Edith R. Brotman, PHD, RYT-500, an experienced educator and highly trained yoga teacher, is passionate about finding, creating and sharing meaningful spiritual connections in Judaism. Founder of Kavvanah/Mussar Yoga, she shares her belief in the transformative power of yoga in all spheres of life-physical, mental and spiritual-through her popular embodied Jewish learning workshops and retreats. She is a graduate of the Wexner Heritage Leadership Program for Jewish lay leaders and a recipient of the Dorbrecht Grant for Judaic Yoga. She was named one of Baltimore's favorite yoga teachers in Baltimore Magazine's "Best in Baltimore."

Foreword ix
Acknowledgments xi
A Note to the Reader xiii

Introduction Mussar and Yoga: A Brief History . Why Combine Mussar and Yoga?
. Is the Mussar Yoga Path for You?

How to Practice Mussar Yoga 9
Awareness: How Do You Measure Up? . Accountability: From
Awareness to Action . Getting Started . The Fundamentals of Yoga
Poses: Easy Pose . Mountain Pose . Forward Fold . Downward
Facing Dog . Warrior II

1 Truth 25
Why We Lie . To Thy Own Self Be True
. Be True to Others: Six Guidelines
Poses: Mountain . Camel
Meditation: Ten-Minute Mindfulness Meditation

2 Courage 37
Play Your Edge . The Contagion of Courage
. Courage versus Recklessness
Poses: Triangle . Handstand . Crow
Breathwork: Lion's Breath

3 Humility 49
The Challenge of Ego . Balancing Ego . Managing Ego
Poses: Warrior I . Humble Warrior . Half Moon . Headstand

4 Order 63
Creating Order Is Spiritual Work . The Beauty of Chaos
Poses: Side Plank . Flipped Dog
Breathwork: Alternate Nostril Breathing

5 Nonjudgment 73
Honoring Others, Honoring Ourself . Finding Balance
Poses: Eagle . Warrior III . Seated Forward Bend

6 Zeal 85
Your Patterns of Energy . Obstacles to Living with Zeal
. Staying Inspired
Poses: High Push-up (Plank)/Low Push-up . Warrior II
Breathwork: Breath of Joy

7 Simplicity 95
Six Ways to Simplify Your Life . Finding Balance with Simplicity
Poses: Revolved Lunge . Half (King) Pigeon . Corpse Pose
Breathwork: Skull Brightening Breath

8 Equanimity 109
Put Yourself in a Storm . Be the Inner Witness . Stay with
Equanimity . Equanimity for Ourself and Others . Ups and Downs
Poses: Chair . Bound Extended Side Angle . Reverse Warrior
Breathwork: Victorious Breath

9 Generosity 123
More Than Money . The Abundance Cycle
. Widening the Circle of Giving . Letting Others Give
Poses: Boat . Partner Backbends
Breathwork: Breath Retention

10 Silence 133
Silence Is Golden . Silence and Conflict
Poses: Upward Facing Dog . Tree . Supine Twist

11 Gratitude 143
Gratitude as Perspective . Gratitude and Impermanence
. Gratitude for Life's Challenges . Gratitude and Memory
. Gratitude as Domestic Currency . Environmentalism as
Gratitude . Blessings Practice
Poses: Downward Facing Dog . Child's . Bridge

12 Loving-Kindness and Compassion 155
Finding Oneness in the Midst of Differences
. Loving-Kindness: A Two-Step Approach
. Compassion: Responding with Understanding and Action
Poses: Pyramid . Locust
Meditation: Loving-Kindness (Metta)

13 Trust 167
Limits on Human Control . How to Surrender
. The Lightness of Letting Go
Poses: Forward Fold . Seated Twist . Frog

Conclusion 179
Begin Again . Creating a Mussar Yoga Practice Group

Notes 184
Glossary 188
Resources 190