The Wakeful Body

Author: Willa Blythe Baker
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
ISBN: 161180874X
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 209

Book Description
Spirituality & Practice "Best Books of 2021" Award Winner A highly practical and approachable guide to somatic meditation with easy practices for accessing the body's inherent mindfulness, from an expert in somatic meditation. Tap into the wisdom of the body with down-to-earth practices like "Surrendering to the Breath" and "Befriending Feelings" that allow the body to become the source of mindfulness. Willa Blythe Baker introduces meditation practice as the cultivation of a way of being, rather than a way of doing. It is a way of being that is self-aware, self-compassionate, and embodied. This way of being is not limited to practice on the cushion or on the yoga mat--somatic mindfulness is available at any moment, activated by attention to the body's wisdom and its teachings. Discover the three layers of embodiment, from the earth body of flesh and blood, the subtle body of sensory experience and emotion, and the awareness body of consciousness. The three parts of this book explore these layers through turning attention to the physical, energetic, and mental dimensions of human experience. By diving deep into the body, readers will find that they already have what they need. Concentration, wisdom, compassion, kindness, and joy are waiting there.

Everyday Dharma

Author: Lama Willa Miller
Publisher: Quest Books
ISBN: 0835630382
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 313

Book Description
In The Everyday Dharma, Willa Miller, an authorized lama in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition, reworks ancient Buddhist techniques and adapts them for western readers seeking personal transformation. Becoming a Buddha, Lama Miller explains, means observing the mind and actions and then doing the physical, psychological, and spiritual work to move closer to one’s wisdom nature. Dharma is spiritual practice; it’s what one does every day to make one’s mind and world a better place to live. Each chapter includes a passage to read, an exercise of the day that relates to each week’s topic, a quote from a sage, and tips on how to make daily practice a little easier. The book shows that it’s not necessary to subscribe to a particular — or any — belief system to benefit from this program. "It’s only necessary," says Lama Miller, "to believe one deserves to live a more fulfilling and meaningful life."

The Awakening Body

Author: Reginald A. Ray
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
ISBN: 0834840413
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 193

Book Description
A senior Buddhist teacher offers fundamental body-based meditation practices that prove enlightenment is as close to you as your own body Many of us experience life through so many conceptual filters that we never recognize the freedom and joy that are inherent in us—and are in fact the essence of who we are. We can grow old not realizing that one of the most powerful tools to escape the painful knots we tie ourselves in is, literally, at our fingertips: our body. With The Awakening Body, Reggie Ray cracks open the shell of the mind-body dichotomy and presents six fundamental body-based practices that connect us back to who we really are. These practices cut through the mental fabrications through which we experience our world and lead us directly to the richness of living a fully present, embodied human life. This book includes a link to free downloads of recorded guided practices.

Quick Calm

Author: Jennifer R. Wolkin
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
ISBN: 1684036100
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 125

Book Description
Calm the chaos and rewire your brain in just five minutes a day! Do you ever feel like your stress levels are off the charts? You aren’t alone. Every day it feels like there’s something new to juggle or a fresh crisis to avert. And just keeping everything in the air requires an exhausting amount of attention and a dizzying amount of responsibilities. The more chaotic life becomes, the more we tend to forget what we truly value—from family and friends to mental and physical health. Fortunately, there are things you can do to stay grounded that won’t eat away at your increasingly precious time. Quick Calm is a practical and fun guidebook designed to fit perfectly into a fast-paced lifestyle. You’ll discover the what, why, and how of developing your own mindfulness practice. You’ll learn all about the essential, life-affirming benefits of this ancient practice, including mindfulness meditation’s positive effects on both mind and body. And, most importantly, you’ll find daily practices you can do in just five minutes a day! So, if you’re ready to discover the gift of mindfulness, but you don’t have the time to attend a meditation retreat, set aside five minutes a day with this handy little guide. You’ll be hard pressed to find a better return on your time investment!

Heal Thy Self

Author: Saki Santorelli
Publisher: Harmony
ISBN: 0307556603
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 290

Book Description
"Perhaps our real work, whether offering or seeking care, is to recognize that the healing relationship--the field upon which patient and practitioner meet--is, to use the words of the mythologist Joseph Campbell, a 'self-mirroring mystery'--the embodiment of a singular human activity that raises essential questions about self, other, and what it means to heal thy self." --Saki Santorelli Today we are experiencing extraordinary technological advances in the diagnosis and treatment of illness while at the same time learning to take more responsibility for our own health and well-being. In this book, Saki Santorelli, director of the nationally acclaimed Stress Reduction Clinic, explores the ancient roots of medicine, and shows us how to introduce mindfulness into the crucible of the healing relationship, so that both patients and caregivers begin to acknowledge that we are all wounded and we are all whole. His approach revolutionizes the dynamics of the patient/practitioner relationship. In describing the classes at the clinic and the transformation that takes place in this alchemical process, he offers insights and effective methods for cultivating mindfulness in our everyday lives. As he reveals the inner landscape of his own life as a health care professional and we join him and those with whom he works on this journey of human suffering and courage, we become aware of and honor what is darkest and brightest within each one of us.

