Breathing Through the Whole Body

by Johnson, Will

• ISBN13: 9781594774348
• ISBN10: 159477434X
• eBook ISBN(s): 9781594777103
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-01-25
• Publisher: Inner Traditions

Summary

Explaining how stillness in meditation refers not to a rigid and frozen body but to a quality of mind, Will Johnson examines the Buddha's own words at the core of the Satipatthana Sutta: "As you breathe in, breathe in through the whole body; as you breathe out, breathe out through the whole body"-an instruction often overlooked in the majority of Buddhist schools. Exploring the Buddha's complete series of steps for deepening awareness of the breath, he shows how to invite natural, responsive movement back into the posture of meditation by extending breath awareness beyond the nostrils, lungs, and abdomen to the entire body-a practice that unifies the breath, body, and mind into a single shared phenomenon.

Author Biography

Will Johnson is the founder and director of the Institute for Embodiment Training, which combines Western somatic psychotherapy with Eastern meditation practices. He is the author of several books, including The Posture of Meditation and the award-winning The Spiritual Practices of Rumi. He lives in British Columbia.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
The Foundation of the Body
A Quiet Place	p. 8
The Upright Spine	p. 12
Center of Gravity	p. 17
Solidity and Vibration	p. 20
Stillness and Motion	p. 26
Letting Go	p. 33
The Breath of Unending Motion
Into the Center	p. 38
The Koan of Breathing	p. 49
Upright Spine	p. 52
Upside Down Broom	p. 55
The Moving Spine	p. 56
Befriending Stillness	p. 57
Feeling Presence	p. 58
Drawing Down	p. 62
The Breath of the Unfolding Fern	p. 64
Rocking the Pelvis	p. 66
Floating Shoulders, Sinking Hands	p. 68
Breathing the Six Directions	p. 69
Calming the Body	p. 73
Turning the Wheel	p. 76
About the Author	p. 81
Index	p. 82
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