The Reluctant Yogi: A Quirky Guide to the Practice That Can Change Your Life

by Carla McKay

Like many people Carla McKay thought that yoga was for health nuts only. Things changed, however, when a friend persuaded her to give it try for a laugh. She did laugh, throughout the class. But the practice was also different from what she had expected. In The Reluctant Yogi she describes how she got hooked over time, and asks experts what yoga does for us. She discovered that research shows yoga has something for everyone of every shape and size, young to old: it will tone your body, calm your mind, make you sleep better, strengthen your bones, boost your immune system and even make you lose weight. Learning her asanas from her pranayama, Carla finds along the way how you, too, can change your life with yoga.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Biography, Personal Development, Health

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2012

Reviews

[Nicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quirky? Not quite, I think. Overall, this came across as a relatively non-mystery-making, level headed look at practicing yoga, with a sceptical eye toward stuff like chakras and the like, but an attempt to understand the roots of the practice. There are obvious things that make the author an unusual yogi, at least: I’m pretty sure getting your fat lasered away is not something yoga really encourages. Working towards a better body, yeah; hating the one you’re in and going for drastic measures to change it, not so much.

So for quirky, read ‘sceptical and very Western’, but there is useful information here about the types of yoga. For example, from what she says here I’m inclined to avoid Bikram yoga, but encouraged to look into Iyengar yoga — there is some advice on what might suit you and how to choose a teacher.

Overall, you can get the same information from looking online, really; certainly none of it was really new to me. I’m not entirely sure why I bought it, since the last thing we need is another Western woman extolling the virtues of taking what you want from other cultures… Curiosity, partly, I guess; what the heck makes a quirky yogi? I still don’t really know the answer to that, but at least she’s not a ‘holier than thou’ yogi.

[Sian Lile-Pastore · Rating 2 out of 5]

First off, this isn't 'quirky' at all... I don't know why that word was used in the title... I thought it was going to be McKay's personal journey through yoga, but really it was a general overview with the odd snarky aside about how stupid chakra's, tarot and crystals are, and how when she goes on a retreat where the food is vegetarian, she has to sneak off to eat prawns.
also, not keen on sentences that start 'when I went on my first safari....'

[Teri-K · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was OK for what it is - a short, quirky look at yoga and the odd things that surround it. I would have liked to get more of the author's experience as she carried on with her yoga practice. The book goes into a lot of detail on her false starts, but nothing about why she continues. It then talks about chakras, gurus, commercialism, etc., and the author is definitely a skeptic. So not recommended for those who are really devoted to all phases of yoga. In fact, I'm not sure who I'd recommend this to, maybe someone who enjoys some yoga and wants to dip into a light, quick read about it just for fun.

[Claire · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have had an extremely quiet weekend as I try and get rid of a cold, which equates to me not having done my weekend routine of fight klub and yoga. So, instead I read this book.

It is the story of a 50 something woman who embarks on yoga for the first time. Mindful that she is a journalist being paid to write the book this initially involves some expensive retreats so it isn't entirely relatable.

What I did like was the research she had done into the benefits of yoga (reducing stress, increasing flexibility, improving balance, promoting strength, heightening cardiovascular conditioning, lowering blood pressure, strengthening bones, preventing injuries, lifting mood, improving immune function [although evidently this one has passed me by 😆], increasing oxygen supply to tissues, heightening sexual functioning and fulfilment, fostering psychological equanimity, promoting spiritual wellbring...). Also the history and roots of the practice.

What I hated was her absolute lack of cultural relativism, and how judgemental she is (.."if you go to any of the temples, either here or in India, they are monuments of kitsch, so very different from the great cathedrals of Europe" - 😦).

So... an ok book if you can look past its age (I think a lot has changed in the pasr 5 years) and the author's closed mindedness.

[Chrystyna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Reluctant Yogi: A Quirky Guide to the Practice that can change your life by Carla McKay - good

This was a nice quick read for those times when I was queing for events during the festival and needed something to dip in and out of.

The author has done her research and delivers the facts in a light and easily digestible manner. I was always a fan of yoga, so didn't need to be converted, the information in this book just re-inforced what I already thought. Yoga is good for you, there are many different styles to choose from and some will suit more than others. There is no need to go the whole way and get involved in the religous side of yoga or change your eating habits - unless you want to.

