The Four Dignities

Book excerpt: Offering a fresh perspective on immediate presence and embodied spiritual practice, The Four Dignities shows how the mindful cultivation of the four essential postures – walking, standing, sitting, and lying down – are the basis for a formal practice to develop greater vitality and spiritual awakening. The author reveals the subtle inner nuances of the four traditional meditations, and shows how they can be practiced as a unified system. Readers are given a profound understanding of correct posture, alignment, breathing, and attention, and the author explains the philosophical basis for the practice, offering a pathway toward realizing profound spiritual and energetic transformation. This accessible yet profound study will be an invaluable resource for students and practitioners of yoga, taiji, qigong, and meditation, as well as spiritual seekers, and anyone interested in Eastern philosophy or the study of movement.