Aligned, Relaxed, Resilient: The Physical Foundations of Mindfulness (Paperback)

~ (Author) "IN EVERY PART of the body, down to the smallest cell, sensations can be felt to exist..." (more)
Key Phrases: embodied mindfulness, resilient motion, sensational presence, Niagara Falls (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"Transform the act of cooking into a dance worthy of both Nijinsky and the Buddha." This is the essence of Will Johnson's handbook for living in your body. Aligned, Relaxed, Resilient combines the body awareness of yoga, the life force, as Johnson puts it, of Taiji, and the mindfulness of Thich Nhat Hanh into a single and simple practice of attentive movement. Too often meditators and spiritual practitioners from all religions retreat into the head or heart, neglecting not only the health but the spiritual potential of the body. Through carefully constructed exercises, Johnson reintegrates body and mind, bringing the senses of vision, hearing, and tactile sensation into what he calls a unified field of shimmering awareness. After alignment and relaxation, the capstone of Johnson's practice is resilience, a harnessing of life force in every natural movement. Free of tension and buoyed by the earth's gravity, the body, a mass of coordinated activity, moves like a flock of starlings. When resilient movement is combined with unified sensation, the ground of being opens up to every moment's joyful apprehension. Learn and indulge. --Brian Bruya

From Library Journal

Johnson, director of the Institute for Embodiment Training in Cobble Hill, British Columbia, believes that the body should not be overlooked in meditation. As he points out, the Buddhist principle called mindfulnessAsensing the body's presenceAis known as "the royal road to enlightenment." The themes expressed here are largely continuations and reconstructions of those in Johnson's other book on the physical realm of meditation, The Posture of Meditation: A Practical Manual for Meditators of All Traditions. Focusing on bodily sensations and aligning the body so that it is not in opposition to gravity are stressed through numerous metaphors. Just reading Johnson's grounded and rhythmically poetic prose will put one in a meditative state. Suitable for beginning meditators or advanced meditators with somatic orientations, this book is recommended for large public libraries.ALeAnna DeAngelo, Springfield, MS
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: Shambhala; illustrated edition edition (July 5, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570625182
• ISBN-13: 978-1570625183
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #458,161 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An overlooked classic, April 6, 2004

By	Greg Smith (Wichita, KS USA) - See all my reviews

This is by far one of the best books on mindfulness meditation available, although you wouldn't know it from a cursory review of the book, nor from the lack of attention it has received from reviewers. Starting from the principles of meditation posture (being aligned, relaxed, and resilient), the author moves into a discussion of mindfulness in daily life and how these principles apply as we embody mindfulness in daily life. A particular strength of this book is his focus on mindfulness of the body. It is a common misconception (even among those of us who should know better) that spirituality is about transcending the body, senses and emotions. Will Johnson shows how mindfulness of the body, senses and emotions is a gateway to profound, subtle-level experience. I can't recommend this book highly enough. On a side note, following the principles in this book has substantially reduced the physical pain I experience while sitting on retreats.