NB this book doesn't tell you how to do yoga, it is just a background.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the book funny in parts and very interesting in the different sorts of yoga. I have been doing yoga for years and I certainly hadn't heard of some of them. I would recommend anyone doing yoga to read it.

[Pili · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been doing daily yoga for over a year now and this is the first yoga book that I've read and I think it really was the right choice. I've found a yoga teacher to follow that is not too fitness and not too mystic and learning about different schools of yoga and the origins and the like from the mind of someone that is as much an skeptic as I am was exactly the kinda read I needed!

[Romy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As some who frequently practices yoga, this is the first book I actually read on the subject. It was an easy read, insightful and enjoyable and written from the perspective of a self confessed “yoga skeptic”. I enjoyed learning about the authors journey in tandem with principles of yoga.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit of an unusual view of yoga and the history/science behind it. I found it interesting and informative.

[Yvonne Manson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It gave an overview of yoga without taking itself too seriously. It is a book that is easy to read while still giving you lots of useful information on yoga, and meditation.

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

good informative little book

[A.E. Shaw · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bought for pence in the vague hope that it would amuse, or inform, or, preferably, both. Alas, neither. It's only "quirky" in the sense that it's a smattering of all the things and the realisation of none of them - this does not a writing style make. There are entire sections that seem to be cut and paste from Wikipedia, and random swathes of quotations that you've probably heard before (I had, without trying at all) to illustrate one random point or another ("Yoga is getting too new-agey!" "Yoga blogs are A Thing!"). The accounts of the authors actual experiences appeared to consist mostly of her half-trying things and abandoning them as silly, or too hard, or not as good as wine, or something, and therefore...not that informative. I couldn't see how yoga had transformed her life, nor how it might be expected to transform mine. A bit of a 'nothing' read, then. The only reason it gets two stars rather than one is that, throughout, I always felt it ought to get better, and thus didn't actively hate reading it. Just didn't care.

[Ema · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unlike the author who seem to be a nice lady, the book is just plainly bad. It is a collection of wikipedia articles and random google results spiced up locally with wanna-be-witty glimpses of personal experiences. It is a wonder that this book saw the printer. A printer full of typos. Nevertheless, after being overwhelmed with the amount of information and benefits that yoga brings to your life listed like in a shopping list, you feel compelled to try it yourself. So the book reaches its purpose...it is just the writing that is not so good.

[Yvonne Barlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

My yoga had become lazy - I was barely stretching myself, all muscle memory rather than breathing through postures. This book brought me back to good practise by reminding me why yoga is good for you. The author is a journalist and applies her research skills to explaining the whys and how's. I thoroughly recommend this to the new and the lapsed of yoga practitioners.

[Elizabeth]

I realised that this wasn't a book by someone with my own approach to yoga when the first chapter describes a liposuction-style operation to reduce her stomach fat and the comment 'it helps to have a boost like that to one's confidence before embarking on an exercise regime like yoga'. But I still learned some things about the history of yoga

[Em · Rating 3 out of 5]

A chatty, personal reflection upon the authors experience of yoga alongside well researched journalistic commentary.

Reads like an extended column from the Culture section - interesting and a good starting point for accessing further yoga related reading.

[Victoria Watts Kennedy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a fair amount reading this book, but the extreme cynicism and focus on weight-loss was off-putting. I would like to have understood the author's cynicism more instead of hear her simply write things off as 'ridiculous'.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

quite a good book which was spoilt by the chapter about her undergoing a stomach reduction so she looked good on the yoga mat!

[Jonathon Hagger · Rating 4 out of 5]

What started as a avert light hearted read turned out to be much deeper and very good. The ending was non existent but overall an interesting read bringing new depths to my understanding of yoga.

[Mebsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is always good to know that you are not alone. The reluctant yogi is also very informative for those equally reluctant. I hope it reaches many people.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting IF you are interested in yoga!...

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious! Lots of useful information, down to Earth and realistic about Western yoga.

[Claire · Rating 2 out of 5]

How you'll feel about this will depend on what you're hoping to gain from the book.

it isn't 'quirky' the writer injects a few of her own self-deprecating (self indulgent) stories in but the book is otherwise a regurgitation of things that she has read about yoga.
If you want a book that tells you to just cherry pick what you want from yoga then this is the one. If you want insight then go and read the books that she references.