This is not a book about how to perform yoga poses. There is no downward dog or warrior 2, and yet there is a dog and there is a warrior. This is a story. While the practice of yoga seemingly addresses the mind and body, there is a mind/spirit component. This latter component is an important part of the daily practice of yoga.
I participate in yoga to keep my body moving as I age. I am unclear why I decided to read this book other than that a yoga teacher was to present it and use it for a class discussion. This is not something I generally participate in, but the title spoke to me so I read it. This book is profound and it makes you feel as if change is not work even while doing the work needed to change.
Geshe Michael Roach takes us through the lives of characters who have lived their lives on stagnant paths with a few nasty curves thrown in here and there. In a time when women were not yogis, a young woman is forced to confront these men, she helps them to clear their paths and to find their inner selves. To be who they really are yet better.
This is a clever story that takes us through the tenets of yoga (the Yoga Sutra). The characters represent parts of ourselves we may or may not like. The warrior is a woman who asks a lot of questions, makes mistakes, and who also represents the best of who we want to be.
You do not need to be in a yoga practice to read this book. You may be seeking something but you aren’t sure what. This book may provide the questions you need to formulate your new path. If you do practice yoga or are a teacher, then this book will add a tremendous amount of depth to that practice.
There are a select few authors and books where I would say I would reread them, however, this book is on that list.