May I Be Happy

For all her wisdom as a teacher, Cyndi Lee understood intuitively that she still had a lot to learn. In spite of her success in physically demanding professions - dancer, choreographer, and yoga teacher - Lee was caught in a lifelong cycle of repetitive self-judgment about her body. Instead of the radical contentment expected in international yoga teachers, she realised that hating her body was a form of suffering, which was infecting her closest relationships - including her relationship to herself. Inspired by the honesty and vulnerability of her students, Lee embarked on a journey of self-discovery that led her outward - from the sacred sites of the parched Indian countryside to the center of the 2011 earthquake in Japan - and inward, to seek the counsel of wise women, friends and strangers both. Applying the ancient Buddhist practice of loving-kindness meditation to herself, Lee learned that compassion is the only antidote to hatred, thereby healing her heart and changing her mind. With prose as agile as the yoga sequences she creates, May I Be Happy gives voice to Lee's belief that every life arises, abides, and ultimately dissolves. By becoming her own best student, Lee internalizes the strength, stability, and clarity she imparts in her Buddhist-inspired yoga classes.“Whether or not you do yoga, this memoir is riveting.” –Fitness

“Lee’s candor in her healing process will likely resonate with self-help fans... For the millions of people — especially women — who fight the fat talk in their heads, her words will be familiar and comforting. In talking about her students, Lee says, ‘The honesty and vulnerability of each person touches me deeply.’ With this book, Lee has returned the gift.” –Associated Press

“Lee has the ability to look at her self-inflicted suffering with honesty, humor, and open-heartedness. . . . her challenges become part of every woman’story.” –Yoga International

“With candor and curiosity, Lee describes her battle with self-criticism and share how yoga and lovingkindness helped her make the shift from shame to acceptance.” –Yoga JournalCyndi Lee is the founder of New York City's OM yoga center and provides OM yoga teacher training worldwide. A regular columnist for Yoga Journal, she lives in Columbus, Ohio.