Downward Dog, Upward Fog [Kindle Edition]

Meryl Davids Landau (Author)

Book Description

Lorna Crawford has a great boyfriend, longtime friends, and a well-paying job as special-events coordinator at a premium ice-cream manufacturer. But, out of sorts and filled with self-doubt, the 33 year old soon realizes that what she really wants is to stay on the spiritual path she keeps diving off of. Lorna jump-starts her efforts at a silent yoga retreat. But after returning from the mountain, she quickly loses her connection in the face of scheming coworkers, judgmental girlfriends, and, especially, her overly critical mother. Lorna also wrestles over her future with her boyfriend, a hot guy who takes her to the hottest places, but who can’t discern a meditation cushion from a toad stool. Reading spiritual books and visiting a channeler and energy healer move Lorna forward, but her confusion remains. Lorna’s seeking is put to the ultimate test when personal tragedy strikes. Will she come to truly understand that living spiritually has little to do with how you pretzel yourself on the yoga mat (although she gets plenty good at that), and everything to do with embracing the twists in everyday life?

“How delicious to find a novel for women who find spirituality every bit as enticing as fashion. The characters in Meryl Davids Landau’s page-turner aren’t the only ones uplifted here—the reader gets a dose of inspiration along with a mesmerizing story.” --Victoria Moran, author of Creating a Charmed Life

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Lorna's soul journey is the topic of Meryl Davids Landau's first novel, an inspirational gem that will appeal to introspective, evolving women."--ForeWord Reviews

"Women who loved Eat, Pray, Love have been hoping for another page-turner that reflects their own spiritual goals.... Meryl Davids Landau fills the void."--Natural Awakenings Magazine

"This book will meet you with the truth that yoga or spiritual practices like meditation have more to do with how we meet life's challenges, rather than how well we hold an asana or how many thoughts we have while sitting on our meditation cushion."--Spirituality & Health's Books in Bloom Newsletter

"Told with humor and sensitivity, Lorna's struggles are sure to resonate with anyone on the path of conscious awareness."--Science of Mind newsletter

"A lighthearted novel about a woman who just can't seem to stay on the spiritual path--something most of us can relate to."--Yoga Journal blog

About the Author

Meryl Davids Landau is an award-winning writer whose work has been published in numerous national publications, including O, the Oprah magazine, Reader's Digest, Glamour, Self, Redbook, Huffington Post, and Whole Living. She is a certified yoga teacher and Reiki practitioner who personally relates to the struggles main character Lorna Crawford has in implementing the spiritual teachings she knows so well. Downward Dog, Upward Fog is her debut novel.

Product Details

• File Size: 470 KB
• Print Length: 298 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1936586355
• Publisher: Alignment Publishing (May 13, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0050VIBFK
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #94,700 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Upifting, Spiritual Chick-lit - Yoga, Eckhart Tolle, Law of Attraction et al May 11, 2011

By L. Erickson TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Paperback

This is an uplifting, fun read for anyone interested in both contemporary spiritual teachings and chick-lit. I know some people do not like the label 'chick-lit', but I happily admit to reading quite a bit of the books and authors usually included in that genre, so I use it here as a compliment. On the surface this book meets all the standard requirements of the genre - thirty-something Lorna has a successful career as a marketing/PR exec in an ice-cream firm, a likable, successful boyfriend, a good group of girlfriends, a loving sister, and a fine fashion sense. She also has the required foil - a hyper critical mother. What makes this book different is that Lorna is not satisfied with that, and the plot does not revolve around will she or won't she get engaged to the boyfriend, or will she or won't she get a promotion. Instead, Lorna is vaguely dissatisfied with her life as the novel begins, and decides to seek more. With the help of her interfaith-minister sister, she devours a slew of spiritual and self-help books, and takes up yoga. The plot of the novel is essentially her struggle to incorporate the new teachings she has discovered into her life, including her existing friendships and relationship (which are strained by her new interests), her job, and yes, even her relationship with her mother.

