Anne Cushman

Liked it. Fun and kind of funny. Good writer. Plot in a sentence: A writer is sent to India to research/write a for-dummies style book about reaching enlightenment, staying at a completely commercialized,big business ashram. Can maybe recommend to the [b:Eat, Pray, Love|19501|Eat, Pray, Love|Elizabeth Gilbert|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1269870432s/19501.jpg|3352398] crowd looking for a novel, but I liked this take on it all better (no one would go on Oprah and talk about their life changing experiences after this -- and that is immensely refreshing; it's just a well-written story).… (plus d'informations)

A heartfelt memoir of motherhood as a spiritual practice by a longtime yoga and dharma teacher.

Sutra is the Sanskrit name for a short spiritual teaching, and it comes from the same root as the English word suture, or stitch. This story of motherhood as a path to awakening is, says yoga and meditation teacher Anne Cushman, “an homage to the long threads that run through all human lives, stitching up what’s shredded in our hearts.”

The Mama Sutra spans an eighteen-year journey through motherhood as a spiritual practice, chronicling Cushman’s first pregnancy, her daughter's tragic stillbirth, the joyful birth of her son, the “home retreat” of early motherhood, the challenges of parenthood, the diagnosis and gifts of her son’s developmental differences, the meltdown of her nuclear family and its reconfiguration into a new and joyful form, and more. This is a powerful story of the rawness and beauty of life.… (plus d'informations)

Moving Into Meditation by Anne Cushman
An e-advance copy of this book was made available by Shambhala Publications and NetGalley.com.

Anne Cushman merges the latest wave of interest in yoga fitness with the peaceful sense of self found in a deep meditation practice. She has written a cogent 12 week program that offers step-by-step methods to develop a deepening awareness of self in heart, body and mind. Her humorous style and clear step-by-step descriptions guide a yoga practitioner through a union of mind and body.

The core strength of the book is in the development of a "mindful" experience. Mindfulness is shown as enrichment to every activity from pleasure to pain control.

Her text is sprinkled with references to online videos and guidance forming a well blended method of self-directed growth. The book begins by providing an interesting history of yoga and its deeply spiritual nature. The author shares her knowledge and experiences that will help devotees enhance every aspect of their lives.

Although the book is written for everyone, those with some familiarity to yoga asanas and pranayama will benefit the most.

I rated this book with only 3 stars because I feel it can't truly stand alone without the online help. There are portions of the book that would be better served with illustrations. My advance copy did not include these. If the book is released with instructional graphics I would upgrade my approval to four stars in a heartbeat!
… (plus d'informations)