"Finding More on the Mat" is a modern-day yoga fairy tale laced with humor and the kind of honest transparency that is inspiring to people both on and off the mat. Michelle shows that the practice is more than the funny postures you see; it's a chance to hold ourselves in the belief that we can be more, not less, at any age, with any circumstances in our lives.
Practicing yoga is an invitation to live up to our potential as human beings. So our mat becomes a catalyst for transformation. When we assume a yoga pose, it is not necessarily the shape of the body that counts. Rather, it is a chance to create an offering of the highest intention in our hearts. Practicing becomes our path, as we grow not just older, but better, wiser and stronger. We become so much more, both for ourselves and for those we love, every time we surrender to something greater, like Grace. Grace is in many ways reflective of the attitude we bring to the mat. It is the difference between a yoga practice that leaves you radically transformed and an exercise class. It’s the difference between feeling full of hope and potential, or feeling like a schmuck. Our attitude creates the distinction between growing better, wiser and stronger on the mat, or afraid that we’re going to die every time we bend over. “In the beginning,” the author explains, “I did not know that I needed Grace. After all, I had gone through the better part of my life without anything nearly looking like Grace. You should see me dance or sing. Oh my God! A goose suffering an epileptic attack would describe my attempts at being graceful. I would never be mistaken for a soul sister. “Then one day on my mat, struggling for the millionth time to touch my toes, I gave up. I said, ‘To hell with it.’ And that’s when it happened. The tension in my body released and I lowered down another six inches toward the floor. I got so excited I almost pulled a hamstring. All the years I had been practicing yoga I thought what I needed to touch my toes and to get better in general was more effort. But in fact, I needed more Grace.” Living with ease is Grace. Living with forgiveness and acceptance is Grace. Taking the good with the bad is Grace. Saying “yes” first, rather than “no,” is Grace. Trying new experiences with a light heart is Grace. Knowing that we are filled with forgiveness just because we were born is Grace. You will need equal parts of redemption and emancipation to find transformation, which is not easy. “Today,” the author explains, “I am stronger and more vibrant than ever before. I hauled my tired old ass out of a steep depression to live a better life. I hope to make the second half of my life my best achievement yet. The journey begins with Grace.”
"Based on the true life experiences of a recovering corporate executive, award-winning journalist, yogi, wife, mother and survivor of fifty years of life."
365 daily reflections offering a way to integrate the mindfulness that yoga teaches into everyday life, from the acclaimed yoga teacher, Rolf Gates who offers "a healthy way to find peace and a sense of coming home, day by day” (USA Today). As more and more people in the West pursue yoga in its various forms, whether at traditional centers, in the high-powered atmosphere of sports clubs, or on their own, they begin to realize that far from being just another exercise routine, yoga is a discipline of the body and the mind. Whether used in the morning to set the tone for the day, during yoga exercise itself, or at the end of the day, during evening reflection, the daily reflections in Meditations from the Mat will support and enhance anyone’s yoga journey.
Achieve professional and personal success by following the philosophical principles of yoga, along with powerful poses that can be done at a desk, in flight, or on the go Yoga is thought of by many as a fitness hobby--a gentler alternative to SoulCycle and CrossFit--but its underlying philosophy offers much more than a good workout. Yoga can relieve stress, focus the mind, and provide a path to reinvention, resilience, and a meaningful life. In Beyond the Mat, physician, executive, and yoga instructor Julie Rosenberg reveals how the essential lessons of the four-thousand-year-old Yoga Sutras contain a relevant framework in which to thrive both personally and professionally, with: Principles for achieving work/life balance, building resilience, cultivating compassion, and working effectively with others Practices to manage time, avoid distractions, and get in "the zone" Breath-control exercises to mitigate stress and anxiety Power poses that can be done at home, at a desk, or on the go
A catchy title is the first example of the creative use of metaphors which fill Taking Yoga Off the Mat, by Jenni Carmichael Clark. The philosophy is simple, "We can do hard things ON the mat. So, we can also do hard things when we roll it up and leave. We can handle challenges ON the mat, and we can handle what we face OFF the mat as well." While it may sound like a book written for yoga enthusiasts, every chapter introduces imaginative concepts which have universal application. Some messages refer to specific yoga poses where Jenni provides ideas on how to apply the exercise principles in day-to-day life. In the Chapter, Get Your Ticket for The Happiness Express, Jenni pulls back the curtain to the most common, yet elusive, trait we are all seeking... happiness... and shows its relation to (you guessed it) ...yoga! "I have heard it said that 'Happiness is a decision, not an occurrence.' That it's something you choose. No matter what comes at you, you can decide whether to allow it to thwart your joy or strengthen your spirit. That Finding Joy is not the same as Living in Joy. I learn that in my yoga practice. No matter what pose I am faced with, or how difficult/easy it might be, I can determine how to react and manage the challenges it presents. I can choose my response. And I can take that decision off the mat every time I walk back into the world." --Taking Yoga Off the Mat pg. 103 In the chapter titled, Taking Child's Pose... Inconceivable! Jenni uses multiple (surprisingly fitting) references from the story, Princess Bride, to show how something perceived as a simpler stretch, the Child's Pose, is much more complex than it appears. Jenni explains, "Child's Pose actually takes me deeper. It gives me a chance to reset, reflect, meditate, and get ready for what comes next in my own time. To find my breath and go deeper inside myself." Many themes throughout the book speak to the heart of a mother, high-five an adventurer, honor the curiosity and wonderment of a child, and encourage bravery and resilience. Jenni is promoting what she often calls her "Disney Philosophy," which is to Believe in Impossible Things, Have Courage & Be Kind, and Do The Next Right Thing. As Walt Disney said, "Around here, we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward--opening new doors and doing new things--because we're curious. And curiosity keeps leading us down new paths!" Jenni echoes these words of Walt Disney and exclaims, "that's my Alice 'Muchness' philosophy in a nutshell!" From the beginning in the Author's Note, readers will discover a kindred spirit in Jenni Carmichael Clark. It is as if Jenni has always been the best friend you turn to for encouragement, when you need a good laugh, or are hungry for a reminder that despite all of its adversity, life is a fascinating and worthwhile adventure! In the chapter titled, What's Next? Jenni brings her readers to the ice rink and reminds them that, "Despite bumps in the ice that cause you to take a tumble or two, the skating is amazing!" Towards the end of her book, Jenni gives the compassionate encouragement we all need, "I know firsthand that stars shine more brilliantly in the deep darkness. I've huddled in the dark and gazed at them up there, twinkling. We just do the work and then we let it go--in class and in life. On the mat and off of it." Jenni began writing reflective essays and thoughts in a blog she started in 2013 called My Own Little Corner by Jenni (myownlittlecornerbyJenni.Wordpress.com). As she found clarity and grace on her yoga mat, Jenni decided to share more of these themes in her first book, Taking Yoga Off the Mat. Learn more at www.TakingYogaOffTheMat.com
365 daily reflections offering a way to integrate the mindfulness that yoga teaches into everyday life, from the acclaimed yoga teacher, Rolf Gates who offers "a healthy way to find peace and a sense of coming home, day by day” (USA Today). As more and more people in the West pursue yoga in its various forms, whether at traditional centers, in the high-powered atmosphere of sports clubs, or on their own, they begin to realize that far from being just another exercise routine, yoga is a discipline of the body and the mind. Whether used in the morning to set the tone for the day, during yoga exercise itself, or at the end of the day, during evening reflection, the daily reflections in Meditations from the Mat will support and enhance anyone’s yoga journey.
