I try to make it to the yoga studio as much as I can, but sometimes life gets in the way.

That’s why it’s so essential to develop a home practice. But I have to admit, my home practice could be a bit more structured. A DVD provides the pace and structure I need. I haven’t tried a new one in years, so I was excited to try out Seane Corn’s new yoga DVD, Detox Flow (released by GAIAM).

When I choose a yoga teacher I try to pick someone who I like and whose voice and attitude I feel comfortable with—especially important if you’re buying a DVD. If I don’t like the person I’ll be less inclined to wake up every morning and hit play. Basically you’re inviting this teacher into your house.

I like Seane’s energy and down-to-earth personality. I’ve had the opportunity to take a few classes with her at various conferences and she never disappoints. This is true in this video as well. The Detox Flow DVD is something that you could do everyday without getting tired of it. It provides a good asana sequence, slow enough to coordinate and focus on your breath. If you’re looking for a fast-paces vinyasa sequence, this is not the video for you.

Detox Flow Yoga has two workouts—the sequences are designed to increase circulation, increase energy and facilitate weight loss.

The first one is “Twist and Flow,” a gentle sequence of sun salutations and easy twists and bends. It’s gentle enough for those just beginning their yoga journey or deepening their practice. I thought it was great—a gentle, calming, grounding practice, especially here in Southern California where we don’t have AC and it seems too hot to do anything right now. A perfect mid-afternoon practice.

It’s short enough to practice before or after work, (just 35 minutes long) or in addition to your own sadhana or established practice. I felt pretty good afterwards so I continued on to the “Purify” workout.

The “Purify” workout is an intermediate practice. The sequence lasts 65 minutes and says it “burns calories and increases flexibility while also removing tension through focused movement and breath.” Even though it says it’s an intermediate practice, I think it can be done by beginners and the practice is paced slow enough to correct and check into alignment.

Seane gave a lot of modification offers to the viewer based on level of fitness and ability. I had no problem completing the sequence and I’m dealing with some shoulder issues, so I think most people with a basic level of fitness would be able to complete it.

I would recommend having a very basic knowledge of yoga before doing the DVDs.

You don’t have to be an expert, it’ s just helpful to know down-dog, upward dog, cobra and other basic pose instructions. Seane gives a lot of verbal cues in the video, saying the pose in Sanskrit then explaining it in mostly easy to follow directions. Both sequences offer a lot of twist and bends to assist with the detox process.

The video is set in a beautiful coastal desert cliff—a beautiful serene location to be practicing. The quality is good, the videographer keeps Seane in frame, (only sometimes having problems focusing) and pans in and out of the scene so you get to see the pose from most angles.

I find that with practice you seldom watch the DVD if you’re focused on your own practice. However, if you take the time to watch it separately—as I ended up doing afterward—it’s a great resource to check the alignment and anatomical positions of various poses.

You also have the option of listening to just the instructions or the instructions set to music (the music is faint and non distracting, but if it bothers you, just turn it off and listen to whatever you choose).

My only criticism of the video is that it lacks any of Seane’s contagious personality and can feel a little flat at times. Her voice and intonation sounds as if she is reading from a script. It doesn’t take away from the value of what she’s saying or the quality of the sequences, it just doesn’t do her justice to how good of a yoga teacher she is in person.

Detox Flow is designed to stimulate your lymphatic system, increase circulation and clear your mind. Seane starts out the DVD by a short info “speech” on how our day-to day lives are filled with toxins and it is up to us to make the time and effort to choose natural whole foods when possible, eliminate toxic chemicals in our personal care and home cleaning products.

But it doesn’t stop there, Seane encourages the practitioner to also be aware of bottling up emotions and feelings and how these can effect our body and mind’s health and wellness. The sequences are designed with a lot of twists and folds to stimulate the body’s detoxification and elimination process and includes mindfulness of breath to bring awareness and calm to your mind. The ultimate goal being health and union of the mind and body.

I would buy this video, I think it’s a good addition to a yoga library and offers a focused practice with great focus on breath and alignment.

Seane Corn is a Los Angeles based yoga teacher from, she teaches at workshops and conferences around the world and usually you can find her at Exhale in Venice, California on Wednesday nights.

{Note: I received this DVD for free, in return for a guarantee that I would review it. That said, I say what I want—good and bad, happy and sad.}

Editor: Lynn Hasselberger

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