Dancing Light: The Spiritual Side of Being Through the Eyes of a Modern Yoga Master



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THE ONLY PLACE TO GET A NEW HARDCOVER WITH MESSAGE FROM TAO

Yoga master and historical icon Tao Porchon-Lynch inspired millions with her energy and fantastical life story. At a time when we're talking about mindfulness, we get to witness someone who lived in the present and with a sense of wonder for over a century. On February 21, 2020, Tao died peacefully at the age of 101 on the Hindu Festival of Maha Shivaratri, the "Great Night of Shiva," when Shiva dances in heaven. It's said to be the "brightest night of the soul where the yogi attains Nirvana." Watch the tribute video.

Tao's autobiography, Dancing Light, has won 10 national and international awards and Dr. Deepak Chopra called it "extraordinary." Many have even said that the energy of Tao is in the book. Help us spread her light and build her legacy. All Hardcover books purchased directly through Power Living Media will have a special message from Tao. Quantities are limited. Take a journey through Tao's life and be inspired to live to your own highest potential. If you haven't already, get Tao's award-winning image/quote book, Shining Bright.

If you want to experience Tao's yoga teachings, check out the Tao Porchon Yoga: Master Course and/or Tao Porchon Yoga: Stretch & Relax

 


        • Millions 
          across the globe have been inspired by Tao Porchon-Lynch--World War II French Resistance fighter, model, actress, film producer, wine connoisseur, ballroom dancer, and yoga master. Named "Oldest Yoga Teacher" by Guinness World Records in 2012, Tao exemplifies her mantra: There Is Nothing You Cannot Do

          Dancing Light: The Spiritual Side of Being Through the Eyes of a Modern Yoga Master
          is an inspirational autobiography that shows us what is possible--that we each can live to our Highest Potential by inhaling life, exhaling strife and dancing to our own rhythm. Through Tao's reflections, we are given the gift of insights from almost a century of wisdom that can be applied to our modern-day challenges. We learn about her deep connection with nature and "secrets" to vitality while taking a soulful odyssey of love and loss, hope and joy, and ultimately the triumph of resilience.

          Tao's life was a journey within to answer the age-old questions, "Who am I?," "Why am I here?," "What is my Truth?" Born during World War I, she grew up in the disquiet of the world not a cloistered spiritual sanctuary. Called the real "Forrest Gump," Tao participated in historic events most of us only read about from marching with Mahatma Gandhi in the 1930 Salt March and helping her aunt hide Polish Jews in cement wine vats to performing nightly during the Nazi bombing Blitz when "all of London was on fire." She worked with the French Resistance for General Charles de Gaulle during World War II helping Jews hiding in the caves under Paris escape the Germans and cross over to safety. After the war, she modeled for famous couture houses such as Jean Dessès, Coco Chanel, Jeanne Lanvin, Marcel Rochas, Jean Patou and Elsa Schiaparelli. Later, she was under contract with MGM surrounded by the excesses of high society in old-time Hollywood going to parties with the Barrymores. She greatly admired Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and even participated in the March on Washington and later went to Dr. King's funeral.  

          Tao helped to lay the groundwork for TV in India and was early in international film distribution. She brokered and introduced new wine producers in Napa Valley to the European wine industry elite for quality products and was later a co-founder of the American Wine Society. Tao has personal stories on icons such as Ernest Hemingway, General Charles de Gaulle, Prime Minister Nehru, Marlene Dietrich, Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Wilding, Marilyn Monroe, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Marcel Marceau, Burgess Meredith, Debbie Reynolds, Burt Lancaster, Cesar Romero, Vincent Price, Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Lana Turner, Joan Crawford, Quentin Reynolds, Sir Noel Peirce Coward, Ezra Stone, Joan Davis, Jim Backus, Lucille Lortel, Errol Flynn, Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, Katherine Dunham, Ilka Chase, Sol Siegel, Jack Cummings, Robert Mondavi, Dr. Welthy Fisher, Jack LaLanne, and others. Tao still has pay stubs from Coco Chanel, her W2 from the William Morris Agency, residual checks from MGM, pictures with Bob Hope--many of these mementos are featured in the book.

