Yoga Of Courage And Compassion

When we face death, we learn to release the small anxieties and insecurities that can afflict us in daily life and live life fully in the present moment. Without the ego-shattering blow of a terminal diagnosis, these life-giving practices usually only come about after decades of spiritual practice. However, it is possible to embrace these lessons from the dying and discover our own gentle confidence, inner stillness, and heart-centred way of being long before we face the end of life. Through decades of teaching yoga and meditation to cancer patients, William Yang witnessed hundreds of breakthroughs into radical presence and open-heartedness. In many ways, his patients taught him more than he taught them. From this collaboration with the sick and dying, Yang developed a series of simple, practical, and profound conscious breathing, movement, and meditation exercises that help to bypass the ego-centred mind, open the heart, and live fearlessly in the present moment. Yang's exercises begin with an invitation to rediscover a natural and unforced way of breathing, so we can let go of our anxious ego and let life in again. From there, enlarging the sequence step by step, the author focuses on grounding and connecting with Mother Earth, working with the spine to develop a new sense of self-confidence, and opening the heart to love again. As we shed elements of the stressed, anxious person we once were, we are able to be more attuned to the world around us in a loving and caring way. Through the lessons learned from his cancer patients, Yang shows how, with courage and compassion, we can live and love without reservation at any time in our lives.