DVD Review: Shiva Rea: Fluid Power
Aug. 5th, 2010 06:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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sun_salutationShiva Rea: Fluid Power
I've been putting off my review because I have not fully explored all the disc has to offer, but I love it so much, I'm ready to talk about what I have been working on.
This is a DVD about circular movement and movement through water. The current moves under you, the movement flows over you, you plunge into water and rise out of it. Like Yoga Trance Dance, this video was filmed at White Sands National Park and is stunningly beautiful. It includes six pre-set practices, as well as a matrix to design your own practice. You will be happy to know that this matrix is much more user friendly than the one on Shakti, with better navigation between boxes on the table.
Shiva is in her best creative form. My favorite segment on this is the Mandala Namaskar, which you can see beautifully demonstrated here and which you can see demonstrated with instruction here. I love the flow of this sun salutation, and the grace and rhythm with which it moves in all directions.
When you are really ready to sweat, you can do the two Dancing Warrior 1008 sequences – one is preparatory and one is the sun salutation in full flow. Combined, they are a 25 minute yoga session all in themselves. This sequence moves from Downward Dog to Vasisthasana, shifting to a Vasisthasana variation on the other side, then to Side Chaturanga and back to Downward Dog. In the transitional vinyasa she throws in fluid Cobra, Salambhasana and Dhanurasana. By the end your arms will be shaking and the sweat will be dripping off you! Ah. The best kind of yoga! You can see just a snippet of this sun salutation here at minute 1:53-2:30. Regarding "Side Chaturanga" (which the inimitablezats_clear says looks like she's fallen and can't get up), sadly, the clip doesn't show the whole vinyasa, so you can't see that part. If you go to minute 2:50 you can see the way the legs are in the posture, though you have to imagine her up on her arms as in Plank, then going down in to Chaturanga, with her legs in those positions. With my current upper body strength, I can't even pretend that I can do it as Chaturanga, and I stay in Plank, thank you very much. :D
The Fluid Backbend segment, while not as perfect as Heart-Air on Daily Energy, is still an excellent heart opening sequence. Shiva builds to Camatkarasana in a circular sequence transitioning to Urdhva Dhanurasana that you'll think, no way! But then your yoga brain will say, hmmm. I could do that. I have not pulled it off yet… :D
I found the circular nature of the Supine Poses sequence to be difficult to follow. Definitely plan to watch this one before you do it, or you will get stuck and have to stop and watch anyway.
There are a couple of nice meditation sessions included, and as usual, Shiva does a great job with movement meditation, as well. The Spiral Meditation in particular is one that we should all have in our repertoire of movement. She moves your whole body in circular motions, starting with the wrists, then the shoulders, moving through the chest and hips to the knees and legs. At the end, your body feels ready for anything, loose and open.
I love the pre-set sequence Hip Opening. It does exactly what it sets out to do, and when you get to the seated forward bends at the end, you will be amazed at how deeply you can enter the postures. The Backbend Flow is long and challenging. The Creative Flow is meditative and soothing.
I really love this DVD, but be aware that if you are just starting or at a lower level of fitness (as I am these days, actually) this will be tough work. This past week, after a long layoff from yoga, the thought going through my head by the third round of Mandala Namaskar was "relentless." Plan to work. A beginner might get discouraged. Plan to stop at two rounds instead of three, or to use modified poses.
However, for the beginner, one great component of this DVD is Shiva's guided preparatory segments. There is one called Foundation Vinyasa, and one for Dancing Warrior 1008. The Foundation Vinyasa in particular is a careful review of all the various components of the vinyasa – how to draw your knee toward your navel; the four directions of lunge; the legs, hips and shoulders in downward dog; movement into and out of Plank, Chaturanga, and Vasisthasana. She breaks it down to every action very carefully. It's a great review for every practitioner and excellent for a beginner. Dancing Warrior 1008 Prep focuses on the arm balance components and is also great for a beginner.
