CAUTION: This DVD can make you restless.
So warns yoga instructor Barbara Benagh, who prefers to go by a single name, like Tiffany, Prince, or Oprah. That's because this isn't exercise yoga. It's relaxation yoga, and the people who need to learn to relax just might get a little fidgety until they get acclimated to the pace.
With Barbara speaking in a quiet and steady tones, this brand of yoga bears a striking resemblance to the self-hypnosis tapes that people buy to correct any number of problems and bad habits. "Yoga for Stress Relief" targets stress relief in a broad, but specific way. It's a New Age answer to a trip to the doctor's office neck or back problems, digestive disorders, headaches, or what have you. It's a drug-free alternative, taught by a veteran with 35 years in the business, whom Yoga Journal calls "one of the most intelligent and insightful teachers around."
I can't vouch for that or even verify if her system works, for the simple reason that to gauge the effectiveness of these DVD programs I'd have to repeat play every day for several weeks and then report whether it's made a difference. Sorry, but I've got my own forms of stress relief. I garden, or else I hit a racquetball as hard as I can and run into walls for an hour and a half. But I could see where this might be the preferred program for a number of people, and for a number of reasons--not the least of which is that wall thing.
Yoga is low-impact, for one thing. There are no positions on this DVD that the average person can't accomplish, and yes, I got down on the floor and tried a few. In most cases, you can make adjustments using rolled-up blankets or cushions to make it easier. And as the box boasts, you can "pick your level" and "choose your time." Meaning, the workout routines are of different lengths. Some are passive, while others are active. All of them are demonstrated by the barefooted Barbara, who wears a simple top and bottom (nothing leotardish) and demonstrates the routines on a matt on a canopied wooden platform on an Antiguan beach, against the backdrop of the emerald-green Caribbean. So who couldn't relax at Half-Moon Bay, one of the most tranquil beaches in the world?
Seriously, though, the backdrop is intended to help with relaxation, and it's certainly more serene than a studio with harsh lighting. To get you in the mood (or not), there are two informal lectures on meditation. One of them is a half-hour teaser, really, for the full-length DVD "The Path to Happiness," by the Dalai Lama. Sitting cross-legged in front of a class, the Buddhist monk chats rather informally and not always articulately about meditation, which he says is a tool for "shaping the mind." But he repeats himself and tells you the obvious half the time. If you're looking for enlightenment, this is all pretty basic stuff: that you can't buy true health or happiness, that humans are more intelligent than other mammals (well, most humans)--stuff like that. It really takes some concentration and dedication to get through it, which is probably your first lesson in chilling out, grasshoppers. Then another slightly shorter feature catches Barbara on that Antiguan beach talking about the DVD. This one is more practical and actually a good introduction to the exercises. Here's where she warns you to give it a chance and be patient--which, of course, means that for the average person, this isn't just going to make you restless. It's probably going to drive you up the wall, as you think of things you have to check off your list or wonder if that's your cell phone vibrating on the counter or if it's another tranquil wave washing ashore.
But I like the way this DVD is organized so that you can pick and choose your routines, combining them to meet your own needs. I also like the way that the routines are structured so that Barbara instructs you to close your eyes at some point and you can continue the exercises while simply listening to her voice. And yes, it's soothing. What you'll need, aside from this DVD, are two to three small blankets to roll up and place strategically under your body at various points, and a soft place (carpet, mat) to do the exercises.
included are two Beginning the Day routines, one of them a 30-minute wake-up call for your body, the other a more active 60-minute exercise. This is intended to relax you before you pull your car out onto the freeway and start honking at people.
There are also three End of the Day routines of 40, 40, and 35 minutes--the latter geared towards insomniacs.
Then there are body-specific exercises, two of which target Neck and Shoulder Tension (one passive 20-minute exercise and one active 30-minute routine), and one designed to relieve tension and promote relaxation in the Lower Back region (35 minutes), with another addressing Hip Pain (35 minutes) and another Tension Headaches (45-minutes).
