• Home
  • Spirituality
  • Meditation
  • Yoga
  • Books
  • Grace
  • Me

Just here. Just now.

~ Celebrating the only moment we ever have.

Just here. Just now.

Tag Archives: Hell-bent

Hell-bent: book review and giveaway!

07 Friday Dec 2012

Posted by Lisa in Books, Yoga

≈ 32 Comments

Tags

Benjamin Lorr, Bikram yoga, Hell-bent

hellbent

***This giveaway is now closed. Thanks so much to all who entered and congratulations to April!!!***

I read this book in three days.

It only took me that long because I had to host Thanksgiving in the middle of it.

Benjamin Lorr recently sent me his new book, Hell-Bent: obsession, pain and the search for something like transcendence in competitive yoga. 

It’s the story of Ben’s journey, and the journey of many others, though the ups and downs of Bikram yoga. He talks to the hard-core and the disillusioned. The healed and the cynics. He separates Bikram the man from Bikram the yoga practice.

This is not a dreamy love poem to yoga, nor is it a scandalous exposé. It’s an arms-wide-open exploration of a practice that has been personally life changing for the author.

The stories of teacher training and competition are alluring and terrifying, in equal measure. The stories of Bikram Choudhury himself are shocking, both for their level of compassion and cruelty. These stories act as an important reminder that deifying or vilifying someone (or something) never tells the entire story. The yoga, once again, is all about balance.

The truth, the complicated beauty, lies in the gray area between the certainty. As the author says,

“Yoga is simply one of those things impervious to certainty, as incapable of corruption as it is of authenticity. No amount of bossy, possessive attempts to claim a “real yoga” will make it otherwise…the only one thing for certain is the more certain someone gets about yoga, the wronger it goes.”

Ben’s writing style is engaging and funny, his research is in-depth and unflinching. The book made me fall deeper in love with the practice – in all its sweaty, conflicted glory.

After I read it, I immediately wanted to give it to every yogi I know. Including you. So here you go!

To win a copy of Hell-Bent, go check out Ben’s site at www.hell-bent.com.

Then come back and leave a comment on this post.

That’s it!

To have an extra chance to win, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, subscribe by email (top left) or re-tweet the giveaway and leave another comment saying that you have done so. The giveaway will be open for one week, I’ll close it on Friday December 14th at 9am EST. A winner will be chosen randomly.

Good luck!!
————-
You might also like: 
  • Rock the Savasana
  • You’re not a yogi just because you do yoga
  • Get real: 18 reasons I am a bad yogi

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Pinterest
  • Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

Writing about spirituality, gratitude, yoga, meditation and my quest to be as present and joyful as my dog.

Contact me at Lisa@justherejustnow.com

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 982 other followers

Categories

New to yoga? Start here!

  • Posts for the yoga beginner

Top Posts

  • Managing anxiety: off the yoga mat and onto the stage
    Managing anxiety: off the yoga mat and onto the stage
  • Drop back freak out
    Drop back freak out
  • Judging the judgmental
    Judging the judgmental
  • On letting go: growing pains and book publishing
    On letting go: growing pains and book publishing
  • "Other" yoga
    "Other" yoga

Proud Member Of

Follow Me on Pinterest

Twitter Updates

  • Managing anxiety: off the yoga mat and onto the stage wp.me/p1EGAp-13H 7 years ago
  • Drop back freak out wp.me/p1EGAp-13n 7 years ago
  • Being judgmental of the good/bad label wp.me/p1EGAp-12V 7 years ago
Follow @Justherejustnow

Currently reading, currently loving…

Blogroll

  • 60 Day Bikram Yoga Challenge
  • Alive in the Fire
  • Beauty That Moves
  • Down to Earth
  • Lila
  • Lock the Knee
  • Recovering Yogi
  • Remodeling This Life
  • The Diner of Cville
  • The VeganAsana
  • Tiny Buddha
  • Y is for Yogini
  • Yoga G33k
  • Zen Habits

Copyright © 2013, Just Here Just Now. All Rights Reserved.

All text, images and other content on this blog are property of the Author, unless noted otherwise. Please do not use, reprint, or publish without written consent.

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • Just here. Just now.
    • Join 982 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Just here. Just now.
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: