Meaning in Motion: A contemplative manual for runners, dancers, parkour athletes, martial artists, yoga students and fitness buffs
Ever wondered how meditation could help you deepen your training? By the author of the acclaimed “Parkour and the Art du déplacement: Strength, Dignity, Community” and the recently launched “Parkour & Art du déplacement: Lessons in practical wisdom” (foreword by Ryan Hurst of Gold Medal Bodies and postscript by Yann Hnautra of the Yamakasi founders), here is a free book that will appeal to all movement enthusiasts. Whether you are into CrossFit, kettlebell, beach workouts, calisthenics, convict conditioning, body weight drills, traditional gymnastics, Taoist tai chi, street movement, ballet, Japanese archery … or anything else, give this new book a try. It contains fourteen simple, practical exercises, divided into five sections:
• Discovering mindfulness
In which you will learn to find your centre and relax in the present moment, a source of serenity that is always readily available, even while in motion.
• Finding purpose
In which you will discover what your sport or discipline means or could eventually mean to you, and boost your motivation.
• Acceptance, letting go and wonder
In which you will break free from social conditioning and the obsession of performance, and experience lightness of movement.
• Gratitude and celebration
In which you will supercharge your batteries, find inspiration and share that energy.
• Dignity
From mobility exercises to an exercise in nobility, in which we come to honour everyone’s fundamental worthiness.
From www.meaning-in-motion.com:
“We love to move. We believe that the human body is made to enjoy a wide variety of challenges. And yet we know there is more than the jump, more than the bench, more than the swing. We think athletics should always rhyme with ethics. We believe man’s search for the meaning is always healthier when it is both shared and playful.
Mindfulness in motion. That’s what this website and its related books are about. Seeing how ancient wisdom can apply to our training. Sharing, too, the fresh and unique perspectives of parkour, or ‘art du déplacement’, to all movement enthusiasts alike. Freerunners, joggers, yogis and yoginis, dancers, athletes, martial artists, fitness addicts, will all find useful ideas and exercises to deepen their practice and explore the relationship between physical movement, well-being and community. Take inspired action and train with a purpose.”
In the words of the author:
“This ebook belongs to a very ‘yin’ part of my training and teaching; it is just as important as the more ‘yang’ side of things and may indeed foster balance and longevity.”
TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Part I: Discovering Mindfulness
Chapter 1: Introduction to mindfulness
Exercise 1: A fundamental mindfulness exercise
Chapter 2: Walking meditation
Exercise 2: Walking mindfully
Chapter 3: Mindfulness in movement training
Exercise 3: Mindful movement training
Part II: Finding Purpose
Chapter 4: Being aware of what it all means to you
Exercise 4: Christening a notebook
Chapter 5: Being aware of the benefits of your training
Chapter 5: Brainstorming on the benefits
Chapter 6: One step further in the awareness of the benefits
Exercise 6: Brainstorming on daily applications
Part III: Acceptance, Letting Go and Wonder
Chapter 7: Breaking free
Exercise 7: Letting go of the obsession of performance
Chapter 8: Control freak (even a little…)
Exercise 8: Give up command!
Chapter 9: Be in command … or not
Exercise 9: Playing with dice
Chapter 10: Lightness of movement
Exercise 10: An exercise in lightness
Part IV: Gratitude and Celebration
Chapter 11: Quite the treasure you have amassed
Exercise 11: An exercise in gratitude
Chapter 12: Gratitude in motion
Exercise 12: Movement offerings
Chapter 13: Expansion
Exercise 13: The inner smile
Part V: Dignity
Chapter 14: Inherent wort
Ever wondered how meditation could help you deepen your training? By the author of the acclaimed “Parkour and the Art du déplacement: Strength, Dignity, Community” and the recently launched “Parkour & Art du déplacement: Lessons in practical wisdom” (foreword by Ryan Hurst of Gold Medal Bodies and postscript by Yann Hnautra of the Yamakasi founders), here is a free book that will appeal to all movement enthusiasts. Whether you are into CrossFit, kettlebell, beach workouts, calisthenics, convict conditioning, body weight drills, traditional gymnastics, Taoist tai chi, street movement, ballet, Japanese archery … or anything else, give this new book a try. It contains fourteen simple, practical exercises, divided into five sections:
• Discovering mindfulness
In which you will learn to find your centre and relax in the present moment, a source of serenity that is always readily available, even while in motion.
• Finding purpose
In which you will discover what your sport or discipline means or could eventually mean to you, and boost your motivation.
• Acceptance, letting go and wonder
In which you will break free from social conditioning and the obsession of performance, and experience lightness of movement.
• Gratitude and celebration
In which you will supercharge your batteries, find inspiration and share that energy.
• Dignity
From mobility exercises to an exercise in nobility, in which we come to honour everyone’s fundamental worthiness.
From www.meaning-in-motion.com:
“We love to move. We believe that the human body is made to enjoy a wide variety of challenges. And yet we know there is more than the jump, more than the bench, more than the swing. We think athletics should always rhyme with ethics. We believe man’s search for the meaning is always healthier when it is both shared and playful.
Mindfulness in motion. That’s what this website and its related books are about. Seeing how ancient wisdom can apply to our training. Sharing, too, the fresh and unique perspectives of parkour, or ‘art du déplacement’, to all movement enthusiasts alike. Freerunners, joggers, yogis and yoginis, dancers, athletes, martial artists, fitness addicts, will all find useful ideas and exercises to deepen their practice and explore the relationship between physical movement, well-being and community. Take inspired action and train with a purpose.”
In the words of the author:
“This ebook belongs to a very ‘yin’ part of my training and teaching; it is just as important as the more ‘yang’ side of things and may indeed foster balance and longevity.”
TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Part I: Discovering Mindfulness
Chapter 1: Introduction to mindfulness
Exercise 1: A fundamental mindfulness exercise
Chapter 2: Walking meditation
Exercise 2: Walking mindfully
Chapter 3: Mindfulness in movement training
Exercise 3: Mindful movement training
Part II: Finding Purpose
Chapter 4: Being aware of what it all means to you
Exercise 4: Christening a notebook
Chapter 5: Being aware of the benefits of your training
Chapter 5: Brainstorming on the benefits
Chapter 6: One step further in the awareness of the benefits
Exercise 6: Brainstorming on daily applications
Part III: Acceptance, Letting Go and Wonder
Chapter 7: Breaking free
Exercise 7: Letting go of the obsession of performance
Chapter 8: Control freak (even a little…)
Exercise 8: Give up command!
Chapter 9: Be in command … or not
Exercise 9: Playing with dice
Chapter 10: Lightness of movement
Exercise 10: An exercise in lightness
Part IV: Gratitude and Celebration
Chapter 11: Quite the treasure you have amassed
Exercise 11: An exercise in gratitude
Chapter 12: Gratitude in motion
Exercise 12: Movement offerings
Chapter 13: Expansion
Exercise 13: The inner smile
Part V: Dignity
Chapter 14: Inherent wort
