Would you like to age with grace and vitality? Increase your strength, energy and flexibility? Sleep better and be sharper mentally? You can achieve all of these if you practice yoga on a regular basis. Many women go to class once or twice a week and want to practice at home but just don't know how to begin. Yoga for Women at Midlife and Beyond: A Home Companion will give women over 50 the support and guidance they need to create a personal yoga practice in the privacy of their own home. This guidebook includes ten yoga practices with clear illustrations that you can follow on your own, such as a practice for energizing, one for relaxation and another for insomnia. The manual also contains practical information about where, when and how long to practice, how to set an intention and get support for your practice, how to use your breath to enhance your practice, and how to sustain a home practice. Concepts from classical yoga philosophy to help readers deepen their practice and integrate relevant concepts into their lives are introduced and inspiring stories from women over 50 about how yoga has made a difference to them are peppered throughout the book.
I specialize in writing and speaking on midlife issues with a special interest in women's friendships. Initially my interest in these subjects grew out of my social work education and my ten years in the field. When I turned my attention to writing, my social work background served as the foundation for my work.
Whether I'm writing, speaking or teaching, I strive to help people discover and express their authentic selves. That is clearly the theme in my 2003 book, Always My Child: A Parent's Guide to Understanding and supporting Your Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered or Questioning Son or Daughter (with coauthor Kevin Jennings).
My two previous books grew out of my own personal experiences. My Turn: Women's Search for Self After the Children Leave (Peterson's: hardback, 1996; paperback, 1997) was inspired by the many emotions and changes I experienced after my son and daughter left home. The idea for Heart to Heart: Deepening Friendships Between Women at Midlife (Berkley Books), actually developed as I was researching My Turn. As I interviewed women about the changes in their lives since they launched their children, many talked about how their friendships had deepened. They had more time and energy for friends and realized, from their midlife perspective, how precious true friends are--something I emphasize when I'm a speaker on women's friendships.
My earlier three books focused on subjects that interested me professionally but did not develop out of my personal experience. They are A Parent's Guide to Childhood and Adolescent Depression (Dell, 1994); Women, Mentors and Success (with coauthor) (Fawcett Columbine, 1992) and Caring for the Mentally Ill (Franklin Watts, 1982). My feature articles have appeared in New Woman, New Choices, First for Women, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Inquirer, Inside, Baltimore Sun Magazine and many other publications. I'm a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors.
I'm a writing instructor in the Continuing Education Department of the Santa Fe Community College and a writing coach. I also work one-on-one with individuals who want private editorial consultations about their writing.
Besides writing and teaching, my other passion is yoga. I began taking classes in the early 1990s and have been teaching since 1999. I specialize in yoga for older women in my classes in Santa Fe. I've also done an intensive yoga study at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram in Chennai, India. Through my teaching I share my love of yoga with others. A daily practice centers and grounds me while studying with a wise teacher keeps me humble and reminds me how much I have to learn.
Both yoga and writing offer ways to deepen my self-understanding, continue growing, live consciously, and share what I've learned with others.
