Yoga Affect: A Primer for a Beautiful Life
Self Help
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
September 16, 2016
Paperback & Kindle
296 (paperback)
Received as a giveaway on Amazon.
"Take an unprecedented look at yoga--and its numerous benefits for body, mind, and inspiring a purposeful life--with author Sandra Zuidema's comprehensive new book, Yoga Affect. While much has been made of yoga's physical benefits, the same cannot be said of its power to improve mental and spiritual wellness--until now. Sandra's experiences from yoga teacher trainings, seminars, workshops, ashrams, and travel to India convinced her to break down complex albeit neglected history, research, and therapies of yoga science. She starts at the beginning--from ancient origins to cutting-edge scientific research--guiding readers through modern developments, such as healing chronic disease, addiction recovery, and pain management. All the while, Sandra leads you down your path of truth, encouraging you to discover how yoga can spark a chain reaction of health and well-being, one that first affects you, then others--broadening influence, awareness, and inspiration. And now you can shift theory to experience with the companion book, Yoga Affect: A Guided Journal, where you will find essential details and writing prompts encouraging you to dig even deeper."
I really want this book to be at least a 4. The content is extremely well researched. It provides what every yoga teachers wants: Research that supports what yogis have experienced through the centuries. How much research went into this book? The list of cited works is nearly 30 pages long!
So, if I want the rating to be at least a 4, why is it a 3? The back cover text says, “Discover the peace of mind and wellness that awaits you with this easy-to-read guide to one of history’s most misunderstood science.” [emphasis mine] The text is difficult to read, it reads like a textbook. Book reviews are always subjective; so, I attempt to add a level of objectivity into my ratings. One way that I do this is to pick a random page in the book and type it into the Hemingway App. The results can be seen in the image to the right. One of the metrics provided is the readability of the text.
Now, when we say “grade level,” we aren’t saying that’s who you’re writing for. In fact, Ernest Hemingway’s work scores as low 5th grade, despite his adult audience. What our measurement actually gauges is the lowest education needed to understand your prose. Studies have shown the average American reads at a tenth-grade level — so that’s a good target.
This book is a difficult read but it is a book that I believe would be a good addition to any student of yoga’s personal library. You can find Yoga Affect at Amazon.
Jai Bhagwan