Take Up Your Mat and Walk

by Patrice Simon

Why are you here?It's a question I ask my students at the beginning of each yoga class to turn their focus on the work ahead. The answers Some say they came to get fit, others because they don't feel well, but a majority of people just aren't sure why they are here. They've been running on this treadmill called life, just going through the motions without taking time to determine if it's where they really want to be. And once you're on the treadmill, it's nearly impossible to get off without a serious wake-up call.I know because I lived it. I was lost in that same fog, consuming content, images, and technology at such a rate that there was no room for independent thought. But what I was really doing was what a majority of people also find themselves I was putting myself last. The result? Sickness, fatigue, depression, and feelings of emptiness. Some find relief in pills or alcohol; others switch off their receptors to pain at the cost of relationships, happiness, and fulfillment.So what about you? Why are you here? Are you tired of just going through the motions without really feeling anything? Are you ready to find your calling and reconnect with yourself? In other words, are you ready to live life to its full potential and follow your bliss?This book is your wake-up call. This is your cosmic two-by-four between the eyes. Allow me to share my journey, with the hope that you will step off that treadmill and get in touch with what matters yourself.

136 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 11, 2014

About the author

As both a businesswoman and a healthcare professional, Patrice Simon feels fortunate to have had the opportunity to make a career out of helping others improve their well-being through preventative practices, first as a dental hygienist and, since 1991, as a yoga instructor. During the eleven years she ran and owned a highly successful yoga studio in Costa Mesa, Calif., Patrice trained others to teach the Bikram technique and taught thousands of students, many of who became longstanding members of her close-knit community. As the founder of Smiling Monkey Yoga, Patrice pioneered children’s yoga classes in Orange County, Calif. Her first book, Take Up Your Mat and Walk , details how to find your purpose and lead a meaningful, happy life through the practices of yoga.

Reviews

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure: Patrice is one of my clients, and now also a friend. But that didn't stop me from enjoying her book and learning several life lessons along the way. Reading "Take Up Your Mat and Walk" made me re-examine my own current path and really analyze where it is I want to be headed. Although she writes from her own theological and spiritual perspective, Patrice has made the material accessible to readers of all faiths. If you need a kick in the butt or even if you're just considering taking up yoga, this book will help you understand that, when done properly, the practice yields benefits that go far beyond the physical.