Essential Reading
– Mandatory
– One book per module
Move to Greatness – Ginny Whitelaw and Betsy Wetzig
A clear embodied typology with a business focus. Her model has lots in common with 4 elements. A great resource for developing practices early in the course
Body Psychotherapy – Nick Totten
A readable survey of body psychotherapy. Read before or just after module 2
Embodied Peacemaking – Paul Linden
The best practical guide to embodiment exercises generally. Read before you meet him at module 3
Wendy Palmer – Leadership Embodiment
A core text for the course. Good section on neuroscience. Read before you meet her at module 4
Somatic Coaching – Richard Strozzi Heckler
Another angle on embodied coaching from a master in the field. Good to read anytime
Core Reading
– Highly Recommended Course Reading
– One book per month would be a good target
Discovering the Body’s Wisdom – Mirka Knaster
Surveys a huge range of embodied disciplines, great if you want to know your Feldenkrais from your Aikido from your Bowen Technique. Useful for developing practices or for surveying field later in the course. Highly recommended
Integral Life Practice – Wilber et al
Provides a wider context and has an excellent chapter on practice
Mastery – George Leonard
A Short book on the road to excellence from a well known embodiment teacher and inventor of The Samurai Game
Retooling on The Run – Stuart Heller
A classic on embodiment from an established name from the USA. His other books are good too
The Leadership Dojo – Richard Strozzi Heckler
This is a concise and learned introduction to embodied leadership from one of the leading names in the field. The Anatomy of Change is also a classic
Breakfast Essays: Brief Writings on Body Awareness and Life (e-book) – Paul Linden
Digestible stories about embodiment
Rip it Up – Richard Wiseman
The science of embodiment
Ken McLeod – Wake Up To Your Life
The best book on meditation I know of. Quite in-depth
How to run a great workshop – Nikki Sims
Beginners guide to facilitation. Try John Heron for more in-depth work
Co-Active Coaching – Kimsey-House
Good place to start if new to coaching. John Whitmore also a classic
Other Useful Reading
– As you like
Bone Breath and Gesture – Don Hanlon Johnson
– A collection of writings from many seminal names in the field
The Intuitive Body – Wendy Palmer
An older one from Wendy
The Anatomy of Change – Richard Strozzi Heckler
Another classic
An Unused intelligence – Andy Bryner and Dawna Markova
A readable book on embodiment at work
Dance Movement Therapy – Katya Bloom and Rosa Shreeves
A short book of games and exercises from dance movement therapy
Emotional Anatomy – Stanley Kellerman
Beautifully illustrated if slightly inaccessible classic
The Silent Pulse – George Leonard
Poetic book on our rhythms and fundamental nature
Sweat your Prayers – Gabrielle Roth
On Five Rhythms dance.
Laban for All – Jean Newlove and John Dalby
On Laban movement analysis
Body-Centred Psychotherapy – The Hakomi Method – Ron Kurtz
A readable book on a method of body therapy
Other meditation books
The Body – Paramananda – A short guide to mindfulness and the body is a good and light as is Martine Bachelor’s Meditation for Life (nice pictures too!). Anything by Thich Nhat Hanh (accessible), Jon Kabat Zinn (scientific) or Pema Chodron (heart-led) is also good. Shinzen Young’s (head-led) in depth and very logical and Noah Levine is the pun- rock Buddhist alternative! Good meditation apps are Buddhify (buddhify.com) and Insight Timer though there are many others.
Online Resources
The Body of Leadership is you main online companion to the course and I suggest using it regularly: http://www.thebodyofleadership.com/
The interview podcast series on The Embodied Operating System website is a great resource: http://embodiedoperatingsystem.com/
Integration Training Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/IntegrationTraining
Dylan Newcombes work Uzazu has some great online resources on yin and yang http://uzazu.org/
And remember…”An ounce of practice is worth a tonne of theory”!