Ali MacGraw - Yoga Mind & Body | Ali MacGraw, Erich Schiffmann

Ali MacGraw - Yoga Mind & Body | Ali MacGraw, Erich Schiffmann | Erich Schiffmann's Yoga Mind & Body (Yes Ali MacGraw is there too.)

DVDs:

Ali MacGraw - Yoga...

	Ali MacGraw - Yoga Mind & Body Ali MacGraw, Erich Schiffmann Warner Home Video, 2003 average customer review:based on 242 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Explore a unique daily fitness regimen with actress Ali McGraw and yoga works, presenting a combination of short and long physical workouts and meditation periods to achieve well-being in body and mind. Year: 1994 Director: Claudio Droguett Starring: Ali MacGraw

Still THE best yoga DVD out there, 14 years later

This yoga video came out in 1994, so it's among the pioneers in the field of home yoga practice. What's amazing about this video is that it is STILL among the finest ever released in terms of quality, beauty and pure magick.

Ali has been a student of yoga for many years but thankfully, she recognizes that she's not a teacher. The instructor on this video is Eric Schiffman, a renowned teacher who works at the Exhale Center for Sacred Movement in Venice. He has trained thousands and thousands of students over decades, including the very popular yogini Seane Corn (another favorite of mine).

Eric's style is unique in the way he sequences and in his extraordinarily gentle, soothing manner. In some ways, he is the polar opposite of someone like Bryan Kest (whom I adore), because he doesn't talk throughout but when he does, his words and the resonance of his voice seem to add to the feeling of release in every posture, like warm chocolate poured over ice cream...you melt.

This was filmed in the White Sands Desert, so the scenery is breathtaking and it was done on such a professional level, edited beautifully and with such amazing music, I've yet to see a video since that has this level of perfection.

The set begins with slow stretches for the spine on the hands and knees; flowing between cat and dog tilt. After a few moments of very gentle spinal stretches, you come to a standing position for Sun Salutations, done at a comfortable pace that is approachable while still warming the body. This is followed by tree pose (one of my favorites) and then one of Eri'c unique standing pose flows. This seems pretty easy if you're in shape (in terms of vigorousness) but like all of yoga, there is no limit to how deeply you can work inside of this framework, so I always find it challenging enough.

Then the floorwork begins, with a series of back bending poses (locust, full locust, bow) and then flows into what I like to think of as the fine tuning stretches for the legs and hips.

This does not include shoulderstand, camel or any other poses that some people love and some people find intimidating. But what Eric has created in this one hour class is a beautifully balanced series of strength building standing poses and energizing floor poses that leave you entirely supple in the end.

I always light candles when I do this one, whether it's morning or evening, and find that this is a portal to bliss. I can't find a single flaw in this video, and I doubt anyone else would either.

This is not a 2 hour sweaty, asthanga, get your Madonna-arms yoga class. This is true Hatha flow; meditative, moderate, mindful.

You really can't ask for more than this for home practice.

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Erich Schiffmann's Yoga Mind & Body (Yes Ali MacGraw is there too.)

I've had this video since it came out over 10 years ago. It remains a classic. Way back then I was a semi-experienced beginner and it was challenging but very accessible. I still enjoy it today, now that I've had yoga teacher training and all those years of class and practice under my belt.

This is a shortish routine (40+ min. I think) and begins with some back limbering and then precisely executed sun salutations and a lovely vinyasa sequence of standing poses. Then you work into backbends and leg stretches savasana. I know: same ole stuff -- but Schiffmann still makes it look mint fresh.

Some of the camera work is a little dated-arty but I love it. The music is partly by Dead Can Dance -- really wonderful. The setting (White Sands) is exquisite. When we made a trip to White Sands a few years ago I had to do a tree and swaaaay just like Erich said I would.

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Inspiring Video for Yoga enthusiasts

I first bought Erich's book, and have found that the best all round book on Yoga. What I wanted was to see the pace they go in a standard workout. The video offers that and more. Routines at the back of the book differ slightly to the one presented in the video. However, one gets the exact feel that Erich is trying to achieve. I agree that he has a great voice which fits perfectly over the lovely music. The sand dune backdrop is magnificient. The elegance of the Yoga performers is inspiring. It's almost like Tai Chi. Learning from a video requires patience. It's best to master 10 minutes of the video and build from there if you are a true beginner. There is no quick fix in Yoga. A video is a useful tool, along with daily practice and plenty of reading. Once you learn the routine you can lengthen the workout to suit your own needs. I recommend you buy the book as well. The book is super. Self-learning requires patience with oneself. These videos and books show people that have been doing Yoga for years. The flexiblility is a tribute to their patience and perseverence. Vanda Scarvelli is a prime example of it's never to late to get really flexible.

You Might also like to try out some standing Qi Gong Routines. If you check my reviews I've suggested a few.

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Wonderful DVD...but...BUT

I bought this DVD to replace my video. I first saw this on Oprah when it was released. I love the way it is shot, easy to follow and the music (Dead Can Dance) fits right in. The only problem with this DVD is that it lists on the back cover that there is a BONUS feature. An updated interview with Ali Macgraw but there isn't one. This has the same content as the original video from 1994.

First is Best

This is still the best-selling yoga video of all time, and for a reason: Meditative but not boring music, an unpretentious leader in Erich Schiffman, poses that flow from one to the other, something for the beginner and something for the more advanced, and the most simple, wise meditation at the end. I am still using it and buying it in new formats after 15 years of yoga practice. Yoga video teachers, this is what excellence looks like!

Andrea from BC

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