This disc is a great addition to a home practice and I highly recommend it.
I've been putting off my review because I have not fully explored all the disc has to offer, but I love it so much, I'm ready to talk about what I have been working on.
This is a DVD about circular movement and movement through water. The current moves under you, the movement flows over you, you plunge into water and rise out of it. Like Yoga Trance Dance, this video was filmed at White Sands National Park and is stunningly beautiful. It includes six pre-set practices, as well as a matrix to design your own practice. You will be happy to know that this matrix is much more user friendly than the one on Shakti, with better navigation between boxes on the table.
Shiva is in her best creative form. My favorite segment on this is the Mandala Namaskar, which you can see beautifully demonstrated here and which you can see demonstrated with instruction here. I love the flow of this sun salutation, and the grace and rhythm with which it moves in all directions.
When you are really ready to sweat, you can do the two Dancing Warrior 1008 sequences – one is preparatory and one is the sun salutation in full flow. Combined, they are a 25 minute yoga session all in themselves. This sequence moves from Downward Dog to Vasisthasana, shifting to a Vasisthasana variation on the other side, then to Side Chaturanga and back to Downward Dog. In the transitional vinyasa she throws in fluid Cobra, Salambhasana and Dhanurasana. By the end your arms will be shaking and the sweat will be dripping off you! Ah. The best kind of yoga! You can see just a snippet of this sun salutation here at minute 1:53-2:30. Regarding "Side Chaturanga" (which the inimitable
zats_clear says looks like she's fallen and can't get up), sadly, the clip doesn't show the whole vinyasa, so you can't see that part. If you go to minute 2:50 you can see the way the legs are in the posture, though you have to imagine her up on her arms as in Plank, then going down in to Chaturanga, with her legs in those positions. With my current upper body strength, I can't even pretend that I can do it as Chaturanga, and I stay in Plank, thank you very much. :DThe Fluid Backbend segment, while not as perfect as Heart-Air on Daily Energy, is still an excellent heart opening sequence. Shiva builds to Camatkarasana in a circular sequence transitioning to Urdhva Dhanurasana that you'll think, no way! But then your yoga brain will say, hmmm. I could do that. I have not pulled it off yet… :D
I found the circular nature of the Supine Poses sequence to be difficult to follow. Definitely plan to watch this one before you do it, or you will get stuck and have to stop and watch anyway.
There are a couple of nice meditation sessions included, and as usual, Shiva does a great job with movement meditation, as well. The Spiral Meditation in particular is one that we should all have in our repertoire of movement. She moves your whole body in circular motions, starting with the wrists, then the shoulders, moving through the chest and hips to the knees and legs. At the end, your body feels ready for anything, loose and open.
I love the pre-set sequence Hip Opening. It does exactly what it sets out to do, and when you get to the seated forward bends at the end, you will be amazed at how deeply you can enter the postures. The Backbend Flow is long and challenging. The Creative Flow is meditative and soothing.
I really love this DVD, but be aware that if you are just starting or at a lower level of fitness (as I am these days, actually) this will be tough work. This past week, after a long layoff from yoga, the thought going through my head by the third round of Mandala Namaskar was "relentless." Plan to work. A beginner might get discouraged. Plan to stop at two rounds instead of three, or to use modified poses.
However, for the beginner, one great component of this DVD is Shiva's guided preparatory segments. There is one called Foundation Vinyasa, and one for Dancing Warrior 1008. The Foundation Vinyasa in particular is a careful review of all the various components of the vinyasa – how to draw your knee toward your navel; the four directions of lunge; the legs, hips and shoulders in downward dog; movement into and out of Plank, Chaturanga, and Vasisthasana. She breaks it down to every action very carefully. It's a great review for every practitioner and excellent for a beginner. Dancing Warrior 1008 Prep focuses on the arm balance components and is also great for a beginner.
This disc is a great addition to a home practice and I highly recommend it.
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Date: 2010-08-06 02:36 am (UTC)