The Wakeful World

Author: Emma Restall Orr
Publisher: John Hunt Publishing
ISBN: 1780994079
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 316

Book Description
Over the past few hundred years, animism has been dismissed as a primitive, naive and irrational perspective, relevant perhaps amongst tribal peoples but not within the intellectual arenas of the civilized West. In this book, the author argues that this is based on the misrepresentation that each tree and stone has its own immortal soul.

The Arts of Contemplative Care

Author: Cheryl A Giles
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1614290377
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 370

Book Description
Powerful and life-affirming, this watershed volume brings together the voices of pioneers in the field of contemplative care--from hospice and hospitals to colleges, prisons, and the military. Illustrating the day-to-day words and actions of pastoral workers, each first-person essay in this collection offers a distillation of the wisdom gained over years of compassionate experience. The stories told here are sure to inspire--whether you are a professional caregiver or simply feel inclined toward guiding, healing, and comforting roles. If you are inspired to read this book, or even one touching story in it, you just might find yourself inspired to change a life.

The Mind-Body Stress Reset

Author: Rebekkah LaDyne
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
ISBN: 1684034299
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 222

Book Description
Harness your mind-body connection for lasting ease and well-being In our busy, get-it-done-now culture, stress has become the new normal—a normal that’s embedding itself into our minds and our bodies. If left unchecked, stress can dictate how we think, feel, and act. Overwhelm, anxiousness, malaise, and unease are a daily experience. And over time, these stress-reactions turn into habits, leaving us stuck in a mental and physical rut. So, how can you soothe stress before it becomes your go-to? In this practical and accessible guide, you’ll find powerful and effective tools for calming stress in both mind and body. Based on the innovative Mind-Body Reset (MBR) program, you’ll learn how to stop stress in its tracks with simple somatic exercises. You’ll also discover how you can “reset” your nervous system, alleviate stress flare-ups, and boost your overall health and happiness. If you’re ready to combat stress, cultivate calm, and live a more vital life, it’s time for a reset!

Be the Refuge

Author: Chenxing Han
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
ISBN: 1623175232
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 345

Book Description
A must-read for modern sanghas--Asian American Buddhists in their own words, on their own terms. Despite the fact that two thirds of U.S. Buddhists identify as Asian American, mainstream perceptions about what it means to be Buddhist in America often whitewash and invisibilize the diverse, inclusive, and intersectional communities that lie at the heart of American Buddhism. Be the Refuge is both critique and celebration, calling out the erasure of Asian American Buddhists while uplifting the complexity and nuance of their authentic stories and vital, thriving communities. Drawn from in-depth interviews with a pan-ethnic, pan-Buddhist group, Be the Refuge is the first book to center young Asian American Buddhists' own voices. With insights from multi-generational, second-generation, convert, and socially engaged Asian American Buddhists, Be the Refuge includes the stories of trailblazers, bridge-builders, integrators, and refuge-makers who hail from a wide range of cultural and religious backgrounds. Championing nuanced representation over stale stereotypes, Han and the 89 interviewees in Be the Refuge push back against false narratives like the Oriental monk, the superstitious immigrant, and the banana Buddhist--typecasting that collapses the multivocality of Asian American Buddhists into tired, essentialized tropes. Encouraging frank conversations about race, representation, and inclusivity among Buddhists of all backgrounds, Be the Refuge embodies the spirit of interconnection that glows at the heart of American Buddhism.

Essence of Ambrosia

Author: Taranatha
Publisher: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives
ISBN: 8186470379
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 232

Book Description
Essence of Ambrosia is a guide to Buddhist meditation, composed by the prolific and eclectic Tibetan scholar and practitioner Taranatha (1575-1634). Following the lead of Atisha, Taranatha expounds a graduated approach (known as lam rim) to cognitive and meditative development designed to address the needs of three types of person: the person of lesser, average and greater capacity. Taranatha's innovative contribution to this genre is to instruct the student in "contemplation sessions", that specifically guide a beginning Buddhist practitioner through the traditional practices of meditation, beginning with devotional reflection up to the apex of Buddhist meditation, insight (vipassana) meditation. The result is a remarkably accessible and concise insider's guide to the Mahayana Buddhist path.