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Living Your Yoga: Finding the Spiritual in Everyday Life
If you think that you have to retreat to a cave in the Himalayas to find the enlightenment that yoga promises, think again. In this second edition of Living Your Yoga, Judith Hanson Lasater stretches the meaning of yoga beyond its familiar poses and breathing techniques to include the events of daily life—all of them—as ways to practice. This edition includes three new chapters (Relaxation, Empathy, and Worship), a full index, and new interior and cover designs.
Using the time-honored wisdom of the Yoga Sutra and the Bhagavad Gita to steer the course, she serves up off-the-mat practices to guide you in deepening your relationships with yourself, your family and friends, and the world around you.
Inspiring and practical, she blends her heartfelt knowledge of an ancient tradition with her life experiences as a daughter, sister, partner, mother, friend, and yoga practitioner and teacher. The a new yoga that beckons you to find the spiritual in everyday life.
Using the time-honored wisdom of the Yoga Sutra and the Bhagavad Gita to steer the course, she serves up off-the-mat practices to guide you in deepening your relationships with yourself, your family and friends, and the world around you.
Inspiring and practical, she blends her heartfelt knowledge of an ancient tradition with her life experiences as a daughter, sister, partner, mother, friend, and yoga practitioner and teacher. The a new yoga that beckons you to find the spiritual in everyday life.
192 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
August 22, 2012
I'm so glad I read this book slowly over several months. I think it allowed me to enjoy it even more. It is a lovely book that really helped me see how to bring my yoga practice to the rest of my life. But even non-yogi's can benefit from it. Some yoga philosophy, practical exercises and tips for everyday life. Truly a gem.
"Love in its purest sense is not based upon what you get from the relationship, but on what the relationship allows you to give. The depth of your love is not reflected in what the other makes you feel, but in your willingness to give of yourself. Love's job is to lead you to intimacy with what is enduring in yourself and in others. Whether this connection lasts for seconds or decades, love is not wasted. Through it, you have been transformed."
"Love in its purest sense is not based upon what you get from the relationship, but on what the relationship allows you to give. The depth of your love is not reflected in what the other makes you feel, but in your willingness to give of yourself. Love's job is to lead you to intimacy with what is enduring in yourself and in others. Whether this connection lasts for seconds or decades, love is not wasted. Through it, you have been transformed."
September 19, 2007
This is one of my favorite books on yoga ever. A wonderful reference in particular... Each accessible chapter introduces a concept from yogic philosophy in a way that is direct & easy to relate to... I always seem to benefit from re-reading it.
December 28, 2015
I have struggled with yoga. Sometimes I practice regularly, other times I fall off the wagon and cannot seem to get back on. Decided to get back on in May, and found this book to read to supplement my practice. I really liked it - it is not preachy and gave me lots to think about.
March 10, 2020
A chapter of this book each morning was a wonderful way to start my days over the past month. I absolutely loved the thinking points about living yoga OFF the mat that were presented, and the suggested practices at the end of each chapter are so thoughtful. My favorite parts, though, were the mantras for each chapter's theme. Without fail, there was one that hit me really hard for that day or reminded me of a time that I would have needed it, and I will be referring to this book for years to come. Another one slightly similar to this is YOGA MIND by Suzan Colon if you're looking to hoard books on this topic (as I obviously am!).
March 15, 2025
I absolutely love this book! Easy to read! Each chapter is about a different topic. She brings a different perspective to these topics and make you réflection on them! I also the daily mantra!
July 25, 2015
If you're the average joe, you probably think of yoga as a series of stretchy postures--many or most of which seem physically impossible for a run-of-the-mill human. If you’re a little more sophisticated on the subject--perhaps you've even done a few yoga classes--you realize that breathing exercises (pranayama) and meditation (dhyana) are also an essential part of the practice. However, if you're hardcore, you realize that there is an entire moral, ethical, spiritual, and philosophical approach to life embodied in yoga.
Lasater's book is aimed at the latter group or people who plan to one day be in that group. You will not find out how to do a single posture (asana), and you won't learn how to do breathing exercises or meditation. So, the book might sound like one of those navel-gazing, pie-in-the-sky, philosophical tomes. But it's not. On the contrary, the chapters are short and readable, and each one ends with exercises to put that chapter's lesson into practice. Now, it probably sounds more like a how-to workbook. It is, but the exercises can only be carried out in everyday life.
