The Yoga Teacher by Alexander Gray is a novel about mid life change, coping with loss and coming to terms with the reality of life. We are introduced to Grace, a successful professional in the pharmaceutical industry. Although her external life is stable, her internal life is filled with grief and mourning. A widow, she has little in the way of human companionship. Her life is empty and the few people who occupy her time are empty as well. The only place she feels filled and comfort is the inside of a yoga studio. Through self reflection and honest appraisal she makes a dramatic decision to quit her job, obtain a teacher training certificate and become a yoga teacher. Through her journey we see Grace begin to fill internally. The shift is subtle, and the writer manages to convey this which is clever genius. The yoga teacher has a somber tone, which can be an accurate reflection for many who take on a new life. Although I enjoyed this read I was conflicted. Her emotional journey was realistic enough, but the flawless transition to financially independent yoga teacher was wholly unbelievable and disappointing. In all fairness the author was a yoga teacher herself and did have some rather high end clients. I suppose she tapped into her personal experience but its really not the norm for most of us. Placing that aspect of the story aside it was a good read especially on a rainy Spring day.
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