Awakening the Spine: Yoga for Health, Vitality and Energy

by Vanda Scaravelli

Overview

A fully revised and updated edition of the classic yoga book, with a new foreword by B.K.S. Iyengar.

For more than twenty-five years, until her death at ninety-one, Vanda Scaravelli helped transform bodies and lives with her innovative approach to yoga through the proper alignment of the spine. She listened to the body and worked with—instead of against—it. She used gravity, grounding, and breathing to achieve dramatic improvements in health and wellbeing.

Awakening the Spine offers a gentle way to achieve and maintain overall health and a naturally supple spine at any age. Scaravelli’s lasting message reminds readers that, “if you are kind to your body, it will respond in an incredible way.”

Illustrated with color photographs, and lovingly revised by Vanda’s daughter Paola Scaravelli Cohen based on the extensive notes Vanda left behind, Awakening the Spine is published for the first time as the author intended—making it the definitive edition of one of yoga’s all-time classics.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062428462
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	12/01/2015
Edition description:	Revised
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	7.60(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Vanda Scaravelli was born in Florence, Italy. She studied for many years with B.K.S. Iyengar and trains teachers who teach her new form of yoga all over the world.

Table of Contents

Foreword B.K.S. Iyengar ix

Introduction to second edition Paola Cohen Scaravelli xi

Yoga, Science and Medicine Dr. Lorenzo Cohen xiii

Awakening The Spine 1

Introduction 4

Part 1 The Story Of Stories 11

The Book 13

Why Are We Doing Yoga? 15

How Yoga came to me 17

The Song of the Body 26

Being Young Again 29

Transformation 30

How to Respect your Body 34

The Miracle of Life 38

On Teaching 41

Meeting of Body and Mind 44

Matter and Energy 50

Nerves 53

Growing Taller during the Night 55

On Attention 56

On Memory and Age 61

About Organizations 68

On Time 71

What do we mean by Relaxation? 73

The Brain 74

On Beauty 79

The Necessity of an Empty Mind 86

On Walking 90

The Foot in Chinese Tradition 92

The Foot in Japanese Tradition 95

The Foot in Indian Tradition 97

The Heel in Greek Mythology 99

Gravity 106

The Eagle 110

A Meeting With Death 115

Movements: the Ancient Tradition 118

The Importance of Daily Practice 121

Reversing 124

Going Round 126

How to Practise 128

Practical Suggestions 130

The Advantages of Doing Yoga 132

Part 2 The Asanas 135

Tadasana (Mountain Pose) 136

Standing Poses 139

Virabhadrasana III (Warrior Pose III) 140

Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (Raised Hand to Big Toe Pose) 140

Sirsasana (Head Stand) 142

Halasana (Plough Pose) 144

Salamba Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand) 145

Bakasana (Crane Pose) 146

Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Big Toe Pose) 147

Pavana Muktasana (Little Boat Pose) 148

Salabhasana (Locust Pose) 149

Makarasana (Crocodile Pose) 149

Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) 150

Urdhva Dhanurasana I (Back Bend from Floor) 151

Urdhva Dhanurasana II (Back Bend from Standing) 152

Seated Forward Bending Poses 156

Utanasana (Standing Forward Bending Pose) 158

Prasarita Padottanasana (Standing Forward Bending with Wide Legs Pose) 158

Krounchasana (Heron Pose) 158

Maha Mudra (One-Legged Forward Bending Pose) 158

Janu Sirsasana (Head to Knee Pose) 159

Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bending Pose) 159

Upavistha Konasana (Star Pose) 159

Adho Mukha Savanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose) 160

Kurmasana (Tortoise Pose) 160

Supta Kurmasana (Sleeping Tortoise Pose) 161

Twists 162

Marichyasana III (Sages Twist Pose) 162

Ardha Matsyendrasana (Spinal Twist Pose) 162

Pasasana (Squatting Twist Pose) 162

Paripurna Matsyendrasana (Double Twist) 163

Maiasana (Garland Pose) 164

Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose) 164

Kandasana (Knot Pose) 164

Mulabandhasaoa (Bound Root Pose) 165

Viranchyasana (Brahma Pose) 166

Kapotasana (Pigeon Pose) 166

Yoganidrasana (Yoga Sleeping Pose) 167

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (One Leg King Pigeon Pose) 168

Natarajasana (Dancer Pose) 168

Eka Pada Viparita Dandasana II (One Leg Inverted Staff Pose) 168

Part 3 Breathing 171

Breathing 172

Inhalation 174

Exhalation 176

Pranayama 178

Wave 180

Biography 183

Acknowledgements 184

References 185