Will Yoga & Meditation Really Change My Life?: Personal Stories from 25 of North America's Leading Teachers

by Stephen Cope

Stephen Cope asked 25 yoga and meditation teachers to share their "tales from the path" - their thoughts on how the long-term practice of yoga and meditation has changed their lives. The result is a unique collection of stories offering insight and inspiration for everyone seeking a more satisfying life.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1580175090
• ISBN13: 9781580175098
• Release Date: September 2003
• Publisher: Storey Publishing
• Length: 330 Pages
• Weight: 1.41 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 8.0" x 6.6"

Customer Reviews

inspiring and honest stories that reinforce the yoga journey

If you enjoy hearing others share honest details about their personal journeys, this is a wonderful book. I train yoga teachers, and give it to new yoga teachers to remind them that this is a path, and the practice itself creates the healing and learning. A similar wonderful book is the less widely known Yogi Bare, a collection of interviews with yoga teachers.

Nice collection of essays by well-known figures in the world of yoga, meditation, and Buddhism

The editor of this book, Stephen Cope--himself a well-known yoga teacher and practitioner of meditation--asked 25 distinguished instructors in the fields of yoga, meditation, and Buddhism how yoga and meditation had changed their lives. The result is this collection of short (averaging about 12-16 pages) essays and interviews which provide a wealth of insights and reflections. For many, the theme seemed to be acceptance--of themselves, of their lack of control, of their inability to change, etc. What was most apparent, however, was that these ancient practices have clearly brought much peace and joy to those who follow them. As a casual practitioner of yoga, I found these stories to be interesting and engaging; someone who also practices meditation and Buddhism is likely to derive even more value from this collection than I did.

Wonderful And Inspiring Collection Of Spiritual Insights

I really enjoy books like this, where you get to hear personal reflections from seekers deeply on their path. I think it's helpful to be able to see how others have been affected by their practice and how they integrate it into their lives. I am a practicing "Suburban Yogi" who has been on a spiritual path for as long as I can remember, but being a person who is very much a householder with a family, job, mortgage and other responsibilities it can be very difficult to stay grounded on the path. I don't live in solitude in a cave in the himalayas but in Suburban Tennessee (originally from Suburban New York) so I'm very much in the "real world". I found this book is very helpful because the chapters which feature various spiritual seekers are short enough to be able to read in a short sitting and yet deep enough to help give me inspiration in my own life. I feel that those folks who are featured in the book really opened themselves up honestly and shared from their hearts their own struggles and growth as they have lived and continue to live their practice the best that they can. If you like this sort of book then I think you'll love this one by Stephen Cope. Another book of Interviews that I would also recommend is "Yogi Bare" by Philip Self which contains interviews with many well known Yoga Teachers in the west. Still other books that are different in format but are still wonderful books that deal with living your yoga and not just the asana/pranayama part (but still related to those things as well) , are: "Meditations from the Mat" by Rolf Gates."Yoga and the Quest for the True Self" by Stephen Cope (the author of the above book), "Yoga and The Path of The Urban Mystic" by Darren John Main (see also his "Spritual Journeys Along The Yellow Brick Road"), "Bringing Yoga To Life" by Donna Farhi, "The Tree Of Yoga" by BKS Iyengar to name other books that I found excellent. Namaste

It?s already OK

There is incredible value in hearing other people's stories. I find it easy to worry if I'm good enough. And sometimes I see where other people are and know it isn't what I want.Besides the value in other's stories, I just find them interesting! These are stories from names I recognize as stars in the yoga and Buddhist world. It's good to see them as human. I get a feeling I know them better, which changes my relationship to them when I see them walking around at a Yoga Journal conference or catch their name in print. The question the book poses is "Will yoga and meditation really change my life?" In my own life, I've already answered this question (it will), but what this book does is help me not worry so much about needing to think my life needs changing.

Fairly Good Collection of Personal Essays and Interviews

To answer the question the title poses: yes, yoga and/or meditation will change your life, but maybe not in the ways you hope or expect. This is a fairly good collection. Each person's stories is only a few pages long, so reading a story a night in bed is a nice way to relax. This book is probably best for neophytes with an interest in and general knowledge of yoga, meditation, or Buddhism who want to know about people with the same interests. There are a few people who made me roll my eyes and think, "this is why people think yoga is weird," but most of the people seem like real, down to earth people who know what it means to live in the real world and make thoughtful choices about how they're going to live. The good stories reminded you that life after yoga isn't perfect, you won't magically become infalliable, holy, strong, wise, or immune to disease. Your feelings won't disappear, things in your life can still hurt you and you will still be a human being. Don't expect answers from this book: this is light reading at its best (like I said, bedside reading), but it might provoke a few questions if you read thoughtfully. Do read this if you're thinking of going deeper into your study of yoga, if you wonder if yoga is a yuppie fad that you've mistakenly bought into, or if you don't yet feel a sense of community with those who you practice with. Note: this book does not offer any advice about yoga postures or how to meditate.There were one or two stories that made me sad because it seems like yoga is segregated between races. How come people of color get their own teachers and retreats? Doesn't yoga come from the word yoke? If yoga can't unify people here in the US, nothing in the world will ever be able to. I greive that we can't all practice together as a unified community, honoring differences while celebrating what we share as human beings. I hope this changes within my lifetime and I hope I make a difference in bringing people together.