How to train a wild elephant : and other adventures in mindfulness

by Jan Chozen BaLeave no trace. The value of accomplishing this axiom when using just one room of our home. work space or just about any place, may be far more than we can imagine.This is just one of 53 lessons that can foster mindfulness offered by author Bays, a pediatrician, meditation teacher, and abbess of Great Vow Zen Monastery in Oregon. These exercises resonate with our deepest desire to leave the world no worse than we found it and include eliminating unnecessary words from speech, offering true compliments, abstaining from cell-phone use, eating without distraction, praying while waiting, walking backward, and using a nondominant hand. The exercises vary dramatically, but all manage to bring consciousness to actions we often take for granted. The book also contains inspirational quotes from Zen masters. An uplifting read for the solitary practitioner and a great workbook for meditation groups and friends wanting to get the most out of life. --Booklist    (Get the Book)