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Yoga Girl
A New York Times bestseller from the yoga instructor who inspires more than one million followers on Instagram every day.Whether she’s practicing handstands on her stand-up paddleboard or teaching Downward-Facing Dog to the masses, Rachel Brathen—Instagram’s @Yoga_Girl—has made it her mission to share inspirational messages with people from all corners of the world. In Yoga Girl, Brathen takes readers beyond her Instagram feed and shares her journey like never before—from her self-destructive teenage years in her hometown in Sweden to her adventures in the jungles of Costa Rica, and finally to the beautiful and bohemian life she’s built through yoga and meditation in Aruba today. Featuring spectacular photos of Brathen practicing yoga with breathtaking tropical backdrops, along with step-by-step yoga sequences and simple recipes for a healthy, happy, and fearless lifestyle—Yoga Girl is like an armchair vacation to a Caribbean spa.
329 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2014
151 people are currently reading
2175 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 317 reviews
June 3, 2015
I suffer from depression and anxiety and I have to tell you, this book has given me more than my psychologist have done in a year!
Inspire to do yoga but also how to enjoy life! Amazing!
Inspire to do yoga but also how to enjoy life! Amazing!
May 25, 2015
I've been following Rachel Brathen for a long time. At first it was for the pretty pictures and the handstand inspo. Then she started to open up and share more than just beach sunsets, vegetarian food, and yoga poses. She started sharing her personal thoughts, feelings, and experiences. With a glass of wine (or a margarita on the side). ;) I loved it and it inspired me to break free from the negativity that had consumed my life. I started yoga and looking for positive inspo and it made such a difference! Even when her account got dark from a broken heart due to loss, her followers kept the light going for her and anyone else in pain. It's an amazing community really! I strayed a bit from yoga and checking in on her account when I needed that boost after my best friend and I grew apart and eventually became complete strangers towards one another, then my grandmother died, followed by my first dog. I fell into a very dark place where I felt I was alone and there wasn't a soul that could reach me and I didn't want them to either. I lost touch with everyone and everything for a bit. I drank a lot. I questioned my marriage, my feelings, my reason for being. One day I went back and read Rachel's posts on losing her best friend, grandmother, and dog in a short time. It helped me put what I was feeling into perspective. I just kept reading and found myself back on the mat. I picked up her book the day it was released, absorbed it, and I just finished it and I am feeling motivated to get back to the happiness and light I had just a short time back and to helping myself heal in better ways than through taking out my pain on the people that I love and still have in my life. Does Rachel inspire you to do yoga? Heck yes. And yoga is great. But she also inspires you to change your tune, your outlook, and your perspective. That includes how you treat yourself and those around you. Oh, the recipe tidbits are a bonus. I'm about to whip up those raw chocolate bites. Yummy! So thank you, Rachel. For being brave enough to share your story. For opening up on a social media outlet where people tend to attack one another instead of lifting each other up. And thank you for writing this book. And sorry for writing my longest and most personal book review ever. :) Pick this one up. Whether you're already one of her million plus followers on Insta or not. Whether you're interested in yoga or not. Just do it.
August 20, 2015
I was definitely turned off by the celebrity Sports Illustrated cover model photos on every page. Brathen may be as deep and inspirational as some people claim, yet is very young to be a teacher in a field that requires self-knowledge.
I never learned what style of yoga she learned from her teachers. Sorry, yoga is more than handstands on the beach. Savasana (the pose most Americans find the hardest) is described on one half page with Brathen in a bikini on a board.
I never learned what style of yoga she learned from her teachers. Sorry, yoga is more than handstands on the beach. Savasana (the pose most Americans find the hardest) is described on one half page with Brathen in a bikini on a board.
August 6, 2016
I wasn't expecting much, just a light fluffy book with some yoga inspiration, and that's what I got. It was fine.
