Internationally acclaimed vinyasa flow yoga teacher Shiva Rea revolutionizes the instructional yoga video genre with Yoga Shaktithe first user-personalized practice DVD designed to immerse practitioners in the free flow of... more » shakti, the dynamic, creative fire of the universe.
Filmed on location in India and the Maldive Islands on stunning digital video, Yoga Shakti integrates tradition and modern innovation in a powerful new learning system that evolves with the student. Viewers simply select their favorite practices from a simple-to-use yoga menufilled with a rich variety of moving postures, meditations, and shavasana relaxationsand then press play to enjoy. To help them get started, Shiva Rea includes a complete list of suggested sequences, ranging from five-minute tune-up sessions to extended hour-long yoga immersions.
A rich soundtrack featuring traditional Indian musicians as well as contemporary ambient and underground under
With Yoga Shakti, yoga lovers of all levels are invited to infuse their home practice with joy, vitality, and spontaneityand to release shakti, the energetic essence within.
Genres:Fitness & Yoga Sub-Genres:Yoga, Stretching Studio:Sounds True Format:DVD - Color DVD Release Date: 09/28/2004 Release Year: 2004 Run Time: 4hr 30min Screens: Color Number of Discs: 2 SwapaDVD Credits: 2 Total Copies: 1 Members Wishing: 0 MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated) Languages:English
DVD is probably best for someone with experience with yoga. It went a little too fast for me, but other wise, good yoga dvd.
2 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Sydney H. from GARDNER, MA Reviewed on 8/11/2009...
One of my all-time favorite fitness dvds. The matrix option allows a yoga student of any ability to create a sequence that is apppropiate based on their level and time commitment.
Movie Reviews
A really different yoga DVD
Elizabeth M | Houston, TX USA | 12/23/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a lovely yoga video in so many ways. I, like most reviewers, cannot rave enough about the "yoga matrix", the feature of this DVD that allows you to choose which poses you want to do. Wonderful, wonderful feature. I went through each of the four pre-set workouts first though to get familiar with the poses, and that was an interesting experience because the two "solar flows" contain much harder poses than the other two.
There really is great variety in the level of difficulty on this tape- some of the poses I just couldn't do, and some I had to do at the first level. That was a bit humbling (and reminded me that working with where you are is important in yoga!) It's nice now that I've moved on to using the custom practice feature that I can add in a new difficult one each time to work on.
I recommend having 1-2 blocks and a strap handy before getting started with this DVD. Some of the poses use them regardless of your skill level. A blanket to roll up is also a good friend on occasion.
The music and the scenery were lovely, but here are my (relatively minor) gripes:
1. Sometimes Shiva moves too quickly and it's hard to follow her when learning the poses. Some of these poses were new to me and I was lost trying to follow the instructions. This DVD seems to assume familiarity with all poses in advance- in fact there are some it advises against doing unless you've learned them with an instructor. I admit to cheating on that front.
2. The poses are almost always called by their Sanskrit name. This is fairly useful and educational, except for the fact that when doing a home routine it's easier to not have to look at the TV in the middle of a pose, and some users may not be able to consistently match names with poses. Just a head's up if you're in that camp!
3. The poses are not organized in the booklet in the same order that they are in the matrix, so if you need to look one up it can be confusing.
3a. Also, it''d be nice when adding segments to your custom routine if the DVD would tell you how long each of the segments is instead of just the name. Sometimes I only have an hour for yoga and want to make sure I haven't just chosen a sequence that will take ninety minutes.
4. Sometimes the camera doesn't pan quickly enough to the part of the body you need to see in order to assume a pose. As a result, I think a beginner would need to be careful about what poses s/he attempted, and to read the book carefully or stick to the first basic workout or the lunar flow for a while.
I'd say to get the most out of this a practitioner probably would want to be advanced beginner/intermediate level at a minimum, and able to keep some perspective on not being able to manage all of the intense bends Shiva does. This is a DVD that will grow with you as you progress in your yoga practice.
p.s I was so glad to find that this contained different breathing exercises as well as a wonderful, calming forward bend sequence. Yay!"
Best Yoga DVD Ever
DVD Workout Queen | CA USA | 10/12/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I officially renounce all my previous five star ratings. This DVD brings my expectations to a whole new level.
First off, it has 4 workouts that are completely unique from each other (two that are about 40 mins, and two that are 90). Thats quite a bit to begin with.
