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Unlikely Positions in Unlikely Places: A Yoga Journey Around Britain
Elizabeth Gowing is not a likely yogini. She is too fond of cake and To-do lists, and sometimes falls over on her mat.
But yoga has taken her on journeys both inside and out, and in this book Elizabeth travels around Britain to join others who practise it – from the village hall where a quivering triangle pose is interrupted by the recycling collection, to the soaring aerial yoginis of Surrey. Whether on a National Trust site or in a prison, in Newcastle or Nottingham, from East Anglia to West Kilbride, she untangles the Ashtanga from the Kundalini, ancient Sanskrit from the whimsical new-age, and discovers ways in which yoga is rebuilding communities and lives – and her own wobbling body.
Sometimes funny, sometimes touching, Unlikely Positions in Unlikely Places describes her yogic adventures with a rucksack in 21 British yoga classes, the characters met along the way, and the current of this shared experience that runs quietly through British society. It’s a story of ancient wisdom solving modern-day problems, as well as the exultation of finally mastering the Crow.
But yoga has taken her on journeys both inside and out, and in this book Elizabeth travels around Britain to join others who practise it – from the village hall where a quivering triangle pose is interrupted by the recycling collection, to the soaring aerial yoginis of Surrey. Whether on a National Trust site or in a prison, in Newcastle or Nottingham, from East Anglia to West Kilbride, she untangles the Ashtanga from the Kundalini, ancient Sanskrit from the whimsical new-age, and discovers ways in which yoga is rebuilding communities and lives – and her own wobbling body.
Sometimes funny, sometimes touching, Unlikely Positions in Unlikely Places describes her yogic adventures with a rucksack in 21 British yoga classes, the characters met along the way, and the current of this shared experience that runs quietly through British society. It’s a story of ancient wisdom solving modern-day problems, as well as the exultation of finally mastering the Crow.
- GenresNonfiction
224 pages, Paperback
Published June 3, 2019
3 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 24, 2020
I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this book - from its marketing and description I expected some fluffy, pseudo-philosophical, trite if not cheesy book about an average woman doing yoga. Instead, I was struck by the quality of writing, structure, themes, and insights offered by the author. In addition to being thoughtful in her selection of places and styles of yoga, the experiences and explanations of the author revealed very tangible elements of human struggle and yogic wisdom. The only thing that kept this book seeming mainstream palatable and “fluffy” were the “gratitude journal” entries at the end of each chapter - I got a bit tired of reading about the author’s husband or receiving emails from friends that didn’t relate to the story, but this element didn’t draw too much away from the main text so I can’t complain.
November 8, 2020
Well-written, droll and intermittently interesting; but this survey of styles of yoga, and modern twists on traditional yoga, left me wondering ... what is it for?
It's a survey of yoga, and the people who do yoga. It's a road trip to (as far as I can see, completely random) places in the UK where people happen to do yoga. It's the story of one woman's experience of yoga, and what she feels it does for her (aside, of course, from getting her a book deal ...).
But I'm afraid I thought it was somewhat underwhelming on all of these counts, a bit superficial. I thought the strongest chapter was the one one which Gowring visits a group that practices a Christian alternative to yoga, a group that challenges some of Gowring's assumptions about what yoga means, or can mean, or offers to the practitioner. Her careful consideration of exactly why she didn't find this alternative attractive, or admirable, while finding those who practice it warm, welcoming and, in their own ways, very admirable, was the closest things we got to a real insight into yoga -- and Elizabeth Gowring.
Gowring truly does have a way with words, and a nice eye for detail -- I just wish she'd had a better developed idea of what those well-chosen words, and nicely turned phrases were meant to accomplish.
It's a survey of yoga, and the people who do yoga. It's a road trip to (as far as I can see, completely random) places in the UK where people happen to do yoga. It's the story of one woman's experience of yoga, and what she feels it does for her (aside, of course, from getting her a book deal ...).
But I'm afraid I thought it was somewhat underwhelming on all of these counts, a bit superficial. I thought the strongest chapter was the one one which Gowring visits a group that practices a Christian alternative to yoga, a group that challenges some of Gowring's assumptions about what yoga means, or can mean, or offers to the practitioner. Her careful consideration of exactly why she didn't find this alternative attractive, or admirable, while finding those who practice it warm, welcoming and, in their own ways, very admirable, was the closest things we got to a real insight into yoga -- and Elizabeth Gowring.
Gowring truly does have a way with words, and a nice eye for detail -- I just wish she'd had a better developed idea of what those well-chosen words, and nicely turned phrases were meant to accomplish.
July 22, 2019
Loved this book! I learnt so much about the history and practice of yoga, as well as some unexpected stories about bits of Britain I know well, but so well weaved together that each chapter felt like a perfect chocolate-brownie of humour, fact, emotion and history combined together - delicious! It has made me much more conscious of my yoga practice as well and has turned what for me is a solitary exercise in my front room into something that feels like kinship with the different communities all over the country contained within the book.
May 22, 2020
I loved travelling around Britain with Elizabeth through this book, discovering different types of yoga in settings as varied as a prison in Surrey and a yoga studio on the wild Cornish coast. Throughout, with delicate brushstrokes of humour, but never any judgement, Elizabeth introduces us to some extraordinary people who practise yoga for all sorts of reasons. This book made me reflect on my own twenty-year-long yoga journey, and I felt a comforting kinship with Elizabeth and with the characters in her book.
July 30, 2020
Like most of the author's other books, she shows a keen sense of history and immerses us in the places she visits in her tour around England. What I found especially fun, was the lightheartedness of her approach to yoga, which makes it accessible to a once in a year practitioner like me. Her sense of humor adds the right accent to the deeper characters we get introduced to. A fun read and recommended to anyone who wants to take a journey with an author who comes across as a friend.
May 31, 2020
Like in her other books, Elizabeth takes us on a spectacular journey, this time a deeply personal one, by sharing her gratitude entries, as well as a beautiful account of the many different yoga types. I feel more realigned just by reading the book. Namaste!
August 21, 2024
This was so interesting and well written. We join Elizabeth as she back packs around the UK attending different types of yoga. From dog yoga in Shoreditch (my favouriite) to a sound bath in Newcastle, I was very entertained and will be lending this to all my yogi friends.
November 13, 2020
A delight — I read this as a stiff-jointed middle-aged man finally thinking about trying yoga and have come away enlightened and inspired to give it a go ....
April 30, 2021
This was given to me as a present and I'm glad it was, because otherwise I might not have picked it up. As a yoga student and teacher it surprised me with the diversity of classes, styles and settings to be found across the country. I wasn't sure what to expect but I loved it and it's made me want to pack a bag and take my own yoga tour round Britain.
The writing has an informal, colloquial style which made it the perfect easy read to dip in and out of.
I don't tend to leave reviews on Goodreads (re: the pressure to make them sound intellectual!), but retrospectively adding it to my 'Read' shelf I remembered how much I enjoyed it and wanted to add some comments to help anyone considering picking it up.
The writing has an informal, colloquial style which made it the perfect easy read to dip in and out of.
I don't tend to leave reviews on Goodreads (re: the pressure to make them sound intellectual!), but retrospectively adding it to my 'Read' shelf I remembered how much I enjoyed it and wanted to add some comments to help anyone considering picking it up.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews