With his self-titled yoga method, Brazilian naturopath and chiropractor Ravi Kaiut presents us with THE KAIUT YOGA METHOD: Restore Joint Function, Reduce Chronic Pain, Move Better at Every Age to shift the focus of yoga away from performative stretching exercises and acrobatic poses. The Kaiut Yoga Method aims to return yoga to its roots as a practical wellness technique created as a means to keep the human body mobile after the agricultural revolution introduced a more regimented life to workers who were used to more hands-on (and crucially varied) labors. In the illuminating introduction to the book, Kaiut explains how workers in newly established farms and villages found themselves doing repetitive tasks, such as planting seeds or carrying loads. As he writes: “The agricultural revolution marked not only the birth of civilization but also the birth of stiffness, pain, and the early erosion of mobility.”
It’s no surprise, then, that Kaiut believes the yoga methods traditionally used to help these early laborers can be utilized to help people now—when day-to-day living has become ever more sedentary. As the author puts it: “The modern body is not broken, it is simply domesticated, overprotected, and underused. And with this understanding, it is possible to do something about it.”
With a stated aim to “restore joint function, nervous system regulation, and long-term mobility,” THE KAIUT YOGA METHOD is an often dense, theory-driven manual that may be best suited to those who already have some experience with yoga. Kaiut has a very strong grip on the theories and philosophies of his method, citing various sources. And kudos for including a comprehensive bibliography.
There is an appendix outlining the ten foundational poses of the method, with each illustrated as a single simplified “stick man” drawing. Perhaps a photograph may have provided better guidance. This is especially the case for the section devoted to sequences, where multiple moves need to be made in a particular order. Yoga newcomers may initially find these instructions a little confusing as they attempt to unpick the limb position of a very basic line drawing.
Ravi Kaiut writes well about the history and theories of his method, but this book proves most beneficial to those who have either some prior knowledge of the subject or practical experience with the techniques he outlines.
Ravi Kaiut's THE KAIUT YOGA METHOD: Restore Joint Function, Reduce Chronic Pain, Move Better at Every Age is an interesting book that skillfully adapts traditional yoga practices to the needs of contemporary society.
~ Kent Lane for IndieReader