I just realized that I had never written a review for this video, which was my very first exposure to yoga. When I first decided to try yoga in 2001, there weren't nearly as many yoga options on the market as there are today. The Yoga Journal series was popular then, and so this video seemed liked a good place to start.

At the time, the thing I liked the best about it was that even though I was in my 30s, had never done yoga before, and had never been very flexible, I could do ALL of the postures. Of course, my form wasn't always perfect and I did have to modify at times, but at least I was able to approximate the basic poses, which I found very gratifying (I had feared having to twist like a pretzel and so was pleasantly surprised). Instructor Patricia Walden does use props, but I found that I could make do without or by using substitutions (e.g., a thick book instead of a yoga block).

One caution about this video is that it is long (75 minutes) and definitely moves slowly, as Patricia takes quite a bit of time for instruction in-between each posture. Because of this, it's probably best viewed as an instructional video rather than a flowing yoga practice (although it does offer a complete range of postures). I also found Patricia's instruction style to be rather dry (although I didn't find her condescending as some other VFers have mentioned). Once I became more familiar with the postures, I usually fast-forward past Patricia's instruction, and eventually, as I progressed further, I got rid of this video altogether. Although there are many more options for those new to yoga available today, I still think this is a solid foundation that can serve as a good place to begin for many. Obviously, though, not everyone has clicked with this video, so be sure to research your options before deciding that this is for you.

Instructor Comments:
Patricia is obviously an extremely competent Iyengar-trained yoga instructor, but as mentioned, I found her to be a bit dry here.

Beth C (aka toaster)