Barbara Shaw is a debut novelist, Chopra Center Certified Yoga Instructor, rookie rancher, and self-professed chief animal flunky at the For Giving Ranch, a haven for animals and a breathing space for people. Her stories are inspired by the souls who land there.
When not being outmaneuvered by screaming goats, outpaced by crafty chickens, or outwitted by clever canines, she guides humans to assume not-so-outlandish animal-inspired body postures. Amid the feeding, wrangling, mucking, and milking, Shaw acknowledges that the animals have indeed taken over, and her life is better for it.
After an accident crushed her ankle and put an end to her running fixation, it was the practice of yoga that restored the strength, balance, and flexibility Barbara needed to maintain functional mobility, fitness, and peace of mind. When Shaw became certified as a yoga teacher, she vowed to dedicate a generous portion of her practice to outreach causes and underserved communities.
Her book, "JoJo's Journey through the Untold Woods" supports Shaw's yoga outreach mission on a grander scale. Written at a time when our country and much of our world is besieged by divisiveness, many messages are woven into the story to serve as an anecdote for separatism and prejudice. We don't have to agree on everything in order to live in harmony with one another. The author believes that healing and true wellness lie in the conscious practice of unconditional love, acceptance, and tolerance for self and others.