The Woman's Belly Book

April 24, 2006
In the second belly book this season (after The Way of the Belly
by Neena and Veena Bidasha), Sarasohn, a veteran Kripalu yoga teacher and writer on yoga and health, writes that the life force focused in the belly "activates your physical, emotional and spiritual vitality. It's the source of your passion and creativity, your courage and confidence, your capacity to love fully. It's the starting point of your intuition, insight, and sense of purpose." In this scenario, a bloated, uncomfortable belly is the sign of something out of balance in your life. Sarasohn sees the belly as the site of women's soul power and connection to "Source Energy," and throughout she presents exercises to access this power. In the second half, she presents the seven belly-energizing exercises that make up what she calls "The Gutsy Women's Workout," designed to increase the seven soul qualities: vitality, pleasure, confidence, compassion, creativity, intuition and purpose. While some of the poetry and creative exercises in this book are goofy (writing a letter to your belly? decorating your underwear?), Sarasohn's basic argument is liberating.