I expected the first book from yoga superstar Shiva Rea to be filled with flowing yoga sequences and physical practices, but to my surprise Tending the Heart Fire is more of a “life guide” than a book on hatha yoga. Central to this book is the exploration of internal fire keeping, and this metaphor is applied specifically to the heart center through the use of practices from many different world traditions—including Ayurveda, Tantra, Judaism, Christianity, and Sufism.

The book is divided into four parts. The history and theory of the energy of the heart fire is discussed in Part One. Part Two is the largest section describing over one hundred different meditations including pranams, mudras, kriyas and namaskars. Living in Rhythm is the third section and describes daily, monthly and seasonal rhythms. Part Four, Living Vinyasa, describes the 6-week solar and lunar cycles of the year which incorporate religious festivals, rites and holidays from around the globe.

Tending the Heart Fire is a beautifully designed book filled with color photos, sidebars, illustrations, and inspiring quotes and is recommended if you wish to deepen your yoga practice through heart centered ritual and meditation.

[hb_separator style=”normal”]