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The Journey from the Center to the Page
by Jeff Davis
List Price: 13.00


Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Gotham (April 21 2005)
Costumer Rating: Costumer rating

Read an Excerpt

Upaya: Yoga's Philosophical Principles
This book takes as its premise something simple yet potentially transformational: Yoga's philosophical principles and myriad skillful tools (upaya) can help you as a creative writer deepen your writing practice, become more versatile in your writing

Why Yoga?
Why yoga? Why not another form of meditation or some form of physical exercise such as running, aerobics, or lifting weights? Meditation alone certainly heightens concentration and relaxation, but focusing directly on our thoughts drives some people crazy

Chapter 1: Yoga: Making A Few Preparations
An hour or so before dawn, the congress in my head that years ago would wake me by trumpeting the day's debates seems this morning cooperative and sedate. I creep from bed across the hall's squeaking hardwoods to my study.



Book Description

The first book to show how yoga can help create better writing, with invigorating postures, breathing techniques, and wisdom for wordsmiths of any level.

Combining the enlightened perspective of Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones with the gentle practical advice of Anne Lamott's classic Bird by Bird, nationally known yoga and writing instructor Jeff Davis shows how yoga principles and myriad tools can help writers deepen their writing process, become more versatile, and enrich their writing style. Demonstrating the link between the "mind/body/imagination," The Journey from the Center to the Page is ideal for writers seeking to:

  • Overcome writer's block as well as develop more concentration, focus, and a grounded sense of self-discipline

  • Convert negative emotions - such as anger, fear, and hatred - into powerful storytelling energy

  • Increase awareness of the copious imagery presented in daily life and help turn it into powerful metaphors and descriptions

  • Cultivate compassion to create complex characters

  • Practice truthfulness in writing by finding an authentic, clear voice and creating authentic characters and dialogue

The Journey from the Center to the Page is for a wide audience: novelists, memoirists, poets, screenwriters, journalists, copywriters, English teachers, technical writers, or anyone who simply enjoys the power of the written word. Ultimately, it is a book for all those who hunger for renewed inspiration and a fresh focus in each of life's chapters.

About the Author

Jeff DavisJeff Davis

A poet, freelance writer, and editor, Jeff Davis founded the Yoga as Muse for Authentic Writing Workshops and has taught writing for sixteen years, assisting students of all ages and from all walks of life. His work has taken him to numerous locales, including Omega at The Crossings; New York City's Om Yoga Center; and Bliss Yoga Center in Woodstock, New York, where he writes and teaches.

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