Admittedly, I don't know that much about yoga, but I suspect such a book is much needed. I do know that in the martial arts there is also a rich and well-defined moral, philosophical, and--for lack of a better term--spiritual component, and that it gets lost much of the time by a large percentage of students as soon as they step out the door of the dōjō. I suspect this is true of yoga practitioners as well. I imagine that as yoga has spread globally many of the less visible and tangible aspects of the system get left behind. I know this happens in the realm of martial arts--sometimes these elements even get lost in the homeland. It’s a natural side-effect of busy lives; people take on what they can grasp and don’t go looking for the rest.
Living Your Yoga is divided into three parts of seven chapters each (21 chapters in total.) The social circle widens as one goes through the parts. Part I deals with the yoga practitioner as an individual. Part II considers the practitioner’s relationships with others in their immediate domain--family, friends, co-workers, etc. The final part looks at the practitioner in the global context.
Each chapter focuses on a particular virtue or vice and how to cultivate it or mitigate against it, respectively. All of the chapters begin with a quote, most from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali or the Bhagavad Gita, then there is the body of the chapter, followed by a practice on that particular theme, supplementary practices, and a few mantras.
The chapters in the first part are: spiritual seeking, discipline, letting go, self-judgment, faith, perspective, and courage. The second part deals with compassion, control, fear, patience, attachment / aversion, suffering, and impermanence. And the final part considers greed, service, connection, truth, success, nonviolence, and love.
While I suggested this book is for the hardcore yogi/yogini, it has value for a more general readership than that. It’s really for anybody interested in working on self-improvement on a daily basis, as opposed to those who restrict their development pursuits to inside the yoga studio (or dōjō or ashram.) The advice is sound, regardless of whether one ever practices an asana or not.
Lasater's book is aimed at the latter group or people who plan to one day be in that group. You will not find out how to do a single posture (asana), and you won't learn how to do breathing exercises or meditation. So, the book might sound like one of those navel-gazing, pie-in-the-sky, philosophical tomes. But it's not. On the contrary, the chapters are short and readable, and each one ends with exercises to put that chapter's lesson into practice. Now, it probably sounds more like a how-to workbook. It is, but the exercises can only be carried out in everyday life.
Admittedly, I don't know that much about yoga, but I suspect such a book is much needed. I do know that in the martial arts there is also a rich and well-defined moral, philosophical, and--for lack of a better term--spiritual component, and that it gets lost much of the time by a large percentage of students as soon as they step out the door of the dōjō. I suspect this is true of yoga practitioners as well. I imagine that as yoga has spread globally many of the less visible and tangible aspects of the system get left behind. I know this happens in the realm of martial arts--sometimes these elements even get lost in the homeland. It’s a natural side-effect of busy lives; people take on what they can grasp and don’t go looking for the rest.
Living Your Yoga is divided into three parts of seven chapters each (21 chapters in total.) The social circle widens as one goes through the parts. Part I deals with the yoga practitioner as an individual. Part II considers the practitioner’s relationships with others in their immediate domain--family, friends, co-workers, etc. The final part looks at the practitioner in the global context.
Each chapter focuses on a particular virtue or vice and how to cultivate it or mitigate against it, respectively. All of the chapters begin with a quote, most from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali or the Bhagavad Gita, then there is the body of the chapter, followed by a practice on that particular theme, supplementary practices, and a few mantras.
The chapters in the first part are: spiritual seeking, discipline, letting go, self-judgment, faith, perspective, and courage. The second part deals with compassion, control, fear, patience, attachment / aversion, suffering, and impermanence. And the final part considers greed, service, connection, truth, success, nonviolence, and love.
While I suggested this book is for the hardcore yogi/yogini, it has value for a more general readership than that. It’s really for anybody interested in working on self-improvement on a daily basis, as opposed to those who restrict their development pursuits to inside the yoga studio (or dōjō or ashram.) The advice is sound, regardless of whether one ever practices an asana or not.
July 9, 2014
I'm a yoga teacher in training, and I received this book as a gift from the yogi who will be teaching me. I know that quieting the breath, meditating and such are all important parts of the practice, but the truth is, the older I get, the more impatient I am when reading non-fiction books.
To my surprise, once I started reading Lasater's "Living Your Yoga," I couldn't put it down. I'd find myself flowing through a chapter or two at a time on the train on the way to work, smiling, sometimes near tears, or wincing at something that was all too familiar about my old ways and behaviors.
