Revolution of the Soul: Awaken to Love Through Raw Truth, Radical Healing, and Conscious Action

Description

"My first lessons in spirituality and yoga had nothing to do with a mat, but everything to do with waking up. They included angels, seeing God, and being in Heaven. But, believe me, not the way you might think." So begins Revolution of the Soul. What comes next reads like a riveting memoir filled with uncensored moments of joy, pain, wonder, and humor. Except, this book is so much more than that. Seane's greater purpose is to guide us into a deep, gut-level understanding of our highest Self through yoga philosophy and other tools for emotional healing-not just as abstract ideas but as embodied, fully felt wisdom. Why? To spark a "revolution of the soul" in each of us, so we can awaken to our purpose and become true agents of change. Just a few of the stops along the way include: the everyday "angels" Seane finds in the gritty corners of New York's 1980s East Village; her early struggles as a total yoga class misfit; the profound shadow work and body-based practices that helped her to heal childhood trauma, OCD, unhealthy behaviors, and relationship wounding; hard-earned lessons from some of the most heartbreaking places on the planet; and many other unforgettable teaching stories.

Seane Corn is an internationally recognized yoga teacher who has been featured in many print and broadcast media channels including the Today Show, Yoga Journal, and Origin magazine. She is the national yoga ambassador for YouthAIDS and the cofounder of Off the Mat, Into the World (R), a global humanitarian leadership training program. Seane teaches at workshops, conferences, and retreats throughout the US and abroad. She resides in Southern California. Learn more at seanecorn.com.

"Seane Corn took me by the hand and led me into so much more than a yoga practice. She guided me through my body, into my mind, and into an appreciation for the sound of breathing, the people around me, and for my own two feet. She is a gift." --Sally Field, Academy Award(R)-winning actor and New York Times bestselling author of In Pieces "Holy hell, do we need a worldwide love revolution! After reading Revolution of the Soul, I am more convinced than ever that we can have it: but only if we begin with ourselves. Revolution of the Soul is heart-wrenchingly vulnerable, relentlessly honest, and refreshingly hilarious. With every personal story, Seane wrangles the power of yoga down from the clouds and into our ordinary relationships, hardships, and bodies. Then she shows us how to use that power to heal ourselves and the world. Seane is a master teacher, one of my favorite human beings, and a hell of a writer. I am a better person for having read this book."--Glennon Doyle, founder of Together Rising and author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Love Warrior "Seane's passionate, tough, compelling, honorable, healing dharma story will touch your heart . . . and inspire the real yogi in you." --Jack Kornfield, PhD, author of A Path with Heart "Seane Corn is a wise and beautiful woman, articulating elegantly modern teachings that emerge from ancient truths. Her book is a gift to all of us." --Marianne Williamson, acclaimed lecturer, activist, and New York Times bestselling author of A Return to Love, Healing the Soul of America, Tears to Triumph, and A Politics of Love "This book is everything that Seane is as a teacher and person in life: authentic, raw, honest, irreverent, self-aware, and joyously inspirational. Revolution of the Soul is filled with humor, hope, and the direct transmissions of love, grace, and magic that you come to expect from Seane when you enter her class. If you know her work, on and off the mat, you will hear her powerful voice on every page and feel comforted by her guidance. For those of you who are being introduced to Seane's work for the first time, you are in for a heart-opening, ass-kicking, and soul-stirring ride. Enjoy every moment. For it will blow your heart wide open, and invite you into a movement of inner and outer change that can heal this world toward peace." --Naomi Watts, Academy Award(R)-nominated actor, film producer "Reading Revolution of the Soul is like having the most amazing conversation with your wisest, funniest, and kindest friend. Seane's honesty and vulnerability will inspire you to get real and heal! She shares beautiful teachings and practices that will help you free yourself from limiting beliefs and effect change from a place of love." --Gabby Bernstein, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Universe Has Your Back "A wondrous kaleidoscope of stories told with grit, humor, and humility, Revolution of the Soul will inspire you to take your practice off the mat and into the world--and show you how." --Valarie Kaur, JD, founder of The Revolutionary Love Project "It is hard for me to imagine anyone else could write this book other than Seane Corn. It is laced with deep wisdom that was born out of the challenges and tribulations of Seane's life. In other words, it is real! And the realness of her path means this wisdom can be learned and applied by all of us as we walk this crazy path of being alive in today's world. I am grateful for this modern woman's modern wisdom." --Congressman Tim Ryan, Ohio, author of Healing America "Seane was my first yoga teacher 25 years ago. Back then she was a passionate and magnetic teacher just finding her voice. Seane proves what time and practice can do. In Revolution of the Soul, Seane uses that voice--and opens her own soul--to reveal herself to be a wise and profound woman, sharing all she has learned on her journey as a yogi, woman, and citizen of the Earth. This book is accessible, poetic, and full of love and hope, and it provides the necessary