Inner Body Flow

Angela Farmer is a very experienced yogini who is now, I would guess, in her sixties. you might have seen her in the interview section of Shiva Rea's Yoga Shakti.

Her new dvd, Inner Body Flow, is a home practice which is well chaptered and has wonderful music - original cello and flute improvisation. Its nicely produced, with most of the cinemetography done at a woman's retreat with Angela and about 30 students, including Amanda McMaine and Patricia Schneider. Amanda McMaine's asana practice, alone, is worth the price of of the DVD. The camera work is very professional, there are inserts of individual practioners, or Angela, doing various poses. There are also watercolors done by Angela's life partner, Victor Kooten. They work very well, for instance, an overlay of his 'cobra' watercolor during cobra sequence. its very profesional. The case is a cd case, not a dvd case.

Angela's approach is similar to Donna Fahri the French yogini Martine LeChenic. She brings awareness to the inner body - the fluid areas deep inside the pelvis and torso. She sets a mood and an awareness of the inner body, particulary the belly, which she describes as a sea of organs held by the bowl of the pelvis (which she likens to her Tibetan bowl)

She emphasizes improvisation and finding the asanas on a feeling level. She works through a series of seated and prone twists, hip openers, her signature 'dying warrior' sequence, trikonasana, forward fold into headstand, a bridge/shoulderstand sequence at the wall, and ends with a forward fold. There's a guided savasana followed by an optional free form/meditation sequence.

I found I was able to open up, and get in fairly deep. She has the language and sequencing to get me to a flexible and integrated place. This is an important, and sophisticated way of practicing that isn't on much other media. I also found it very pleasurable, and satisfying - deep waters.

Angela is flowery/poetic in her speech, has a British accent, and a lovely, lyrical manner. She borders on a bit 'much' but did not cross the line here. There is a method to her madness, all of her language brings you further inside, she's really quite adept. She's beautiful.

The sequence is slow, but not what i would call a beginner routine. its not as simple as it looks. The holds are fairly long, and there are some moderately difficult asanas. I predict Amanda McMaine fans will enjoy this, and be reminded her languaging - the 'root to rise' material, for instance.

Inner Body Flow costs $25.00 plus $5.00 for shipping and handling. To order call Hands on Health at 303-778-9321 which is in Denver, CO MST. The office is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday all day and Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. you can get more information at http:/www.angela-victor.com