I have a long way to go, but that's the thing about yoga - it's a lifelong journey, and the learning is continuous. And Lasater does a phenomenal job writing about finding and applying the principles of yoga in everyday life. She gives examples from her own life that resonate with the reader, and also offers practical applications that readers can implement immediately in their day-to-day routines.
Truly an enjoyable and excellent read, and a book I will go back to again and again.
To my surprise, once I started reading Lasater's "Living Your Yoga," I couldn't put it down. I'd find myself flowing through a chapter or two at a time on the train on the way to work, smiling, sometimes near tears, or wincing at something that was all too familiar about my old ways and behaviors.
I have a long way to go, but that's the thing about yoga - it's a lifelong journey, and the learning is continuous. And Lasater does a phenomenal job writing about finding and applying the principles of yoga in everyday life. She gives examples from her own life that resonate with the reader, and also offers practical applications that readers can implement immediately in their day-to-day routines.
Truly an enjoyable and excellent read, and a book I will go back to again and again.
June 19, 2014
I did like the chapters on fear and impermanence. Others were not relevant, maybe one day those will have more meaning.
There were a lot of references to her children and how amazing they are, sometimes in unrelated anecdotes to the chapter, which became a bit strenuous after a while.
There were a lot of references to her children and how amazing they are, sometimes in unrelated anecdotes to the chapter, which became a bit strenuous after a while.
December 18, 2013
Simple, moving advice on how to fully enter into a daily practice of yoga. As much of a meditation as it is a guide.
December 1, 2019
I read this book as part of an assignment for my current yoga teacher training program. I initially chose this book because it appeared to be an interesting, quick, and easy read. I liked that each chapter was quick to read, but also easy to absorb and comprehend. I thought the author did a nice job laying out the book and providing the information in a succinct way. She also met the objective of providing ways to incorporate yoga principles into everyday life.
January 16, 2023
Finally finished! I started this book in February 2021. Every now and then, I would read 1-2 chapters at a time; ponder them; and then reread them. There is a lot of good information and advice on how to incorporate the practice of yoga into your daily life.
March 18, 2019
This is one for reading and re-reading to refresh it in your mind. Practical easy ways to bring my yoga from the mat to my everyday.
November 1, 2019
We are reading this for a book club we are in and I loved it.
April 14, 2024
Easy to read and highly recommended. Written “for” yoga teachers but the practices are widely applicable
February 11, 2021
* reading this on the recommendation of my dear Aunt Barbara *
Perfect for reading a few pages before bed, the brief chapters focus on the more spiritual aspects of yoga and ways you can take your yoga off the mat and into your every day life to lead a more compassionate and authentic self.
Perfect for reading a few pages before bed, the brief chapters focus on the more spiritual aspects of yoga and ways you can take your yoga off the mat and into your every day life to lead a more compassionate and authentic self.
September 23, 2019
I practice yoga regularly and was searching for a book that would help me integrate the yoga Philosophy in my daily life as well. I was so happy to come upon Lasager’s ‘Living Your Yoga’, it was exactly what I was searching for. Many of the chapters explain the the practices of yoga and are drawn directly from the Yoga Sutra. At the end of most chapters she offers a practice, additional practices and mantras for daily living. I personally used the book as a “workbook”. I would journal on the chapter then take one-three weeks integrating what I learned into my daily life.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Stars.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Stars.
March 29, 2023
I’ve read this book a few times over the years, and I loved seeing all of my notes and passages underlined from several years ago. Different things resonate with me each time I read this, and sometimes it’s frustrating to see things highlighted that I still (SIGH) have not worked through, but regardless it’s always inspiring.
January 10, 2008
Quick and dirty but profound and applicable at the same time. If you practice yoga and want to take the lessons you find on the mat and work with them in your life, this book gives you tools and food for thought.
November 4, 2012
absolutely one of my favorite yoga books. it should be on every yoga practitioner's shelf. easily helps bridge the gap between asana and life.
January 19, 2013
I return to this book almost daily, for inspiration and guidance.
October 7, 2018
This one gets a solid "It was OK" Goodreads 2-star rating from me -- some good points, some bad, nothing that broke new ground for me, but still some helpful perspectives to be considered.
The book is divided into three parts (or apparently four, in the second edition -- I didn't realize I didn't have the most up to date version), exploring yoga in a series of contexts with expanding focus, beginning with the self, then personal circles, then the world at large. Each chapter begins with a verse from either the Yoga Sutra or the Bhagavad Gita, that distills the core focus of the chapter, and is followed with a personal/narrative reflection, and then suggested daily practices and mantras.
