Zen And The Art Of Running: The Path To Making Peace With Your Pace (2009) - Plot & Excerpts
I really enjoyed reading this book. I have read many books on running but this was the first about the mental part of it. Shapiro does a good job of explaining how to apply Zen to your life in general and running in particular. It is easy to apply some of these but it takes a lifetime to master.I do wonder about the simplicity of "Zen teaches us ...." I don't know if Zen is as monolithic as that.The running advice is a big simple. Don't read this as your first running book but if you want to learn about how to use Zen in your running, this is recommended. Practice mindfulness by separating fact from attitude. Figure out what thoughts & emotions prevent you from running. Figure out why you are attached to those thoughts & emotions. Negative attachments to an idea are a choice. Figure out what you can do to get rid of the attachments and just accept the facts. Obstacles arise from within.Knowing and acting on knowledge are two different things. Don't let a harmful attachment control your mind and actions. Prioritize commitments, deadlines & responsibilities, then deal with the attachments that are causing fear, worry & dislike. You may not be able to change the task, but since it has to be done anyways, seek to change your negative attitude towards it.Choose "right effort" to replace negative emotions with positive ones. The goal of "right effort" is to alleviate dukka, or a battle of clashing desires. This is one of the hardest skills for anyone to learn, but it complements mindfulness. Look for areas of compromise when dealing with a conflict...perhaps there are negative attachments?
What do You think about Zen And The Art Of Running: The Path To Making Peace With Your Pace (2009)?
This book was just okay. A lot of the scenarios the author discussed I could not relate too.
—bruins328
meh. Probably nothing wrong with it, just didn't speak to me.
—cookielover04
