I’m a particular fan of programmes rather than random guides that give lots of information and ideas but no fixed route to success.
Success, of course, comes from within, but so too does failure which is often built on the unstable remnants of our past.
Hobbs meets my expectations in Thrive Through Yoga by not only teaching the graceful art of the yoga discipline, but by doing so in a structured 21-day plan that can later be adapted for ongoing success. By doing so, she removes any doubt or difficulty faced by anyone new to the ideas presented in her book.
Like all journeys, Hobbs begins at the beginning, explaining her intentions, her terminology and her own history in simple language that is neither challenging or frightening. She explains the difference between “thriving” and “self-improvement” before examining various disorders, diseases and stressors that can impact negatively on our life. These include anxiety, depression, addiction, body shaming, perfectionism, and being a busy-o-holic.
Her plan is simple enough. Using text and photographs, she teaches her Thrive Sequence of 20 basic yoga poses. These are then incorporated into fuller daily routines that focus on different elements of wellbeing: Day One is dedicated to self-awareness, Day Two is about slowing down and being present, Day Three focusses on forgiveness and letting go, and so on. With each day’s routine comes a Heart-Centred Exploration, an explanation of the day’s focus, and a meditation which is also available as a guided meditation on Hobbs’ website for those who prefer to be led through it.
Hobbs continues beyond the programme to also offer shorter routines to help you sleep, improve your body image, ease anxiety or relieve depression. As with the daily routines, the photographs and instructions are clear with encouraging and gentle guidance in the text.
Thrive Through Yoga teaches yoga with a purpose rather than teaching it just for the sake of doing it. Like all things, context makes an idea more relatable, interesting and motivating. For that alone, this is one of the better introductions to yoga I’ve seen, more so because it can be used by experienced practitioners as well.
Reviewed by Rod Lewis
Twitter: @StrtegicRetweet
Rating out of 10: 8
Distributed by: Bloomsbury Australia
Released: January 2018
RRP: $22.99
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