Stephen Cope

The sequel to the bestseller The Great Work of Your Life shows us the way through our darkest times to our truest calling.How do we make sense of our lives when our world seems to be falling apart?This beautifully written guide from scholar and teacher Stephen Cope shows that crises don’t have to derail us from our purpose—they can actually help us to find our purpose and step forward as our best selves.In this sequel to his best-loved book, The Great Work of Your Life, Cope again takes the ancient yogic text the Bhagavad Gita—the epic narrative of the warrior Arjuna’s odyssey of self-discovery—as a roadmap for our journey to our own true calling. Then he builds on that foundation using the stories and teachings of famous figures, as well as stories of ordinary people and his own rich personal experience. Along the way, we find striking examples for finding meaning and purpose in our lives:Gandhi shows how to tap our spiritual resources and listen for our inner voiceSojourner Truth and Henry David Thoreau inspire us to seek out the unmistakable signs of dharma in the midst of chaosMarian Anderson and Ruby Sales shed light on dharma’s mystic power and how we learn to trust in itAnd moreIn the spirit of Pema Chödrön’s When Things Fall Apart, this book is required reading when you find yourself forging a path through crisis—or seeking a way through your darkest times to your truest self.

The sequel to the bestseller The Great Work of Your Life shows us the way through our darkest times to our truest calling.How do we make sense of our lives when our world seems to be falling apart?This beautifully written guide from scholar and teacher Stephen Cope shows that crises don’t have to derail us from our purpose—they can actually help us to find our purpose and step forward as our best selves.In this sequel to his best-loved book, The Great Work of Your Life, Cope again takes the ancient yogic text the Bhagavad Gita—the epic narrative of the warrior Arjuna’s odyssey of self-discovery—as a roadmap for our journey to our own true calling. Then he builds on that foundation using the stories and teachings of famous figures, as well as stories of ordinary people and his own rich personal experience. Along the way, we find striking examples for finding meaning and purpose in our lives:Gandhi shows how to tap our spiritual resources and listen for our inner voiceSojourner Truth and Henry David Thoreau inspire us to seek out the unmistakable signs of dharma in the midst of chaosMarian Anderson and Ruby Sales shed light on dharma’s mystic power and how we learn to trust in itAnd moreIn the spirit of Pema Chödrön’s When Things Fall Apart, this book is required reading when you find yourself forging a path through crisis—or seeking a way through your darkest times to your truest self.

A unique guide to personal rewilding through mindfulness, yoga, and outdoor skills At your core lies a wild, untamed soul—one with impeccable intuition, the ability to navigate the landscapes of your inner and outer worlds, and an unbreakable connection to Source. In Rewilding, Kripalu director Micah Mortali combines elements from the yoga and Buddhist traditions with ancestral skills to create a unique guide for reconnecting with your primal energy—your undomesticated inner self—and awakening your innate bond with the natural world. First used by conservation groups to refer to restoring natural environments, “rewilding” has important implications for human well-being. When we awaken our wild selves, we learn to listen to our bodies and often see our health improve. We trust our instincts and better manage our time, energy, and relationships. We cultivate the confidence to act on our heart’s deepest callings. And we gain an understanding of our place in the world, learning to see ourselves as both children and caretakers of the Earth. Mortali’s Rewilding offers nature-based meditations, mindfulness practices, yoga flows, and outdoor skills such as tracking and fire-building to help you develop a sense of calm, clarity, connection, and confidence in both your daily life and the great outdoors.

As a Senior Scholar-in-Residence for over 25 years at the renowned Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, yoga master Stephen Cope has focused on a global integration of mind, body and spirit. One truth that has become evident through his experiences is that human beings are universally wired for one thing: connection. Integrating wisdom learned from practice, meditation, intensive study and life experience, Cope takes a fresh eye to the idea of connectivity and the human spirit.Cope's contemplative exploration of friendship in both its traditional and metaphysical forms breaks down human connection into six distinct yet interconnected mechanisms: containment, twinship, adversity, mirroring, identification and conscious partnership. Through these mechanisms, we can become attuned with our essential selves and attain a deep, resonant connection with the greater network of humanity.The journey to our most exulted and fulfilled selves most certainly involves significant introspection, but in order to truly thrive as human beings, we must make the most of who we are in relation to one another.

