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The Mindful Marathon: Where Running Meets Meditation

   The Mindful Marathon: Where Running Meets Meditation The 2025 Los Angeles Marathon, set to celebrate its 40th anniversary on March 16, 2025, is shaping up to be a monumental event in the city's sporting calendar. The marathon's iconic 26.2-mile course will guide runners from the historic Dodger Stadium to the finish line in Century City, showcasing some of LA's most famous landmarks along the way. With over 25,000 participants expected, the event has already sold out, highlighting its enduring popularity. The marathon weekend kicks off on March 14 with a two-day Lifestyle Expo at Dodger Stadium, followed by the LA 5K and Kids' Running Events on March 15. The main event on Sunday will feature both the full marathon and a charity half marathon. The race day will begin early, with the wheelchair division starting at 6:30 AM, followed by the women's elite group at 6:40 AM. The men's elite and general participants will set off at 7:00 AM, with the charity half mar...

Essential Meditation Books: A Curated Reading List

  

Essential Meditation Books: A Curated Reading List



1. "Full Catastrophe Living"

  • Author: Jon Kabat-Zinn
  • Publisher: Bantam Books
  • Difficulty: Intermediate
  • Content: A comprehensive guide to the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program. The book provides practical approaches to dealing with stress, anxiety, and depression through mindfulness techniques.
  • About the Author: Professor Emeritus of Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and founder of the Mindfulness Center. A pioneer in integrating mindfulness meditation with modern medicine, he has over 40 years of experience teaching and researching meditation.

2. "The Mind Illuminated"

  • Author: Culadasa (John Yates, Ph.D.)
  • Publisher: Touchstone
  • Difficulty: Advanced
  • Content: A step-by-step guide combining traditional Buddhist meditation with modern neuroscience. Offers detailed meditation instructions and theory suitable for beginners through advanced practitioners.
  • About the Author: A neuroscience Ph.D. and Buddhist meditation practitioner. With over 30 years of meditation teaching experience, he uniquely combines his scientific background with deep meditation practice insights.

3. "Mindfulness in Plain English"

  • Author: Bhante Henepola Gunaratana
  • Publisher: Wisdom Publications
  • Difficulty: Beginner-Intermediate
  • Content: Clear and accessible explanation of Vipassana meditation principles and practices. Combines essential meaning of meditation with practical guidance.
  • About the Author: Sri Lankan Buddhist monk and meditation teacher. Founder of the Bhavana Society in West Virginia, with over 50 years of meditation teaching experience.

4. "Peace Is Every Step"

  • Author: Thich Nhat Hanh
  • Publisher: Bantam
  • Difficulty: Beginner
  • Content: Poetic and beautiful guide to practicing mindfulness in daily life. Introduces practical methods including walking meditation and breathing exercises.
  • About the Author: Vietnamese Zen master and peace activist. Founder of Plum Village and nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King Jr. One of the most influential teachers of modern mindfulness.

5. "Real World Mindfulness for Beginners"

  • Author: Brenda Salgado
  • Publisher: Althea Press
  • Difficulty: Beginner
  • Content: Practical mindfulness guide for busy modern life. Features various 10-minute meditation techniques and everyday mindfulness exercises.
  • About the Author: Former director of the UC Berkeley mindfulness program. Experienced teacher who has taught mindfulness to people from diverse cultural backgrounds.

6. "Wherever You Go, There You Are"

  • Author: Jon Kabat-Zinn
  • Publisher: Hyperion
  • Difficulty: Beginner-Intermediate
  • Content: Deep exploration of mindfulness essence and its application in daily life. Structured in short, accessible chapters with practical insights.
  • About the Author: (See above)

7. "Why Can't I Meditate?"

  • Author: Nigel Wellings
  • Publisher: Piatkus
  • Difficulty: Beginner-Intermediate
  • Content: Addresses common meditation challenges and their solutions. Uses psychological insights and real cases to help overcome meditation obstacles.
  • About the Author: British psychotherapist and Buddhist meditation teacher. Over 30 years of experience combining meditation with psychotherapy.

8. "The Experience of Insight"

  • Author: Joseph Goldstein
  • Publisher: Shambhala
  • Difficulty: Intermediate-Advanced
  • Content: Shares deep insights and experiences from Vipassana meditation practice. Provides in-depth meditation guidance based on intensive retreat teachings.
  • About the Author: Co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society. Pioneer in bringing Vipassana to the West after years of meditation practice in Asia.

9. "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind"

  • Author: Shunryu Suzuki
  • Publisher: Weatherhill
  • Difficulty: Intermediate
  • Content: Modern interpretation of core Zen Buddhist teachings. Explains the essential attitude of meditation through the concept of 'beginner's mind'.
  • About the Author: Japanese Zen master and pioneer of American Zen Buddhism. Founder of the San Francisco Zen Center. Highly influential in bringing Zen to the West.

10. "When Things Fall Apart"

  • Author: Pema Chödrön
  • Publisher: Shambhala
  • Difficulty: Intermediate
  • Content: Buddhist perspective and meditation methods for dealing with difficult times. Offers practical wisdom for handling life's uncertainties and challenges.
  • About the Author: One of the first fully ordained American Buddhist nuns. Principal of Gampo Abbey. Renowned teacher known for making Tibetan Buddhist teachings accessible to modern audiences.


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