tools for the reader to do their own soul's work and explore what it means to be in service to the world today." --Debra Messing, actress, activist, and mother "In this insightful and integrated book, Seane Corn journeys into the depth of essential wisdom that can be found on the yoga mat. Drawing connections from classic ancient teachings and physical practices to modern-day realities, she presents a roadmap from abstract theory to in-your-life application. She boldly confronts issues of privilege, race, and justice that yogis and meditators too often bypass, starting where it matters: from the inside out. Seane goes beyond lip service that our liberation is bound together and offers up her own journey--backsteps and all--as an invitation for each and every one of us to walk our own path of liberation, too." --Rev. angel Kyodo williams, Sensei, author of Radical Dharma, and founder of Transformative Change "Thank you, Seane, for courageously digging deep to bring forth with compassion, humor, and wisdom the stories and healing tools of your own personal journey to transform the most difficult shadow issues and traumas into a revolution of the soul on behalf of all. Thank you for inspiring and empowering the world with the way you lead with love and embody activism from the heart." --Shiva Rea, founder of the Samudra Global School for Living Yoga and author of Tending the Heart Fire "One of the traditions that I study asks, 'If it's not practical, how can it be spiritual?' In Revolution of the Soul, Seane takes the ancient wisdom and practices from yogic traditions and transforms them into a practical way to inquire into our everyday lives. It invites us into the introspection of how to see more clearly and love more deeply through relevant, honest, and beautifully polished reflections that inform and reveal things we don't even know that we don't know. I LOVE this book! Quite frankly, I personally deem Revolution of the Soul necessary and required reading for all on the path of yoga . . . especially for yogis in the Western world." --R. Nikki Myers, founder of Y12SR: The Yoga of 12-Step Recovery "Love this book. Like Seane herself, the message is direct, honest, funny, heartfelt, and filled with wisdom that can help all of us, except me, do better, be better, and work toward creating a healthier and more peaceful planet for all." --Larry David, actor, writer, director, producer of Curb Your Enthusiasm and Seinfeld "Only Seane Corn could write a sweeping, insightful, spiritual manifesto that still feels so relatable and grounded--so . . . gritty. Revolution of the Soul is for anyone who wants to feel a little more connected to the world around them, to the people in their lives, and to themselves." --Kate Fagan, sports journalist, author of What Made Maddy Run and The Reappearing Act, and cohost of Free Cookies "Seane Corn's account of her discovery of yoga is positively riveting, and it is paired with a systematic description of the path--as it gradually unfolds itself in her life. Corn writes like a skilled novelist--building suspense and quietly drawing the grateful reader into an irresistible world. I simply could not put this book down. It is raw, honest, moving, hilarious, and oh-so-human. I predict that many, many people will find themselves in the pages of this story, and will find here too the very soul of yoga." --Stephen Cope, scholar-in-residence, Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, and author of many bestselling books on yoga and meditation, including Yoga and the Quest for the True Self and The Great Work of Your Life "My friend and sister has written a hilarious, holy, raw, deep, and essential book about life, not just yoga. Her voice, which I have been blessed to know for 20 years, is rich, astonishingly honest, messy, and messianic with promise and hope of transformative healing for all beings. It is replete with practical guidance for rolling out our yoga mats, literally and metaphorically, and stepping onto our paths of radical self-inquiry, discovery, and accountability, all for the ultimate purpose of being in healthy, honorable, and sustainable service to our fellows and our world. Read this book!" --Ashley Judd, actor, activist, and New York Times bestselling author of All That Is Bitter and Sweet "Seane has written a powerful book about the connection between the inner work of personal growth and the outer work of social justice. It speaks to the ways we create, and can heal, from the attitudes and ideas that separate us from each other, this planet, and our highest nature. I appreciate the timeliness of this message and the honest and straightforward way in which Seane delivers it." --David Geffen, philanthropist, producer, and cofounder of Asylum Records, Geffen Records, and DreamWorks SKG "I have known Seane as a teacher, and more importantly, as a dear friend for over 25 years. This book is fully the woman I know, trust, and love. Every word, every story, is filled with truth bombs and gorgeous wisdom, but what makes this book compelling is that Seane is a natural- born storyteller, and her life lessons read like a page-burner fiction. Except they are all true. These stories, like Seane herself, are raw, funny, deeply transparent, and unafraid to confront the power of our shared humanity and spirit. Seane shares them in service to help us relate to the challenges of our own life experience. Beyond the narratives she shares, what makes Revolution of the Soul so unique are the spiritual and psychological tools that accompany each story, helping us to unpack the deeper transformational wisdom that can lead to both personal and collective healing and peace. I couldn't recommend this special book more. It is a game changer and should be read by all." --Elizabeth Berkley Lauren, actress, teen