GOING BEYOND THE POSE

In this debut memoir, the author examines four yoga paths—knowledge, love, action, and meditation—showing readers how they can enrich each day.

Designed as an autobiography that explores the way yoga impacted Nitting’s life, this title reveals the deeply personal journey through wellness that she embarked on to discover serenity and peace. The author invites readers to find ways in which they may already be invoking the principles of yoga every day. From stories about her parents expressing love and devotion during her childhood to tales of her own growth through adolescence and adulthood, the author weaves in the spiritual principles of the four yoga paths. For example, in one section, she describes “living yoga” by resolving to be present in every activity, encouraging readers to experience the joy of even mundane tasks like washing dishes or cleaning their homes. Delving into yoga’s action path, the author discusses karma and the principle of serving others from a place of selflessness. She also emphasizes the merits of nonjudgment—focusing on one’s own failures rather than giving attention to the errors of others. Nitting stresses the importance of these teachings and how they have led her to a calmer and more vibrant and contented life, reducing anxiety and uncomfortable situations sparked by ego. Asanas, the practice of yoga that involves mastering the body, is just one of the many topics discussed in the book. The author delivers a much wider view of what the practice encompasses than most yoga titles provide. Literally going beyond the pose, she deeply investigates the ways the principles of yoga affect all of the moments and intentions of life, not just on the mat, but also at home, work, school, and in everyday community interactions. In this inspiring memoir that surveys a set of universal principles, the author thoroughly and conversationally gives yoga novices a gateway to understanding and learning this powerful practice.

A delightful and highly readable evaluation of yoga principles and the way they have influenced one woman’s life.