Yoga and the Wisdom of Menopause: A Guide to Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Health at Midlife and Beyond
This latest work from Suza Francina -- registered yoga therapist, certified    Iyengar teacher, and author ofThe New Yoga for People Over 50(Health  Communications, 1997) -- is poised to join the auspicious ranks ofThe Woman's  Book of Yoga, by Linda Sparrowe and Patricia Walden (Shambala, 2002), among  the key volumes for women seeking help from yoga in negotiating crucial life  passages. Francina provides both how-to practice guidance and encouragement  in plentiful portions. "Yoga can help us move joyfully into the second  half of our lives," she writes, and her enthusiasm invites the reader to   partake in the wisdom that follows.Francina devotes most of the book to examining the role yoga can play in promoting  physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being in the face of dramatic hormonal  changes, the potential for and onset of osteoporosis, and even the experience  (and possible avoidance) of cancer and heart disease. She thoughtfully presents  scientific research and her own experiences as a yoga teacher -- and a woman -- alongside the testimony of more than a dozen radiant "women of a certain age" who embody the vitality that yoga can help cultivate. The rest of  the book (about 50 pages) outlines a compact but well-rounded practice that  even a newcomer can readily begin exploring.This practice is divided into several section: restorative poses for "crossing    the menopausal bridge," supported weight bearing poses, supported standing    poses, simple seated poses and relaxing lying down poses, hanging and backbending    poses that require props, and poses "to learn under the guidance of an    experienced teacher." Helpful appendixes, including an extensive list of    resources and an exhaustive bibilography, are included. Taken together, the    many elements of Francina's book constitute a highly readable and extremely    helpful guide for women approaching, navigating, or reflecting on menopause,    and those who love them.(Yoga Journal)