I started exercising recently and got bored with just walking so I thought I would try Yoga. I did a lot of research on the DVD's and instructors before I bought this DVD. Her instruction and pace is wonderful for a beginner like me. I now have other DVD's of Ms. Deason's that I am going to try.

I own several yoga DVDs. I bought this DVD at the instruction of my physical therapists, after utilizing it as part of my therapy. This DVD is fantastic! Perfect for someone who is at beginner/intermediate or intermediate level. I would not purchase it if you are new to yoga. It is more appropriate for someone who has a familiarity with yoga and has been doing it a little while, and who is also fairly flexible already. Some of the poses require a good deal of flexibility.

I have been doing yoga for a few years, and this DVD is very challenging for me without being so hard I can't do it. And the pace is not boring. It is broken into 3 separate segments, which can be done separately or they flow seamlessly together.

The first segment focuses on the breath, pelvic alignment, and leg stretches. It is maybe 10-12 minutes.

The second segment is the core of the practice. It is all standing poses, forward bends, lunges, etc. There are several challenging poses in here that I do not see in other yoga DVDs. Approx 20 min or so.

The third segment is on the floor, and focuses on strenthtening and toning the legs, buttocks, and abs. Very challenging, and I am very toned in these areas because I have been a dancer most of my life. It concludes with some restorative poses and relaxation. Approx 20 min or so.

There is also a bonus 20 minute practice for times of high stress or when you are menstruating. My physical therapists specifically had me do this practice when I was having a flare up, to help calm my sympathetic nervous system.

This DVD is one of my favorites when I have an hour to devote to yoga. Suzanne Deason is great. The scenery is beautiful, there is not an excessive amount of talking, and it is peaceful. The poses are held long enough to really get into them, but not so long that you get bored or it becomes too difficult. I feel great after doing this DVD. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

The landscaping is beautiful, Suzanne Deason has a soft voice while narrating, but I couldn't get into it.
There is not enough instruction, for beginners, there's no mention how the back foot should be & the only instruction is mainly, "step the foot forward, put the arm to the side..." basic body positioning. I like more inspiring visualizations like Rodney Yee, Rainbeau Mars, Shiva Rea, Max Strom, Wai Lana who are more in touch with their bodies.
There are some great moves like eagle & half moon & she spends the first 10 min on just breathing, but I still was bored & could not relax like i can with the above teachers. She also moved pretty fast considering it wasn't a flowing vinyasa type, you get in the pose, barely a breath & you're out. Her teaching also did not focus on the breath, she'd sometimes not mention when to inhale/exhale or say it quickly as an afterthought.
The bonus is more instruction on how to do the poses & a 20 min very relaxed, very easy, light session using a chair & bolsters.

You can see a preview at gaiam com

I just started doing yoga about a month ago, and the VHS version of this workout is not what I was looking for. The instructor goes much too fast and there is no explanation of the poses. I couldn't get myself into the poses fast enough, and it wasn't at all the relaxing, stretching workout I was hoping for. I also found the instructor a little annoying. The words she used were too Earth Mothery and hippie dippie for me. I am a young, modern woman, and I just want to increase my flexibility, not align my energy flow/chi/chakras/whatever is the latest fad.

This is a very well designed and easy to follow yoga practice. The instructor guides you into every pose step by step. The poses are somewhat between beginners and intermediate and not very close to the other DVDs by Suzanne Deason. It has flow and is not very quick. However, the DVD is a bit long, and I have to break it between morning and evening sections for myself. Just to mention, the picture is so fascinating and the combination of the green-blue scenery and Suzanne with her dark red unitard is nice to look at.