I didn’t love the book. The descriptions of the historic texts were hard to decipher, and the explanations perfunctory, which made it harder for me to internalize them and definitely harder for me to be inspired by them. Some of the author's narrative sections felt a bit preachy and even a smidge self-congratulatory. I understand what the intention was -- to tell personal anecdotes that she could generalize from -- but it wasn't done effectively, leaving a bit of a me-me-me effect instead.
But I didn't hate the book either -- in fact, as I look back on it, I highlighted quite a lot. The practical sections were also in general better and easier to assimilate, and there were quite a few things in there that I found interesting and challenging (although some were a little pop-psychology silly). Part of the problem, I think, was reading it too quickly, as a cover-to-cover read, rather than working through it more slowly as a workbook or practice guide. I will most likely return to it in small bits in that mindset, which I think will help.
For a much more readable and inspiring work on basic yoga principles and working with them on and off the mat, though, I'd recommend Perfectly Imperfect by Baron Baptiste instead.
The book is divided into three parts (or apparently four, in the second edition -- I didn't realize I didn't have the most up to date version), exploring yoga in a series of contexts with expanding focus, beginning with the self, then personal circles, then the world at large. Each chapter begins with a verse from either the Yoga Sutra or the Bhagavad Gita, that distills the core focus of the chapter, and is followed with a personal/narrative reflection, and then suggested daily practices and mantras.
I didn’t love the book. The descriptions of the historic texts were hard to decipher, and the explanations perfunctory, which made it harder for me to internalize them and definitely harder for me to be inspired by them. Some of the author's narrative sections felt a bit preachy and even a smidge self-congratulatory. I understand what the intention was -- to tell personal anecdotes that she could generalize from -- but it wasn't done effectively, leaving a bit of a me-me-me effect instead.
But I didn't hate the book either -- in fact, as I look back on it, I highlighted quite a lot. The practical sections were also in general better and easier to assimilate, and there were quite a few things in there that I found interesting and challenging (although some were a little pop-psychology silly). Part of the problem, I think, was reading it too quickly, as a cover-to-cover read, rather than working through it more slowly as a workbook or practice guide. I will most likely return to it in small bits in that mindset, which I think will help.
For a much more readable and inspiring work on basic yoga principles and working with them on and off the mat, though, I'd recommend Perfectly Imperfect by Baron Baptiste instead.
January 20, 2018
This book would be beneficial for every human on the planet! Sure there are cheesy aspects for sure like when the author suggests saying, “I am having loving feelings towards you” rather than, “I love you.” But that’s just my way of thinking and I understand her explanation regarding it and still got something out of the Love chapter. At other parts I felt like the author was forcing her opinion on the reader, but truthfully she is just sharing how she lives so I didn’t take it personally. For example one part talks about how she would never tell a white lie because it is just as bad as a real lie. 🤔🤷🏽♀️ Even with thoughts like this here and there I truly felt inspired to live a more meaningful way of life while reading this book and I can see myself going back to it for years to come. I don’t think I’d classify this as a “self help” book, but more a book to help us look at and approach life with a different, more accepting perspective. I especially loved the nonviolence chapter as our world so desperately needs this.
July 14, 2024
I listened to the audio version of this book. I found the narration to be of good quality and easy to follow.
I really enjoyed and appreciated the explanation about what the term surrender means in yoga. This is the first yoga book I've read which has done that and I've dipped in and out of a few. It really helps deepen the readers understanding.
However I find some of the suggested activities to be counter productive. I also have issues with the concept that everything and everyone should be forgiven. Afterall, it is being in that dark and angry place that leads to the greatest healing and insight. This isn't something you can just do over night. More importantly somethings are just unforgivable. And can't be let go of.
Another pet peeve of mine is when people unnecessarily gender things instead of using them or they. Sadly this book is guilty of this, which is annoying. And makes it less inclusive.
But overall I really enjoyed this book and found it straightforward but insightful. I would definitely recommend to anyone trying to understand the philosophy behind yoga.
I really enjoyed and appreciated the explanation about what the term surrender means in yoga. This is the first yoga book I've read which has done that and I've dipped in and out of a few. It really helps deepen the readers understanding.
However I find some of the suggested activities to be counter productive. I also have issues with the concept that everything and everyone should be forgiven. Afterall, it is being in that dark and angry place that leads to the greatest healing and insight. This isn't something you can just do over night. More importantly somethings are just unforgivable. And can't be let go of.
