{"product_id":"running-with-mindfulness-isbn-9780735219793","title":"Running with Mindfulness","description":"\u003cb\u003eThis perfect gift for runners delves into the positive effect of running therapy, including anxiety relief and reduced stress by focusing on the meditative nature of exercise. This running workbook allows you to practice mindfulness in your everyday routine, whether you prefer an afternoon stroll or a morning jog. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMovement is medicine. Letting your mind wander as you take a long walk, a slow jog, or a brisk run can give you a powerful, uplifting feeling. Some call it a runner’s high, others attribute it to endorphins. In this interactive workbook, psychotherapist William Pullen teaches you how to channel that exhilarating energy and use it to make positive change in your life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This radical new approach to obtaining the benefits of mindfulness originates in the body itself. Using a combination of mindfulness, focused questions, and exercise, Dynamic Running Therapy (DRT) has proven to be a simple, intuitive, effective, and therapeutic method for managing stress, trauma, anxiety, anger, depression, and other conditions.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e With carefully tailored thought exercises to be implemented while on a run or walk, DRT brings the mind into perfect harmony with the body through the healing experience of mindful running.\u003cb\u003eWilliam Pullen\u003c\/b\u003e is a psychotherapist registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. He practices Integrative therapy and specializes in the treatment of depression, anxiety, problems of self-esteem and confidence, and substance abuse. He has been featured in publications such as \u003ci\u003eVogue, The Independent, \u003c\/i\u003eand\u003ci\u003e GQ.\u003c\/i\u003eThe Journey\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e If you can see your path laid out in front of you step by step,      you know it's not your path. Your own path you make with every      step you take. That's why it's your path.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Joseph Campbell\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e One Step at a Time\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dynamic Running Therapy is not complicated or particularly      challenging-it's more about learning a couple of simple but very      powerful techniques and embarking on an exploration of who you      are. Like most journeys, the important thing is to keep putting      one foot in front of the other. Try to practice being mindful of      your journey as you continue to move forward-this means being      aware of how you experience yourself as you go along. By being      aware of your progression on the journey you allow yourself the      opportunity to cultivate a more compassionate, gentle and      accepting relationship with yourself. Remember, you are not      actively changing anything-merely noticing the tone of your inner      dialog and meeting whatever you find there with acceptance and      patience, letting it pass on by naturally.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Often in this busy, overstimulated world of ours, we treat the      relationship we have with ourselves as a secondary concern, an      afterthought that can be dealt with at some later date. Often we      tell ourselves that we will find time to slow down tomorrow,      change our diet next week, or work on our self-respect next month.      As a result, our relationships suffer as we grow less connected      with the world and those around us. When we become aware of who we      are we can better reach out to others and enjoy the world more.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e It sounds simple. It is simple. But it takes a little discipline      and a little commitment. In her TED talk, the author Elizabeth      Gilbert says of her relationship with her creative inspiration: \"I      am not the pipeline, I am a mule.\" She is sharing an understanding      that creativity comes from hard work and determination, not by      simply making ourselves available. Forming a relationship with      yourself is a creative act that requires playfulness,      experimentation and, perhaps above all, commitment and hard work.      We cannot sit back and expect the world to present itself at our      door each morning carrying a divine plan for the day. To embrace      life fully and achieve our goals we must take those proactive      steps toward them. Sometimes our experiments will fail, but that      is all part of the learning process-it is important to fail so      that you know you have tried.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Sometimes you will hit a dead-end, be it physically, mentally or      emotionally, but that's OK; stick with the journey and you will      get to where you need to go. It might not end where you thought it      would, and it might take longer than you thought it would to get      there, but persistence will pay off.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e If until now you have struggled to face your troubles and      insecurities head-on, you are not alone. The very nature of life      is that it is a constant stream of change, of victory and loss, of      love and betrayal, of birth and death. DRT will help you to engage      with and cherish your struggles and triumphs by giving you the      space and time to reacquaint yourself with who you truly are.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This process does not offer peace and everlasting life-it offers a      way to learn to be more accepting of who you are inside and of the      things that have already happened to you and will happen to you in      the future. It helps you to value what is real in the here and      now, not the stories that you tell yourself. It helps you to stop      thinking about what has happened in the past or what might happen      in the future and instead appreciate what is happening now.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Self-acceptance improves with practice-it's something you get good      at by doing it over and over again. One client I had lost his      business, his wife and his mother in the same year. He experienced      this as confirmation that nothing that he touched or loved could      last, and he believed that the vulnerability he felt inside as a      result was as clear to others as it was to him. In time, through      our work together and his commitment, he came to see that constant      neglect by this same mother during childhood was the root of his      own self-neglect. It was a light-bulb moment that illuminated his      own responsibility for self-care.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e It takes courage to wake up to ourselves. Not being truly at peace      with who you are can lead to a lifetime of anxiety; once you stop      deceiving yourself, what you find will be refreshing. If your      \"truth\" is fantasy, such avoidance will not lead to safety or      happiness. You can tell yourself that you are happy in your      current relationship or that your \"dream job\" you worked for many      years to achieve is going well, but if those tales are false you      will corrode your sense of well-being from the inside out. The      real world in front of you is often actually a much simpler place      to inhabit than the one in your jumbled mind.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e If you are going to embark on the DRT journey then the best advice      I can give you is to immerse yourself in the experience as      wholeheartedly as you can. Commit yourself to the path ahead. Get      moving and keep moving. If at first the steps are small, just keep      making them until you're taking long, confident strides forward.      Be a kind and gentle mentor to yourself. If you falter, take time      to regroup, but keep going. Imagine you are coaching a good friend      or a loved one and treat yourself as you would treat them in your      situation. The best coaches are patient, understanding, forgiving      and inspiring. Be your own champion, give yourself that prematch      pep talk and cheer yourself on from the sidelines.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A good coach also teaches the importance of discipline and      learning. DRT asks you to learn from yourself as you go along-to      register and record your journey, including your imperfect      moments. Learning how to coach yourself well means catching      yourself when you fall. Try to see each moment of self-criticism      as a chance to grow. Value these moments for what they      are-frequent opportunities to get better at being kind to and      accepting of yourself. It's not very complicated and becomes      second nature quite quickly if practiced often. Each time you      replace self-recrimination with self-acceptance and stay with your      practice is a victory. It becomes a celebration of who you are,      warts and all. You will also notice how much easier on you it      is-it takes much less effort to notice and let go than it does to      analyze and chastise.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e DRT really is about the journey and not the destination, so be      patient and keep moving. Each step you take is your step. It      belongs to you and no one else. It is your relationship with each      moment that fills a lifetime with meaning, not where the path      eventually leads.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Bear in mind the words of the celebrated Buddhist teacher Pema      Chšdršn, as quoted from the Bodhicitta slogans of Atisha:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Don't try to be the fastest. Abandon any hope of fruition. Don't      expect applause.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Finally, be prepared to struggle a bit. DRT has a way of bringing      to the surface really difficult truths about ourselves-the very      same truths that can set us free. Along the way fear and shame may      emerge. Often they go hand in hand with the most difficult parts      of ourselves, the bits we have spent a lifetime trying to disown.      Try not to let either get the better of you. This is no easy task.      Acknowledge and own them as part of your journey and keep on      moving. Fear and shame are a kind of \"stuckness\"-a getting bogged      down in a particular and narrow idea of ourselves. Be mindful,      allow them to leave as easily as they arrived. Remember, you are      not your thoughts.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The Right Footing\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Setting off on the right footing is important. Try to leave your      expectations about both yourself and DRT at home. Try to come to      each session with more of an attitude of discovery than planning.      This is sometimes called \"beginner's mind\" because it frees us      from the narrow path of historical thinking and opens up new      perspectives on our lives. I have an analogy I like about who we      think we are versus who we are:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e I take you into an ice-cream parlor that sells a hundred different      varieties and ask you to list the ones you think you will probably      like. Chocolate? Cookies and cream? Vanilla almost for sure.      Strawberry? You might get to five, ten, even twenty different      types. And yet, almost without question, if you tried some of the      others you have dismissed you would find among them some very      appealing ice cream. The point is we are much more diverse as      people than we think we are, but it takes an open attitude to      discover the rest of ourselves.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e If you have some negative ideas about yourself, begin the DRT      process looking at yourself with gentle eyes. Some of these ideas      will have been put into your head as a child, some through      experiences as an adult. But they are seldom as fixed as you      think. Be willing to discover, experiment and, most of all, come      with an open, beginner's mind.