• Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Tahlia Newland

Editor, Author & Artist

  • Editing Services
  • Me & My Creative Life
    • My Books
      • Metaphysical Fiction
    • My Poetry
    • My Masks
    • My Hats
    • Permaculture, Forest & Garden
    • Performing Arts
  • Blog
  • Contact

Book review: Mindfulness in Motion by Dr Tamara Russell

September 25, 2015 by Tahlia Newland

mindfulness in motion

The mindfulness of the body is one of the four foundations of mindfulness; the others are the mindfulness of feelings, the mindfulness of mind and the mindfulness of dharmas (in the sense of all that can be known.) In this book, Dr Russell uses the mindfulness of the body as a basis from which to explore the mindfulness of feelings, and to some extent the mindfulness of mind. She takes the premise that a lack of awareness of one’s body causes more problems than just stiff necks, and awareness of the sensations happening in our body can help not only with dealing with physical issues before they become chronic, but also with handling emotions and learning how to act, rather than react to situations in our lives. The book gives many detailed exercises that help the reader to become mindful of their body and the feelings that manifest in it, and it also goes into loving kindness practice and the personal benefits of cultivating compassion.
Dr Russell backs up her theories with scientific research, but the system she has created is also firmly rooted in Buddhist and Tai Chi practice. Why the emphasis on physical movement? Because as Westerners we tend to live a sedentary life-style and are often completely out of touch with our body. As an ex-dancer and experienced meditator, I have a highly developed awareness of my body, but if you haven’t spent years training for athletics, sport or martial arts, then you need this kind of training to get in touch with your body and your feelings. Exercises such as dropping into our body at times of stress will be of great value to many people.
I found the practice of focusing ones awareness on the intention that drives a movement, in the moment before the actual movement takes place a great way to help the mind hone in on the present moment. This aspect of her ‘system’ has the potential to naturally lead the practitioner deeper into the mindfulness of mind, and I hope that she eventually expands her teaching to take it this step further to help people develop the other two mindfulnesses, that of the mind and of all that can be known.
I got this book from Netgalley for free in return for a review, and I read it on an electronic ARC for Kindle which didn’t show the diagrams the text referred to, and sometimes the formatting was so messed up that sentences were jumbled and paragraphs finished pages from where they started with something else in between. I got the impression that the paperback would be laid out with diagrams and boxes of highlighted text, but something like that requires careful formatting for electronic devices, so I hope the publisher took the time to format the Kindle version properly – I see that it’s available now. In general, though, assuming that the electronic formatting has been properly done, this is a valuable book for everyone who would like to connect more fully with their body, their emotions and their life—and isn’t that all of us?

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Non-fiction, Reviews

« Recommended Read: ‘Lives Interrupted’ by Shauna Bickley
A pleasant read: Review of ‘The Gilded Life of Matilda Dupraine’. »

Search

Recent Posts

  • Fantasy Book Review: The High Priestess by Val Tobin
  • Book Genres – What you Need to Know.
  • How to See Edits in Word Documents
  • Finding an Editor You Can Trust
  • Review of ‘The Guild Codex Spellbound Series’ by Annette Marie

View Posts by Category

Writing a novel? Feeling overwhelmed? Get new insight and inspiration with my FREE Novel Revision Checklist. 

DOWNLOAD  NOW

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Free Book Download  
Get Lethal Inheritance free when you sign up to my new release email list.  I won’t share your details and you can unsubscribe at any time.

My Latest Books

  • Fallout: Recovering from Abuse in Tibetan Buddhism
  • The Elements of Active Prose: Writing Tips to Make Your Prose Shine
  • The Locksmith's Secret
    Rated 5.00 out of 5

Alliance of Independent Authors

Alliance of Independent Authors

Click HERE to see all my books.

Books
Reviews, Writing, Cats & Contemplation
Editing

Click HERE to subscribe to my newsletter and get my fantasy novel Lethal Inheritance FREE. 

How to Meditate – the crucial points

See more

Hi I’m Tahlia Newland

I can help you express yourself and share your story with the world.

 

Do you want to write a really good story and have it professionally polished and published?

As an editor, I help you be the best writer you can possibly be. I strengthen your voice, support your vision and can assist you all the way to publication.

On my blog you’ll find book reviews, writer’s tips, contemplative articles on meditation and working with your mind, and occaisonally pictures of my Burmese cats.

If you’re interested mostly in my contemplative articles then  Sign up to the Living in Peace & Clarity Newsletter to get those articles delivered by email. And check out the resources on my Living in Peace and Clarity Page.

I do a lot of community work involving blogging and general support for Buddhist students processing revelations of abuse in their spiritual communities.  Please consider supporting me to continue this work.

Occiasonally, when inspired and not too busy with community work, I make masks.

All my books are

Visit my Mask & Steampunk Accessories Shop

2015-03-19 15.46.12
Blue Burmese
Like cats in stories? Check out my books. And click the photo to read the cat colomn.

Click Here for More Articles in This Series

Book reviews – sci fi, fantasy, literary fiction, Buddhist fiction and related non-fiction

Fantasy Book Review: The High Priestess by Val Tobin

Fantasy Book Review: The High Priestess by Val Tobin

The High Priestess: Persephone’s Return is the third book in Val Tobin’s Tales from the Unmasqued World Series, and in it she deepens and expands the stories from the previous two book. The book has two central story arcs based around characters we’ve met before. One arc follows Kelsey (a human) who is with Josh […]

More Posts from this Category

My gorgeous Burmese cats

Renovated Website & Cute Cat Series

Renovated Website & Cute Cat Series

Yesterday I did a photoshoot for my renovated website. Take a look around, particulary at the home page (Click on my name at the top to go there). It’s designed for editing clients with my books secondary because I need to focus on the part of this publishing business that actually earns me more than […]

More Posts from this Category

Seven of my novels have an Awesome Indies Seal of Excellence

Four of my books earned BRAG Medallions

I abide by the ethical author code

I'm an Ethical Author
Alliance of Independent Authors

Copyright

All material on this website is under copyright to Tahlia Newland and cannot be shared without written permission.

  • Editing Services
  • About Me
  • My Books
  • My Masks
  • Blog
  • Contact

Copyright © 2023 · Amoré Theme by Oh, Hello Designs on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

FREE Novel Revision Checklist

Written a book? Need some help reviewing and revising it? Download my Novel Revision Checklist for step by step guidance.  

DOWNLOAD NOW

no thanks

{"cookieName":"wBounce","isAggressive":false,"isSitewide":true,"hesitation":"120","openAnimation":false,"exitAnimation":false,"timer":"","sensitivity":"","cookieExpire":"7","cookieDomain":"","autoFire":"","isAnalyticsEnabled":false}

Please note: I am closed for holidays from Christmas day until Jan 30th 2023. Dismiss

 

Loading Comments...