YOGA FOR PUBLIC SPEAKING

A yoga-centered debut self-help book aimed at helping novice and veteran public speakers improve and sharpen their onstage presence.

Newman, a longtime public-speaking coach and yoga instructor, offers a holistic manual for tackling public speaking anxiety via yogic breathing, movement practices, mindfulness, and meditation. Yoga, she says, is a powerful tool for strengthening presentation skills because it offers “the ability to connect our breath, attention, movement, and ultimately to connect with and even shift our nervous systems…so that we can move about the world in more calm and conscious ways.” The book first helps readers identify the most important facets of their presentations—the who, what, and why—and then does a deep dive into how and why our bodies may react unfavorably to the demands of public speaking: “A small amount of fear that motivates us to do our best can be productive,” she writes. “Fear that paralyzes us needs to be addressed.” She then introduces a set of techniques that can be immediately implemented to reduce the physical symptoms of such anxiety, which include extended exhalations, yoga’s mountain pose, mantra meditation, and ways to manage excess energy. Along the way, readers will find a series of journal prompts that encourage them to reflect on how these new techniques work or don’t work for them. Overall, Newman’s book is full of practical tips to make presentations livelier and more comfortable for both the speaker and the audience. Its format and practices are digestible and easy to follow, accommodating people of varying ages and experience levels, and the author’s writing style will instill confidence in readers. Her expertise permeates this book as she explains the science behind the fear of public speaking and methods for dealing with its effects.

An encouraging and often captivating book of speaking advice.