Brathen shares the story of her yoga journey, and throughout the book is very clear and consistent in her message of "love and accept your body, the rest will follow." This would be easier to digest if there weren't, as one reviewer put it, "Sports Illustrated" photos of Brathen in bikinis, on paddle boards, on the beach, next to a waterfall, etc. The photos in the yoga studio of poses are helpful and serve a purpose. But the rest? It's hard to digest the message of "your body is already perfect as it is" that's accompanied by photos of, quite literally, the stereotypically perfect female body. Her message would have felt a lot more genuine to me if she had featured photos of some of her students, different genders, races, ages, and abilities.
So I'm left with, it was fine.
Brathen shares the story of her yoga journey, and throughout the book is very clear and consistent in her message of "love and accept your body, the rest will follow." This would be easier to digest if there weren't, as one reviewer put it, "Sports Illustrated" photos of Brathen in bikinis, on paddle boards, on the beach, next to a waterfall, etc. The photos in the yoga studio of poses are helpful and serve a purpose. But the rest? It's hard to digest the message of "your body is already perfect as it is" that's accompanied by photos of, quite literally, the stereotypically perfect female body. Her message would have felt a lot more genuine to me if she had featured photos of some of her students, different genders, races, ages, and abilities.
So I'm left with, it was fine.
August 14, 2015
Wow! Let me just say that I am so inspired! Yoga girl is amazing! She inspires love and kindness but more importantly self love and health. I wish I had her outlook on life! She has inspired me to take my practice to my mat daily and also to try meditation. I've always been really skeptical and found it to hard to quiet my mind. With her tips I'm hoping to integrate meditation into my yoga practice.
This book is for anyone who wants advice on starting a yoga practice or meditation practice. Also for anyone who just wants to be inspired or a daily reminder to be love!
This book is for anyone who wants advice on starting a yoga practice or meditation practice. Also for anyone who just wants to be inspired or a daily reminder to be love!
January 10, 2018
I was on Aruba in 2016 it was the first time I heard about the author and her company. I initially read good things via the internet and what they are about... how inspirational and positive she is and all that stuff. I read reviews here that claim the author is nice and positive. But have they actually met her and worked with her (in terms of business)?
I know some one who was considering approaching her and her company in order to propose adding a psychological aspect to well being. It all seemed like a good idea, but I always do some research before getting into business with anyone (I and other have been burned in the past).
So I reached out to contacts I have on Aruba. After all, who would l know better than the locals, and the employees.
The general out come of that inquiry was to “stay away”. And if not be very careful and make sure the contracts and legal bases are well covered, and be prepared to deal with things legally eventually.
Here is a sample of what I found out.
The vegan recipes... original chefs and others who created them were not acknowledged, given credit or even asked for permission. No... they are not recipes she created. But with no copyrights, they have no legal basis to do anything.
Employees are not treated with respect, yelled at, and fired or harassed into quitting when it is time to claim their due (legally by contract).
Many contractual obligations and deals are broken or simply not met. Especially those made in good faith with no firm contracts for legal action. Verbal agreements are legally binding right? But if you don’t have it on paper... you get the point.
The promotion and exposure of her child since day one “a la Truman show”... no one finds this questionable? I suppose with being able to make up to $25k per insta post, makes for a good motivator.
All in all... for those who have used this book as an inspiration and pulled themselves out of depression I am happy for you and I do not intend to bring you down. But knowing all of the above and then flipping through the book, I could not help but see it for what it is. It gives people what they want to see and read, but it is superficial fluff. As another pointed out it has a sort of sports illustrated feel, making it less genuine.
This is not a company or person I would promote others to work with. At least I advised my friend to stay clear.
I know some one who was considering approaching her and her company in order to propose adding a psychological aspect to well being. It all seemed like a good idea, but I always do some research before getting into business with anyone (I and other have been burned in the past).
So I reached out to contacts I have on Aruba. After all, who would l know better than the locals, and the employees.
The general out come of that inquiry was to “stay away”. And if not be very careful and make sure the contracts and legal bases are well covered, and be prepared to deal with things legally eventually.
Here is a sample of what I found out.
The vegan recipes... original chefs and others who created them were not acknowledged, given credit or even asked for permission. No... they are not recipes she created. But with no copyrights, they have no legal basis to do anything.
