Reviews December 2007
YogaSing—Yoga for Performers and Singers
Created and Performed by Suzanne Jackson/ A.D.O.
Entertainment Inc./ $19.95
“Remember that yoga is not a competition with your neighbor or yourself.” When I saw these words flash on the screen at the beginning of the YogaSing—Yoga for Performers and Singers DVD, I knew that this was a mind-body program that performing artists could benefit from. If there was one thing that I learned from the year and a half I spent helping to form a community theatre in Hilo, Hawaii, it was that actors live in a world of intense pressure and competition—from ourselves, from others we are working with and from the industry itself. Entertaining is a high-octane profession. An instructional video like this one will make those thespians and divas who use it stride with more ease onto stage and in their daily lives. YogaSing is designed for professional and non-professional performers and singers who have years of experience or no background in yoga. It is divided into five categories: Yoga Routine, Chair Yoga (to do while sitting), Pranayama Yoga (breath work), Yoga Kryias and Yoga for Sleep (my personal favorite). The DVD is organized in such a way that a busy performer can watch ten minutes for a quick stretch (and some sage advice from Jackson herself) or enter a deeply meditative state by watching all five sections. If you are a performer or simply want a well-rounded DVD that provides you with many different cleansing, relaxing, and healing yoga techniques, then YogaSing is for you! –NLP www.yogasing.com
Holiday Mantra and Meditation Gift Set
Various Artists/ Kosmic Music USA/ $29.99
Want to find a way to alleviate stress for yourself or someone you love this holiday season? This set of three Kosmic Music Mantra and Meditation CDs, which comes with sandalwood incense to set the mood and calm the air, is the perfect way to go. Each disk is a unique experience in meditational music, yet all three bring with it the peace of mind that will allow even the biggest stress-case to handle the holiday rush with ease. Chakra Dhyana is a fifty-minute guided meditation CD featuring chants by Sri Krishnaraj Bhagavaddasa of the Oneness University and music scored and programmed by G Sathyaprasad. Whether you are new to chakras or have worked with their energy for some time, the gentle guidance on this CD will allow you to float into perfect harmony on all levels. The color-coded guide on the inside cover is very helpful and informative for those who are new to this kind of meditation. Dyhana Mantra features vocalist Ananda Giri singing a transformative version of the Moolamantra recorded in an informal setting in Satyaloka, India with help from both Indian and South American musicians. Sacred Chants of India, my favorite of the group, is a compilation of chants that are melodic, whimsical and light. It is a hearty and well-organized compilation that combines traditional chants with non-traditional instruments for a truly unique listening experience. Do yourself a favor—give the Kosmic Music Holiday Mantra and Meditation Gift Set to your mom, your spouse, your boss or anyone whom you know is feeling a little stressed this holiday season. They will appreciate it, and so will you! —NLP www.kosmicmusic.com