Dancing Light: The Spiritual Side of Being Through the Eyes of a Modern Yoga Master

by Tao Porchon-Lynch, Janie Sykes Kennedy, Teresa Kay-Aba Kennedy

What is the secret to boundless energy, vitality and a fearless spirit? Millions across the globe have been inspired by 99-year-old Tao Porchon-Lynch--WWII French Resistance fighter, model, actress, film producer, wine connoisseur, competitive ballroom dancer, and yoga master. In 2012, she was named "Oldest Yoga Teacher" by Guinness World Records. The twinkle in her eyes and the brightness of her spirit capture you. Her YouTube videos have garnered over two million views. In June 2015, she wowed judges on America's Got Talent dancing with her 26-year-old partner to Pitbull's "Fireball." With Peter Pan-like endless youth, she says, "In my head I'm still in my 20's, and I have no intention of ever growing up." How did she get this way and how can we exude such light? Dancing The Spiritual Side of Being Through the Eyes of a Modern Yoga Master is an inspirational autobiography that shows us what is possible--that we each can live to our Highest Potential by inhaling life, exhaling strife and dancing to our own rhythm. Through Tao's reflections, we are given the gift of insights from almost a century of wisdom that can be applied to our modern-day challenges. We learn her "secrets" to vitality while taking a soulful odyssey of love and loss, hope and joy.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction

504 pages, Hardcover

First published October 2, 2015

About the author

Tao Porchon-Lynch was an American yoga master and award-winning author.

Reviews

[Pauline · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Fascinating Life

This woman has led a fascinating life. Being a devotee of Yoga I enjoyed this book immensely and her thoughts on life and spirituality. It's amazing how her age has never slowed her down . She has a zest of life that not many have. I hope to follow her path. You are never too old to learn.

[Lyndsay Cavanagh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Täo Porchon-Lynch has lived 100 lives, all of them meaningful. She's walked with Ghandi and Martin Luther King, Jr. She's studied yoga under Iyengar and other divine masters. She's lived all over the world, most of the time with little to no money. I'm in awe of her spirit and fearlessness.

[Alejandra Pedraza · Rating 5 out of 5]

A page turner! What this woman lived is truly worth sharing! By the end I felt i knew her deeply! Her perspective on life is highly admirable and her multiple experiences are just WAW. What a life and what a way to live it!!!!

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tao is a wonderful storyteller, but not a wonderful writer. Still, her life story is incredible if you can get past the not-so-great writing.

[Louisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I ordered this book after a friend sent me an email about a 100 year old yoga teacher because most of my students have come to yoga in their 30’s or later. Tao Porchon Lynch has led a varied and fascinating life. Tao was born in 1918 to a French Canadian father and Indian mother in the English Channel. Her mother died in childbirth, leaving Tao to be raised by her father’s brother and his wife in Pondicherry, India. Her uncle, VItal Porchon, took little Andree Tao with him on most of his travels, introducing her to many influential people on the Indian peninsula along the way. She marched with Gandhi in 1930 and with Dr. King in 1963. She served the French Resistance in World War II, and married a French pilot. To make ends meet, Tao worked as a dancer, a model, an actress, a producer, and a yoga teacher. She has always been a champion of equality and civil rights, in keeping with her belief that we are all part of the One. Before you pigeonhole her as a do-gooder, Tao is also a founding member of the American Wine Society and former Vice President of that group. Best of all, she organized yoga and wine retreats for many years.

Did I forget to mention that Tao first learned yoga as a child in India, brought it with her to Europe and then to the United States? Tao studied with Sri Aurobindo, BKS Iyengar, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and Krishnamacharya, started an American Yoga Teacher’s Alliance which morphed into the Yoga Teacher’s Association in 1979. Ironically, she was almost refused credentials by Yoga Alliance twenty years later because she did not go through training at a recognized YA school despite having 35,000 hours of yoga teaching experience. Tao lives what she teaches, eating no meat, staying physically active, recognizing herself as part of Nature, and focusing on positive outcomes. The book? It reads like fiction at times and like philosophy at other times. It should be taken in small doses with time to savor and reflect.

[Emily Just · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved her memoirs from the golden age of Hollywood. Remarkable woman and life.

[Judy Zingher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tao lead a fascinating life and shared a wonderful wisdom. I wish the book had been better written. The style is poor throughout, and several names are misspelled.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved learning about the authors life and her experiences. So many great things to take away from this book.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Inspiring!