Once a Runner is one of our favorite books of all time. No joke. If you read one book this year, this should be it. Get it here on Amazon.
One of our favorite quotes from the book (or any book):
“…Or we can blaze! Become legends in our own time, strike fear in the heart of mediocre talent everywhere! We can scald dogs, and put records out of reach! Make the stands gasp as we blow into an unearthly kick from three hundred yards out! We can become God's own messengers delivering the dreaded scrolls! We can race dark Satan himself till he wheezes fiery cinders down the back straightaway…They'll speak our names in hushed tones, ‘those guys are animals' they'll say! We can lay it on the line, bust a gut, and show them a clean pair of heels. We can sprint the turn on a spring breeze and feel the winter leave our feet! We can, by God, let our demons loose and just wail on!”
How to Walk, by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, introduces beginners and reminds seasoned practitioners of the essentials of mindfulness practice. Get it here on Amazon.
Slow, concentrated walking while focusing on in and out-breaths allows for a unique opportunity to be in the present. There is no need to arrive somewhere—each step is the arrival to concentration, joy, insight, and the momentary enlightenment of aliveness. When your foot touches the Earth with awareness, you make yourself alive and the Earth real, and you forget for one minute the searching, rushing, and longing that rob our daily lives of awareness and cause us to “sleepwalk” through life.
Thich Nhat Hanh shares amusing stories of the impact mindful walking has on both the walker and those who notice him and shows how mindful walking can be a technique for diminishing depression, recapturing wonder, and expressing gratitude. Pocket-sized, with original two-color illustrations by Jason DeAntonis, How to Walk k is a unique gift for all ages, sharing a simple practice that can have a profound effect on practitioners.
One of our favorite books. Ever! The Alchemist combines magic, mysticism, wisdom, and wonder into an inspiring journey of self-discovery. Get it here on Amazon.
Paulo Coelho's masterpiece tells the mystical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure. His quest (a really long walk!) will lead him to riches far different—and far more satisfying—than he ever imagined. Santiago's journey teaches us about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, recognizing opportunity and learning to read the omens strewn along life's path, and, most importantly, following our dreams.
The Alchemist has become a modern classic, selling millions of copies around the world and transforming the lives of countless readers across generations.