Employees are not treated with respect, yelled at, and fired or harassed into quitting when it is time to claim their due (legally by contract).
Many contractual obligations and deals are broken or simply not met. Especially those made in good faith with no firm contracts for legal action. Verbal agreements are legally binding right? But if you don’t have it on paper... you get the point.
The promotion and exposure of her child since day one “a la Truman show”... no one finds this questionable? I suppose with being able to make up to $25k per insta post, makes for a good motivator.
All in all... for those who have used this book as an inspiration and pulled themselves out of depression I am happy for you and I do not intend to bring you down. But knowing all of the above and then flipping through the book, I could not help but see it for what it is. It gives people what they want to see and read, but it is superficial fluff. As another pointed out it has a sort of sports illustrated feel, making it less genuine.
This is not a company or person I would promote others to work with. At least I advised my friend to stay clear.
July 21, 2018
Really great book. A mixture of written information, as we learn all about Rachel's life. She's very honest and it's easy to see how yoga has helped her. There are lots of photographs showing differing poses, they are easy to follow and make sense to a beginner like me. I really liked it and it has inspired me to try some yoga for myself, so it must have worked!
July 25, 2020
I feel a little bad for giving it 2 stars as I'm sure Rachel is a lovely person, and it's so amazing how much she turned her life around - the very first chapter was by far my favourite. But I just found this book too wishy-washy and I was not a fan of the photo diary side of it. Too much fluff and very little content, sorry.
June 6, 2015
I could live without her 24-hour-handstands-all-the-time channel presentation. I am active on neither Facebook nor Instagram, am just an aging practitioner of mild hatha and gentle yoga—so I am not her intended Aruba-retreat market. Her yoga pyrotechnics are totally lost on me. My days of attempting even headstand are long over.
What is interesting about Rachel Brathen is only this: despite her privileged upbringing (a scion of Swedish industrialists) she has rebelled and forged her own way. Her husband is a talented photographer and cinematographer. And the woman has more depth than she lets on. I hope I will still be around when she is mature enough to meet "the rest of us" at our own level.
She's got potential. Nothing better than that.
What is interesting about Rachel Brathen is only this: despite her privileged upbringing (a scion of Swedish industrialists) she has rebelled and forged her own way. Her husband is a talented photographer and cinematographer. And the woman has more depth than she lets on. I hope I will still be around when she is mature enough to meet "the rest of us" at our own level.
She's got potential. Nothing better than that.
March 26, 2015
Light fluff, basically a coffee table book. Nothing special.
April 5, 2017
what a load of old tosh! little privileged girls does handstand on the beach and tells us that it's all about love and that we manifest even the bad things that happen to us. yeah right. I'm sure the abused children and holocaust victims manifested their tormentors, eh? not! I am annoyed with myself for wasting time and money on this overhyped trash. If you are serious about Yoga don't bother. I have been doing yoga for 16 years and currently undertaking yoga teacher training so her rehashed collection of platitudes is not cutting it.
August 25, 2016
I wanted to like this book more than ended up being the case, unfortunately. I found it to be a little.... hollow? Beautiful images, though, and I do appreciate the personal story that she shared through her writing. It's a pretty book, but not one I'd recommend to anyone with a true love of Yoga.
August 6, 2017
Vilken underbar bok! ❤️🙏❤️
Så inspirerande och vacker.
Så inspirerande och vacker.