Another pet peeve of mine is when people unnecessarily gender things instead of using them or they. Sadly this book is guilty of this, which is annoying. And makes it less inclusive.
But overall I really enjoyed this book and found it straightforward but insightful. I would definitely recommend to anyone trying to understand the philosophy behind yoga.
May 20, 2021
Applying concepts from the philosophy of yoga to your life. Organized well and provides some thoughtful questions and practices- I liked the first half the best. I’m not sure I would recommend this book to others because most of the stories and examples were based on the authors children and family - that might be charming to some but a distraction to others. Many examples come from a point of view of privilege (a story about winning from a ski camp, learning not to be greedy by providing multiple apple pies for the children to show there is plenty, learning about not finding satisfaction with material things by giving her kids the material things they wanted) and this takes me out of connecting with the book.
November 20, 2017
If you're looking for suggestions on how to improve your asanas, this is not the book for you. But it is definitely a good adaptation of the thousand year old Pantajali philosophy. With some more practical advice on the side.
Judith Lasater manages to give a lot of real life examples and easy to implement tactics. I had a lot of fun reading this book, most of the exercises are mostly meditative and they provide good tools to evaluate both your life and your yoga practice.
Although not all her life decisions presented in the book would work for everybody, the overall idea of the book is very healthy and useful for any yoga practitioner.
Judith Lasater manages to give a lot of real life examples and easy to implement tactics. I had a lot of fun reading this book, most of the exercises are mostly meditative and they provide good tools to evaluate both your life and your yoga practice.
Although not all her life decisions presented in the book would work for everybody, the overall idea of the book is very healthy and useful for any yoga practitioner.
December 17, 2017
I really enjoyed reading this book! I read it slowly in about 6months. This book I read in the bath or couple hours before bed. I found it to be empowering, comforting, and inspiring joy and positive thinking inside me. I have hope of giving and receiving more love and happiness in my life after reading her book. I recommend to read it slowly as I did so you can take in each component and lesson she gives you. I appreciate her practice suggestions and daily mantras at the end of each lesson. Also, I love "the yoga sutras of patanjali" and "bhagavad gita" and she translated alot of their words wonderfully in this book!
March 31, 2024
Normally after I've read a book, I return it to the library or if it is one I've purchased, I pass it on. However, Living Your Yoga, is a book I have read over ten years ago when I took yoga teacher training, and it has such a wealth of information that I keep picking it back up and re-reading.
I finally decided I would read, take some notes (18 typed pages...yes, it is that good!), and pass it on because the contents are meant to be shared. The book is a short 146 pages. There are 21 chapters in the book, and each chapter has five parts: a verse from Yoga Sutra, an essay, a guided practice, more suggestions for practice, and Mantras for Daily Living. Very applicable.
I finally decided I would read, take some notes (18 typed pages...yes, it is that good!), and pass it on because the contents are meant to be shared. The book is a short 146 pages. There are 21 chapters in the book, and each chapter has five parts: a verse from Yoga Sutra, an essay, a guided practice, more suggestions for practice, and Mantras for Daily Living. Very applicable.
January 6, 2022
I will likely remember this book as one of my favorite yoga books. It includes practical applications of yogic principles into daily, modern life. For example, there's advice on how to bring awareness to spending habits applying yogic philosophy. This book was a requirement in my yoga teacher training, and I understand why it was recommended as our first reading. It taught me that yoga is a way a life; It is much more than asanas and movement of the body with the breath. Yoga is a way of living.
July 9, 2017
I won't lie and say that this book was mind blowing. But I will say that it was one of the best books I've read that unintentionally targeted my anxiety. I really enjoyed the mantras at the end of each chapter and the general approach to different aspects of life. Some of it didn't apply and the Baghavita (sp?) passages were a bit like reading the Bible - not my jam. Overall solid book for a new yogi.
July 14, 2019
This is a great guide for beginner yogis who would like an overview of what yoga is actually about, going past the asanas.
That’s exactly what I have been looking for when I came across this book and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Enlightened by the author’s experiences, it takes us across important teachings referred in other important and more complex literature.
A great light read that brings complex writings and ideas to a very basic level, which makes yoga accessible to everyone.
That’s exactly what I have been looking for when I came across this book and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Enlightened by the author’s experiences, it takes us across important teachings referred in other important and more complex literature.
A great light read that brings complex writings and ideas to a very basic level, which makes yoga accessible to everyone.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews