Yoke: My Yoga of Self-Acceptance

(Paperback)

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Jessamyn Stanleys first book, Every Body Yoga, with 59,000 copies in print, taught us how to do yoga. Now, in Yoke,she tells us why. Writing about what she calls the yoga of the everyday which is not just about poses but about applying the hard lessons we learn on the mat to the even harder daily project of living Yoke presents a series of deeply honest, funny, gritty, thoughtful, and largely autobiographical essays thatexplores the issues of race, self-love, capitalism, sex and sexuality, cannabis, and more.

Drawing its name from a literal translation of the Sanskrit root yuj, from which the word yoga derives,Yoke, invites every reader to find their own authentic yoga of the everyday, and learn to handle lifes toughest moments with the same flexibility, strength, grounding energy, and core awareness found in a headstand or Tadasana or cobra pose.

Reviews

Through a series of charming and thoughtfulautobiographical essays,Yokeultimately explainswhy Stanley practices yoga in the first place.Marie Claire

Jessamyn Stanley takes her all-bodies, all-abilities approach to teaching yoga off the mat with Yoke: My Yoga of Self-Acceptance, a book of personal essays about lifethe good, the bad, and loving all of yourself.Bust Magazine

"Yoke, unpacks the deeper meaning of yoga, beyond perfecting your downward dog." InStyle

"In Yoke, she uses her own life as a metaphor to further explore the coming together of mind and body, light and the dark, good and the bad - both on and off the mat." People

"Yoke is full of the kind of wisdom, honesty, and vulnerability that can only come from someone whos mastered the art of yoking in all its forms: the physical, the spiritual, the mental." Refinery29

"Enlightening and a joy to read."Goop

"Eye-opening, informative and always a joy to read." PopSugar

"This is a book for all readers, as a practical manual for embodied spiritual activism, a guide to decolonizing wellness, a tool for recognizing privilege, and a reminder that yoga isnt the corporate fantasy businesses make it out to be. Essential reading." Library JournalStarred Review

Readers who have dealt with struggles of impostor syndrome, self-doubt, and the difficulty of fitting into a space where no one looks like them will relate strongly. Abstract, funny, heartfelt, and inspiring, Yokeis a fundamental book for those learning to feel present in their emotions and to take up space for themselves, both on the yoga mat and off. Booklist Starred Review

Her reflections on topics such as meditation, imposter syndrome, wealth inequality, racism, cannabis use, sexual abuse and the sacredness of music are heartfelt and often searing. She is strongly declarative, and this makes for a narrative that allows readers to really know this author, which is, after all, what many readers want: connection. BookPage

Jessamyn Stanley is the yogi we all neededher perspectives are equal parts hilariously real and starkly insightful; I never knew Id learn so much about myself while laughing so hard. Tess Holiday, model and author of The Not So Subtle Art of Being a Fat Girl

Jessamyn speaks unapologetically from her heart and gives the reader permission to do the same. Adriene Mishler, founder of Yoga with Adriene and Find What Feels Good

Read this book. It will bring you back home to you. Yoke is powerfully honest, but above all its a book that will remind you of your own ability to yoke; to untie; to arrive at that centered place inside where all the pieces of you fit together. Rachel Brathen, author of Yoga Girl and founder of yogagirl.com

Jessamyns voice is the wake-up call we all need: irreverent, insightful, brutally honest, and straight-up funny. Stanley encourages us to peel back those layers, unlearn what weve been taught, and give ourselves the freedom to become who we were always meant to be. Kathryn Budig, author of Aim True and cohost of Free Cookies

Jessamyn Stanley is that rare combination of radical honesty, deep empathy, expertise, and an unwavering dedication to her craft. Yoke is the antidote to fluffy self-help culture that, at its core, is anything but healing. There is no wellness without realness, and Jessamyn never strays from her center. In turn, she helps to root us deeply within our own. This book, like its author, is a gem. Chani Nicholas, author of You Were Born for This and cocreated of the CHANI app

Author Bio

Jesssamyn Stanleyis the author of Every Body Yogaand Yoke and an internationally acclaimed voice in wellness, highly sought after for her insights on 21st-century yoga and intersectional identity. She is the founder of The Underbelly, an inclusive wellness community and streaming app, cohost of the podcast Dear Jessamyn, andcofounder of We Go High, a North Carolina based cannabis justice initiative.She is a regular contributor toSELFmagazine and has been featured in theNew York Times,Vogue, andSports Illustrated.