Yoga Bitch: One woman’s quest to conquer skepticism, cynicism and cigarettes on the path to enlightenment, by Suzanne Morrison, is an irreverent look at yoga without a hint of self-righteousness.
Yoga Bitch is an autobiography of Suzanne Morrison’s path to spiritual enlightenment. The book tells the story of Suzanne’s two-month yoga retreat to Bali. It also includes elements of her life previous to this experience, including her close relationships with her family. The author’s Catholic upbringing is also a key theme. The book also jumps ahead to her experiences years after the retreat.
Why Yoga Bitch?
The title Yoga Bitch comes about from Morrison overhearing two yoginis is in a café who are discussing a fellow practitioner who ‘’just doesn’t get it’. Morrison is determined to never be one of these people. However, as part of her yoga retreat, she comes up against some questions about her fellow yoga buddies and teachers that cause her to go through a phase of becoming one of these yoga bitches. However, Morrison never claims to be perfect and we feel her pain as she realizes that her teachers are only human too. When she spectacularly falls from the yoga path we can empathize with her in a way that is made possible by her openness and vulnerability.
What I liked about Yoga Bitch
It is a great read; I completed it in a day because I couldn’t put it down. Morrison is funny and down-to-earth, but the book touched on some deep issues that affect many of us who follow the path of the seeker. The book is not a guide to yoga and does not include directions or yoga poses. It is more an overview of one woman’s experience of the yoga path.
What I like most about this book is that it is not an idealistic look at the spiritual path. It is not about perfectionism, but more about process. Watching Suzanne question her own spiritual path is comforting. It helps us realize that we all have questions and none of us has all the answers.
Who I would recommend Yoga Bitch to
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is following a spiritual path and sometimes falls off the wagon. It is a comfort to know that we are all only human.
For sharing her doubts and fallibility, I give Suzanne Morrison and her book Yoga Bitch a 10/10
You can find out more about Suzanne Morrison and her book Yoga Bitch here