cover image Bringing Yoga to Life: The Everyday Practice of Enlightened Living

Bringing Yoga to Life: The Everyday Practice of Enlightened Living

Donna Farhi. HarperOne, $21.95 (250pp) ISBN 978-0-06-009114-9

Farhi (Yoga Mind, Body, and Spirit; The Breathing Book) explains how to begin the process of integrating the principles of yoga into daily living. This is not a book for seekers of a quick self-help fix; Farhi points out""the ancient science of Yoga does not pretend to be simple, quick, or easy."" Rather, it's for readers interested in learning about the origins of yoga and using this deeper understanding to bring slow improvement to mind and body. Slow is an operative word--there's even a chapter on slowing down, which is the""precursor to yoga practice because this simple act allows us to consider our thoughts, feelings, and actions more carefully in the light of our desire to live peacefully."" Other chapters address becoming one's own teacher, trusting what one does not fully comprehend, and getting through roadblocks (such as sloth and feelings of inadequacy) on the path to enlightened living. Each chapter contains anecdotes of the small ways in which yoga reaches into everyday people's everyday lives--and these stories elucidate the power of yoga in ways no theoretical teachings can.