Now, this gets into pretty personal territory, almost in the "too much information" category, but for those who experience Constipation there's a 25-minute routine, while if you have the opposite problem with Diarrehea you have to work five minutes longer (though I would have thought it'd be the other way around). If you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome there's a 30-minute exercise for you, and there's a 30-minute routine that's aimed at improving Digestion.
If you're body isn't a wreck and what you're really interested in is the Stress Relief that the cover promises, there are SIX different routines aimed at easing your mind: two 15-minute routines if you're too busy to devote much time to relaxing, a 20-minute routine, a 30-minute one designed for Mood Uplift, a 35-minute routine emphasizing Serenity in Stillness (this is the one that will make folks restless!), and a 55-minute mental, physical, and emotional workout for Anxiety Relief.
Does it work? As I said, you'll have to be the judge. But people who know yoga have great things to say about Barbara's methods, and there was nothing here to put me off, the way that some aerobic or stretching routines instantly make you feel incapable or inferior. You see her doing these exercises and think, I can do that.
So warns yoga instructor Barbara Benagh, who prefers to go by a single name, like Tiffany, Prince, or Oprah. That's because this isn't exercise yoga. It's relaxation yoga, and the people who need to learn to relax just might get a little fidgety until they get acclimated to the pace.
With Barbara speaking in a quiet and steady tones, this brand of yoga bears a striking resemblance to the self-hypnosis tapes that people buy to correct any number of problems and bad habits. "Yoga for Stress Relief" targets stress relief in a broad, but specific way. It's a New Age answer to a trip to the doctor's office neck or back problems, digestive disorders, headaches, or what have you. It's a drug-free alternative, taught by a veteran with 35 years in the business, whom Yoga Journal calls "one of the most intelligent and insightful teachers around."
I can't vouch for that or even verify if her system works, for the simple reason that to gauge the effectiveness of these DVD programs I'd have to repeat play every day for several weeks and then report whether it's made a difference. Sorry, but I've got my own forms of stress relief. I garden, or else I hit a racquetball as hard as I can and run into walls for an hour and a half. But I could see where this might be the preferred program for a number of people, and for a number of reasons--not the least of which is that wall thing.
Yoga is low-impact, for one thing. There are no positions on this DVD that the average person can't accomplish, and yes, I got down on the floor and tried a few. In most cases, you can make adjustments using rolled-up blankets or cushions to make it easier. And as the box boasts, you can "pick your level" and "choose your time." Meaning, the workout routines are of different lengths. Some are passive, while others are active. All of them are demonstrated by the barefooted Barbara, who wears a simple top and bottom (nothing leotardish) and demonstrates the routines on a matt on a canopied wooden platform on an Antiguan beach, against the backdrop of the emerald-green Caribbean. So who couldn't relax at Half-Moon Bay, one of the most tranquil beaches in the world?
Seriously, though, the backdrop is intended to help with relaxation, and it's certainly more serene than a studio with harsh lighting. To get you in the mood (or not), there are two informal lectures on meditation. One of them is a half-hour teaser, really, for the full-length DVD "The Path to Happiness," by the Dalai Lama. Sitting cross-legged in front of a class, the Buddhist monk chats rather informally and not always articulately about meditation, which he says is a tool for "shaping the mind." But he repeats himself and tells you the obvious half the time. If you're looking for enlightenment, this is all pretty basic stuff: that you can't buy true health or happiness, that humans are more intelligent than other mammals (well, most humans)--stuff like that. It really takes some concentration and dedication to get through it, which is probably your first lesson in chilling out, grasshoppers. Then another slightly shorter feature catches Barbara on that Antiguan beach talking about the DVD. This one is more practical and actually a good introduction to the exercises. Here's where she warns you to give it a chance and be patient--which, of course, means that for the average person, this isn't just going to make you restless. It's probably going to drive you up the wall, as you think of things you have to check off your list or wonder if that's your cell phone vibrating on the counter or if it's another tranquil wave washing ashore.
