The Language of Yoga: Nicolai Bachman

Thank you to Sean Rogders for this very informative post. Sean is an avid practitioner of Yoga, Qi Gong, and Tai Chi. He has kindly agreed to share his ideas and opinions by reviewing books, DVDs and anything else intersting that catches his attention. Welcome Sean! And by the way, this book looks amazing…

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The Language of Yoga: Complete A to Y Guide to Asana Names, Sanskrit Terms, and Chants ISBN-10 1591792819

I’ve quickly realized the dangers of reviewing good products…I want this two CD and book set!

When I first began my own Yoga practice, I was often confused by the terms the Yoga instructors used and wondered at their meanings. With little definitive resources on the subject, I confess I still was…until now. The book by Nicolai Bachman, The Language of Yoga: Complete A to Y Guide to Asana Names, Sanskrit Terms, and Chants is a Godsend!

Everything you would ever need

This comprehensive CD audio and book set includes more than 200 Asanas with illustrated yoga postures and over 300 Sanskrit definitions. What’s more, seven Yoga chants are also included – which you are guided through in exact pronunciation, tone and rhythm. Nicolai Bachman does a fantastic job teaching you how to not only read and pronounce these sacred sounds, but also gives you the opportunity to study and learn the Sanskrit alphabet as well. If you wish to go deeper still, the original Devanagari Sanskrit script and its translation are also included.

For student and teacher alike

For those passionate about Yoga, The Language of Yoga is a must have companion to any collection. Nicolai Bachman draws from the three major Yoga lineages of T. Krishnamacarya (Iyengar, Jois, and Desikachar) as he covers the vast majority of Asanas practiced in Western culture. Through the use of both visual and audio components, The Language of Yoga serves as both reference materials for the serious student and as a teaching guide for instructors. Asana names are listed alphabetically A to Y (there is no ‘Z’ in Sanskrit) and you can quickly locate any Asana by scanning the included miniature line drawings.

One of the finest features that impressed me about The Language of Yoga is the degree of cross-referencing that the author has undertaken. The included Asana-Name-Synonym-Index as well as the English-Name-Index makes it easy to find Asanas which have various names depending on the Yoga lineage you follow. The audio CD has time points so you can go directly to a particular Asana name on a given track, and Ashtanga sequences have been logically ordered to make it easy for practitioners of the first, second or third series.

Nicolai Bachman has studied extensively at the American Sanskrit Institute, the American Institute of Vedic Studies, and the VagYoga Institute in India as well as having an M.A. in Eastern Philosophy. As an instructor, Nicolai Bachman has been teaching chanting, Sanskrit, Ayurveda and Yoga-related topics for over ten years.

To sum it all up – This author who has found his knowledge of Yoga fragmented and humbled in the light of such an organized and revealing tome would easily buy this two CD and book set for the two hours of audio instruction and the beautiful chants alone.

I give The Language of Yoga a review rating of and welcome your comments!