Where mystical and physical forces meet

It doesn’t get much trendier than this -- the ancient practice of yoga combined with Kabbalah, mystical teachings with origins in Judaism. They come together in “Kabbalah Yoga,� two DVDs that incorporate yoga poses with some of the philosophies and teachings of Kabbalah.

Kabbalah Yoga: Those who want some variation in their yoga practice might find an enjoyable alternative in this set of DVDs. “Ambitious Beginners� takes viewers through a series of poses accompanied by a narration that explains some basic tenets of Kabbalah. Although designed for beginners, there is no explanation of how to achieve various poses, so some previous knowledge of yoga is helpful. Those less experienced should follow the modified program demonstrated by the male instructor. The “Attainable Advanced� video features more challenging poses, along with Kabbalah-centric narration. Each DVD also includes a Spanish version, some additional poses and an explanation of Kabbalah. In these videos, some traditional yoga poses have been altered to better suit Kabbalah teachings, according to director and producer Kevin Weaver. The sun salutation pose, for example, with arms raised, isn’t used. Instead, “since Kabbalah means ‘that which has been received,’ � Weaver says, “we have poses where one hand is open to accept good things, and one is in a blocking posture to keep bad things from coming in.�

Price: $19.98, available at Target, Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, and www.kabbalahyoga.com.

-- Jeannine Stein