Simple Yoga replaces the Yoga for Stiffies and Yoga to Go projects.

Instructor Comments:
Eoin does a good job of cueing movement and breath, with some nice little tips just when you don’t realize you need them. While there is a good amount of form and alignment instruction, there isn’t a ton, especially during the workout itself, so beginners should watch the supplementary how-to sections beforehand. Eoin does not mirror cue. As Stephanie mentioned, you can choose just to have basic cueing (with a couple of other statements thrown in now and then for good measure), but when I played this zen track I missed Eoin’s, well, Eoinness. Actually, in comparison to previous videos, Eoin is mellow, almost serious. But don’t worry: he’s still Eoin at heart, with all of his earnestness and love of yogic bliss!

KathAL79