Running Toward Stillness

Book excerpt: In 2006 Stephen Legault experienced a period of tremendous upheaval, the result of bad decisions and a lifetime of anger and fear that left him in a deep depression, struggling to come to terms with the choices he had made. While running on a sun-dappled trail he realized that, like so many other people, he felt alone and afraid and was suffering, and that he had to do something about it. Having been toying with meditation for years and studying the teaching of the Buddha since he was a teenager, Stephen decided to address his disquiet by dedicating himself more fully to both meditation and running. By combining these two practices, he was able to more effectively address the problems in his life and bring a renewed sense of meaning, joy and creativity to the acts of spiritual contemplation and physical activity. Illustrated throughout with the author's photographs highlighting the tranquil beauty of India, the American Southwest, Canada's West Coast and the wild landscapes of the Rocky Mountains, Running Toward Stillnessis an invitation to run through the woods, along the seashore and on mountain trails in order to experience moments of sublime delight, personal insight and the healing power of the natural world.