What Others Say About "Wrestling With Yoga"
“A beautiful and honest exploration of her own practice of yoga and Judaism. A portrait of an examined life where curiosity is an essential value. Crisp and clear, inviting readers to walk with her toward a more spiritually fulfilling and balanced life.”
“Her clarity and humility are a testament to the mindfulness and courageous search for truth that underscore this book. She outlines her battle and her awakenings and inspires us to wrestle with our own blind spots and move into the light.”
“Shelly Dembe’s sincere and honest effort to recontextualize yoga practice in an authentic Jewish spiritual context documents her initial reservations and gradual acceptance of Jewish spirituality. In so doing, she portrays a deep and multi-layered spirituality and presents the basic rituals and prayers of the day, week and year as tools for the mindful, conscious lifestyle.”
“A clearly told reflection on how the practice of yoga can inspire us to see under the surface of our religious traditions and lead a life of deep and sacred connection.”
“A warm, funny, thoughtful voice tackling an important subject. She lives her life as if what she does matters in every moment, testing her experiences against her faith, and shares the struggle with you. This book will resonate not just with Jews grappling with being true to their beliefs but with everyone tempted to dip a toe into Eastern practices like yoga or Buddhist meditation without compromising the faith that sustains them.”
“Yoga has been of great interest to many members of the Jewish community. Yet there are numerous elements of traditional yoga that contradict Judaism, especially its most urgent demand that there be no connection to any perceived or imagined power in any way whatsoever other than to the one G-d as defined by the Torah. Shelly has done an excellent job in this book of peeling away those elements of yoga that contradict Judaism while retaining those concepts that are neutral and hence of utility to enhance physical, emotional well being—matters of great importance to Judaism. She also explores those moral and ethical ideas within yoga that do not seem to contradict Judaism, or invoke any other higher power or authority. This is not a general endorsement of any form of involvement in any type of yoga: the question remains open as to whether an individual ought to practice yoga even in this modified form, an individuated question that should be addressed by each individual to the person who is their personal source of Halachic and general Judaic guidance.”