          Yet, ALL of this is simply the backdrop for a very human search for the spiritual side of being. As Tao got more into the sex-obsessed material world of modeling and acting, she needed to find balance and come back to her spiritual core. She had to learn to be in the world but not of the world. She witnessed the hate of pre-civil rights era and the prosecution of Cold War Communist fever in America. She saw that the Jewish people had to seek refuge by creating their own clubs in Hollywood and there were even disagreements amongst the Christian denominations. She was saddened by the crackdown in Tibet and on the practice of Buddhism. She wondered how she could go beyond all of this exclusion and discord and get to the Truth.

          In Dancing Light, we gain wisdom from Tao's many teachers--from her uncle Vital Porchon to the teachings of revered spiritual figures Sri Aurobindo and Swami Vivekananda who is credited with bringing yoga to the West.  We are privy to Tao's personal experiences with legendary leader Mahatma Gandhi and the iconic Transcendental Meditation founder The Maharishi who taught meditation to The Beatles and spurred a worldwide movement. We learn from Swami Prabhavananda of the Vedanta Society, Mataji Indra Devi, metaphysics teacher Dr. Roman Ostoja, and two of the most acclaimed yoga masters, B.K.S. Iyengar and K. Pattabhi Jois. We see how Tao assimilated all of these layers of study and influence to form her own philosophy of Oneness. Tao trained and certified over 1,600 yoga teachers and shared her light at various forums from the Newark Peace Education Summit with His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama and offering insights with Sadhguru at the United Nations to teaching yoga at the Pentagon and doing a TEDx talk at Columbia University.

          At the age of 87, Tao became a ballroom dancer and won over 750 First Place Awards with dance partners that were thirty years her junior. In 2017, she was named Oldest Ballroom Dancer by the World Book of Records. Tao believed that life is a dance of Eternal Energy. Sometimes we weave in and out of consciousness. That's the dance - back and forth, up and down, sometimes spinning around, always looking to come back to center. That's our journey--the search for how to be present with the wonders of life and maintain harmony of mind, body and spirit. In many ways, Dancing Light is a modern Autobiography of a Yogi--a manifesto for a new generation of light seekers taking us on a search for peace, the Oneness behind everything and your exceptional profound Self.

          Come take an adventure through 20th century history, witness fearlessness in action and be inspired to craft a mindful and fulfilled "Tao-like" life.

          The book won 10 awards including: 2016 Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY) (Silver Medal) Autobiography/Memoir II (Coming of Age/Family Legacy/Travel); 2016 International Book Award (three categories) Autobiography/Memoirs, Best Cover Design: Non-Fiction, Spirituality: Inspirational; 2016 Best Book Award (three categories) Autobiography/Memoirs, Best Cover Design: Non-Fiction, Spirituality: Inspirational; 2016 Bookvana Award (two categories) Autobiography/Memoirs, Spirituality: Memoir/Personal Journey; 2016 Eric Hoffer Book Award (Honorable Mention) Spiritual.

          For more on Tao, including her blog, go to www.TheTaoExperience.com. For updates, follow us on Twitter: @Taoexp.


      • Dancing Light: The Spiritual Side of Being Through the Eyes of a Modern Yoga Master
         has received endorsements from a number of notables:

        “One of the most acclaimed yoga teachers of our century, Tao Porchon-Lynch... is a mentor to me who embodies the spirit of yoga and is an example of Ageless Body Timeless Mind. Like yoga, she teaches us to let go and to have exquisite awareness in every moment.”
        Deepak Chopra
        Author

        “Tao is a truly remarkable woman who embodies the qualities of a true yogi and possesses a depth of knowledge that is quite rare.”
        David Swenson
        Yoga Teacher and Author of Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual

        "Tao is a very special woman and I’ve had the honor of both teaching for and with her, and have had her teachings. The people of the younger generations really have to look at a person like Tao who has weathered so much in her life and has come out the other side of her life still completely pure of Love and Laughter and Light.”
        Rodney Yee
        Yoga Teacher and Author of Yoga: The Poetry of the Body