girl advocate, and New York Times bestselling author of Ask Elizabeth "Seane does what so many authors have tried and failed: she writes like she speaks. Her book is an intimate conversation at the kitchen table--raw, hilarious, profound, and human. Her story reflects back to us the many parts of ourselves that are learning and growing and reminds us that a revolution of the soul is possible for each and every one of us. This book is provocative and inspiring--just like Seane. Get it." --Kerri Kelly, founder of CTZNWELL and host of CTZN Podcast "Seane saved many lives, including mine. Read this book, and she'll help you too." --Bobby Shriver, activist and cofounder of ONE, (RED), and the Very Special Christmas record project "A brilliant piece of work that is grounded in honesty and vulnerability. Seane Corn takes bold moves by sharing her experiences and lessons on activism and service through the lens of yoga. This text is essential for yoga teachers, practitioners, and anyone interested in the connections between liberation, service, and yoga. Seane's book is right on time and is a must-read for anyone excited to harness and understand the power within in order to mindfully impact social change." --Chelsea Jackson Roberts, PhD, E-RYT, cofounder of Red Clay Yoga "Revolution of the Soul is raw, uncensored, and in your face. It gives you the invitation and opportunity to unpack your traumas with the support of yoga. Seane lights the way with her own personal journey on this path of growth and evolution." --Eddie Modestini, founder of Maya Yoga "The world knows Seane Corn as a healer, a teacher, and a leader of the revolution to awaken others to their higher potential. In this book, they will get to know her as a person--a person who faces all the same doubts and fears that we all do. In Revolution of the Soul, she courageously allows us to witness her darkest moments and inspiring triumphs, while also sharing the tools of transformation she's cultivated from over 30 years of dedicated practice--tools that can heal, awaken, reconnect, and move all of us toward transcendence and peace." --Damien Echols, New York Times bestselling author of Life After Death, Yours for Eternity, and High Magick "In Revolution of the Soul, Seane courageously reveals her own emotional journeys--exploring the many facets of truth, unfolding them from the darkness and pain. Seane goes after rinsing the gritchy places in the soul and gives the reader her real-life examples of how to use yoga principles to move victoriously through the facades, entrapments, terrors, shadows, and successes of life. I love that. I respect Seane for her relentless dismantling of her own facades, thus earning living from her authentic self. That accomplishment is rare and wondrous. Seane Corn is a great guide to become your own best advocate as well as learning to care enough to be an activist healing our ailing world. Thank you, Seane, for putting your experiences and teaching into this book. You have just added another great gift to our people." --Ana Tiger Forrest, creatrix of Forrest Yoga, medicine woman, and author of Fierce Medicine "With authenticity as real and raw as giving birth, this book will tear your heart out and hand it back to you busted wide open. Truth shines like a beacon from every page, while the sacred and profane are elevated to a whole new level beyond separation. Take this exquisitely personal journey through Heaven and Hell to embrace the true heart of yoga as pure, passionate, and potent LOVE. Seane has written a book I will carry in my heart and out to the world." --Anodea Judith, PhD, author of Eastern Body, Western Mind, The Global Heart Awakens, and Wheels of Life "This radical and real gem of a book is a spiritual pilgrimage through the desert of life's difficulties to the holiness of your own beautiful heart and soul. Thank you, Seane Corn, for showing us what it takes sometimes to become a true, deep, and seasoned human being." --Katherine Woodward Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of Calling in "The One" and Conscious Uncoupling "Revolution of the Soul is honest and beautiful. It reflects a journey of understanding that to truly be of service on this planet we must understand our wounds and our capacity to cause harm because of the privilege we embody. Seane eloquently explains her transformation that came from shedding layers of cultural conditioning and leaning into the true spirit of being of action and dedicated to something bigger than herself. If you are a yogi, spiritual practitioner, social change-maker, or human with consciousness about the imbalance of power on this planet, please read Revolution of the Soul." --Michelle C. Johnson, author of Skill in Action: Radicalizing Your Yoga Practice to Create a Just World "This remarkable book accomplishes something seldom encountered in the spiritual world. It tells the truth--the holy, bloodied truth. It courageously confronts the perils of patriarchal spirituality. It inspires us to stop looking for God on the skyways of self-avoidance, and to look instead for her divine reflection in the inner mirror. And it vibrantly threads our humanness and our spirituality into one indistinguishable weave: the holy wholly. This is no surprise, because this is the place where Seane Corn lives. She couldn't bypass reality if she tried. She lives right in the heart of it all--at that sacred point where the individual droplet of meaning meets the oceans of essence. She is a living embodiment of the revolution of the soul that she speaks of. And that's why this book carries such a profound resonance. Because it perfectly reflects its author. Because it's written from the reverential bones of her being. It is congruent and it is authentic and it is brilliantly luminous. It gives me hope." --Jeff Brown, author of Grounded Spirituality and An Uncommon Bond "Revolution of the Soul made me want to dive even deeper into my personal pain to create social change--into my shadow, my Light, my community, and beyond . . . into where the love medicine lives. Seane's wisdom comes from the edges of trauma and service, spirit and society. This courageous share is heart fuel for the 'Mother f*cking revolution.'"