A Life Worth Breathing: A Yoga Master's Handbook of Strength, Grace, and Healing

A Life Worth Breathing is a book worth reading, and re-reading and re-reading. Max tells wonderful stories that are easy to identify with and learn from. He provides simple techniques to practice that will help the reader cultivate a life that is more peaceful, fulfilling and meaningful. The chapter on emotions, in particular, resonated with me. "When you are mad at somebody, you're mad at everybody; at least you behave that way." The domino effect of anger can spread through a family, a work place and an entire Rolodex of personal friends. Max presents exercises to help the reader learn how to effectively release anger, and chose to forgive, in a healthy way. Once you learn how to "cough up the ember", you will feel healthier and happier. The domino effect will be spreading in the right direction! Thank you for writing this monumental piece; it is filled with valuable leadership. Having read it only once, I already feel more focused and peaceful. I also feel a sense of calm and security that I now have your guidance available 24-7. I am ordering copies for my family and dearest friends. Everyone can learn something from this work.

Max's new book, "A Life Worth Breathing" is an inspirational view into the power of yoga to transform our lives in this modern age. Max has a wonderful gift for story-telling that brings the message of the book to life. The simplicity of the book makes it easy to read and well put together, yet it's message is profound. Max's book is a wonderful reminder of the power of intention and breath, why we practice, and how the discoveries of the process open us up to our lives. This is a book that will deepen your practice and also provide a framework for living life beyond the yoga mat....being present, mindful, and living with gratitude. This book is a must read for anyone interested in yoga, from a newcomer to an advanced practitioner. I know that I this is a book that I will return to for insight many times in the future. So congratulations, Max, for a wonderful book and thank you for writing it!

This book was recommended to me by Amazon. I bought the Kindle version. The book is well written and an easy read. It conveyed more to me of the author's view of yoga rather than the background and fundamentals that I was looking for. This is not a negative criticism of the book. It just wasn't what I expected.

Max Strom uses his life experiences to explain how he became interested in yoga and how it transformed his life. As a yoga practitioner for the last few years, his descriptions of using the breath to guide the practice is very similar to my instructors at Life Time Fitness, so his book reinforced my own practice. His writing abilities in describing spiritual lessons he has learned are very thought provoking and inspiring. I sent several book quotes to family and friends. Max seems very authentic and seems to have a very sincere desire to help others improve their lives by learning the benefits of cultivating a yoga practice.

I woke up in a contemplative mood today, after finishing my first reading of Max's book a day or so ago. I knew I'd need time for my thoughts to percolate to the surface of my mind, where I can pluck them neatly out of the eclectic brew that passes for the philosophy of my life -- so I can tell you about it. As you may know, Max founded the Sacred Movement yoga center in Los Angeles and directed it for a number of years. I practiced there regularly during those years, where Max's healing presence radiated its way into my life at a time when I needed it most. His book is that way too. Reading it is an experience that speaks to me on many levels. It reminds me of how I can use yoga as a unifying principle of my sometimes fragmented life, which seems to be in an ongoing state of needing some kind of healing -- and if that isn't a statement of the human condition, I don't know what is. But since reading the book is an experience, then my telling you about it won't do it justice. Anything I could say about it would fall short of the mark somehow. Besides, I don't want to spoil it for you. I read it slowly, savoring every page. I didn't want it to end, even though I knew it would. But see, that's the point. The things of this world don't last. The message in this book does.

This is a handbook with some graceful, strong and healing ideas. Like the title suggests. I have taken yoga and breathing classes with the author of this book, and I can say from my experience that this is like a compilation of the teachings he passed along in the classroom. He possesses the integrity/honesty that can be seen in the people that do what they say and believe in what they do. (An uncommon trait in this world) It is easy to read and easy to follow. From personal experience, I know that if you do the exercises in the book and most importantly, you PRACTICE what he calls "ocean breath" you will enter a healing path that will help you be a better you, a stronger you and a more graceful you. I took his classes in a very difficult and hurtful period of my life, and they became the best "therapy" I could ever wish for. Also the yoga made my body and my mind strong again and I discovered in the process that I was less judging and a better person, a gentler person, towards myself and others. To this date, I wish I could walk down Main St. and go to his old yoga studio and take my 90 minutes of "sweaty heaven" with him and with the hundreds of students that follow his classes... But at least having the book, gives me the sensation that I can still hear his healing words and his clarity of mind and spirit inspiring my heart and soul once again. I would recommend this book to anyone, to open their hearts and minds. When I read it I find myself thinking about people that I know and wanting to share certain parts of the book with them. Definitely recommend it to the closest people in my life, the people that I love.

With this book, Max Strom makes an invaluable contribution to the existing yoga literature. In a very practical way, he shows us how different yoga practices can work to counteract the modern plagues of sleeplessness, anxiety, depression, and apathy. This book includes an extensive discussion of ethics and the importance of living one's life, on and off the mat, with a "code" -- leading by example, or in the words of Gandhi, being the change one wishes to see. The book's philosophy is universal and ecumenical: Strom draws on traditional yogic teachings and also early Christianity, Buddhism, Sufism, and Taoism. What really sets this book apart, perhaps, from other yoga books, is its emphasis on yoga breathing. Readers will learn how and why breathing is such a highly effective tool for healing. Almost anyone can do and benefit from the breathing practices Strom describes, which is what makes them so beautiful. You don't need to be able to do headstand or scorpion pose or one-armed handstand; you just need to breathe. Essentially, Strom's point is that when we breathe well, we heal ourselves; when we heal ourselves, we heal our relationships, our communities, maybe even the world. "The ancient yogis said that the breath was our direct energetic connection to spirit, or God. If this is so, then if you focus on your breath with spiritual devotion, hatha yoga becomes a spiritual practice, a wordless prayer. This is because as you fill your body/mind with breath, you are also filling yourself with spirit and the breath of God. Your body then radiates who you are from your soul, and what you stand for in this world." (p. 121) Highly recommended for beginners and experienced practitioners alike!

I haven't finished the book yet, but one of my first reactions were that there so many books that are better written than this. I like when things are explained in a simple way, which you will find in this book, but you will have a feeling that some things are so self explanatory and evident that it's anying to read at times. Even "the power of now" is written in a more engaging way, tho its hugely overrated. If you liked the book, and think it's amazing, consider taking a look at Alexander Lowen's and Irvin yalom's books. P/S a lot of reviews here look fake or bought.