January 29, 2019
Brilliant Book! I can recall how I started Yoga six months ago along with floor exercises and skipping sessions. The first aim was to shed those extra fat flabs but then I realized I should go with the flow. I should respect my body for what it is rather than consistently working out to get leaner. I started focussing more on the food I consume, what I think and how my body responds to it. I realized it's the only loving thing if you accept yourself the way you look (no matter how fat or lean, black or white, rich or poor) you are. If you would love your body you would start losing weight as well start focussing on the food that benefits it the most. I am in love with this book and gonna pursue yoga more attentively. When I stopped worrying about my weight I reduced a lot and still I am on the right path. What an awesome book to finish in the morning :)
July 31, 2018
If you have any interest in getting into yoga or learning more about mediation please read this book. Rachel Brathen is a fantastic role model and all around person. In the book, she talks about her life struggles and how it lead her to meditation and then into yoga. There are sequences for specific yoga and also some yummy smoothie ideas. She is extremely down to earth and acts like a real person, unlike a lot of the yoga people you can follow on Instagram that act like their lives are perfect. She discusses how yoga is about the mind and the poses are used to help with the breath. She taught me that just because I can't do a handstand or I can't completely put my heels down during downward dog, I am still doing yoga. She preaches self-love and self-worth. Seriously, pick this book up you will feel so good about yourself.
June 2, 2019
Inspirational 🌻
December 13, 2016
J'ai adoré ce joli petit livre mi-témoignage, mi-développement personnel de Rachel Brathen !
Je ne connaissais pas l'engouement médiatique autour d'elle et n'avais aucune idée de son parcours et de ce par quoi elle était passé. C'est un peu futile mais j'ai tout simplement craqué sur la couverture au cours de ma période de recherche de bouquins sur le yoga et c'est donc un hasard complet si je l'ai lu.
Les photos sont sublimes et j'ai adoré la simplicité et la joie de vivre de cette yoga girl. Ses conseils valent bien des dizaines de livres de développement personnel pour aller mieux, se concentrer sur soi, etc. En revanche, il ne vous conviendra pas si vous cherchez un guide de positions de yoga car même si certains asanas sont présentés (seuls ou en enchaînement), cela reste une toute petite partie du livre. Vous trouverez aussi quelques recettes de cuisine, une séance de méditation, des tips bien-être et mantras. Je recommande !
Je ne connaissais pas l'engouement médiatique autour d'elle et n'avais aucune idée de son parcours et de ce par quoi elle était passé. C'est un peu futile mais j'ai tout simplement craqué sur la couverture au cours de ma période de recherche de bouquins sur le yoga et c'est donc un hasard complet si je l'ai lu.
Les photos sont sublimes et j'ai adoré la simplicité et la joie de vivre de cette yoga girl. Ses conseils valent bien des dizaines de livres de développement personnel pour aller mieux, se concentrer sur soi, etc. En revanche, il ne vous conviendra pas si vous cherchez un guide de positions de yoga car même si certains asanas sont présentés (seuls ou en enchaînement), cela reste une toute petite partie du livre. Vous trouverez aussi quelques recettes de cuisine, une séance de méditation, des tips bien-être et mantras. Je recommande !
March 27, 2015
I've been following Rachel for a long time on the 'gram and generally covet her tan, handsome husband, predilection for handstands, and international jetsetting. This book is a great chance to get to know a little bit more about her and her journey to becoming Yoga Girl. The photography is beautiful and there are helpful pointers for yoga as well as some delicious recipes (I anticipate a full cookbook will be next from her). More than anything, the book made me realize that behind each fairly joyful instagram and snapchat there is a woman who has worked hard to get to know her true self through doing and teaching yoga, and as opposed to thinking she's maybe covering some shit up, it led me to believe she is as authentic as they come. If you're interested in yoga or just being happy, it's definitely worth the $13 on amazon. It's very quick (probably onyl about 50 pages of text).
August 9, 2015
I feel as if Rachel Brathen is a kindred spirit! I had not heard of her before reading this and I am SO glad my Yoga Reads book club is focusing on her book this month. I needed to hear all Rachel had to say; it was inspiring and much needed for me at this point in time. Along with my dependence on God, my relationship with Jesus, and my study of Scripture, I feel Rachel is someone that I will continue to incorporate into my life as I grow on my spiritual journey!!!
November 21, 2015
This book was a quick read. It is a beautiful book, full of pictures of the author practicing in beautiful places. The book lacked substance though - I was hoping for more of an in-depth story. I can see how this book would be inspirational to someone who is thinking of starting a yoga practice, but I can't say the same for the reader who has already been practicing for quite some time.
