Table of Contents

Preface to the New Edition
Foreword to the 2000 Edition by Sue Bender
Foreword by George Leonard
Introduction
Embodying a Dream
Looking at the Foundations of My Perceptions
The Influence of Aikido Traditions in My Life
How the Videotape Supplements Work
How This Book Works

Part I. The Body—Establishing Our Ground
Chapter 1. Coming to the Path
A Reference Point and a Technique
Into the Present
Coming Into Sensation
Knowing the River
Chapter 2. The Elements of Basic Practice
A Centering Triad: Three Parts
of Attentional Concentration
Utilizing Our Breath
Balancing Our Energy Field
Feeling Gravity
Practicing the Technique
Personalizing Basic Practice
Practicing and Accepting the Mystery
Chapter 3. Adding a Quality
Why a Quality?
Identifying a Quality
Using the Body as the Teacher
A Centerpiece for Practice
Chaper 4. Energy and Stability
Energy Follows Attention
Embellishing Our Center Practice
A Spiral-Breath Meditation
Take Your Time
Chapter 5. Learning
Approaches to Learning
Interest versus Fear
The Grinch and the “Yes .... And, ...” Technique
Practice and Training
Mistakes
Filling in a Hole

Part II. The Mind—Shaping Our Concepts
Chapter 6. The Spirit of Inquiry
The Habit of Interest
The Fine Art of Questioning
A Buoyant State of Curiosity
The Don’t-Know Mind
Chapter 7. Not-Knowing
A Journey into Emptiness
Timing
Mystery
Strength of Spirit
Chapter 8. Intuition
Working from a Stable Base
Not-Knowing: The Doorway
Creating Manageable Pieces for the Process
Interpreting
Nonverbal Communication

Part III. Wisdom Arising—Ways Our Soma is Organized
Chapter 9. The Energetic Field
Shaping Our Field:
Triangle, Square, and Circle
Practicing Being Both Positive and Receptive
Chapter 10. Attentional States
Dropped Attention
Open Attention
Ellipted Attention
Blended Attention
Training Attentional States
Chapter 11. Splits
Basic Splits in the Body
Disembodiment
The Observer
Three Centers: Head, Heart and Hara
Techniques Toward Unification: Healing the Split
Override
How Do I Know When I Am Unified?

Part IV. Embodied Action
Chapter 12. Irimi
The Spirit of Irimi
Facing Our Fear
Evolving by Manageable Percentages
Counterphobia
The Irimi of Questioning
Chapter 13. Different Approaches
The Masculine–The Motivating Force
The Feminine and Non-Action
Balance: Integrating Masculine and Feminine
The Magical Turnaround
Discovering Aspects of Our Being
Chapter 14. The Path Never Ends
The Dance of Clarity and Obscurity
Our Human Prerogative
Chapter 15. Integration
Stage One: Seeing What Is
Stage Two: Accepting What Has Been Seen
Stage Three: Changing the Situation
The Process
The Journey
Chapter 16. Advocating Without Aggression
Enlightened Schizophrenia
Vertical and Horizontal
Listening: The Receptive Circle Shape
Advocating: The Irimi Shape
The Sword That Gives Life
Chapter 17. Balancing Mastery and Mystery
Mastery
Form
Concentration
Containment
Mystery
The Flow State
Not-knowing
The Balance of Mastery & Mystery
Recognizing ‘Agenda Based’ Not-knowing
Conclusion

Part V. Practice Guides
Utilizing Your Breath
Balancing Your Energy Field
Feeling Gravity
Evoking and Choosing a Quality
Basic Practice
Spiral-Breath Meditation
“Yes.... And, ...” Technique
Positive/Receptive
Dropped Attention
Open Attention
Metta Meditation

About the Author

Wendy Palmer developed Conscious Embodiment over 25 years ago. A sixth-degree black belt in aikido and chief instructor at Aikido of Tamalpais in Sausalito, CA, she is also the author of the Intuitive Body DVD. She lives in Marin, CA.

Reviews

“I’ve used the methods that I learned in conscious embodiment every single day, and they’ve quietly transformed the way that I deal with the challenges and opportunities that present themselves in my life—at work and at home.”
—Chris Grant, founder of 14A Conversations

“Working with conscious embodiment has had a direct and profound impact in both my personal and professional life. The ability to ‘center’ and ‘rebalance’ has been invaluable as I grow our business through uncharted waters. These new skills have played a key role in both my home and work success.”
—John L. Hall, Senior Vice President, Oracle University

"A useful, inspiring book for anyone exploring . . . embodied movement, energetic meditation, and intuitive knowledge.”
— Yoga Journal