But the DVD does not stop there. The "customize the routine" matrix has each of the possible elements from routines (for example "standing poses") down the left side of the screen. Then it has each of the four routines across the top of the screen, with the pose sequence that fulfills the element below (there are 10 to 15 per routine). Thus, you can choose the sequences that you like from each routine, skipping elements you don't like, mixing and matching, etc. The only restriction, which is a good one, is that the poses still have to be performed in the correct order. I love this feature! You can create a different routine everyday to suit your mood.
There are definitely poses I have never seen before (as you can imagine having to fill up so much time). You can make the routine as challenging or easy as you want (well, maybe not super easy). Most of the stuff is beginning-intermediate to intermediate-intermediate, but there is also some beginning and intermediate-advanced stuff.
I just can't get over having a completely customizable routine. Anyway...
The whole thing is filmed on an island off the coast of India. The beach she is on has the surreal quality of having the tide come in from both sides. It's beautiful, when you do get a chance to look at the screen.
Her teaching is serene, and not overdone. She doe NOT make annoying comments that are supposed to be inspirational. She DOES say things that are helpful either to physically do the pose or to think about the purpose of the pose. These comments are NOT excessive or chatty.
Not only are there many poses that I have never seen before (and I have a large collection of yoga DVDs), she also does the poses in a more dynamic way than is traditional. Don't get turned off by it not being totally traditional: it is not overdone or too quick, just a bit less stiff and more flowing (and pretty challenging).
Another thing I like, as a side note, are her reminders of when and how to breath. (Some videos seem to skip these to chat about silly things...)
In summary: BEST YOGA DVD EVER! Worth at least $45, but costs much less. If you don't buy it, you are missing out on a one-of-a-kind DVD experience.
"
Most of us can't do it all...
TM | USA | 06/06/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I was very sad to read that another reviewer had injured themselves while using this DVD. I know that this was certainly not Shiva Rea's intention when making this DVD, nor is it a part of the Path of Yoga, I'm not talking about just the workout or excercise part but the entire way of life while following this path, of which the very first teaching is "Ahimsa" or non-violence, not only to others but to ourselves and our own bodies.
That being said, as a yoga teacher, I must recomnmend that unless you have been doing yoga for many years, or you are just very fit and flexible, DO Not do the Standing pose 2/Solar Flow 2 part of this DVD, there are quite a few poses on here that can injure the knees, the back and the shoulders if attempted by someone with any physical issues or someone who does not have at least a intermediate/advanced level in Yoga. Also, this section requires alot of upper body strength and balance that really only an intermediate/advanced to advanced practitioner should attempt. Many reviewers have written that they are working up slowly in this practice, that is a very wise thing to do. Unfortunately human nature causes many people to push them selves to do more than their bodies are ready for.
Shiva Rea is an International Yoga star, even though she is nearing the age of 40, she has been doing Yoga and little else for at least 20 years! The rest of us have a 9-5 job and we cannot do as much yoga as she can, therefore we shouldn't try! Also she naturally has very open hips and shoulders and a flexible back, this is great for her but most of the rest of us don't have this natural athleticism and should not feel badly because we do not. This is truly the lesson that the path of yoga teaches us ~ to honor our bodies in the state we are in and mindfully move forward from there.
Having also said that, I agree with the rest of the reviewers, the music, the scenery and the Matrix are phenomenal, I think all practitioners will love these features. The Basic flow is appropriate for beginners, so is the Lunar Flow, however, there are a couple of poses in the Forward Bend section of Lunar Flow that would be inappropriate for beginners, but Shiva does offer modifications.
Alot of features for under $20.00 makes this a good deal for a workout DVD, Shiva's voice and mannerisms are very soothing, real and not condescending. I highly recommend this DVD with the only precaution that beginners should move forward in this with extreme caution and mindfulness."
Possibly the most versatile yoga DVD ever made
Beth Cholette | Upstate NY USA | 03/01/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Yoga Shakti is a beautifully filmed, extremely well put-together yoga DVD with virtually unlimited options. As she did with her yoga CD, Yoga Sanctuary, instructor Shiva Rea has broken down the practice into a series of segments of varying lengths. These segments form the "Yoga Matrix," a mix-and-match option which allows you to complete customize your yoga practice. But that's not all: if you prefer a pre-designed practice, Shiva has done that for you as well, offering four unique practices to choose from.
