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MetaAnatomy: A Modern Yogi's Practical Guide to the Physical and Energetic Anatomy of Your Amazing Body
A gifted teacher reveals the miracle that is your body, combining science, yogic wisdom, and liberating movement practices.
Updated all-new illustrations, chapters, and content.
“Meta” means “beyond”―and in MetaAnatomy , celebrated yoga teacher Kristin Leal takes us far beyond our limited understanding of our amazing human bodies. In this information-rich and accessible resource, you’ll do more than label parts of your physiology and identify your energy systems. You’ll develop a new level of “body literacy”―a deep and vital relationship with the physical, emotional, and energetic aspects of your being.
Kristin writes in an inviting, lighthearted style that makes complex concepts imminently understandable. Here, you’ll
• The Physical―meet the marvelous “meat suit” of your body’s bones, muscles, joints, and nerves
• The Poetic―a deep dive into your breath, brain, heart, and the subtle energy systems that bring it all to life
• The Practical―how to make lasting changes to your health, spirituality, and relationship with the world around you
• Mini-practices, meditations, insights for students and teachers of yoga, and much more
What makes Kristin’s approach so powerful is that you’ll be learning about yourself as more than a collection of parts, but as a unified being of body, mind, and soul―interwoven and interdependent with the world around you. “You are a symphony of synapse and strength; valves and vulnerability; potential, power, and promise,” she teaches. “It is my hope that these teachings and practices will ultimately lead you to remember and honor your fundamental wholeness.”
Updated all-new illustrations, chapters, and content.
“Meta” means “beyond”―and in MetaAnatomy , celebrated yoga teacher Kristin Leal takes us far beyond our limited understanding of our amazing human bodies. In this information-rich and accessible resource, you’ll do more than label parts of your physiology and identify your energy systems. You’ll develop a new level of “body literacy”―a deep and vital relationship with the physical, emotional, and energetic aspects of your being.
Kristin writes in an inviting, lighthearted style that makes complex concepts imminently understandable. Here, you’ll
• The Physical―meet the marvelous “meat suit” of your body’s bones, muscles, joints, and nerves
• The Poetic―a deep dive into your breath, brain, heart, and the subtle energy systems that bring it all to life
• The Practical―how to make lasting changes to your health, spirituality, and relationship with the world around you
• Mini-practices, meditations, insights for students and teachers of yoga, and much more
What makes Kristin’s approach so powerful is that you’ll be learning about yourself as more than a collection of parts, but as a unified being of body, mind, and soul―interwoven and interdependent with the world around you. “You are a symphony of synapse and strength; valves and vulnerability; potential, power, and promise,” she teaches. “It is my hope that these teachings and practices will ultimately lead you to remember and honor your fundamental wholeness.”
- GenresNonfictionHealth
280 pages, Paperback
Published July 27, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 17, 2021
This is an in-depth anatomy book from a yoga standpoint. It's written in a fun but informative way with wonderful illustrations that really celebrate diversity. It was way more than I really needed to know about a lot of yoga practices and beliefs, but for anyone who studies yoga this will be a great guide.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
December 13, 2021
Wonderful all-inclusive representation of the yogi’s anatomy featuring energy bodies as well. Beautiful artwork. I was concerned it may be a bit woo woo based on the cute cover, but was pleasantly surprised this leans more heavily on the scientific. Written with light, breezy, and at times self deprecating humor in a way to make complex information accessible to all people.
I especially liked the reminder that all people are simply built differently, and while muscles are malleable, bones are not.
I especially liked the reminder that all people are simply built differently, and while muscles are malleable, bones are not.
August 30, 2025
A delicious dive into the wonder-full world of our bodies and how they operate, the how and why and when.
While I'd say it's a must-read for anyone interested in yoga, everyone will find something in here (yes, it may be woo-woo for many, but for anyone into woo-woo, a little or a lot, this is going to resonate on more than one level).
It's chock-full of information and titbits that help with the body not just during the yoga physical practice, but also everyday life, too. I loved how the author wrote of the marvels of the human body but also stood by a delineation of caution - listen to you and sometimes not the teacher, and there are practical ways and exercises to figure out what she means when she says something like that; don't just take her word for it. In this manner, this book is very empowering and eye-opening.
