A Woman's Book of Yoga: Embracing Our Natural Life Cycles »

Machelle M. Siebel, M.D., is a reproductive endocrinologist at the Fertility Center of New England and a clinical professor of gynecology and obstetrics at Boston University School of Medicine. He is an expert in alternative and nutritional approaches to gynecology.

Hari Kaur Khalsa is one of the most respected Kundalini yoga and meditation teachers in the world, and has created specialized yoga programs for pregnant women, senior citizens, and youngsters. She lives in the Boston area.

Interest in yoga is at an all-time high, especially among women. Whether readers wish to begin the practice or are already involved in yoga, this innovative book will help them understand the unique benefits yoga provides for a woman's health and mental well-being.

The authors lead women of all ages through the health and life cycles specific to females by illustrating the spiritual and physical advantages of Kundalini yoga, as taught by yoga master Yogi Bhajan. Hari Khalsa applies ancient wisdom to explain how to determine and enhance one's own special relationship with the mind, body, and soul. Using his expertise on women's health issues, Dr. Siebel reveals the scientific basis for yoga's positive effects on the brain. Together, Dr. Siebel and Hari Khalsa create a dialogue of spiritualism and science, elucidating how every woman can reap the rewards of yoga for a lifetime.

Library Journal

These two titles explain how women can use yoga to help deal with unique female health issues as well as to relieve stress and improve the quality of their lives. In A Woman's Book of Yoga, gynecologist Seibel and yoga teacher Khalsa introduce readers to Kundalini yoga, which emphasizes the feminine energy of creation and the relationship among mind, body, and soul. Photographs illustrate the various exercises, and the text addresses such topics as menstruation, sexuality, childbearing, menopause, food and digestion, self-healing, and natural beauty. The text can be rather mystical, discussing moon centers, chakras, and "the ten bodies," so readers must pay close attention because the authors refer to these concepts when explaining how to breathe and meditate and how to perform poses and postures. An optional choice for larger collections. Written by expert yoga writer Sparrowe and leading yoga instructor Walden, The Woman's Book of Yoga and Health is less mystical than A Woman's Book of Yoga and may be a more comfortable choice for beginners, thanks to its conversational style. The authors focus on Iyengar yoga, which emphasizes precise alignment and provides modifications (props like blocks, bolsters, and straps) for beginners and less flexible women. Photographs demonstrate the exercises, including modifications; the benefits of each movement, as well as cautions, are indicated. The topics covered include the menstrual cycle, the immune system, eating disorders, childbearing, back care, headache relief, depression, menopause, digestion, osteoporosis, and the heart. Highly recommended for all libraries supporting women's health.-Samantha Gust, Niagara Univ. Lib., NY Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.