Awake in the Wild: Mindfulness in Nature as a Path of Self-Discovery [Paperback]

Mark Coleman (Author), Jack Kornfield (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2006

“Nature deficit disorder” has become an increasingly challenging problem in our hyper modern world. In Awake in the Wild, Mark Coleman shows seekers how to remedy this widespread malady by reconnecting with nature through Buddhism. Each short (two to three pages) chapter includes a concrete nature meditation relating to such topics as Attuning to the Natural World, Reflecting the Rhythms of Nature, Walking with Compassion, Releasing the Inner Noise, Freeing the Animal Within, Coming into the Peace of Wild Things, Weathering the Storms of Life, and more. Incorporating anecdotes from the author’s many nature retreats, Buddhist wisdom and teachings, important nature writings by others, and nature itself, the book invites readers to participate in, not just observe, nature; develop a loving connection with the earth as a form of environmental activism; decrease urban alienation through experiencing nature; embody nature’s peaceful presence; and connect with ancient spiritual wisdom through nature meditations.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Mark Coleman has done us all a great service. This book is a joy to read -- Joseph Goldstein

Read Awake in the Wild slowly, not in a passive way, but as instructions to your heart. -- Jack Kornfeld

These practical instructions plumb our innate natural resources, highlight the bigger picture, illumine the infinite expanse of our hearts -- Surya Das

This book takes us on a journey to an authentic and joyous freedom. -- Sharon Salzberg, author of Faith;Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience

From the Publisher

Some books remind me of lying on my back in the grass on a starry summer night. Awake in the Wild is this kind of tonic. With a freshness of voice, Mark Coleman invites us back to the big picture, the vast, mysterious neighborhood of being alive, breathing on this flowering earth. Cosmologist Brian Swimme reminds us, "Four billion years ago it was a flaming of rock and now it can sing opera."

When we lose the big perspective, we are half awake in our life, lost in a thousand errands, and our small self, not truly free. "Like the sudden glimpse of the full moon," Awake in the Wild opens the walls. Its simple mindfulness derives from the lineage of awakening in nature that I encountered in the ancient forest monasteries of Thailand. There the Buddhist words for truth and nature are synonyms. Living in a hut amidst teak trees and cobras, jungle vines and wild deer, my teachers Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Buddhadasa taught that wisdom and compassion would grow through the mirror of the forest itself.

It is the same, wherever we live. Mark Coleman says, "Simply take in a tree with all your senses." What a delicious instruction, as if we've been on a diet for too long. Let yourself become intimate with a local spruce or redwood, larch or oak, take in the weathered, textured bark, the shimmer of the leaves. Meander in the wilds of your neighborhood, then go further, deliberately, out into the wilderness. Open your senses, go barefoot, embrace the wind and hills like a lover. How better to quiet the mind and open the heart?

Read Awake in the Wild slowly, not in a passive way, but as instructions to your heart. Try the practices. Improvise, see anew, play, be joyful, be amazed. And from these good words may you realize your interconnection with all things and be free.

Blessings, Jack Kornfield Spirit Rock Meditation Center 2006

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: New World Library (November 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1930722559
• ISBN-13: 978-1930722552
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.8 x 7.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #52,446 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Awake in the Wild February 3, 2007

By Deborah A. Hubsmith

Format:Paperback

Mark Coleman's book "Awake in the Wild" provides a delightful and accessible means to explore meditation in the nature world. The exercises and stories provide simple and profound ways for the reader to experience a greater sense of attention and connection to the web of life, and an awareness of the divine. "Awake in the Wild" has become a faithful companion for me on hikes -- there is always something new to discover. I highly recommend this book for both aspiring and cultured meditators! Enjoy.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars loved it... November 22, 2006

By R. Hall

Format:Paperback

This book is soothing to the soul, and is an inspiration to connect with this beatiful planet we live on. Mark Coleman, really captures the essence of what it is like to tune in to the natural world. This book is an encouraging reminder to look at all of the life happening around us, and to stop and smell the roses. Its an easy, sweet, and soothing read.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars a breath of fresh air November 14, 2006

By L. Gutierrez

Format:Paperback

This book is a must read. Mark Coleman reminds us of the importance of getting off our computers and into the wild, a place many of us are no longer familiar with. This book helps bring you back and many of the meditations are great for beginners. When you're feeling unbalanced, disconnected, and simply overwhelmed by the world, take this book to the ocean, into the woods, or your favorite park and find yourself again.