Book Review: Bodyfulness: Somatic Practices for Presence

I didn’t know how very much I needed this book until I opened it — one of the biggest gifts for a reader, and for a person who seeks understanding. That word bodyfulness is instantly recognizable as a side-stepping of mindfulness, but you’re wrong if you think it intends a substitution of body for mind. As you would expect from a book published by Shambhala, it embraces a much more comprehensive understanding of the lived experience. The book includes lessons on how to be centered within yourself in a moment-to-moment way and how to find and hold on to yourself when the winds are buffeting. A very interesting element of Caldwell’s approach to bodyfulness is the understanding that bodyfulness has political implications: racism, sexism, ageism, and ableism separate us from our bodies and define many of our bodies as wrong or insufficient. In so doing, we are separated from our bodies and become bodyless. Dr. Caldwell founded the Somatic Counseling program at Naropa University, is a practicing psychotherapist, and is an advanced student of Thich Nhat Hanh — impressive credentials that give her the deep knowledge and compassionate understanding that permeate the book. Whether you are someone who is interested in the general topics of mindfulness, meditation, body-centered attention and wisdom, or a practitioner or counselor who wants to expand your understanding and use of these techniques, you’ll be right at home in this carefully designed book. The book...
Source: Psych Central - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Book Reviews Disorders General Happiness Memory and Perception Mindfulness Motivation and Inspiration Psychology Relaxation and Meditation Self-Esteem Self-Help bodily authority Bodyfulness books about meditation books about se Source Type: news