But I like the way this DVD is organized so that you can pick and choose your routines, combining them to meet your own needs. I also like the way that the routines are structured so that Barbara instructs you to close your eyes at some point and you can continue the exercises while simply listening to her voice. And yes, it's soothing. What you'll need, aside from this DVD, are two to three small blankets to roll up and place strategically under your body at various points, and a soft place (carpet, mat) to do the exercises.
included are two Beginning the Day routines, one of them a 30-minute wake-up call for your body, the other a more active 60-minute exercise. This is intended to relax you before you pull your car out onto the freeway and start honking at people.
There are also three End of the Day routines of 40, 40, and 35 minutes--the latter geared towards insomniacs.
Then there are body-specific exercises, two of which target Neck and Shoulder Tension (one passive 20-minute exercise and one active 30-minute routine), and one designed to relieve tension and promote relaxation in the Lower Back region (35 minutes), with another addressing Hip Pain (35 minutes) and another Tension Headaches (45-minutes).
Now, this gets into pretty personal territory, almost in the "too much information" category, but for those who experience Constipation there's a 25-minute routine, while if you have the opposite problem with Diarrehea you have to work five minutes longer (though I would have thought it'd be the other way around). If you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome there's a 30-minute exercise for you, and there's a 30-minute routine that's aimed at improving Digestion.
If you're body isn't a wreck and what you're really interested in is the Stress Relief that the cover promises, there are SIX different routines aimed at easing your mind: two 15-minute routines if you're too busy to devote much time to relaxing, a 20-minute routine, a 30-minute one designed for Mood Uplift, a 35-minute routine emphasizing Serenity in Stillness (this is the one that will make folks restless!), and a 55-minute mental, physical, and emotional workout for Anxiety Relief.
Does it work? As I said, you'll have to be the judge. But people who know yoga have great things to say about Barbara's methods, and there was nothing here to put me off, the way that some aerobic or stretching routines instantly make you feel incapable or inferior. You see her doing these exercises and think, I can do that.
CAUTION: This DVD can make you restless.
So warns yoga instructor Barbara Benagh, who prefers to go by a single name, like Tiffany, Prince, or Oprah. That's because this isn't exercise yoga. It's relaxation yoga, and the people who need to learn to relax just might get a little fidgety until they get acclimated to the pace.
With Barbara speaking in a quiet and steady tones, this brand of yoga bears a striking resemblance to the self-hypnosis tapes that people buy to correct any number of problems and bad habits. "Yoga for Stress Relief" targets stress relief in a broad, but specific way. It's a New Age answer to a trip to the doctor's office neck or back problems, digestive disorders, headaches, or what have you. It's a drug-free alternative, taught by a veteran with 35 years in the business, whom Yoga Journal calls "one of the most intelligent and insightful teachers around."
I can't vouch for that or even verify if her system works, for the simple reason that to gauge the effectiveness of these DVD programs I'd have to repeat play every day for several weeks and then report whether it's made a difference. Sorry, but I've got my own forms of stress relief. I garden, or else I hit a racquetball as hard as I can and run into walls for an hour and a half. But I could see where this might be the preferred program for a number of people, and for a number of reasons--not the least of which is that wall thing.
Yoga is low-impact, for one thing. There are no positions on this DVD that the average person can't accomplish, and yes, I got down on the floor and tried a few. In most cases, you can make adjustments using rolled-up blankets or cushions to make it easier. And as the box boasts, you can "pick your level" and "choose your time." Meaning, the workout routines are of different lengths. Some are passive, while others are active. All of them are demonstrated by the barefooted Barbara, who wears a simple top and bottom (nothing leotardish) and demonstrates the routines on a matt on a canopied wooden platform on an Antiguan beach, against the backdrop of the emerald-green Caribbean. So who couldn't relax at Half-Moon Bay, one of the most tranquil beaches in the world?
