Fallen Star

WINNER 2023 Nautilus Silver Award in Mind/Body/Spirit Practices

After being married for ten years and having two children, author and yogi Molly Chanson lives with a nagging feeling that something is wrong. Her suspicion that her husband is having an affair is further complicated by her addiction to alcohol, poor body image, and a lost sense of self.

Having first practiced yoga with her mother as a child, Chanson returns to a daily practice and discovers the profound impact that yoga can have on one's physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Fallen Star is Chanson's account of her far-reaching journey of healing guided by Patanjali's Eight Limbs of Yoga, which includes asana (poses), pranayama (breath), and meditation, as well as self-discipline, surrender, and more. Chanson shows how the tenets of ancient yoga philosophy can be applied to a broad spectrum of experiences shared by women, ranging from dating, marriage, and motherhood to loss of identity and focus on one's appearance. Here are lessons for women who seek to unravel stories and pain that have prevented them from living a complete and fulfilled life, to find their true selves, and to awaken to new possibilities. Here is a story about tapping into the resilience, courage, and hope lying deep within the human spirit.