BOOKS & REVIEWS

Book review: Yoga for Real Life – Maya Fiennes

yoga for real life may fiennes book cover pin

About the book

This beautiful full-colour book is Maya Fiennes’ guide to a healthy, happy life – Kundalini style.

The sections are loosely based on the body’s seven main energy centres (chakras). They are:

• Be Here, Now (Root chakra)

• Detox & De-Stress (Sacral chakra)

• Yes, I can! (Navel chakra)

• Love & Relationships (Heart chakra)

• Staying Youthful (Throat chakra)

• Children (Third Eye chakra)

• Finding Joy (Crown chakra)

Each section features the relevant yoga poses, breathing techniques, Sanskrit chants and meditation.

Maya explains how the body is designed to heal many of our modern ailments and includes remedies for issues such as panic, stress, insomnia, heartache, unlocking creativity, coping with children, family harmony, deeper relationships, energy and vitality, anti-ageing, time management, inner peace and more fun!

Offering a total workout for mind, body and spirit, Yoga for Real Life provides a route to a more flexible body and a more flexible attitude to life.

This is a holistic handbook for building the physical and mental strength required to live life to the fullest.

naval chakra pages yoga for real life book maya fiennes

Why I loved it

I love this book.

But then, I’m a big fan of all things Maya Fiennes.

And I’m not alone: Deepak Chopra calls her ‘one of the true pioneers of yoga’.

Whilst Elle McPherson says, “Doing yoga with Maya is inspirational, energising, sexy and it gives me joy.”

So having established that Maya is wonderful – why is this book such a gem?

Well, in Yoga for Real Life, Maya has distilled all her Kundalini yoga expertise into one gorgeous bible for healthy living.

It’s packed with captivating content and the beautiful photography, stylish layout and Chakra-colour-coded format make for a fascinating and inspiring read.

The simple, elegant pictures and clear descriptions make the yoga sections appealing and easy to follow.

The yoga itself is not particularly demanding – many of the techniques are very simple movements – but the results (stamina, strength, inner calm, etc…) come from the repetition of those movements.

(This makes the exercises easily adaptable to any level of ability.)

I particularly enjoyed how Maya explains the science behind particular poses, mantras or breathing techniques – I’m a much more motivated and obedient pupil when I understand why’I should do certain things in a certain way.

I also loved the info on the chakras and how this information ties in with the yoga practice.

But the yoga instruction is only half the fun!

Throughout each section, we’re also treated to Maya’s personal insights and philosophies on such topics as gratitude, letting go, being in the moment, friendship, manifesting your dreams and ageing gracefully.

Each chapter also contains a sprinkling of autobiographical snippets (Maya’s own story is interesting stuff), along with inspiring quotes and anecdotes from her yoga students.

There are also chakra-relevant hints and tips and – in true holistic style – a smoothie recipe.

As the title suggests, this is a book for real life – the exercises are ones that us normal people can shoehorn into our busy lives.

Through these simple techniques and ideas, Maya has created an accessible route to inner peace, emotional calm, vibrant health and a better quality of life.

For beginners or experienced yogis, this book is a joy.