Peter Sterios - Gravity & Grace (2007) (Repost)

Peter Sterios is an internationally recognized yoga instructor, architect, writer, and former contributing editor for Yoga Journal magazine. His teaching reflects over 35 years of study and practice in the US and India. He lives in San Luis Obispo and teaches at mBODY yoga & massage, which he co-founded in 2009. His first yoga DVD "Gravity & Grace", was recognized in 2009 in the "Top 15 Yoga Videos of all time" out of 1400 DVD's reviewed by Yoga Journal's Richard Rosen. In April, 2011, he was one of 12 instructors invited to teach yoga at the White House for Michelle Obama's "Get Up and Go Initiative" to fight childhood obesity. He is the founder and former CEO of Manduka, a leading eco yoga products company based in Los Angeles, California, as well as a published designer of green architecture, specializing in retreat centers and yoga studios nationally and internationally. In 2011, Peter co-founded karmaNICA, a charitable organization to help build classrooms and playgrounds for impoverished kids in western Nicaragua.

Skimpy clothing and super-challenging postures means this DVD is not for the feint-hearted, says journalist and trainee yoga teacher, Cathryn Scott.

Mixed feelings on the role of appearance

I know that yoga is supposed to teach you tolerance and understanding, and that we should appreciate the human body in all its various forms.
gravity and graceHowever, I also know that I'm not alone in disliking the way a number of male yoga teachers insist on wearing nothing more than skimpy little shorts during their classes.
Greying hairy chests and hairy armpits and legs are rather off-putting when you're trying to relax into a pose, and such is the case with Grace & Gravity, the new DVD from Peter Sterios.
No matter how much I try to channel out the sight and concentrate on the practice, it's incredibly off-putting.
Of course, not everyone will find it an issue, and in fairness to Peter, he undoubtedly knows his yoga.
He's studied and practiced for over 30 years, is a former contributing editor of Yoga Journal, a programme director at Tryoga health spa and fitness centre in California, and has his own yoga mat and products company, Manduka.
He eases into poses with the grace of this DVD's title, and has an incredible strength and power. He is very inspirational to watch (once you get over the shorts thing).

Strong work
However, this isn't the easiest session to practice yourself. Like so many DVDs coming from American yoga teachers at the moment, rather than leading a class, breaking down postures, offering moderations and explaining why people with certain conditions shouldn't do particular exercises, this is a journey through almost two hours of yoga. Throughout, there is little explanation or guidance, other than which body parts you should be moving where.
If you're a seasoned yogi, you'll love the flowing nature of the DVD. Those who want a strong and challenging practice will enjoy being able to move from posture to posture without distraction.

Beginners, be warned
However, in the additional material on this DVD, Peter makes reference to those beginning yoga. If I had come to this DVD as a beginner, or early on in my yoga journey, it would have frightened me off. It's advanced; no doubt about it.
Even for the more experienced yoga, this is a difficult DVD. Yes, it's good to challenge ourselves and raise the level of our own practice, and the standing sequences are great for building strength and stamina, but we've barely started the warm up section and Peter is up on is forearms in scorpion, and balancing his body weight on his arms, legs in half lotus in a form of lolasana. You need an awful lot of strength to practice some of the postures.
The way Peter gives his instructions as a voice-over will also not be to everyone's taste. That sense of interaction is missing, and his voice can be monotonous at times. The way the camera pans in and out quickly, and on occasions tries to be arty by transposing repeated images on the screen, can be confusing.

The verdict
Despite its flaws, this is an accomplished DVD from an accomplished teacher. Those looking to inject inspiration into their own practice or teaching will find much here, and because it is so advance, you won't grow out of it in a hurry. Yes, it's challenging, and yes, it could do with offering more moderations, but if you want a strong and flowing creative practice, you'll find it here.

There are so many yoga DVDs on the marketplace. This one I picked up at the Yoga Show at Olympia London 2010. I have seen quite a few and often one viewing is enough! This DVD is so refreshing. As the strapline of the DVD says this is 'Yoga for finding your inner teacher'. The practitioner - Peter Sterios architect and yoga teacher - is a serious yogi and it shows in both the beauty,strength and power (and yet surprisingly and so endearing is the 'tender softness') of his body as he moves into the postures and also in the interview at the end of the DVD. It's quite paradoxical as all spiritual practice is.
The setting is stark and simple - no flowers, buddhas, colourful yoga mats and branded clothing to be seen - but that is as it should be because the focus is on the inner world as the four yogis (two men and two women) move with such grace into each asana. Just watching the practice is enough to make one move into the inner sanctum of the present moment. It is appealing both aesthetically and spiritually. Black clothing, mats and glowing healthy flesh purified through the tapas of practice. Simplicity itself.
The instructions are easy to follow though admittedly the asanas are not always easy to achieve. The instructions, as you might expect, focus on soft breathing in the posture as well as the placement of each body part and he also mentions the inner body which is vital in order to go really deep into yoga. The inner focus is unparallelled in other yoga DVDs I have seen. This DVD is for those who have practised yoga for some time (quite a few 'pretzel' postures that not everyone will be able to achieve) and so the DVD presents a lot of challenges which is what you need to keep your practice fresh.
The warm up exercises in the first section are quite unusual, comprehensive and extensive - working all the joints. Just doing these can be a daily practice in themselves. This DVD provides days of practice and exploration. Sterios emphasises the importance of remembering to work with gravity and with grace. As the back cover copy states: 'this DVD guides the heart, mind and body to a sacred space of the present, where everything is temporary and nothing is impossible.'
There are detailed interactive menus, a 30 minute opening sequence (warm ups); a 65 minute Dynamic sequence; a 25 min closing sequence and the special features include a section on Practice Principles and also an interview with Peter Sterios comparing yoga to architecture.
The DVD pack contains a substantial booklet with photos of the asanas and comments that reflect Peter Sterios's philosophy of yoga - this is incredibly useful. An example quote: 'In yoga asana, work to release unnecessary muscular effort. This is not easy in most Western Cultures, where our training relies on muscular effort to create movement and posture. In Eastern Cultures, where martial arts are taught, movement is not rooted in muscular effort, but in balancing the elemental forces of nature …'.
If you are serious about Hatha Yoga, this is the DVD you need to enhance your practice. There is no flab or fluff here in any sense. It is sublime! What excellence! Highly recommended.