An inspiring guide to finding your life's purpose--what spiritual teachers call dharma--through mindfulness and self-exploration. Stephen Cope says that in order to have a fulfilling life you must discover the deep purpose hidden at the very core of your self. The secret to unlocking this mystery, he asserts, can be found in the pages of a two-thousand-year-old spiritual classic called the Bhagavad Gita--an ancient allegory about the path to dharma, told through a timeless dialogue between the fabled archer, Arjuna, and his divine mentor, Krishna. Cope takes readers on a step-by-step tour of this revered tale and highlights well-known Western lives that embody its central principles--including such luminaries as Jane Goodall, Walt Whitman, Susan B. Anthony, John Keats, and Harriet Tubman, along with stories of ordinary people as well. If you're feeling lost in your own life's journey, The Great Work of Your Life may help you to find and to embrace your true calling. Praise for The Great Work of Your Life "Keep a pen and paper handy as you read this remarkable book: It's like an owner's manual for the soul."--Dani Shapiro, author of Devotion "A masterwork . . . You'll find inspiration in these pages. You'll gain a better appreciation of divine guidance and perhaps even understand how you might better hear it in your own life."--Yoga Journal "I am moved and inspired by this book, the clarity and beauty of the lives lived in it, and the timeless dharma it teaches."--Jack Kornfield, author of A Path with Heart "A rich source of contemplation and inspiration that] encourages readers . . . to discover and fully pursue their inner self's calling."--Publishers Weekly "Fabulous . . . If you have ever wondered what your purpose is, this book is a great guide to help you on your path."--YogaHara

Survivors of trauma whether abuse, accidents, or war can end up profoundly wounded, betrayed by their bodies that failed to get them to safety and that are a source of pain. In order to fully heal from trauma, a connection must be made with oneself, including one s body. The trauma-sensitive yoga described in this book moves beyond traditional talk therapies that focus on the mind, by bringing the body actively into the healing process. This allows trauma survivors to cultivate a more positive relationship to their body through gentle breath, mindfulness, and movement practices. " Overcoming Trauma through Yoga "is a book for survivors, clinicians, and yoga instructors who are interested in mind/body healing. It introduces trauma-sensitive yoga, a modified approach to yoga developed in collaboration between yoga teachers and clinicians at the Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute, led by yoga teacher David Emerson, along with medical doctor Bessel van der Kolk. The book begins with an in-depth description of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including a description of how trauma is held in the body and the need for body-based treatment. It offers a brief history of yoga, describes various styles of yoga commonly found in Western practice, and identifies four key themes of trauma-sensitive yoga. Chair-based exercises are described that can be incorporated into individual or group therapy, targeting specific treatment goals, and modifications are offered for mat-based yoga classes. Each exercise includes trauma-sensitive language to introduce the practice, as well as photographs to illustrate the poses. The practices have been offered to a wide range of individuals and groups, including men and women, teens, returning veterans, and others. Rounded out by valuable quotes and case stories, the book presents mindfulness, breathing, and yoga exercises that can be used by home practitioners, yoga teachers, and therapists as a way to cultivate awareness, tolerance, and an increased acceptance of the self. "

The author of Yoga and the Quest for the True Self offers spiritual seekers from all traditions a practical introduction to the wisdom and teachings of the Yogasutra, as he brings together insights from yoga philosophy with modern psychology to offer lessons in ethical living, enhanced creativity, and the discovery of one's higher purpose. Reprint. 35,000 first printing.

Take the natural path to mental wellness More than 25 million Americans are treated with antidepressants each year, at a cost in excess of $50 billion. But the side effects of popular prescription drugs may seem nearly as depressing as the symptoms they're meant to treat. Veteran yoga instructor Amy Weintraub offers a better solution--one that taps the scientifically proven link between yoga and emotional well-being as well as the beauty of ancient approaches to inner peace. Addressing a range of diagnoses, including dysthymia, anxiety-based depression, and bipolar disorder, Yoga for Depression reveals why specific postures, breathing practices, and meditation techniques can ease suffering and release life's traumas and losses. Weintraub also reflects on her own experience with severe depression, from which she recovered through immersing herself in a daily yoga routine. Yoga for Depression is the first yoga book devoted exclusively to the treatment of these debilitating conditions. Amy Weintraub will help readers see their suffering and themselves in a vibrant new light.

This text examines the role of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) within British policing and police policy-making. Based on the first ever empirical study of ACPO, involving interviews with over 60 members of ACPO and many others connected with British policing, the book charts the changing position of ACPO over time and the influence which ACPO has over both policing policy and criminal justice policy more generally. In doing so it draws from a range of themes including patterns of police governance and accountability, police culture and policy networks. It concludes with a critical assessment of the doctrine of "constabulary independence". The book provides an insight into the workings of a body which represents the most senior police officers in the land.

More than 100,000 copies sold Millions of Americans know yoga as a superb form of exercise and as a potent source of calm in our stress-filled lives. Far fewer are aware of the full promise of yoga as a 4,000-year-old practical path of liberation--a path that fits the needs of modern Western seekers with startling precision. Now Stephen Cope, a Western-trained psychotherapist who has lived and taught for more than ten years at the largest yoga center in America, offers this marvelously lively and irreverent "pilgrim's progress" for today's world. He demystifies the philosophy, psychology, and practice of yoga, and shows how it applies to our most human dilemmas: from loss, disappointment, and addiction, to the eternal conflicts around sex and relationship. And he shows us that in yoga, "liberation" does not require us to leave our everyday lives for some transcendent spiritual plane--life itself is the path. Above all, Cope shows how yoga can heal the suffering of self-estrangement that pervades our society, leading us to a new sense of purpose and to a deeper, more satisfying life in the world.