Here is a summary of the selections available: 4 opening meditations (these generally combine breathing with flowing, almost dance-y movements); 5 sun/moon salutation series (although once of these, Rhythmic Vinyasa 2, is only available via the pre-programmed practices and is not on the matrix); 4 dancing warrior series (3 to 6 minutes in length); 2 transitional series (breathing and core work); 3 standing pose flows (moving from basic to much more challenging postures such as arm balances); 3 backbend prep series; 1 handstand and 3 backbend flow series; 2 counter pose sequences; 3 closing series (including 1 on inversions); and finally, shavasana or final relaxation. If you add that all up, you will see that you have a choice of THIRTY different segments to choose from, which allows you to customize both the posture focus and the length of your practice (the segments vary anywhere from about 2.5 minutes to almost 25 minutes for the longest standing series). In the very helpful booklet that accompanies the DVD set, Shiva talks in detail about how to use the Yoga Matrix to best suit your needs.
As I mentioned above, Shiva has also included four complete practices pre-designed from the matrix offerings. The first is a 36 minute "Basic Flow" which leads you through simple sun salutations, basic standing poses, and easy backbends/counterposes. There are also two "Solar Flow" practices, each over an hour in length (86 minutes and 92 minutes). Both include the more challenging standing and backbend sequences, with the shorter adding core/handstand and the longer adding inversions. The final pre-programmed sequence is a 1-hour "Lunar Flow," a gentle, flowing practice which could also be considered a more basic or beginning level.
I would not recommend this DVD for those completely new to yoga; although Shiva is an excellent instructor, she seems to assume some prior familiarly with yoga, as she does not always go into detail about form. Furthermore, she often moves quickly, especially in the standing flow sequences, and it can be difficult to see the television as you are trying to follow along, especially if you are inexperienced. In fact, I consider myself to be at about an intermediate level, and I found that Shiva sometimes moved too fast for my liking. I much preferred her more gentle flows; some of my favorite segments of the DVD were the Prana yoga (one of the opening meditations), the first two backbend flows, the counter poses, and the inversions. I also enjoyed the final pranayama (breathing) and meditation, both of which I found very relaxing.
In addition to all of the above, there is a second DVD in this set which contains interviews with various yogis and similar footage, certainly a worthwhile bonus. And it must be said that the scenery in this DVD is absolutely gorgeous: most of the segments are filmed on beautiful beaches in the Maldives, sometimes in daytime, sometimes at dusk. I would not hesitate to recommend this DVD set to anyone who is at least at the experienced beginner level, who enjoys fast-paced, flowing vinyasa sequences, and who thrives on variety in their yoga practice."
Intense workout - not a complete beginner's DVD
James E. White | Oak Park, IL | 01/07/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is an awesome DVD if you are into flowing ashtanga/power yoga type workouts. The flow is fast, but not as fast as ashtanga, but there are pauses between workout segments (may help you catch your breath/regain your composure). This DVD is broken down into four workouts. The first is the basic workout last for about 45 minutes, it is good for an experienced beginner (1+ year of experience), the second and third are closer to 90 minutes each and have alot of intermediate to advanced arm balances in them (e.g. crow pose, forearm balance, handstands, arm pressure pose, and many others). The first 90 minute series is geared towards hip and should opening, while second is geared towards back bending. Both are very challenging, but Shiva does a nice job of demonstrating modifications/stages for difficult poses. There is also a lunar flow which has more restorative poses (about 75 minutes long) and is great when you don't feel up to either of the 90 minute flows, but want something more challenging than the basic flow. You also can create your own workout. The DVD includes 30 different vinyasa flow workouts and you can arrange into your own workout to last from 15 minutes to 2.5 hours.
This DVD compares well in terms of level of difficulty and amount of sweat as it relates to ashtanga. Shiva Rea has an ashtanga background and it shows, when she performs jump throughs and jump backs (for you ashtanga folks out there, her jumps are very floaty), as well as her ability to perform a lot of the poses I've seen in the various ashtanga series. Almost anyone (barring with either more than 5 years of experience or a flat out contortionist) would find doing either of the 90 minute segments with the full versions of advanced poses difficult. Before practicing with this DVD, please watch it first. You need to be able to anticipate a little bit what comes next, because some of the poses are advanced, and you don't want to miss the modification or break the flow. With that said, this is an excellent DVD. A person could use this DVD for a long while by rotating these workouts to work on different things on different days, and that's before you start creating your own workouts. If you are looking to go to take your yoga practice to the intermediate or advanced level, then this is the DVD to buy. This is the first DVD I have purchased by Shiva Rea, but it won't be the last."