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The Secret Practice
The Secret Practice is the shocking true story of Joelle Tamraz's 18-year ordeal under the control of a master manipulator. For fans of Netflix’s Bikram, Tara Westover’s Educated, and Megan Phelps-Roper’s Unfollow.
His yoga focused on control and manipulation.
Until she broke the sequence.
Joelle Tamraz was barely past twenty when she traveled to India in search of spiritual enlightenment. In Rishikesh, the home of yoga, she met an alluring older man who offered to teach her a secret practice. This encounter would realign her next twenty years. Joelle was controlled emotionally, financially, socially, and physically until she was finally able to break the cycle of abuse.
Despite signs there was more to her Arun than his winning smile, she persisted in seeing him as her spiritual master, soul mate, and key to her destiny. Until one day she dared to open her eyes and change her pose to one of strength and harmony.
From darkness to light, from dependency to self-awareness, from psychological need to genuine love, The Secret Practice is at once an exposé of a master manipulator, the exploration of a marriage, and the exhaustion of a disciple’s faith.
Heartfelt, gripping, and illuminating, The Secret Practice is a powerful story of the dark side of yoga and spirituality.
This discussion guide was shared in partnership with the author, Joelle Tamraz.
Book club questions for The Secret Practice by Joelle Tamraz
Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.
Why do you think Joelle was so susceptible to Arun’s mental and emotional control?
How do you think Joelle’s family and upbringing played into in the story?
What did you think of the other characters in the yoga world, Angela and Gabriel? What role do you think they played in the story?
What do you think were the factors that led Joelle to regain control of her life?
Did you find the story believable? If not, why not?
What surprised you the most about The Secret Practice?
How did you find the narrator’s voice?
What did you think of the writing style and book structure?
How did you feel when you finished reading?
What were your views of brainwashing or mind control before reading this book, and what are your views now?
What, if anything, did you want to know more about when you finished the book?
What did you learn from reading this book? What were your takeaways?
The Secret Practice Book Club Questions PDF
Click here for a printable PDF of the The Secret Practice discussion questions
'An intense and suspenseful memoir' —Kirkus Reviews
'Such an important story...a captivating and hopeful story of growth and self-awareness.' —Jean Brown of SEEK Safely and author of This Sweet Life
'Phenomenal.' —Daniella Mestyanek Young, author of Uncultured