One Simple Thing

Yoga was created as a science for liberation, but in modern times it is used by many to improve physical and mental health, helping us become more productive at work, more caring in relationships, more responsible contributors to society, and better inhabitants of this planet. If yoga does accomplish all that―as many practitioners report―how exactly does yoga do it? How does yoga work?

Believe it or not, the answers lie in how the human body and mind function. Eddie Stern’s One Simple Thing: A New Look at the Science of Yoga and How It Can Transform Your Life explains from both a yogic and a scientific perspective how the human nervous system is wired. It describes the mechanics taking place beneath the surface of our bodies and shows how we can consciously use yogic practices to direct and change our lives in positive ways.

Drawing on modern neuroscience, ancient wisdom, and decades of practice and teaching, Eddie Stern reveals how what we do―from diet to chanting, from postures to meditation, from ethical practices to breathing techniques―affects who we become, and how a steady routine of activities and attitudes can transform our bodies, our brain functions, our emotions, and our experience of life.

Eddie Stern has been teaching and practicing Yoga for over 30 years. He collaborates on scientific research on Yoga, has spent 18 years developing Health and Wellness curriculum for public institutions, and collaborates on programs to reduce gun violence through therapeutic interventions. Among his projects are two apps, The Breathing App and Yoga365, which aim to further access to yoga and mindfulness for those who have little access to these modalities. One Simple Thing is his first solo book.