Breathe, Bend, Be

The book encourages the reader to participate and experience the transformative powers of yoga first-hand.— R. Madhavan, actor, screenwriter, director, and producer

Shailaja’s desire to reach her readers and share her understanding in a manner that is beneficial to them shines through every page of the book.— K. K. Shailaja, Indian politician & former Health Minister of Kerala

Yogashakti Shailaja Menon is a rare human being who is dedicated to spreading the wholesome message of yoga in an accessible and understandable manner. Her new book, Breathe, Bend, Be, is a classic example of her amazing clarity of mind and purity of heart that shines through each and every page. She has indeed distilled the infinite wisdom of our ancient rishis and served it in a palatable form to reach modern seekers. May this monumental effort of hers transform thousands of lives through the practice of dhyana, meditation that is indeed the heart of yoga itself.   — Yogacharya Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani, DSc (Yoga), Director, and Professor Yoga Therapy, Institute of Salutogenesis and Complementary Medicine (ISCM), Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Pondicherry, India

Breathe, Bend, Be by Shailaja Menon offers a holistic understanding of yoga and meditation in a simple and effective manner to help achieve inner bliss, which also alleviates mental health issues in the highly competitive world in which we all live. By highlighting how yoga and meditation are inherently integral to each other, she offers easy techniques to access higher levels of consciousness. The writer truly inspires the readers to follow these practices in their day-to-day lives by analysing them in a scientific manner.Shailaja Menon’s first book, Yoga Shakti, has contributed immensely to yoga literature with special emphasis on establishing the true meaning and intent of yoga. The second book in this series, Breathe, Bend, Be, provides much-needed nutrition for the mental awakening of the inner self through meditation practices.— His Excellency B. N. Reddy, High Commissioner of India to Malaysia

Shailaja Menon’s book Breathe, Bend, Be is a masterpiece, unfolding the ancient timeless wisdom of yoga into the practical application of Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga.  The moment we say the word meditation, people bring their own mysteries associated with meditation. Shailaja, in the true sense of the word, demystifies dhyana meditation, the 7th limb of Ashtanga yoga, through a profound personal journey into higher consciousness. She clarifies various so-called mystic aspects into a very practical applied yogic system. This book will help the reader to know themselves as they are. Meditation will then flower into a moment-to-moment awareness with the inner blossoming of bliss.—Dr Vasant Lad, Ayurvedic Physician, Author, Educator, and Founder and Director, The Ayurvedic Institute, New Mexico

Shailaja Menon’s new book offers clear directions for modern people to use ancient practices to assist them in going beyond the limitations of their conditioning. The book offers the freedom and equanimity that we all need to truly live meaningful, satisfying lives, which can be achieved by the step-by-step approach detailed herein.— Dr Robert Svoboda, Ayurvedic Physician and Author
In Breathe, Bend, Be, Shailaja Menon makes the complex and important topic of meditation accessible and understandable to everyone. The book takes the reader through traditional knowledge, contemporary research, and practical essentials. A definite guide on the journey within!— Shirley Telles, MBBS, PhD, and Research Advisor, Patanjali Research Foundation, Haridwar
This book is one of the best I have read about meditation! It brings wisdom from ancient Indian scriptures like Patanjali Yoga Sutras and Bhagavad Gita and integrates it with brain research and modern writings from the Western yogis. This book is written in a simple and easy-to-read style and every chapter has practices that the reader can immediately try and experiment with. I highly recommend this book!— Prasad Kaipa, PhD, Cofounder, Center for Consciousness Studies and Inner Transformation, Chairman, Samskrita Bharati USA, and Director, Yoga Bharati

What rishis heard in the deepest orders of meditation, is shruti and what they said afterwards are mantras and sutras. And one who interprets those sutras ‘as it is’ is a credible teacher. Shailaja Menon is one of those credible teachers in our present times who is blessed with the ability to present difficult yogic concepts and techniques in a simple and effective way, without compromising its authenticity. Her book Breathe, Bend, Be is an amazing blend of conceptual clarity, practical exercises, scientific evidence, and scriptural references, which have been presented in a very understandable language. Certainly, a treat to the soul for readers.— Dr Vikrant Singh Tomar, Global Convener United Consciousness, Founder-Director Project Self, USA/India, and Board member, European Yoga Federation 

I only wish that Shailaja Menon could have published this book thirty years ago, when I began teaching meditation! Drawing from both East and West, the old and the new, the author uses the poetry of the Upanishads alongside Western research to unravel the mysteries of meditation and give hope and inspiration to the meditator.A gifted writer, Shailaja maintains a conversational tone while she delves into profound and revelatory concepts, side by side with astute observations of contemporary life.  Most of all, her love for yoga transmits through every page. This book will be a treasured manual for experienced students of yoga as well as the beginner.— Swami Divyananda Ma

Shailaja Menon is known to me for over 20 years now, first as a journalist, and then as a yoga teacher and dear friend. Her teachings and writings have always come from a deep personal experience combined with the grace of her gurus. Breathe, Bend, Be, yet another expression of this inner evolution that Shailaja has embarked upon, will certainly connect the reader with some very deep concepts which can be practically applied in pursuit of one’s own growth.— Ramkumar, Vaidyagrama Ayurveda Healing Village, Coimbatore

Shailaja Menon helped yoga seekers empower themselves through her fantastic first book Yoga Shakti. Now she aids us in mastering our minds by making meditation easily accessible to all. Breathe, Bend, Be indeed brings the ancient wisdom of the sages to the modern seekers in an easy and step-by-step manner. This book is a jewel and packs a punch delivering the much-needed precious teachings of meditation to help us have a better quality of life in today’s challenging times. I strongly recommend everyone make this book a part of their wisdom library.— Kausthub Desikachar, CEO and Chief Yoga Therapist, Viniyoga International