DVD Review: Shiva Rea Daily Energy

Okay, this chica rocks.  Shiva Rea hits another home run for me with her DVD: Daily Energy.  I bought this DVD from Acacia catalog (online), and paid $14.95 for it.  It's not a new DVD, and I'm certainly not the first one to write a positive review.  Daily Energy is simply a great home practice DVD for an advanced-beginner or intermediate yoga student.  I think it might be intimidating for someone who is just starting out, but if you're familiar with asanas and enjoy a practice that lets you focus and concentrate, building as you go, this is the DVD for you!
Daily Energy once again features the "Yoga Matrix", which may well be my favorite feature on Shiva's DVDs.  There are 7 20-minute segments on this DVD, and the Matrix allows you to select the segments you like - there's an "Earth flow", "Fire flow", "Water flow", etc.  There are also pre-set practices that vary in length (from 37 to 55 minutes), selected by Shiva to incorporate a "flow" with the asana.  What this means for the home practitioner is that you'll never get bored.
I got myself familiar with the DVD by trying to do each of the 20 minute segments over the course of a week.  Each day I tried a new segment.  Some are more challenging, some are more relaxing, and I was able to make a mental note of which ones would work nicely together for another time when I had more than 20 minutes to practice.  What I like about each segment is that they slowly build up to ONE posture which you finish with.  For example, the "Heart-Air" segment focuses on backbends, and you go through a series of postures that gradually build up to Wheel.  If your practice doesn't include wheel just yet, that's okay, and Shiva instructs you to take it to YOUR level (be it supported bridge, bridge, wheel, or wheel with a leg extension! woo hoo!) 
I like the option for modification with every posture throughout the entire DVD.  She instructs you to do "your chaturanga" when you're in the Fire segment (which sneaks in more than a few pushups to build arm strength). Some segments are better for the morning, some are better for the evening.  As I get to know the DVD better, I'll be able to select segments and make a really nice custom home practice depending on my energy levels and time.  I didn't like the 7 minute "core" segment, simply because it requires more floor space than I actually have.  If an instructor did this in a yoga studio at the end of a vinyasa class, it would rock. 
I bought another Shiva DVD along with this one, and once I'm done playing with Daily Energy, I will give it a whirl and write a review.  It might be a while, though, because Daily Energy is just that good!

Always be pure, simple, and honest.