        “I want to BE Tao! What she has done, who she is and the light that’s in her eyes… When you say hello to her, she is just so full of Light and Love and mischievousness… I just think she is an inspiration for women and all of mankind.”
        Colleen Saidman Yee
        Yoga Teacher and Author, Yoga for Life: A Journey to Inner Peace and Freedom

        “Through her mastery of Yoga and the body mind spirit connection, Tao helps us unbind the limits of our human condition in a most gentle and spirit filled way. She is a gift to us all. This book captures her magic.”
        Agapi Stassinoupoulos
        Author of Unbinding the Heart: A Dose of Greek Wisdom, Generosity and Unconditional Love

        “All you have to do is be in Tao Porchon Lynch’s presence to feel the energy of her spirit and the wisdom in her eyes. To have a book which allows us to enter this amazing woman’s life is a gift to us all. She is a living example of how we can all learn to live life to the fullest and to truly live from the heart--mind, body, spirit and soul. She is a precious commodity and we are so lucky to understand who she is and how she became that way!”
        Suzanne Steinbaum
        Cardiologist, TV Host and Author of Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum’s Heart Book: Every Woman’s Guide to a Heart-Healthy Life

        “Tao has been a role model to all of us who have been practicing yoga since the early 70’s. She is a brilliant example of the health and well being that can come with a lifetime of yoga practices. Her grace, compassion, service to the yoga community, and zest for life have inspired me for years, as well as thousands of young souls just stepping on to the yoga path.”
        Beryl Bender Birch
        Founder, The Hard & Soft Institute and Author of Power Yoga: The Total Strength and Flexibility Workout

        “Tao is a true inspiration to one and all. I feel privileged that I have met her. When I look at her life, I think, ‘How can one person do it all?’ and she says everyone can do it as long as you can harness the power within you! Her nature, spirit and energy is something that I salute.”
        Sushmita Sen
        Actress and Former Miss Universe 1994

        “All the world has been graced by the presence and independent spirit of our great yoga teacher, Tao Porchon-Lynch. Her fascinating memoir shows us that through the difficulty of her first breath, she learned the importance of breath in all of life, and in yoga. Through the injustices she witnessed in her childhood, she learned the importance of peace. I’m honored to know her and follow in her footsteps.”
        Rama Jyoti Vernon
        International Peace Mediator, Yoga Teacher and Author of Yoga: The Practice of Myth and Sacred Geometry

        “I feel I am the most fortunate man in this world who has gotten an opportunity to share the stage with a legend like Tao not just once but three times. Each time I danced with Tao I learned new things about myself and my dance. Being with Tao is like being in a class - a class about life and spirit where you grow not only as a dancer but even as a human being. I hope I can be a student of this class of Tao forever!”
        Sandip Soparrkar
        Dancer-Choreographer, Actor and Humanitarian

        “I could never imagine that at this age Tao could dance so beautifully. It shows her dedication and commitment for the art. I love the way she has taken care of herself. At 96 years old, she is so fit and beautiful. Her love for art is what I feel makes her so alive.”
        Hema Malini
        Member of Indian Parliament, Actress and Bharatanatyam Dancer-Choreographer

        “It has been one of the greatest honors of my career to have the opportunity to create images together that continuously inspire people of all ages, all over the world. Never before have I met a brighter, lighter, warmer, sweeter, kinder human being than Tao. She has inspired countless works of art in our sacred, creative collaborations.”
        Robert Sturman
        Photographer, Robert Sturman Studios

        “Tao’s presence is a life changer for anyone who experiences her movement and wisdom. She is a living example of her own philosophy that 'Anything is possible.' Yoga is the root of all eastern martial arts. It is the healing and harmony that is essential for life. Tao’s approach at 96 makes people realize that there are no excuses to make things happen in your life. Thank you Täo for being a great friend and teacher!”
        John P. Mirrione
        Founder, Harmony By Karate and National Stop Bullying Campaign

        “The inspiration from collaborating with Tao is second only to being friends with her. Her warm spirit, positive outlook, and heartfelt message of oneness have enriched my life beyond measure. Congratulations to Tao for all of her life’s accomplishments and for deeply touching so many people. I love you!”
        Valerie Romanoff
        Composer/Producer, Valrock Music and CEO, Starlight Orchestras

        “When I heard about Tao, I never believed that such a person could exist. I was mesmerised to see Tao dance such difficult moves with Sandip Soparrkar. She is an inspiration to all dance lovers. I wish all dance lovers can live a life like hers and keep dancing forever!”
        Zeenat Aman
        Actress and Former Miss Asia Pacific 1970

        For more on Tao, including her blog, go to www.TheTaoExperience.com.


