Customer Reviews

Living Your Yoga: Finding the Spiritual in Everyday Life

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Though she holds a doctorate in East-West psychology, there's nothing academic or abstract about Judith Lasater's approach to "living your yoga." She writes in down-to-earth language we can all understand, her points illustrated with homespun anecdotes drawn from her life as a student and teacher, wife and parent. The book is divided into three parts, that grapple with an ever-widening circle of contexts and issues, from the intrapersonal ("Yoga within Yourself") to the interpersonal ("Yoga and Relationships") to the broadly social ("Yoga in the World"). Each part has seven chapters, with subjects ranging from self-judgment, fear, suffering, impermanence, and greed, to faith, courage, compassion, truth, nonviolence, and love. Each chapter has five sections: an opening quote from either the Yoga Sutra or the Bhagavad Gita, which sets the theme for the chapter as a whole; a pithy essay which expands upon this theme; a simple guided practice that helps us to integrate the theme in our everyday life and so experience its enlightening effects; brief suggestions for further practice; and a list of affirmations, called "mantras for daily living," that keep us centered, compassionate toward our self and others, and committed to our spiritual work. The English philosopher Francis Bacon once wrote, "Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested." Living Your Yoga is a feast for the soul that will nourish us again and again with its wisdom.

Here in Manhattan it's not unusual to go to one of the yoga studios that now seem almost as prevalent as McDonald's, only to get overpowered by the stench not of sweat but of ego and one-upsmanship (up-yogiship?). It's like "Any pose you can hold, I can hold better." Worse, I've left class, or home practice, only to wait for the train or bus in a fit of impatience. I've meditated only to find myself procrastinating over doing something that needs to be done--six months ago. In short, I've practiced a lot of hatha yoga and meditation, and benefited from it, but there was no carry over into my life. Which is what it's supposed to be about, not an end in itself. And the Sutra's of Patanjali are nice, poetic semi-haikus but forget about applying them on the A train. Here comes Iyengar veteran Lasater with a book on integrating yoga into everyday life so you don't leave it all on the sticky mat. Every chapter deals with handling different emotional qualities, from developing courage to conquering fear and impatience. Lasater gives examples from her life. It's reassuring to read how an accomplished yogi and teacher struggles with the same issues. And the yogic methods she's found to overcome them. This book is an excellent complement to the standard books on the technique of yoga. Don't let the title fool you. This isn't a soft-headed New Age primer full of platitudes. This is a how-to manual full of practical guidance. So good it should come with a karma-back guarantee.

This book speaks volumes with a quiet simplicity that is the essence of yoga. It is very easy to read and understand, yet tackles many issues we face in our everyday lives. I find that yoga, although it appears easy from the outside, is a complex practice that gently sinks in every day and subtly changes us from the center outward. I feel this book does the same. I intend to refer to it often. Namaste.

This was a really good book. It wasn't necessarily about Yoga postures or the theory or practice of Yoga. It focused more on the principles on how to live your life, while using Yoga as a medium to achieve some of them. This was one of those books that calms your mind and brings you a sense of peace, inspiring you to want to incorporate those principles into your own life. I will be reading more of her writings in the future.

A quiet thoughtful book about "the rest of yoga" ... the non physical side that is all to often forgotten. There is alot of meat to the book and it's presented in a non-pretentius way. I have read her book a few times and either pick up something new or allow myself to see something new with each chapter. It's not about the physical (asana) branch of yoga but about working to become a better person. I respectfully disagree with the reviewer that felt the book was more suited to people with children ... read it again without judgement and you may have a very different take. A must own in any yoga library and highly recommended for anyone alive, breathing and thinking!

I decided I liked Judith Lasater after reading her articles in Yoga Journal. She explained in one article the pathological process of sciatica nerve pain in very concrete, medical and scientific terms, enabling me to understand it completely and therefore help myself and bring this VERY common problem under control.

Yoga Journal also recommended this book; "Living Your Yoga..." as another good read for her so I purchased it, like many of us, wanting to know how to bring this beautiful practice of Yoga that we love sooo much into our everyday lives!

I could not put this book down, fellow readers, what I found was sometimes overwhelming, especially since most of us in Western society are taught to think "from the neck up" and not from our hearts. Some of it could only be assimilated by much contemplation, like the statement that all of us humans have our reality defined by our beliefs and practices. Reading the chapter on suffering, that was a tough one, especially since I see so much of it in nursing and it is difficult to cultivate "detachment". In other ways, this book is almost like a workbook, giving practices for the reader to participate in and mantras to chant at the end of each chapter.

Then there is the last chapter on love...Well, I wont spoil the surprise but I am sure that no one will be disappointed!

This book is inspiring on a real-life, everyday level. The author writes about incidents from her own life that most of us will be able to relate to, and offers ways to keep the spirit of yoga flowing throughout the ups and downs of our lives. I've never liked those "inspirational" books full of cutesy quotes, and this isn't like that. It's just a down-to-earth, common-sense book that will make you think about how you deal with others, how to overcome your impatience, stress, etc.

Fabulous book and just what I was looking for. Althought still a beginner, my instructor has been exposing us to the spiritual aspects of yoga. I was looking for more information and have found it in Judith's book. Written in a very straight forward and loving manner, she provides an excellent format for any person to begin to integrate their personal spiritual beliefs with their yoga practice and everyday life. I would recommend it to anyone who is wanting more out of their practice than a no pain no gain attitude.

I have several yoga books, but this one is different. The author gets to the heart of living the philosophy of yoga. I think the spiritual aspects of yoga can be easily overlooked if one approaches it as simply another form of exercise. Yoga is much more than that. Buy this book and your yoga practice will deepen and strengthen not just your body, but your mind and spirit as well. Highly recommended.

Written in plain language using events that happen in the course of her day, Judith Lasater, Ph.D, P.T., writes a lovely book for yoginis who want to deepen their practice beyond postures and engage yoga as a way of life. My yoga instructor teaches from it. I keep a copy in my car and a copy by my bedside, it is that relevant for me as a career woman, mother, wife, and friend. If traditional religious teachings aren't providing all the answers for you, you may want to buy this book. It won't necessarily take the place of your religious practice, but it will certainly give you tools to connect at a deeper level to whatever you are searching for.