By Esther Nagle
Bent Back into Shape, Beating Addiction Through Yoga
Part self help book, part memoir, part guide to Yoga philosophy for beginners
Charting a journey from out of control misery, self loathing and addiction through Yoga to happiness, acceptance and recovery, Esther Nagle tells a powerful story that will captivate and inspire you to realise that you can live a happier life, regardless of where you are now. You don’t have to be struggling with addiction to be able to identify with Esther’s story, or to gain from the lessons she shares with you.
Esther learned, as you can to, just how much Yoga can gift to you when you look beyond the postures. Find out how Yoga can improve all aspects of your life through Esther’s easy to read first book.
Author and teacher
Esther Nagle
Esther spent 20 years of her life thinking her penchant for drugs and alcohol made her ‘rock n roll’, following in the footsteps of her musical heroes such as The Beatles and Queens of the Stone Age. But her party girl image hid a painful reality – she was desperately unhappy, in the grip of depression, abject self loathing with her finger fully on the self destruct button.
A painful breakdown in 2013 became a breakthrough when she quit her job, embarked on a yoga teacher training course, and learned who she was behind the mask. Within 7 months of in-depth Yoga study, Esther was able to leave behind her comfort blankets of alcohol, marijuana and cigarettes, and tentatively embrace a life of sobriety.
Now 4 years sober, Esther has no regrets about her sobriety and loves to help others to develop the resilience and coping strategies she has access to. Esther is a yoga teacher in her hometown, as well as being an international wellness coach and public speaker. She has written for publications such as Om Yoga Magazine, Sober Mommies, The Fix, I Love Recovery Cafe and her own blog on this site. Esther has also appeared on television and Welsh radio, and is the host of the Wellbeing Wednesday show on her local Rhondda Radio.
Praise for Bent Back into Shape, Beating Addiction Through Yoga
A wise and comforting debut
Esther’s first book is a must read for anybody looking to gain a new perspective on their place in the world, and renew their purchase on their life. She seamlessly interweaves her own story with information on how the reader can use yogic principles to change perspective and improve their life.
Discover the true meaning of yoga through this remarkable account of one person’s struggles
This book is a powerful insight into how Esther overcame not just physical addictions but also entrenched behaviours through Yoga. The book is an honest account of how an everyday person can become overwhelmed by stresses and anxieties but also how they can triumph over their problems and achieve the life they have always wanted. This is a sensitive narrative that also goes into the true essence of Yoga and how it can help us all in our lives. I would recommend this to anyone interested in understanding the deeper meaning of yoga and how it can help overcome all manner of problems.
Lifechanging
There is a common misconception amongst the general public that living a life free of alcohol is to live a life with something missing. A life where every day is a struggle against the demon drink. Esther Nagle puts these myths firmly to bed with her exploration of addiction and recovery and the power of yoga to both bring joy and to still ‘the whirlpools of the subconscious mind’. Some books are called life-changing. This one really is
In this book I will share some carefully selected stories of my own journey, I will also be including some blog posts I had written on my website, posts that I have had good feedback for and that have helped people. There will be practices you can incorporate into your own life, and invitations to contemplate your life in a gentle but deep way. It is my sincere hope that you will find something of value in these pages that can help you find some balance in your life whether you are dealing with addiction or not. We all, to some extent, find a way to soothe ourselves against the world, the tools Yoga offers us can benefit us all.
– Esther Nagle
Allow Esther to guide you on a journey to healing and wellbeing
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