      • Dancing Light: The Spiritual Side of Being Through the Eyes of a Modern Yoga Master
        focuses on storytelling using Tao's own poignant voice based on over seventy hours of video interviews conducted by mother-daughter writing team Janie Sykes-Kennedy and Teresa Kay-Aba Kennedy.

        Janie Sykes-Kennedy, MA is a 45-year veteran of international media/culture and an early advocate of integrative health. After almost dying from an ectopic pregnancy in 1972, she dove deeply into holistic practices including yoga to heal herself. She received her BA in Economics and Accounting from Howard University, MA in African Culture and Theatre at the University of Ghana, and MA from the Graduate School of Journalism- Columbia University. She studied screenwriting at Columbia with Samson Raphaelson, the writer of the first talking movie "The Jazz Singer." She also did professional studies with Lee Strasberg Actors Studio and the Herbert Berghof Studio. President of Sykes-Kennedy & Associates, Inc. since 1984, she has served as a consultant and has produced marketing materials, written articles and books, including the EXCEL series with over one million in print.

        As an actress, journalist and business executive, she has worked in the U.S., Africa, Australia, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. She and her late husband, Dr. James Scott Kennedy, owned and operated one of the first multicultural theatre companies in New York in the 1950s. In the late 1960s, they lived in Africa, working at the University of Ghana and producing for the 1966 First World Festival of Negro Arts in Dakar, Senegal, and the First Pan African Cultural Festival in Algiers, Algeria in 1969. In the 1970s, they were invited as Fulbright scholars by the Prime Minister of Australia to live in Adelaide and introduce new concepts of people--African-American and African--via theater and other arts, to that continent. They also produced for the Papua, New Guinea Independence Arts Festival. In the late 1980s, she was invited by HUD and the U.S. Department of Commerce as one of 14 delegates to go to the People's Republic of China on the first trade mission of American women which led to her distributing the journal, Building in China. In 2011, she was invited by the President of Senegal to speak at the Third World Festival of Black Arts & Culture in Dakar, and was covered extensively by their media. She is currently working on multiple book, theatre and film projects. For more, go to www.janiesykeskennedy.com

        Teresa Kay-Aba Kennedy, Ph.D., MBA, CPC, RYT is a Harvard-trained strategist and internationally-recognized thought leader with over 25 years of cross-sector experience as a corporate executive, award-winning entrepreneur, academic, writer/producer and yoga/mindfulness teacher. As President of Power Living Enterprises, Inc., she operates a lifestyle media, training and consulting company focused on inspiring minds and empowering success. This includes the publishing/e-commerce platform www.PowerLivingMedia.com, the consumer empowerment platform www.IAmPowerLiving.com and PLE Consulting which has advised billion-dollar companies on their own multi-platform engagement strategies. Through the Power Living Institute, she has also led programs for over 200 organizations and coached over 2,000 individual client-hours. She started her career on staff at Harvard Business School, consulting with Fortune 500 companies and writing case studies on Operations Strategy. As founder of VH1 Interactive and VH1@Work radio network, she negotiated VH1's first deal with AOL, and integrated online and on-air with superstars such as Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney and Garth Brooks. As Vice President of Business Development & Operations for MTV Networks, she managed the 200-person MTV/VH1 Interactive operations, negotiated landmark content/distribution deals, managed strategic partnerships with Microsoft, Yahoo! and Intel, and planned/launched "The Suite" of six digital cable channels. She also was Creative Consultant to Universal Studios working with legendary studio head Lew Wasserman.