Seriously, though, the backdrop is intended to help with relaxation, and it's certainly more serene than a studio with harsh lighting. To get you in the mood (or not), there are two informal lectures on meditation. One of them is a half-hour teaser, really, for the full-length DVD "The Path to Happiness," by the Dalai Lama. Sitting cross-legged in front of a class, the Buddhist monk chats rather informally and not always articulately about meditation, which he says is a tool for "shaping the mind." But he repeats himself and tells you the obvious half the time. If you're looking for enlightenment, this is all pretty basic stuff: that you can't buy true health or happiness, that humans are more intelligent than other mammals (well, most humans)--stuff like that. It really takes some concentration and dedication to get through it, which is probably your first lesson in chilling out, grasshoppers. Then another slightly shorter feature catches Barbara on that Antiguan beach talking about the DVD. This one is more practical and actually a good introduction to the exercises. Here's where she warns you to give it a chance and be patient--which, of course, means that for the average person, this isn't just going to make you restless. It's probably going to drive you up the wall, as you think of things you have to check off your list or wonder if that's your cell phone vibrating on the counter or if it's another tranquil wave washing ashore.
But I like the way this DVD is organized so that you can pick and choose your routines, combining them to meet your own needs. I also like the way that the routines are structured so that Barbara instructs you to close your eyes at some point and you can continue the exercises while simply listening to her voice. And yes, it's soothing. What you'll need, aside from this DVD, are two to three small blankets to roll up and place strategically under your body at various points, and a soft place (carpet, mat) to do the exercises.
included are two Beginning the Day routines, one of them a 30-minute wake-up call for your body, the other a more active 60-minute exercise. This is intended to relax you before you pull your car out onto the freeway and start honking at people.
There are also three End of the Day routines of 40, 40, and 35 minutes--the latter geared towards insomniacs.
Then there are body-specific exercises, two of which target Neck and Shoulder Tension (one passive 20-minute exercise and one active 30-minute routine), and one designed to relieve tension and promote relaxation in the Lower Back region (35 minutes), with another addressing Hip Pain (35 minutes) and another Tension Headaches (45-minutes).
Now, this gets into pretty personal territory, almost in the "too much information" category, but for those who experience Constipation there's a 25-minute routine, while if you have the opposite problem with Diarrehea you have to work five minutes longer (though I would have thought it'd be the other way around). If you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome there's a 30-minute exercise for you, and there's a 30-minute routine that's aimed at improving Digestion.
If you're body isn't a wreck and what you're really interested in is the Stress Relief that the cover promises, there are SIX different routines aimed at easing your mind: two 15-minute routines if you're too busy to devote much time to relaxing, a 20-minute routine, a 30-minute one designed for Mood Uplift, a 35-minute routine emphasizing Serenity in Stillness (this is the one that will make folks restless!), and a 55-minute mental, physical, and emotional workout for Anxiety Relief.
Does it work? As I said, you'll have to be the judge. But people who know yoga have great things to say about Barbara's methods, and there was nothing here to put me off, the way that some aerobic or stretching routines instantly make you feel incapable or inferior. You see her doing these exercises and think, I can do that.
So warns yoga instructor Barbara Benagh, who prefers to go by a single name, like Tiffany, Prince, or Oprah. That's because this isn't exercise yoga. It's relaxation yoga, and the people who need to learn to relax just might get a little fidgety until they get acclimated to the pace.
With Barbara speaking in a quiet and steady tones, this brand of yoga bears a striking resemblance to the self-hypnosis tapes that people buy to correct any number of problems and bad habits. "Yoga for Stress Relief" targets stress relief in a broad, but specific way. It's a New Age answer to a trip to the doctor's office neck or back problems, digestive disorders, headaches, or what have you. It's a drug-free alternative, taught by a veteran with 35 years in the business, whom Yoga Journal calls "one of the most intelligent and insightful teachers around."
I can't vouch for that or even verify if her system works, for the simple reason that to gauge the effectiveness of these DVD programs I'd have to repeat play every day for several weeks and then report whether it's made a difference. Sorry, but I've got my own forms of stress relief. I garden, or else I hit a racquetball as hard as I can and run into walls for an hour and a half. But I could see where this might be the preferred program for a number of people, and for a number of reasons--not the least of which is that wall thing.