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The Process\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dynamic Running Therapy involves three simple steps. It begins      with grounding-a process of mindfulness based on \"checking in\"      with yourself and your environment. This makes you present and      calm, helping prepare you for the second step. This second step is      where you will sit\/walk\/run with whatever question or goal you      choose. Finally, we conclude the practice with a moment of      reflection on that session in the form of a note-taking exercise,      giving you a chance to reflect on what the session has given you.      These notes will be important later. Note: You might be surprised      what the process churns up but record it truthfully and without      editing to see the biggest changes in yourself.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Step One: Grounding\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Begin each session with a four-stage grounding process. Grounding      draws on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness      meditation and is a useful way to relax and get in the mood for      DRT. In our often busy lives it can take us a long time to center      ourselves amid all the noise. That's why these four mindful stages      are so important to begin our practice, making you present with      what you are feeling and where you are.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 1. The Body Scan\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Find somewhere you feel comfortable-this could be at home, sitting      on a park bench or on a beach-and find stillness. (Or if you      prefer and are comfortable lying down, find a peaceful bit of      grass.) The body scan's role is to locate you in your own body in      the here and now. All too many of us are adrift in the past or      worrying about the future. This scan, from the crown of the head      to the end of your toes, is ideal for raising levels of awareness      and setting up the session. Unfold crossed legs and arms (although      sitting cross-legged is fine), take a couple of big breaths and      relax.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Notice how your body feels when you're sitting against the grass      or bench. Allow your body to settle more fully into the support of      whatever you are sitting on. Notice the points of contact and      accompanying sensations. Take a couple more big breaths and again,      sensing your body's weight, notice how you move with each breath.      Allow yourself to settle fully. Release your shoulders downwards,      feeling your head gently rising up. Notice how and where your body      moves as you breathe. Remember you are not trying to achieve      relaxation or anything else. You are just directing your attention      to different parts of your body and being aware of the sensations      you find there in as much detail as possible. There is no need to      judge them or change them. Just try to stay with the experience as      best you can-remember, there is no right way or wrong way to do      this. It doesn't matter if the experience is pleasurable or not,      or if the sensations are strong or barely discernible, or if we      find it hard to stay with the practice or not. All of these are      part of the practice but we just notice them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Now, beginning with the top of your head, become aware of your      body from top to toe. As you work your way down, try to sense each      part individually as you go, noticing whatever sensations you may      come across. With a friendly curiosity, become aware of how      relaxed that part is, or how warm or cold. What does contact with      the firmness beneath you feel like? Can you sense the material of      your clothing against your body? Notice your forehead, your nose,      your top and bottom lips, your chin, the underside of your      chin-every inch of you. In some areas there might be no sensation;      that is fine too. If you notice any tension try breathing into it      gently, noting what qualities you find there in as much detail as      you can. Do the sensations change as you breathe in and out of      this place of tension?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Continue down the neck to the shoulders, chest, arms, forearms,      and to the end of each finger. Don't try to change what you find      or make a judgment about it. You are just noticing, that is all.      Now to the groin, thighs and finally down the legs. Finish at the      end of either the big or small toe.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e During this process, notice how your thoughts come and go.      Acknowledge them and let them drift away ... The goal is to stay      in your body, in the moment. Let thoughts come and go and return      once more to the practice and your bodily sensations.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 2. The Environment Scan\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Now turn your attention from your body to the environment you are      sitting in. Look around, scanning your surroundings slowly,      noticing everything your senses pick up. What can you smell? Is it      close by? What can you see right in front of you? What is the      furthest thing you can see on the horizon? What is the greenest or      brightest thing? What are there the most of? What did you fail to      see at first? Listen-what can you hear? How many different sounds      can you discern? Which are closer and which further away? Which      have the highest pitch and which the lowest? Now touch the bench      below you or the grass around you. Is it hard? Soft? Warm? Cold?      Does it tickle?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e As with the body scan, the goal is just to be present, just to      notice. You don't have to notice everything, or notice it      perfectly. Whatever you become aware of, simply acknowledge and      then move on. Become one with the moving sounds and sensations of      yourself in this place.","brand":"Plume","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302820991205,"sku":"NP9780735219793","price":16.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780735219793.jpg?v=1767735987","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/running-with-mindfulness-isbn-9780735219793","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}