        Inspired by her mother, she started playing with yoga when she was four years old. After almost dying in 1997, she transformed herself through yoga and holistic health. A student of Tao Porchon-Lynch, her original teacher training was at Integral Yoga Institute, and she has been greatly inspired by Dharma Mittra, Srivatsa Ramaswami, Swami Ramananda, as well as her lineage guru, Sri Swami Satchidananda. In 2002, she founded the Ta Yoga House--the first yoga studio in Harlem - and also served six years on the Board of Yoga Alliance, including Chair of the Board. A sought-after speaker/moderator, she is a National Spokesperson for the American Heart Association and has served on various local, national and international committees.

        In 2009, the World Economic Forum named her one of its Young Global Leaders recognizing her potential for shaping the future of the world. She has participated in Forums in Brazil, China, India, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, South Africa and Tanzania, and has been a discussion leader for the Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. She incorporates mindfulness into her leadership talks and has also taught yoga in places like The Great Wall of China. She has a dual BA in Sociology and Studio Art from Wellesley College, an MBA from Harvard Business School, a Ph.D in World Religions, and executive education in Global Leadership and Public Policy. She is also a Certified Professional Coach, and holds a variety of other certifications in yoga, fitness and holistic health counseling. She contributes to various blogs such as The Huffington Post, the World Economic Forum, Impatient Optimists (Gates Foundation), and Speaking of Women's Health (Cleveland Clinic). Called "smart with a heart," she has been featured in media from CNN, Tokyo FM and ARD TV in Germany to Prevention, El Mercurio in Chile, Oprah's book Live Your Best Life! and the cover of Yoga Journal. Although she is American, she was born in Ghana, started school in Australia, lived/studied in Italy, and has traveled to over 40 countries. For more, go to www.drterrikennedy.com.


      • Dancing Light: The Spiritual Side of Being Through the Eyes of a Modern Yoga Master
        is packed with stories and insights. Tao Porchon-Lynch's life was a great adventure! Here's a teaser:

        On Life...
        "No matter what has happened in the past, I wake up each morning knowing that this is the best day of my life! This is my meditation for the day. Nothing is impossible."

        On Gandhi...
        "One day I returned home from my daily adventures and when I walked in, I saw a man sitting in a chair talking with my uncle… I figured he was one of Uncle’s new friends… I soon found out that this little funny-looking person was Mohandas Gandhi – or “Mahatma” as people called him." 

        On helping Jews escape...
        "When the Germans came to inspect the area, my aunt pretended to be courteous by asking, 'Oh, wouldn't you like to have a glass of wine?' Inside the vat were people who were hardly breathing because of fear."

        On WWII Bombing Blitz...
        "Many nights, after performing at the cabarets, I'd come home and find that many of my clothes and things didn't make it. I'd come in and find only one shoe left... All of London was on fire."

        On The Maharishi...
        "He seemed to have known me forever and understood my search. With a smile he said, 'Come, we talk.' After a brief discussion about India, we silently entered into a deep meditation."

        On Aging...
        "Nature is constantly recycling itself and it's telling us something. We can recycle ourselves. We don't have to fade. If I'm tuning into the Creator of life with every breath I take... I'm recycling my body."


        For more on Tao, including her blog, go to www.TheTaoExperience.com. For updates, follow us on Twitter: @Taoexp.


      • Publisher:
        Power Living Enterprises, Inc.; 1st edition
        Language:
        English
        ISBN-10:
        1942510004
        ISBN-13:
        978-1942510000
        Product Dimensions:
        9.25 x 6.125 inches
        Weight: 2 pounds
        Pages: 504
        Binding: Smyth Sewn

        Categories:
        Autobiography, Spirituality, Yoga, History, Self-Help
        Cover Image: From an original Robert Sturman photo.
        Formats: The Hardcover and E-book formats are currently available. 
        Affiliates: If you are a yoga or dance studio--or simply want to offer the book to your constituents--contact us about our affiliate program.

        For volume discounts, foreign language translation/distribution partnerships and/or interest in supporting the film version (e.g. documentary and feature) of Tao's life, contact Power Living Media at info@powerlivingmedia.com or 212-901-6913.

 


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