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A sparkling new series introducing five unforgettable women who flock to yoga at turning points in their lives and find the gift of lasting friendship.

The yoga studio is where daily cares are set aside, mats are unfurled, and physical exertion leads to well-being, renewal, and friendship. An aggressively expanding chain of Los Angeles yoga “experience centers,” has Lee and her extraordinary teaching abilities in its sights. They woo her with a lucrative contract, a trademarked name for her classes, and a place for her handsome musician husband. But accepting the contract means abandoning the students at the homey studio Lee runs in L.A.’s Silver Lake district- and leaving behind four women whose friendships are suddenly more important to her than retirement benefits and a salary increase.

What is this book about?

The description presents it as a new series about five women who come to yoga at turning points in their lives and find lasting friendship.

Who wrote Tales from the Yoga Studio?

The book is credited to Rain Mitchell in the title. The description reads like fiction, so this is a story rather than an instruction book.

What happens in the story?

The part of the story the description gives is about Lee, who runs a homey yoga studio in Los Angeles’ Silver Lake district. A growing chain of yoga “experience centers” offers her a lucrative contract and a trademarked name for her classes. Accepting would mean leaving her students and four women whose friendships have become more important to her than a higher salary.

This summary is based on the book description on the Amazon page.

What happens in a first yoga class?

Fiction about a yoga studio can make a class sound simple, so here is what a beginner typically meets. Most classes start with settling the breath, move through standing and floor postures, and end with a short rest. The Harvard Health yoga article describes hatha-style sessions in just that order: breathing exercises, a series of postures, then a rest at the end.

Wear clothes you can move in, arrive a few minutes early, and tell the teacher about any injury or pregnancy. Skipping a pose is always allowed. The NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) page on yoga suggests asking about the teacher’s training and avoiding extreme practices while you are new. If you have a health condition, ask your doctor before your first class.

More on this blog: A Short History of Yoga: From Ancient Texts to Hatha Classes and a Record Number of Americans and What Is Yoga?

Book: Tales from the Yoga Studio by Rain Mitchell
View this book on Amazon (affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no cost to you)