Why I'm not giving it five stars - the start is very technical, about all the bones and muscles and ligaments (it kinda went over my head at a certain point) - and then the rest of the book, the author uses these same technical terms to explain what she means. Much of it again went over my head because I had just a vague idea of what specific bones or muscles she was referring to and where. As such, this book warrants a re-read to really grasp what it's explaining, which is a bit of a bummer. The author writes with such humour and verve, how hard would it have been to insert something like 'the femur (remember, long bone in your thigh) does this and that...' once in a chapter so we can place what she's talking about rather than needing to go back to the very detailed anatomy lesson of the start.
Still, it's chock-full of amazing information and advice. Definitely one that made a difference to my life, let alone my yoga practice.
While I'd say it's a must-read for anyone interested in yoga, everyone will find something in here (yes, it may be woo-woo for many, but for anyone into woo-woo, a little or a lot, this is going to resonate on more than one level).
It's chock-full of information and titbits that help with the body not just during the yoga physical practice, but also everyday life, too. I loved how the author wrote of the marvels of the human body but also stood by a delineation of caution - listen to you and sometimes not the teacher, and there are practical ways and exercises to figure out what she means when she says something like that; don't just take her word for it. In this manner, this book is very empowering and eye-opening.
Why I'm not giving it five stars - the start is very technical, about all the bones and muscles and ligaments (it kinda went over my head at a certain point) - and then the rest of the book, the author uses these same technical terms to explain what she means. Much of it again went over my head because I had just a vague idea of what specific bones or muscles she was referring to and where. As such, this book warrants a re-read to really grasp what it's explaining, which is a bit of a bummer. The author writes with such humour and verve, how hard would it have been to insert something like 'the femur (remember, long bone in your thigh) does this and that...' once in a chapter so we can place what she's talking about rather than needing to go back to the very detailed anatomy lesson of the start.
Still, it's chock-full of amazing information and advice. Definitely one that made a difference to my life, let alone my yoga practice.
March 22, 2022
It's weird to say I loved an anatomy book, but for someone like me who gets bored very easily in science classes and can't remember anything more than "mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell" from any of my high school and college science education, I really loved the author's approach to this book.
Yes, it is geared towards yoga teachers and definitely includes teachings about things like chakras and spiritual aspects, but putting all of these different topics that you hear yoga teachers discuss without explaining was so helpful to me. I really appreciated her funny side notes and the conversational way this book was written.
I also loved that the illustrations in this book represented a wide variety of body types and ethnicities.
Yes, it is geared towards yoga teachers and definitely includes teachings about things like chakras and spiritual aspects, but putting all of these different topics that you hear yoga teachers discuss without explaining was so helpful to me. I really appreciated her funny side notes and the conversational way this book was written.
I also loved that the illustrations in this book represented a wide variety of body types and ethnicities.
August 24, 2021
One of the BEST Anatomy Books I’ve EVER read
Presented in easy to understand, yoga teacher-friendLy language. This information and the accompanying exercises and practices will have an immediate positive impact on my teaching. It really helped me to further understand some things I’d been taught by others and provided the scientific background to help me choose how I want to structure my own practice and teaching to be healthy in the present moment and for years to come. LOVED this book❤️❤️❤️
Presented in easy to understand, yoga teacher-friendLy language. This information and the accompanying exercises and practices will have an immediate positive impact on my teaching. It really helped me to further understand some things I’d been taught by others and provided the scientific background to help me choose how I want to structure my own practice and teaching to be healthy in the present moment and for years to come. LOVED this book❤️❤️❤️
April 16, 2023
This was required reading for my 200 hour HYTT. It was so interesting and fun to read-very funny and lighthearted in parts, but still with excellent explanations and anatomy. The illustrations were also pretty and easy to follow. One of my favorite "education" books!!!
August 5, 2022
I was surprised how much I liked it as I haven’t had interest in anatomy till now. The humor and meditations where helpful in tying concepts together .
August 8, 2021
As a holistic yoga therapy student, I have been reading A LOT of yoga books, from anatomy to philosophy and everything in between. This was not one of my required books for the program, just one I happened to come across by accident. I bought it. I put aside all my required reading for a few days and could not put this book down. I struggle with anatomy reading for the program but this book presented the information in such an accessible manner that I actually enjoyed anatomy! I loved the way it was organized, the practical applications interspersed throughout, and the inclusive and diverse illustrations. I have recommended it to everyone in my program.
May 29, 2021
This book was an in-depth anatomy lesson, interspersed with humor, meditations, and yoga poses. Unfortunately for me, it was a little too heavy on the anatomy and humor and too light on the yoga & meditations, which is what I thought I would be getting. It wasn't a bad book, just not what I was expecting and therefore not the book for me.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews