Shadow Yoga, Chaya Yoga: The Principles of Hatha Yoga

The number of times I've read this slim volume is countless as is the information and wisdom I've gleaned from it. It has been an indispensable aid in my own humble journey and I cannot recommend it enough to serious students and seekers. If you are looking for a "dummies" type yoga book you probably won't enjoy this book but if you are looking for something deeper and willing to work then you will be well rewarded with this choice. Shadow Yoga is a dense read but Zhander's words are engaging in their conciseness and wisdom. Its clear he writes from real experience to guide and not to add to the noise that is already out there. Esoteric subjects are discussed that are not often thought of in this country (USA) as being a part of Hatha Yoga but have always been an integral part of the craft. Some of the information may seem sparse but Zhander makes it clear why, for example, the diagrams of the Shadow Yoga preludes are prefaced with the instruction that Yoga is learned from a human guide not a book or video. Learning is done in the real world and it takes time, much longer than the one month another reviewer here mentioned. I should add that I am a Shadow Yoga teacher and have worked in this system for a few years. I have been extremely blessed to have good students who have also taken on this work. I know that this system is not for everyone, but for those whom it reverberates they will find a real practice. I should add that I do not receive any monetary compensation from sales of this book; my motivation for writing is only to provide an honest impression of the book.

In my opinion this is probably the most important book on Hatha Yoga in modern times for the serious practitioner. Having practiced and studied most of the modern styles over nearly twenty years I feel I can speak from some experience. It seems to me to be one of the few if only recently written books that concisely points the student in the direction yoga was designed to take. So many of the current incarnations of yoga overly rely on technique or fancy terminology without a realised and embodied understanding of the energetics of the human system and so ultimately don't seem to lead anywhere. It is refreshing and humbling to become aware of principles that can be realised and fortified through using the principles applied within this book. In order for the sacred nature of yoga to be preserved and honoured for generations to come this small yet powerful book should be read, reread and absorbed by all true seekers. Keep in mind however that the information contained within it is meant to be utilised in conjunction with guidance from a teacher familiar with the principles. I for one will cherish this book like few others for life. Thank you to the author for his research and constant diligence in practice for sharing these invaluable tools.

Just to start off with, I think Shadow Yoga is probably the only legit hatha yoga school that is in the public eye these days, and I've been around for 15 some odd years. You can look into all the details about what this specific system does elsewhere, but I've seen so many blown out egos as well as huge imbalances or injuries in other styles, including highly respected and world famous "experts" or "masters" that don't really have a clue and are basically glorified gym teachers and attaching some high philosophy they have no clue on to it..With that said this book is short and gives more or less basic information with some real gems thrown in there and is a nice outline for those who are actually studying with a Shadow instructor. For the rest of you I'm not sure of its worth past seeing what a real hatha practice should be about, which in itself might be of value. Just depends, but the reaosn I gave it three stars. Honestly, it could have been fleshed out a bit more to connect at least a few of the dots for people, but as the book points out you really need a real teacher to progress on any of these paths whether it be hath yoga or another yoga path - lets not forget that hatha yoga is only one of many ways into enlightenment paths- each with a host of false or overhyped gurus as well, but there is some good stuff out there if you dig deep enough and have the karma to find it.

If you're looking to deepen your understanding of Hatha Yoga this book is a must. With over 50 years of experience, Shandor Remete has persistently investigated the path of Yoga on all levels: physically, energetically, mentally, intuitively and spiritually. In this work, he not only shares priceless insight into the theoretical principles which lie at the heart of this sacred science, he also discusses very practical, time-tested teachings. One may think this book is only useful to those who practice Shadow Yoga, but this is not the case. It is an invaluable contribution to the current world of Hatha Yoga and truly a gem.

If you want a deeper understanding of Shadow Yoga, this is a great reference.

I'm a new-comer to Shadow Yoga (just 6 months in), and am enjoying the depth this book adds to my practice. There are concepts covered in this book that are quite foreign to me at the moment, and I'm assuming that as my practice grows, they will start to make more 'sense' to me. Currently it is enough for me just to read small sections at a time, and become familiar with the ideas and terminology. I really like the book itself - layout, size and diagrams. I would recommend it to other Shadow Yoga beginners that would like to have more insight into their practice.

The simple explanation of how Yoga can be applied to life with a deep understanding of how to integrate this thru practice

Love Shadow Yoga! I particularly like the drawings of the sequences for my memory is assisted. Well written and insightful content. Nice touches such as marker flaps that hold my place and mat cover texture show the care and love that was put into this book. Small easy to carry.