January 11, 2016
Sure, Yoga Girl is full of personal stories that anyone with a sense of storytelling skills could have written in their own blog, but for the kind of book this is, it was a good one. Full of real talk, healthy and vibrant recipes, and-- my favorite-- super clear yoga poses and sequences, this was a great book to start my morning with, over a cup of hot tea.
March 28, 2015
I'm only giving it 4 stars and not 5 because I didn't like the yoga poses in with the story. Would have liked the story then all her yoga pose insights and fun recipes. Loved what she had to say.
September 4, 2025
3 ⭐️
Oh man… ❤️🩹
I used to be really into this whole world, and Rachel was one of the people I drew a lot of inspiration from. When this book first came out in 2015, I happened to be travelling in California. At the time, it was still very difficult to find foreign books in Europe, so I was incredibly excited to track it down. I found it. Got it. Never read it.
This year, I’ve felt more connected to my 2015 self, so it finally felt right to pick it up. I expected it to help me grieve that chapter of my life and let go, but instead, it gave me something completely different. It made me want to return to practices I haven’t touched in years and, in a way, come home. 🌞
The book itself isn’t much. It’s beautiful, filled with a looot of gorgeous photos from that chapter of Rachel’s life—that’s how she first became so well-known. But as a memoir, it didn’t really tell me anything new about her. I did enjoy the yoga sections, and i’m looking forward to trying out some of the sequences.
Oh man… ❤️🩹
I used to be really into this whole world, and Rachel was one of the people I drew a lot of inspiration from. When this book first came out in 2015, I happened to be travelling in California. At the time, it was still very difficult to find foreign books in Europe, so I was incredibly excited to track it down. I found it. Got it. Never read it.
This year, I’ve felt more connected to my 2015 self, so it finally felt right to pick it up. I expected it to help me grieve that chapter of my life and let go, but instead, it gave me something completely different. It made me want to return to practices I haven’t touched in years and, in a way, come home. 🌞
The book itself isn’t much. It’s beautiful, filled with a looot of gorgeous photos from that chapter of Rachel’s life—that’s how she first became so well-known. But as a memoir, it didn’t really tell me anything new about her. I did enjoy the yoga sections, and i’m looking forward to trying out some of the sequences.
May 30, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. I've followed Rachel for a couple of years now. She was the first yoga account I ever followed. Although some of the content I already knew from listening to her podcast, it was still a good read and it delved a bit deeper in certain parts. There were parts of her story I could relate to which certainly gave me food for thought. One quote I liked was 'Do no harm but take no shit' :-)
July 15, 2020
It's the perfect book if you need some inspiration but not more than that. I doubt she went to a meditation retreat and suddenly she was healed. I'm sure it was hard work to change your life while having friends that would drink and do drugs all the time. Kinda sad that many authors tell the story of changing their lives within a moment, a day or a week because that sounds like a movie.
July 28, 2020
I thought this book was inspirational. It was very positive and gave me comfort in embracing each season of life such as during a quarantine. Rachel highlights the importance of staying present and noticing everything one has to be grateful for. I liked her saying: “life happens for you, not to you".
October 9, 2017
She IS nice. She IS happy. The pictures ARE beautiful. It IS all about her.
And it IS inspiring.
Surprisingly.
The pictures, the layout as well as the kind of text could easily become a parody of itself and, consequently, uninspiring and unreal. However, she balances so well on that limit.
From the heart; she gets the message across.
Thank you!
And it IS inspiring.
Surprisingly.
The pictures, the layout as well as the kind of text could easily become a parody of itself and, consequently, uninspiring and unreal. However, she balances so well on that limit.
From the heart; she gets the message across.
Thank you!
August 4, 2020
Love IT .. I use to practice yoga years ago for hours and I was vegetarian since I was 16 than at my 22 I went all vegan. I feel so connect with me again.
January 22, 2021
A very lovely book in which the author shares her journey and yummy recipes ideas ☺️
Displaying 1 - 30 of 317 reviews