As the story unfolds, Lorna details her practices, and her struggles with them, including mindfulness, various yoga pranayama (breathing techniques), yoga asanas (positions), meditation, and law of attraction techniques. Along the way, she also attends a 2-day silent yoga retreat, a lecture with a spiritual teacher who channels, and a session with an energy healer. The teachings most often referenced are Eckhart Tolle's (A New Earth and The Power of Now), and various law of attraction and mindfulness teachings. However, these teachings are integrated into her daily life. For example, at one point she is on a date with her boyfriend and finds herself overly angry that he is resistant to letting her pay her own way; she goes into the bathroom to try and calm herself down, and works through the issue using Tolle's teachings on the 'pain body.' In another instance, she draws on various mindfulness practices to help her accept her mother's limitations.

This is a first novel by the author, who has written quite a bit of non-fiction, including for O magazine (and if you like Oprah and O, you will probably resonate with this novel.) I felt there were some bumps from a literary perspective - scenes or dialogue that didn't flow quite realistically for me. But that didn't keep me from enjoying the book, or from wanting to read more. And I found that every time I did, I felt uplifted, which counts for a lot to me, and offset any literary problems. There isn't much spiritual fiction out there, especially targeted to women, so if you are looking for some, this is a recommended read!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Well-written new age novel both energizes and inspires August 6, 2011

By P. J. Swanwick

Format:Paperback

I loved this book. Meryl Davids Landau's new novel fulfills my requirements for good new age fiction: compelling characters, a strong plot, and a well-structured theme that supports the story without overwhelming it. New age novels must appeal to both the emotions and the intellect, and "Downward Dog, Upward Fog" does both.

Spiritual/metaphysical content: High. As Lorna works through her personal issues and grows spiritually, the author references information from books such as A New Earth, A Course in Miracles, and other sources that can help expand the reader's knowledge. Lorna learns how to apply a number of spiritual concepts to better manage her relationships, both personal and professional. The author details specific yoga postures and practices (stomach wash, anyone?) that helped me gain a deeper understanding of unfamiliar spiritual techniques. She shares practical meditation techniques, mindfulness tips, and mind/body/spirit principles that everyone can use. In particular, I enjoyed reading about the power of joining a spiritual community.

Landau does a great job of describing what living a spiritual life feels like, including the "high" that can come from living in the moment and learning to apply spiritual techniques to everyday life. However, she also makes it clear that the goal is not the elation, or even the occasional peaceful moment in meditation, but the "lingering calm that sustains every moment, regardless of what transpires."

My take: I'll say it again: I loved this book. New age novels must entertain and educate; they must appeal to both the emotions and the intellect, and Downward Dog, Upward Fog does this in spades. Meryl Davids Landau's writing is excellent, and she spins an engaging tale that will appeal to readers who enjoy the lighter tone of chick lit.

My only observation is that the book has an unrealistically happy ending; in the real world, living a consistently spiritual life does not guarantee happiness. However, the feel-good ending is in keeping with the chick lit genre. I felt energized and inspired when I finished the book, which is precisely the point.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Seeing Ourselves in Others May 24, 2011

By Carol Smerling

Format:Paperback

Sometimes a book comes along in which we can easily identify and recognize ourselves in the author's portrayal of its character. I know I have quite a bit of "Lorna" in me; her faults ande foibles are mine as well as the rewards she finds as her spiritual practice deepens and she begins her ascent out of the every-woman struggles into a higher understanding of the Oneness we all share. I thank the author for bringing this work to life and light.

More About the Author

Meryl Davids Landau makes her fiction debut with Downward Dog, Upward Fog, a spiritual women's novel about a woman's desire to live in her daily life the spiritual teachings she has read about in myriad nonfiction bestsellers. It is a struggle Meryl knows well herself, despite being a certified yoga teacher and Reiki practitioner. In addition to the novel, Meryl has written many articles for national magazines, including O, the Oprah magazine, Reader's Digest, Glamour, More, Prevention, U.S. News & World Report, Parade, Self, Redbook, and Whole Living. Her writing has won several awards, and was a finalist for a prestigious National Magazine Award.