Ellen Saltonstall - Anatomy and Yoga: A Guide for Teachers and Students

Praise for Anatomy & Yoga Ellen Saltonstalls Anatomy & Yoga is a clear, comprehensive and beautiful resource for all teachers and serious students of yoga. It has a user-friendly layout, is well illustrated and serves as a great addition to a yoga teacher training course. Each chapter includes a short quiz of the material covered, as well as simple exercises to help with embodied cognition. Saltonstalls fascination and love for her subject shines through on each page, making this an anatomy reference thats engaging, fun and interactive. The books format make the questions and knowledge jump off the pagein fact, this exploration of anatomy climbs into your body where it belongs. I strongly recommend Anatomy & Yoga for anyone who is fascinated with yoga and the human body. Carrie Owerko, senior certified teacher of Iyengar Yoga, Laban Movement Analyst This book should be required reading for all yoga teachers and dedicated students who want to know more about the bodies in which they live and practice. Saltonstall interweaves Tantric philosophy and includes exercises of inquiry to make this book an interactive experience for the reader. This will be a great addition to any yoga library. Desiree Rumbaugh, internationally acclaimed teacher, author of DVD series Yoga to the Rescue, passionate advocate for the transformational power of yoga This step-by-step anatomy for yoga book is the best Ive seen, with a blend of yogic wisdom and anatomical sophistication. Meticulously detailed but not obscuring the overview, relevant yet profound, the work gracefully combines many elements, like a modern (and ancient) dance. I cannot recommend any other anatomy book as highly as this one, and encourage every yogi, whether practicing for one day or a century, to read it for knowledge and for pleasure. John Karapelous beautiful pictures are simple (but not too simple), and unlike most anatomical pictures, they are calming. Loren Fishman MD, B.Phil.,(oxon.) Columbia University Anatomy & Yoga is a treasure trove of discovery for anyone interested in exploring the deep intelligence of the body. With compassion, encouragement and humor, Ellen Saltonstall has created a book that makes complexity graspable through explicit diagrams and down-to-earth examples. The books skillful mix of didactic information coupled with experiential applications will enrich the practice of anyone who teaches yoga or body-mind practices. The wholeness of the body is established as one brilliant system. Inherent in this book is learning that can continue to unfold for a long time and is truly a gift for anyone with a body! Florence Meleo-Meyer, MS, MA, University of Massachusetts Medical School Center for Mindfulness, Healthcare and Society

Anatomy & Yoga yokes the rich discernment of the asana to the engineering under the skin, reflecting yogic consciousness while giving it form. Saltonstalls calm, disciplined voice helps the reader visualize and experience anatomy in movement. Illustrations, explanations with examples drawn from asana, and guided experiential learning segments keep both anatomy and yoga vital and immediate. George Russell, chiropractor, bodyworker, trainer in yoga anatomy, technique and teaching at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health Intelligent, clear and inspiring! Reading this book will engage beginners and yoga-nerds alike with the miracle of embodiment. In Anatomy & Yoga Saltonstall balances biomechanics brilliantly with philosophy, inspiration and heart from the yoga tradition. The study questions and exercises presented with each section are accessible and effective. They will provide a reliable way for newer students of anatomy to directly experience the information. I have accumulated anatomy texts and nearly as many anatomy apps and webinars. I am not exaggerating to say that # Anatomy & Yoga - is definitely the one I will be using in my yoga teacher trainings from now on. Karen Sprute-Francovich, M.A., certified Anusara Yoga teacher & teacher trainer, co-chair Anusara Curriculum Committee Anatomy & Yoga is a brilliant work of clarity, elegance, simplicity and functionality. I love it! Normally, learning anatomy is dry and boring. But through Ellen Saltonstalls exquisite organizational skills and precision, I found myself devouring the pages. Whats unique about this anatomy book is how the information is so easily assimilated. Based on excellent, therapeutic alignment techniques, each chapter concludes with a summarizing quiz. I plan to use this book in my professional training courses. This book is a gift to all yoga teachers. Todd Norian, founder of Ashaya Yoga Ellen Saltonstalls book is destined to become standard reading for yoga teacher trainings. She has found a way to balance depth and sophistication with clarity and utility. If this is the first biomechanical book you read, youll walk away with a real understanding of how the body moves, and studied professionals will find her presentation both thought-provoking and illuminating. Ross Rayburn, international yoga teacher Ellen Saltonstalls writing demonstrates her many years of knowledge and experience as a master therapeutic yoga teacher. This is a rare find: an anatomy book that can speak specifically to yoga anatomy and yoga therapeutics in an accessible and holistic way. While maintaining the clear anatomical approach, Ellen succeeds in showing the reader how deeply connected our anatomical system is. This offering is a powerful and functional tool for yoga teachers looking for clarity, connection and applicable teachings. Tara Glazier, owner/founder of Abhaya Yoga

In Anatomy & Yoga, Ellen Saltonstall generously offers her wisdom on body mechanics from decades of dance, yoga and bodywork. The book is a succinct, interactive guide for yoga practitioners and teachers of any level to deepen their understanding of functional anatomy in the context of yoga practice and healthy movement. The author expertly takes an often-overwhelming subject and makes it fun and approachable with defined anatomical terminology, simple explanations, clear illustrations, exercises and practical information immediately applicable to your practice. The book is organized for the reader to focus on basic functions, or to go deeper in their body knowledge. There are interactive examples to explore in your own body, and study questions at the end of each chapter for maximum absorption of material. I highly recommend this book to all yoga practitioners, yoga teachers and yoga therapists. Kelly Haas, Integrative Yoga teacher, yoga therapist, certified Anusara Yoga teacher With this book, all levels of yoga practitioners have a welcome storehouse of information about the connectedness of all parts of the body in yoga practice. Beginners will find the basics about how the human body is constructed and how it operates, and experienced practitioners and teachers will find interesting and thought-provoking details regarding the coordination of the parts with the whole. Mel Robin, certified Iyengar Yoga teacher and author of A Physiological Handbook for Teachers of Yogasana This book is a rare find. It is easy to read, very clear, and an incredible resource for yoga students and teachers. It is also an invaluable tool for teacher trainings, with many examples of how to experience the workings of the body in asana practice. With Saltonstalls vast knowledge and dedication to the art of anatomy and yoga, she presents a comprehensive map of the human body. Jim Bernaert, certified Anusara Yoga teacher and teacher trainer Finally! A comprehensive anatomy book especially for yoga students. Ellen Saltonstalls clear and detailed explanations of the anatomy and biomechanics of movement specifically tailored to yoga practitioners are a gift to teachers and students alike. As a teacher, teacher trainer and student of yoga, Ill refer to this book for years to come. Barrie Risman, co-director World Spine Care Yoga Project, Montreal, Canada