Yoga Body, Buddha Mind

September 1, 2004
Hatha yoga teacher, practicing Tibetan Buddhist, and founder of the Om Yoga Center in Manhattan, Lee (Om Yoga) here combines the basic teachings of Buddhism and meditation with yoga instruction. The book is an easy introduction to Buddhism, stating that our bodies are part of the world's body; our minds are part of the world's mind. Each chapter focuses on the yoga body and Buddha mind, approaching the poses from both points of view. Meditation is about waking up to thought processes and experiencing all states of mind. Lee has a chapter simply on how to stand. Every sequence of poses is separated into levels for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students. Clear alignment instruction accompanies the individual asanas, which are illustrated with helpful photographs. The book closes with three yoga class programs, illustrated with stick figures. This is a useful and workable manual to develop a meditation and yoga practice. Lee's sensible suggestions make the poses come alive. A valuable asset to yoga collections.--Dede Fellrath, Tampa

Copyright 2004 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2004
Lee's title is a bit suspect. Is her book about a slimmed-down, more flexible Buddha or just another book fusing distinct Eastern cultures to suit Western readers? Happily, it's neither. The director of the trendy OM Yoga Center in Manhattan and a former dancer, Lee found yoga physically exhilarating but its purported spiritual benefits elusive. Instead, she found the spiritual nourishment she was seeking in Buddhist teachings and meditations, then realized that the physical work of yoga helped her embody them. So her book follows her personal journey and explains how she began to incorporate Buddhist meditation techniques into the practice of yoga asanas. Lee writes clearly, with down-to-earth explanations of Buddhist and yoga philosophy. She includes many interesting meditation exercises and yoga sequences, " vinya"sas, or poses that flow from one to another, and that reflect her love of movement. The sequences progress in difficulty from those suitable for beginners to those that will challenge advanced yoga students.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)