As water purifies your skin, so the breath is capable of cleaning your whole being.

And as you reconnect with the breath through effortless observation and increased awareness, a door to the unexpected is opened.

There are infinite discoveries and benefits to be experienced: a feeling of lightness, renewed energy, a greater calmness and clarity of mind. The breath comes and purifies at a deep level.

Sandra Sabatini’s Breath is full of insights and images, distilled from her yoga classes, to help you learn how to listen to the breath and how to approach some simple positions.

Whether you are a complete beginner or already practice yoga, these subtle, gentle suggestions can guide you naturally to a deeper appreciation of the essence of yoga.

Sandra Sabatini was born in Australia to Italian parents, grew up in Africa, and returned to Italy in her 20s. She started studying yoga in her early 30s, and in 1985 became a pupil of Vanda Scaravelli, author of Awakening the Spine. more

Chloe Fremantle is a painter and illustrator based in London. Her work is widely exhibited in London, New York and Italy. more

'I have had the privilege of studying with Sandra for many years and there is no doubt that she is numbered amongst the very few masters in the practice and teaching of yoga. Her unique approach brings the practitioner to the very core of the stillness within and enables a profound unwinding of the tensions that hold us back from true personal freedom.'
JANET BALASKAS Author and founder of the Active Birth Centre

'Yoga has never been more popular. Celebrities such as Madonna and Sting are huge fans. Geri Halliwell firmly maintains her new toned figure is due to regular yoga sessions. Confusingly, this ancient form of body work can be practised in many different ways. If power, dynamic or Ashtanga yoga sound complicated and too much like hard work then this new book could be just what you need. Breath, The Essence of Yoga is a straightforward introduction to the importance of breathing in yoga. Author Sandra Sabatini has spent the past 25 years developing this gentle yet intense approach to yoga which has it roots in the classical Indian tradition of Ivengar. The book is split up into seven chapters which take the reader through the process of learning how to breathe properly and then how to incorporate this with simple yoga positions. Each chapter is illustrated with practical, easy-to-follow black and white line drawings. The book's main aim is to show that that if you learn how to reconnect with the breath you can experience enormous benefits such as renewed energy and a greater calmness. Sabatini explains 'the breath is the key that can open thousands of doors'. Whether you are a complete beginner or already practice yoga, this simple book will provide you with a deeper appreciation of the benefits of calm, conscious breathing.' Meg Slyfield, Amazon.co.uk

'Sandra Sabatini writes elegantly in her new book Breath - the essence of yoga - her title completely reflects what her message is all about: to connect with the gentle primal energy, to be alert but uninvolved so that the natural wisdom of the body can come into play.' POSITIVE HEALTH magazine

'Sandra Sabatini is expert at reviewing the breath in all its guises - her sensitivity of the subject demonstrates her deep knowledge of the exoteric and esoteric effects the breath can have on the body, and how once contacted can result in everyday life changes.' BARBARA WRIGHT Yoga Teacher

'As a psychologist for 25 years I have been fascinated by the connection between the body and mind. In this pursuit I have studied Body Centred Psychotherapies: Hakomi and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, which have become central to my practice. These practices are guided by mindfulness and by certain principles, to honour the wisdom of the body. For many years I looked for a yoga teacher who brought these fundamental principles to their work. I found what I was looking for with Sandra Sabatini, whose beautiful voice invites one deeper into the body's wisdom.' PAULINE BEEGAN BA MA AFPsSI Registered Psychologist

'Sandra Sabatini has introduced a feminine, practical approach to inner stillness. Her words are evocative, vivid and clear. The book leads the reader to consider the breath as refreshing, as leading us into depths, and drawing us away from habits, from formulas, from mechanical actions. She draws us away from the idea of 'correct poses' or codified rules and releases imagination. It is authoritative and yet playful and tender - a book to read, to savour and to use for guidance and reference. HARVEST INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL

'Since the beginning, every time I meet Sandra my body work gets new stimulus, new questions, new answers. The whole work is based on taking away: like an artisan we refine, we smooth, we glaze, we clean and in different ways every time the 'beauty of the first time' reappears.' MARIANGELA PESPANI Dancer and Yoga Teacher

'There's something quiet, sweet, gentle and unassuming about Sandra's work. Time stands still at her seminars.' YIGAL HAVKIN Naval Architect

'I have been practising yoga for many years and have been delighted to find a book that can actually enhance my practice. It works on so many levels - it's an inspiration to practice and a clear and helpful instruction manual, the pictures are beautiful, the insights simple yet profound.' SU SAREEN Creative Director, Yoga Teacher

'Sandra has a style that is all her own. She brings to the yoga a simplicity and a subtlety... there is a lightness of touch and fun in her teaching.' ROSAMUNDE JORDAN Yoga Teacher

To read extracts from Sandra Sabatini's Breath click here

Breath is also published in Italian as Respiro - essenza dello yoga - Verso il silencio interiore by Armenia