Writing Yoga: A Guide to Keeping a Practice Journal

Writer and editor Bruce Black began studying yoga in 2006, after his knees could no longer stand the stress of running. Shortly after taking his first class, he started keeping a journal to explore his experiences on the mat. Out of his journal and his devotion to Anusara Yoga has emerged a book that delves into the nexus of yoga, writing, and life.

In Writing Yoga, Bruce begins by sharing tips he has learned along the way: the benefits of keeping a practice journal, how to select just the right blank book, writing at different times of day, how often to write, and more.

He has organized the book into ten chapters by theme—each with guided writing exercises:

   1. Opening Up
   2. Moving Past Fear
   3. Accepting Gifts
   4. Paying Attention
   5. Awakening to Connections
   6. Trusting the Process
   7. Just Sitting
   8. Finding Your Balance
   9. Learning to Breathe
   10. Listening to Your Inner Voice

Part memoir, part writing guide, Bruce weaves in excerpts from his own journal throughout. He reflects on practice as life: the excitement of walking into his first yoga class, apprehension about bending backward, discomfort with body appearance, the yoga of family relationships, the exhilaration of coming into a headstand for the first time, deepening appreciation for his teachers, and waking up to the exquisite beauty of the world around him.

Bruce guides you in stepping onto your mat and picking up your journal with curiosity and commitment. He shows how your journal can become a good friend, a confidant, a tool to deepen your experience of asana and pranayama, and a mindfulness practice in itself.

Whether you keep a practice journal already or want to start one, let Bruce and Writing Yoga guide you. Maybe you'll write a sentence a day, maybe more. Perhaps you'll come to your journal only now and then. What matters: exhale and give it a try!

A graduate of Columbia University where he received a BA in English literature, Bruce Black earned his MFA in writing from Vermont College (now Vermont College of Fine Arts). His stories have appeared in Cricket and Cobblestone magazines and other publications. His blog, Wordswimmer, was named one of the "Top 100 Creative Writing Blogs" by Online Education News and is included in Online Degrees Hub's list of "100 Great Blogs that Young Writers Should Read."