The Journey from the Center to the Page (Paperback)

by Jeff Davis (Author)
Key Phrases: soaring lock, joyful concentration, subtle imagination, New York City, Nicholson Baker, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
At once inspirational and instructional, The Journey from the Center to the Page artfully illustrates how yoga philosophies and practices can be an invaluable ally to the writing life.

With wisdom for writers of any level and in any genre, nationally known yoga and writing instructor Jeff Davis shows you how yoga’s principles and practical tools can deepen your writing process and increase your versatility as a writer. A grounded guide to the body-mind-imagination connection, this book shows ways to:
Re-connect with your deeper intention for writing
Sustain concentration and confidence when writing
Make time to write what matters most to you
Write with an authentic voice
Draft, re-vision, and revise with an embodied writing process
Write with a more visceral style replete with fresh imagery, intimate detail, metaphor, and rhythm
Convert fear and anger into powerful stories and satire
Cultivate compassion for complex characters—whether real or fictional
Create an authentic writers community

About the Author
Apoet, freelance writer, and editor, Jeff Davis founded the Yoga as Muse for Authentic Writing Workshops and has taught writing for sixteen years, assisting students of all ages and from all walks of life. His work has taken him to numerous locales, including Omega at The Crossings; New York City’s Om Yoga Center; and Bliss Yoga Center in Woodstock, New York, where he writes and teaches.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Gotham (April 25, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592401384
• ISBN-13: 978-1592401383
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #924,451 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not Just for Yoga Practitioners: A Valuable Book for Any Writer, May 25, 2006

By	Dr. Richard G. Petty (Atlanta) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I do not know any professional writer who has not occasionally found it very difficult to put his or her thoughts down on paper. My old school friend Douglas Adams once wrote, "I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." He is by no means alone, and the problem can be even worse for people who only have to write occasionally, say to write term papers or reports. Later in his short life, Douglas had genuine writer's block. Most people do not, they just find it difficult to get themselves energized, their thoughts organized and then to go through the mechanics of writing them down.

This book by Jeff Davis is full of excellent advice for anyone who needs to write and who has ever found it difficult. Using the methods of yoga, he discusses ways to connect to your original purpose in writing (even if it is a report!); how to convert anger into creativity; to increase your sense of awareness and wonder; how to improve your focus, concentration and self-discipline and how to maintain integrity. There is much else besides. There is a nice glossary of key terms, and for those who want to, there are some specific exercises and postures aimed at helping the flow of your creative juices.

This book is a very useful addition to the literature on writing. It is also part of a most welcome trend: showing exactly how to apply spiritual and subtle energy principles in daily life.

A very valuable addition to the spiritual seeker's or writer's library.