Notes on Yoga
Vanda Scaravelli, legendary yoga teacher, developed an approach to yoga which is quite unlike any other being taught today. Her book, Awakening the Spine, exposes the subtle nature of this radical practice. It inspires through its philosophy and images, but does not go into detail when describing the practice of asana.
Notes on Yoga: The Legacy of Vanda Scaravelli is written and compiled by Diane Long and Sophy Hoare. Diane was the first of Vanda’s regular students and remained so until Vanda’s death in 1999. Sophy began working with Vanda during the period when she was writing Awakening the Spine.
In Notes on Yoga: The Legacy of Vanda Scaravelli, they share their experiences and memories of being taught by Vanda and offer instructive
advice for practising asana, challenging many preconceptions about yoga.
Diane and Sophy have been teachers for many years. In this book they provide a direct and illuminating insight into their work and practice. Written from the perspective of both student and teacher, it is a unique and indispensable guide for anyone interested in this approach to yoga.
During Vanda Scaravelli’s 40 years of practice she accepted only a small number of individual students, all of whom were teachers. Diane Long was the first of Scaravelli’s regular students and studied with her for 23 years. Diane is based in Toffia, Italy and Charleston, USA. She travels all over the world teaching and practising yoga.
Sophy Hoare has been practising yoga since 1970 and teaching since 1976. Originally a practitioner of Iyengar yoga, Sophy had a strong desire to free her body of its limitations; it was as though she was searching for an elusive or non-existent key. In 1991 she met Vanda Scaravelli, who invited Sophy to become her student. In her first lesson Sophy knew immediately that Vanda was offering her this long-awaited key. At Vanda’s house Sophy met Diane Long, and recognised in her practice the same freedom that she saw in Vanda. Sophy lives in south London, UK.