Living as a River

by Bodhipaksa

• ISBN13: 9781591799108
• ISBN10: 1591799104
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-09-28
• Publisher: Sounds True

Summary

What happens when we embrace the flow of life? We stop suffering. In Living as a River, Bodhipaksa conducts a masterful investigation of the nature of self with an eloquent blend of current science and time-honoured spiritual insight meant to free us from the fear of impermanence in a world defined by change. The primary vehicle for this journey is Buddhism's traditional Six Element Practice, a deconstructive process of deep reflection that helps us let go of the belief in a separate, static self-the root of unhappiness. Bodhipaksa takes readers through a systematic analysis of the self that supports the realization of: bull; A sense of spaciousness and expansiveness that transcends the limitations of the physical body bull; Profound gratitude, awe, and a feeling of belonging as we witness the extent of our connectedness with the universe bull; Freedom from the psychological burden caused by clinging to a limited identity bull; The relaxed experience of "consciousness, pure and bright" Engrossing and incisive, Living as a River is at once an empowering guide and a meditative practice to overcome the fear of change and align with the natural unfolding of creation.

Author Biography

Bodhipaksa was born Graeme Stephen in Scotland and currently lives and teaches in New Hampshire. He is a Buddhist teacher and author who has been practicing within the Triratna Buddhist Community since 1982, and he has been a member of the Triratna Buddhist Order since 1993. Bodhipasksa runs the online meditation center Wildmind to increase awareness of the positive effects of meditation. His published works include the audios The Wisdom of the Breath and Still the Mind and the book Wildmind.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. ix
Introduction: Fear and Clinging in the River of Life	p. xi
The Self I Don't Believe In	p. 1
An Encounter in the Workshop	p. 25
Self Is a Verb	p. 39
On Reflection	p. 51
The Body as Mirage	p. 63
Trapped in the Elements	p. 85
The Communal Self	p. 93
The Earth Element	p. 105
The Water Element	p. 123
The Fire Element	p. 141
The Air Element	p. 165
The Space Element	p. 193
The Consciousness Element	p. 229
Stepping into the Stream	p. 273
The Self Beyond Measure	p. 291
Notes	p. 309
Reader's	p. 327
Index	p. 331
About the Author	p. 339
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