Great book if you are a yoga lover like me! This was a different genre of book that what I normally read but I enjoyed it and would recommend it if you are looking for something different than your usual read!

An important book for anyone who practices or has an interest in yoga. Studios who provide Yoga Teacher Training should definitely add this to their syllabus!

I’m afraid I didn’t finish this book. I really wanted to like it, having been a yoga practitioner for over a decade, but the book lacked any form of structure and I felt like it could have done with some further editing before publication. It also seemed a little snippy, which put me off.

This story is a memoir, a guide to the history of yoga, and a commentary on the modern yoga space and audience. It was insightful to read about how much yoga helped the author during darker times in her life, such as an ED, toxic relationships and alcohol abuse. I also thought about her criticisms of prominent yoga leaders (and their sketchy pasts with SA) and the capitalised industry of the 2000s and how it has become whitewashed and westernised, losing a lot of the spiritual aspects of the practice, were really apt and valid.

I’ve always been interested in yoga, though I’ve mostly practised it for the exercise benefits. Reading this book, and learning more about Gilani’s experience and her journey with yoga, really made me appreciate how important the spiritual side of yoga is and how beneficial it could be to a person.

Gilani taught me so much about the different types of practices, their history, as well as the meanings behind the names for each pose, that Namaste doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with yoga, it is a greeting in Sanskrit meaning “I bow to you”. I really enjoyed the fact that it was part memoir, part guide and part info dump in the best way possible. It felt informative and thorough, but with a personal touch and suggestions on how to start.

I’ll definitely be keeping this in my mind as I get back into practising yoga more mindfully. I’m still recovering from a relatively recent (but fairly traumatic!) injury, so I have trouble getting into some positions that rely heavily on arm strength, but these foam pads and thicker mat have really been helping me with limiting injuries. And of course, I had to pull out my matching little workout set and the leggings with pockets! While I’m not fully confident about leading a practice myself, I have been relying on the DownDog app to lead me through a flow that felt comfortable, focused on the necessary areas and at the right level and speed for my experience and skills.

This review has been made possible thanks to @bluebirdbooksforlife for providing me with an Advance Reader's Copy.

Unfortunately this didn't do it for me. I struggled to get into it and therefore never managed to finish it.

Unfortunately, this book was not exactly what I had hoped it would be: a clear and concise manifesto on the ways yoga has been commercialised and commodified. This is a topic that is definitely discussed, but I would say this book is more memoir than manifesto: the author talks at length about her own experiences with alcoholism, disordered eating, and teaching yoga. She does so without adhering to chronology, which can be confusing, and I felt there wasn't a well-thought out structure to the book.
It did contain some good points for thought, but unfortunately it was too rambly for me.

An essential and compelling read no matter where you sit in the yoga community--teacher or practitioner, expert yogi or occasional Yoga-with-Adrienne watcher. I really enjoyed Gilani's examinations of the problems and possibilities within the activity.

This book is really eye opening. I love you and I learnt so much with this book that I never knew before. The author must have really done their homework and put in so many hours of research. It really shows.