--Danielle LaPorte, author of The Desire Map "Seane taught me many moons ago to remember to love and ignore the story--but not this one! Her stories are raw, inspiring, funny, and remarkably poignant. Belly up to this heart bar because Seane is slinging knowledge." --Kathryn Budig, author of Aim True and cohost of Free Cookies "Seane Corn has written a book of yoga and justice portraying her wounds and her privilege, reflecting on the inner and outer work of social change. These stories, woven with yogic philosophy and wisdom, are so valuable to modern yogis and activists, offered by someone who has been on the path for decades. She describes a path of both vulnerability and nobility that is followed not only by Seane, but also by the wise beings around the world that she has the honor to work with and learn from. In true yogi spirit, Seane humbles herself to the teachings of this world, offers her drop of knowledge to the ocean of wisdom, and declares her truth while not assuming that she has found the 'one right way.' She remains a student of liberation, while simultaneously guiding so many of us into our own hearts, cultural biases, and assumptions through her modeling. This is essential reading, especially for people who want to serve but don't know where to begin, for teachers of any kind who want to be helpful and thorough, for social justice workers who are burnt out and depleted, and for yogis who want to live their practice in a deeper way." --Jacoby Ballard, yoga teacher, social justice educator, and cofounder of Third Root Community Health Center and Bending Towards Justice "This is the book I have been longing to offer psychotherapy clients and yoga students alike as required reading. Seane not only reveals how to apply both what is practical and mystical about the path of yoga, but also masterfully describes how her practice transformed her thought systems, maladaptive behaviors, and emotional wounds. Seane invites us into her inner world through hard-won humility and a decades-long welcoming and absolving of her own symptoms. Anyone who has suffered from anxiety; has been the survivor of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, mood, substance, or eating disorders; or is struggling from any other symptoms rooted in trauma will be offered hope and shepherded into transformation through this book. Revolution of the Soul is worth thousands of dollars of time on the therapist's couch. Through a powerful framework of lived experience and ancient teachings, Seane illuminates yoga's medicine to ameliorate suffering and create well-being in mind, body, and a revolutionized soul. No matter where we are in our own awakening, this book is a gift to us all." --Melody Moore, PhD, RYT, psychologist and founder of the Embody Love Movement "For anyone seeking greater mindfulness or something more divine, Seane Corn is an inspiring companion. In this book, she interweaves a captivating memoir of self-awakening that starts in the sex-drugs-and-rock-and-roll days of New York City in the 1980s with the spiritual and practical lessons she learned on her path toward becoming a renowned yoga instructor, a passionate advocate of healing, and a dedicated international activist. Her journey--and its evocative telling--offers valuable guidance and encouragement for those on their own quest." --David Corn, Washington bureau chief of Mother Jones and New York Times bestselling author of Russian Roulette and Showdown "Revolution of the Soul is not your mother's yoga book, and Seane Corn is not your average spiritual teacher. If you are looking for rainbows and unicorns, look somewhere else. But if you are looking for the real deal--the beautiful yet hard truth of inner change and transformation--then read on. Because this book delivers. It challenges the meager stories we cart around in our heads and asks us to replace them with bigger and bolder versions of ourselves and our lives together as friends and citizens. Thank you, Seane Corn, for being so brave and wise. " --Elizabeth Lesser, cofounder of Omega Institute and author of Broken Open, Marrow, and The Seeker's Guide "The courage in this book is in Seane's vulnerability, in not having all the answers. Seane doesn't show us all the places she's done amazing work; she shows how she learned that she had work to do. In white Western yoga circles, I too often see yoga being used to avoid discomfort. I witness teachers glossing over violence and suffering, I hear people saying that yoga shouldn't be political. As someone who has journeyed alongside Seane, I know the depth of her practice and the depth of her seeking. I encourage you to travel with her through this book, as I have, and learn from the teacher my marginalized, traumatized body trusts with everything in me." --Teo Drake, cofounder of the Transforming Hearts Collective "In this groundbreaking book, Seane takes us through a deeply personal journey of trauma and transformation. Her stories will move you to tears; they will break your heart open and offer you a gem that you can take into your own life. Seane's raw vulnerability and profound grace is important medicine in these days where so many of us are overwhelmed and isolated. Seane reveals her humanity in a way that will transport you into a world of healing and possibility." --Hala Khouri, MA, SEP, E-RYT, cofounder of Off the Mat, Into the World(R)