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Claire Dederer book - My Life in Twenty-Three Yoga Poses


The book I chose for this month is a little different than usual. Despite the name of the book alludes to the yoga theme, it is not a practical book.

It's one of those books of curling up with him on the couch, in our pajamas, along with a and a tea.

I bought it completely on impulse.

I was sticking my nose into the books in a bookstore and the cover caught my eye. When I read the synopsis I couldn't put it down.

It is true, direct, raw, and, in so many things, equal to our lives as mothers, women and human beings. Finally... I found it just delicious.

The author risked getting involved in literature and narrates in this novel how the practice of yoga revitalized her emotional, psychological, physical and social disposition, sharing with readers the lessons learned in the classroom, but that overflowed from it touching all aspects of her life.

Claire Dederer began suffering from back and spine pain when she was breastfeeding her ten months daughter, due to the positions she adopted to do so.


As the pains increased in intensity, and after several encouragements, Claire decides to try yoga.

She wants to improve her body posture as well as control her anxiety and stress.

Initially, she has several preconceptions about the practice: "I thought [yoga] was the territory of middle-aged commodity ladies with a lot of free time or skinny young men, former gymnasts, fanatics and vegetarians,".

At first, the positions, techniques, and flexibility of the other students intimidated her, but with determination, she overcame the fears and obstacles that her body and mind offered.

A process that, according to Claire Dederer, was an important basis for changing the way of being with oneself and with others. The author believes that through the practice of yoga, she has discovered a source of balance between her expectations and reality, overcoming herself every day as a mother, wife, daughter and friend. Each of the chapters of this book, adopts the name of a yoga position, reflecting the challenges, mistakes and victories of the author outside and inside the class.

The author, Claire Dederer, is an engaging, snappy writer, though, and her book is simply a pleasure.




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