Breathing Space: Twelve Lessons for the Modern Woman

by Katrina Repka

"This is the story of a year I spent in New York, studying with Yoga Master Alan Finger."

When Katrina Repka moved to New York, she was eager to shed her past and begin a new life, but she soon discovered that her old problems had followed her to the big city, and that instead of finding herself, she was more lost than ever. It was when she was almost ready to give up on everything that she read a magazine article on Master Yogi Alan Finger and knew that she had to meet him. It was a meeting that would change her life.

Over the next twelve months, with Alan's help, Katrina tackled and overcame many of the obstacles holding her back. Dealing with issues that every woman will relate to--criticism, emptiness, balance, family, and creativity (among others)--the twelve chapters in Breathing Space follow Katrina's ups and downs in New York. At the end of each chapter there is a simple but effective breathing exercise that will help readers eliminate harmful behavior patterns and speed their own process of personal transformation. Breathing Space is an inspiring and instructive book that offers every woman the chance to follow the author's path and become the person she truly wants and deserves to be.

Genres: Nonfiction, Spirituality, Self Help, Ebooks

256 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2008

Reviews

[Wendi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for : Personal Use,Professional Use, Would be an interesting book club read

In a nutshell: We take our breath for granted. It happens automatically - in, out, in out - . . . without thought. If we really experience our breath's full potential, it brings us awareness, power and release. Throughout the course of this book, Katrina gives the reader a glimpse into her life, and her conversations with Alan Finger, which ultimately lead to her learning breathing exercises that provide great benefits. At the end of each chapter she shares the exercises that she learns in an easy-to-follow format so that we can learn them too. I was amazed to find that I could follow the instructions, and that I have become more relaxed and am sleeping better. I have not done the exercises long, so have not reached the full benefit, but I do believe that they can bring the reader/practitioner many benefits.

Extended Review: Each chapter begins with a brief glimpse into Katrina's life, which soon flows into dialogue between her and Alan, ultimately resulting in a new breathing lesson. Each of the breathing exercises help the participant to focus or improve something such as their focus or redirecting "self-destructive tendencies."

Content: Each of the twelve chapters focuses on a different yoga breathing technique. Each technique is meant to provide a benefit to the person performing them.

Format: Each chapter starts with a memoir-type story, which leads to a conversation with Alan, ending with a new breathing technique. The end of the chapter includes the step-by-step instructions so the reader can do the techniques, and a personal note by Katrina to provide extra explanations or tips.

Readability: Easy to read - I was so engrossed in reading and trying to mimic the exercises in which-ever awkward position I happened to be reading in (no - I don't advise you to try it my way! It wasn't very successful until I actually followed the instructions) that the pages literally flew by! Before I knew it, I was at the end of another chapter.

Overall: Regardless of your views of yoga (novice vs. expert), I do believe he breathing exercises provide some real benefits, even if I haven't been as successful as Katrina . . . yet! If I understand correctly, the practitioner really needs to dedicate some time to get the techniques down correctly in order to be able to reap the full benefits. After the first day of reading, I was able to fall asleep in a very peaceful state (I normally struggle to get my thoughts to quiet down) by using the first two techniques. I can't wait to see what I can do after doing these for a longer time period.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

First finished book of the year! And a great one to start out with. Katrina Repka chronicles a year of her life that included significant changes. Like a lot of young women obsessed with the New York that we see portrayed in tv shows and movies like Sex in the City, she moved there thinking that the move alone would be enough to jumpstart her life. But, as so often happens (I know this first hand), your issues and problems follow you wherever you go.

She visited the yoga center of Alan Finger, a Master Yogi, and for the next twelve months, with his help, was able to learn more about herself and obtained the tools to move forward. Alan gave her instruction in the form of breathing exercises to help her focus on what's important.

We all take our breath for granted. When we are stressed or afraid, the first thing that we do is hold our breath - the very thing that keeps us alive. The exercises that Katrina & Alan show us in this book are very effective in helping to deal with a myriad of problems. There are exercises to calm the breath and also to energize. Told within the context of Katrina's life, they are very effective and I believe, very useful for us all.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read this twice. It’s a good primer on forms of breathwork and how to apply them to your life.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. I had picked it up once before but was unable to finish it. This time I took my time reading it. The author uses a memoir style of writing to take you through a point in her life and how a breath exercise helped to understand and move forward in her life. At the end of each chapter we are given a breath exercise to practice. This time when reading the book, instead of just reading through to the end, I paused at the end of each chapter and practiced the breath suggested by the chapter.
I found this did help me to get more out of the book. I found that this practice did help me through a few stressful times in the last year. What I did find annoying is the author always had this amazing, fully realized, experience the first time she ever tried to practice that breath. I found that off-putting as it was something unobtainable by a novice first timer trying it without a yoga master guiding you through the breath.
I did find value in the book. Practicing what was in it did give me time to slow down, re-evaluate what may be bothering me and move forward in a calmer, more reasoned manner.
It is a book I will refer to often as I did find that at different points in my life the different breath exercises did help and are beneficial for me to continue them.

