Every body yoga Let go of fear, get on the mat, love your body

Review by Booklist Review

Stanley, who first found a community of fellow yogis, and then a whole bunch of followers (281,000 and counting) on Instagram, addresses anyone who's ever felt too fat, too old, too short, too self-conscious, or just too intimidated to attempt the popular practice of yoga. She discusses yoga's history, the eight-limbed path (in a section titled What the fuck is the eight-limbed path?), the different types of yoga, and the gear and props yogis really need, before going into step-by-step instructions for practice and poses, complete with helpful photographs of herself and others. Stanley incorporates her own stories: of her long and dignified lineage of proud, black, curvy women and her gathering from teen magazines that society's agreed-upon vision of beauty . . . didn't have jack shit to do with her; of a wake-up call about her drinking; of loving herself with or without a partner. Stanley's playful tone and personal, approachable advice provide a warm welcome to her historical, technical, and altogether different guide to yoga.--Bostrom, Annie Copyright 2017 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Yoga teacher Stanley shares her path to becoming a yogi and embracing looking different from the lean practitioners typically shown in the media. This mix of memoir and guide is suffused with Stanley's enthusiasm and honesty. Part one reveals her early encounters with yoga, along with the discouragement that stemmed from being a "fat girl"; it goes back to her childhood eating habits and family life, and also includes an honest, vulnerable FAQ ("What if I'm the fattest person in the class and everyone stares at me?"). Part two includes Stanley's witty nutshell history of modern yoga and breaks down the different styles and recommends useful clothing, mats, and props. Part three is devoted to the "ABCs of Asana," or yoga postures, and also recommends asking "How do I feel?" rather than "How do I look?" In part four, Stanley teaches readers to do yoga on their own by sharing stories of her own triumphs. In part five, Stanley reminds readers that everyone struggles while doing yoga, including her. This touching work is a must for those new to yoga, no matter their age or body type. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

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Review by Library Journal Review

Written from the perspective of a person who does not fit the Western ideal of beauty, yoga teacher Stanley's book succeeds in dispelling the myth that yoga is for the lean and fit. Incorporating models who are not skinny to demonstrate 50 basic poses and using her experiences with self-image, black-dyed hair, and societal expectations of body types, she leads us in a practice that is refreshing, reassuring, and engaging. Stanley discusses the history of yoga; how to communicate with your instructor; the eight-limbed path; styles of yoga, poses, and what to purchase if you're just starting out. Stanley's preteen pageant experiences, foodie jaunts, Weight Watchers projects, and insights meaningfully address how self-image affects one's life choices. While many words may be a bit vulgar for some readers, this uplifting volume makes yoga approachable. VERDICT Recommended for yoga enthusiasts, the yoga curious, the Western-beauty challenged, the yoga teacher, the student-novice to advanced, Millennials, and -LGBTQ readers.-Cheryl Branche, Brooklyn © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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WHY DID I WRITE THIS BOOK? In the summer of 2012, I was an unemployed grad-school dropout and relatively new to yoga. I enjoyed going to classes, but like many other yoga students who look "different," I always left the studio feeling a vague sense of discrimination at the hands of my teachers and fellow students. I was also strapped for cash and could barely afford the occasional drop-in class. So I turned my focus to developing a home practice. I began photographing and documenting my yoga asana practice and posting the shots on Instagram. At the time, Instagram was a fairly new kind of social media, but there was already a small community of yoga teachers and practitioners who were using the app to share their home practices. I quickly found my place in this virtual community and with it, a sense of inclusion and encouragement that I'd never felt in any live yoga class. That's when everything changed. I became ravenous for information beyond the physical poses I'd encountered in studio classes. I studied anatomy, the history of yoga, and the evolution of various yoga lineages. I got certified as a yoga instructor. Today, I have the incredible privilege to travel the world teaching the practice I love so much. As much as social media has given me, it shouldn't be the only source of inspiration for people who don't fit the typical yoga mold. That's why I wrote this book. Because all yoga bodies deserve to be represented in print, not just those that are slender, female, and white. I wrote this book for every fat person, every old person, and every exceptionally short person. I wrote it for every person who has called themselves ugly and every person who can't accept their beauty. I wrote it for every person who is self-conscious about their body. I wrote it for every human being who struggles to find happiness on a daily basis, and for anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed by the mere act of being alive. I've been there. We all have. Yoga is for everybody and EVERY BODY . You don't have to be thin and you don't have to be fat. You don't have to be a specific color or commit to a specific diet. You don't have to earn (or have access to) a certain amount of money. You don't have to embody anything other than your truest and most honest self in order to practice yoga. You don't have to omit the sadness, the anger, and all of the other "ugly" emotions that flavor our lives. You don't have to be anyone other than yourself. And I think it's high time that someone shouted it loud enough so everyone can hear. Excerpted from Every Body Yoga: Get on the Mat, Love Your Body by Jessamyn Stanley All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

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