Yin, Yang, Yogini

Book excerpt: Yoga’s restorative power is revealed in this “uplifting” memoir about finding “an oasis of peace in the midst of crises large and small” (Publishers Weekly). At the age of fifty, author, parenting expert, and Huffington Post blogger Kathryn E. Livingston thought everything in her life would click into place. Instead, she felt like she was falling apart. She was consumed by panic and anxiety, neglecting her body, always expecting the worst. Until her discovery of yoga helped her find peace. This is a memoir about two transformative years in Kathryn’s life, an account of her relationship with a compassionate teacher who taught her to trust herself and the universe, even while facing the death of her parents, her children leaving home for college, and breast cancer. It’s about recognizing the mind-body connection and finding the way back to mental and physical health. The story of how yoga weaves its magic throughout a woman’s life, yoga aficionados and beginners alike, as well as anyone who has ever faced tragedy head on, will benefit from Kathryn’s journey. Above all, Yin, Yang, Yogini is a memoir about reinvention, with yoga as the backdrop for change—a blueprint for evolving in midlife and in midstride, learning to let go of the past, and living with trust in the present moment.