Yoga is low-impact, for one thing. There are no positions on this DVD that the average person can't accomplish, and yes, I got down on the floor and tried a few. In most cases, you can make adjustments using rolled-up blankets or cushions to make it easier. And as the box boasts, you can "pick your level" and "choose your time." Meaning, the workout routines are of different lengths. Some are passive, while others are active. All of them are demonstrated by the barefooted Barbara, who wears a simple top and bottom (nothing leotardish) and demonstrates the routines on a matt on a canopied wooden platform on an Antiguan beach, against the backdrop of the emerald-green Caribbean. So who couldn't relax at Half-Moon Bay, one of the most tranquil beaches in the world?
Seriously, though, the backdrop is intended to help with relaxation, and it's certainly more serene than a studio with harsh lighting. To get you in the mood (or not), there are two informal lectures on meditation. One of them is a half-hour teaser, really, for the full-length DVD "The Path to Happiness," by the Dalai Lama. Sitting cross-legged in front of a class, the Buddhist monk chats rather informally and not always articulately about meditation, which he says is a tool for "shaping the mind." But he repeats himself and tells you the obvious half the time. If you're looking for enlightenment, this is all pretty basic stuff: that you can't buy true health or happiness, that humans are more intelligent than other mammals (well, most humans)--stuff like that. It really takes some concentration and dedication to get through it, which is probably your first lesson in chilling out, grasshoppers. Then another slightly shorter feature catches Barbara on that Antiguan beach talking about the DVD. This one is more practical and actually a good introduction to the exercises. Here's where she warns you to give it a chance and be patient--which, of course, means that for the average person, this isn't just going to make you restless. It's probably going to drive you up the wall, as you think of things you have to check off your list or wonder if that's your cell phone vibrating on the counter or if it's another tranquil wave washing ashore.
But I like the way this DVD is organized so that you can pick and choose your routines, combining them to meet your own needs. I also like the way that the routines are structured so that Barbara instructs you to close your eyes at some point and you can continue the exercises while simply listening to her voice. And yes, it's soothing. What you'll need, aside from this DVD, are two to three small blankets to roll up and place strategically under your body at various points, and a soft place (carpet, mat) to do the exercises.
included are two Beginning the Day routines, one of them a 30-minute wake-up call for your body, the other a more active 60-minute exercise. This is intended to relax you before you pull your car out onto the freeway and start honking at people.
There are also three End of the Day routines of 40, 40, and 35 minutes--the latter geared towards insomniacs.
Then there are body-specific exercises, two of which target Neck and Shoulder Tension (one passive 20-minute exercise and one active 30-minute routine), and one designed to relieve tension and promote relaxation in the Lower Back region (35 minutes), with another addressing Hip Pain (35 minutes) and another Tension Headaches (45-minutes).
Now, this gets into pretty personal territory, almost in the "too much information" category, but for those who experience Constipation there's a 25-minute routine, while if you have the opposite problem with Diarrehea you have to work five minutes longer (though I would have thought it'd be the other way around). If you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome there's a 30-minute exercise for you, and there's a 30-minute routine that's aimed at improving Digestion.
If you're body isn't a wreck and what you're really interested in is the Stress Relief that the cover promises, there are SIX different routines aimed at easing your mind: two 15-minute routines if you're too busy to devote much time to relaxing, a 20-minute routine, a 30-minute one designed for Mood Uplift, a 35-minute routine emphasizing Serenity in Stillness (this is the one that will make folks restless!), and a 55-minute mental, physical, and emotional workout for Anxiety Relief.
Does it work? As I said, you'll have to be the judge. But people who know yoga have great things to say about Barbara's methods, and there was nothing here to put me off, the way that some aerobic or stretching routines instantly make you feel incapable or inferior. You see her doing these exercises and think, I can do that.
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