Embodiment Books

Essential Reading
–    Coursework requirement
–    One book per module suggested

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 student Anouk

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. Has content on four elements. 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

Wisdom of The Body Moving – Linda Hartley
A good intro to Bodymind Centering and Dance Movement Therapy from a leading Brit

The Anatomy of Change – Richard Strozzi Heckler
Another classic from Richard

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

Trauma Essential – Babette Rothschild
A good intro to the field

My Tao Te Ching – Francis Briers
Where wisdom and humour combine from our Frankie.

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/