[Mikel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great exercises and a good story to boot. Reading it feels like talking to a wise girlfriend.

[Karen Briscoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twelve lessons for the modern women really resonated with me. Inspiration and information that is transformative. It all begins and ends with breath. Karen Briscoe, author and podcast "5 Minute Success"

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent breathing exercises for yoga teachers.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it and more than I thought I would. I had read some online reviews at Amazon and most weren't flattering. I was leery about it, but I thought I'd give it a try. End result: I really enjoyed it.

It's a memoir of a women in her 20s who is learning to be more comfortable with her own thoughts and decisions. It's a revealing memoir and the author opens herself up, showing us what she was like prior to developing a strong yoga practice and then we watch her grow in maturity as her yoga practice continues to deepen.

Katrina moves to New York City to be with her boyfriend and while there, begins taking yoga with Alan Finger, who some of you may know from Yoga Zone, the TV series or DVDs. She had practiced yoga in her native Canada, but once she became an employee of and then friend with Alan Finger, she starts to learn that yoga is so much more than asanas.

Her book is divided into 12 chapters, with each chapter ending in a breathing lesson taught to her by Alan Finger.

I love yoga, which is why I wanted to read this book. If you like yoga, you know how amazing yoga is and how it can change your
life. That said, if you like yoga, I think you will enjoy reading this yoga memoir.

I've stumbled across a few modern yoga memoirs in the past six months and some are better than others. I enjoyed this one far more than "Poser: My Life in 23 Yoga Poses" which I couldn't finish because I disliked the author so much. "First There is a Mountain: A Yoga Romance" was enjoyable, but it started slow and didn't pull me in as quickly as this one did.

"Breathing Space" is an easy read, and it shows how one can become "enlightened" or at least become more secure with one's self by practicing yoga.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick, engaging read. It was surprising and refreshing to see someone be completely honest about their self-doubt, unkind thoughts about themselves, insecurities, and shallow tendencies, while trying to evolve and find happiness within. As others have mentioned, the writing is sometimes lacking, but the breathing exercises are fantastic and a must-read for anyone into yoga/meditation/living in the now. I enjoyed it and would recommend it for a nice reminder that we can do the work and become calmer, more patient, happier versions of ourselves.

[Tamara Dorris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had heard of Alan Finger plenty because I've been in the yoga thing for many years. This book was refreshing, fun, funny and very helpful. I enjoyed the author's journey and admission of neurosis that we can all relate to. Importantly, I got the book as a recommendation to learn more about the breathing techniques explained therein, but I found Katrina's story wrapped around the lessons to be entertaining and make the lessons even more endearing.

[Doreen · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book, we follow the author through a year of her life. She studies with a Yogi and explores her spirituality, creativity, family relationships, etc. It's a journey worth taking and worth reading about. The end of each chapter has a breathing exercise which makes it even more interesting, while reading this engaging story.

[Elizabeth LeDoux · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read about this book in Pam Grout's E Squared, and checked it out from the library. So good! It contains 12 breathing exercises that use yoga and meditation to create good mental and physical health. Katrina Repka writes a pretty good narrative and gives great step-by-step instructions. I like this book so much I am going to buy my own copy.

[Liv Gold · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best writing, but there are about a dozen detailed instructions for different breath exercises. Also, I like the anecdote that encourages us to live each day as though it were our first--wide-eyed, unassuming, all the time in the world.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was good. I have been interested in breathing exercises for a number of years. I can never get enough info on the benefits of breathing. Repka offered a very fresh look at the benefits of breathing while chronicling her growth through breathing exercising. I liked it.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book! I read the whole thing in one day, but will re-read it more carefully because it contains so much valuable information. I have used some of these breathing techniques in yoga, but the author's explanations were so helpful.

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A helpful discussion of various breathing exercises is offered at the end of each chapter. There is some very good information here about how mastering your breath can help you gain clarity and focus your energy in a posiitive way. I didn't particulary like the author's writing style, though.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was painful to get through this book and I found it hard to believe that the majority of the situations really took place. I do believe in Alan's teachings as I have attended one of his workshops before.

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read. Hoping to utilize some of the breathing techniques.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. I'm trying the breathing exercises now, and so far so good. I recommend this to anyone.

[Kitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a quick, great read. I am definitely going to hold onto it since it contains a lot of wisdom and some very valuable breathing exercises.

[Carlye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I continuously pick this book back up! I connected with her on so many levels.

[Leae · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting. has breathing lessons and would be good to reread if i ever want to try the lessons.

[Emerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!
so thankful i chose this book and that this book exists.

ah~ breathe is massaging me from within whenever i think about it! how AMAZING!!

[Jayney · Rating 3 out of 5]

The style that this is written gets a bit tiresome. However for a yoga boks it's very simple and easy to read. a Good beginners introduction to Pranayama

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt like I could commiserate with the author with relationship with others. I see myself referring back to this book to unwind, for some inspiration, or just to remind myself to breathe.

[Jmp · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book came to me at just the right time. I really enjoyed the 12 types of breathing and use many of them during different meditations.

[Kim Haze · Rating 4 out of 5]

You'll never breath the same again!