Two and a half years after her father died, the Norwegian-American novelist Siri Hustvedt was about to give a speech in his honour at the place where he had worked. Before she had finished her first sentence, she began to shudder violently from the neck down, her arms flapping, and her knees knocking. She kept shaking as if she was having a seizure, but her voice was not affected, and she managed to finish her speech. When the speech ended, so did her shaking, but similar fits returned to her on several later occasions. And then she wrote a book about it: "The Shaking Woman or A History of My Nerves". I read the Kindle version on an iPhone. Personal and intellectual The book is at times a personal and quite emotional journey, at other times an intellectual exploration of all sorts of medical and psychological theories, in particular the relatively new field of neuropsychoanalysis. Most of the time it attempts to be both. In her search for an explanation of her fits she looks everywhere: her relation to her father, memories from childhood, her long-term experience with migraine, her intense hypersensitivity, as well as theories of neurons and the brain, of self and other, of memory and trauma, of language, of hysteria, of nature vs. nurture, of body and mind, and of fear. She seeks out neurologists and psychoanalysts and others who might help her understand. Hustvedt has an impressive knowledge of any thinkable field that might somehow shed light on her condition, whether in psychology, neurology, biology, medicine or, for that matter, literature. She also has a sympathetically sensitive way of exploring her own life and personality. The book is a treasure-grove of interesting discussions of topics that are relevant for most of us, not only those few who have had shaking fits like the ones she had. It has already been quoted on The Meditation Blog . [caption id="attachment_2778" align="alignright" width="280"] Siri Hustvedt with her husband Paul Auster. (from sirihustvedt.com)[/caption] Stop the chatter! And yet, where does it all lead us? Hustvedt is a great writer, but the mixture of personal memory and scientific exploration in one long stream-of-consciousness-like text without a single chapter heading seriously challenges the reader's patience, as if one is being talked to incessantly by a person who is unable to take a break. The personal parts of the book have literary qualities that drown in the long discussions of split brains and mirror neurons. And the intellectual explorations point in so many different directions that the book at best helps us amass an extraordinary amount of knowledge, without being able to bring the different threads together in a deeper and more comprehensive understanding. Hustvedt reminds me of the French author Marie Cardinal, who would chatter on endlessly about her gynaecological problems, until her psychoanalyst, only seemingly in conflict with the Freudian principle of free association, forbid her to say a word more about it. For Ms. Cardinal, after the initial shock of having to dispense with her usual chattering, this became the beginning of a genuine process of self-reflection; being forced to let go of her gynaecological obsession brought her to new levels of emotional insight. Would a doctor or a psychoanalyst do Siri Hustvedt a favour if she, too, was told to stop the endless and obsessive stream of personal and intellectual thoughts, so that she might relax and be closer to herself without having to jump on the next bandwagon of fresh associations? Beyond acceptance At the end of the book we are left with the feeling that neither she nor we understand much more about her condition - or our own. The last sentence of the book could just as well have been the first: "I am the shaking woman." In between we have been through an intense cascade of sometimes touching, often fascinating, and almost consistently interesting reflections, but it all resembles the propeller of an outboard motor that only reaches the surface of the water, producing gushing sprays of water in all directions without bringing the boat forward. There are also attempts at producing a meditative attitude towards the shaking woman. We learn that biofeedback exercises have taught Hustvedt to accept her fits of migraine as parts of herself, instead of trying in vain to pretend the headache is not there. But her similar attempts at stoic acceptance of the shaking woman aren't equally convincing. Biofeedback may be useful for migraine, but in psychological terms it is probably a quite shallow technique, and the shaking woman is too complex a phenomenon to be reduced to the simple question of immediate acceptance. It would have been interesting to see what deeper meditative processes might have done for the problem.

Memories are a central issue in therapeutic contexts as well as meditation. Both work to access memories that produce unconscious barriers in our lives, in order to let go of inner friction. In her book The Shaking Woman , the American novelist Siri Hustvedt refers to another book, by Joe Brainard, called I Remember . Every entry in Brainard's book begins with the words "I remember": I remember that I never cried in front of other people. I remember how embarrassed I was when other children cried. And so on. While working with patients, Hustvedt observed how using the same technique automatically brings memories to the surface: When the patients and I write our own "I remembers", something remarkable happens. The very act of inscribing the words I remember generates memories, usually highly specific images or events from the past, often ones we hadn't thought about for many years. ... Usually I do not know how I will finish the sentence when I begin it, but once the word remember is on the page, some thought appears to me. Strangely, exactly the same thing happened to me just as I was reading these lines by Hustvedt. Unexpectedly and without any obvious reason, a memory popped up in my mind. I remembered how as a little child I had tried to convince a neighbour woman that I never played . At the time, I did not understand why she looked troubled and uncomfortable by my statement instead of being impressed by what I proudly thought was my maturity. Associative chains Hustvedt adds that "one memory often leads to another", and sure enough, I immediately came to think of a memory from some years later, when I was approaching puberty. It was summer and my family was spending the holidays at our cottage in the countryside. I was playing - yes, playing - "Indian and Cowboy" with the boys living next to our cottage. We were running around at the edge of the forest, chasing each other, pulling up toy guns to shoot each other - and having a lot of fun. I thoroughly enjoyed the game, but at some point it struck me that if somebody back home in town had seen me, they might have found me childish and laughable. It would have been awful! There were two versions of me, one taking enormous childlike pleasure in the game, the other being conscious that I wasn't a child anymore. The two could not be allowed to inhabit the same mind. The associative chain continued, and there were other memories, some of which I found quite embarrassing. Personal issues Such memories are vivid and powerful, and they all touch upon important and highly personal issues. As such, contemplating the images that come to mind, as well as the spoken or written versions formulated in words, may contribute to reflections on central themes in one's life. Meditation may also bring up long-forgotten memories. Acem retreats and other contexts where long meditations are followed by guidance provide opportunities to visit such unexpected impressions from a distant (but still powerful) past. Some of the things that come during meditation are so early that they can't be couched in words, or even imagery. Our bodies carry memories that were never allowed to leave behind a mental trace. Only the silent practice of meditation can bring them to the surface and change the skewed direction they have set for our lives.

The English version of Are Holen and Torbjørn Hobbel's book on yoga is more than just a translation of the Norwegian original. It spells out with even greater clarity how meditative yoga differs from what the authors call "yoga gymnastics", the type of yoga taught in fitness centres around the world. The title says it all: "Meditative Yoga: Integrating Body, Breath and Mind" . Instructive Like the original, the book contains 150 beautiful illustrations and thorough instructions for more than 60 postures and practices, divided according to type (e.g. starting postures, inverted postures, backbends, forward bends, twist postures, balance postures etc.) and described stepwise with illustrative photos. In addition, there are separate chapters for breathing and meditation practices. A chapter on impulse practices covers a type of yoga not often met with in the West, with slow and rapid bends, twists and shakes, to let loose all bodily impulses, including the breath. Meditative dive The book mostly avoids talk of the specific benefits of each individual practice and suggests that the real benefit of yoga comes from the combination of yoga postures in sequence. It spells out the principles behind such sequences, and suggests a number of yoga programmes for four different levels of yoga practitioners, from completely unexperienced to quite advanced. It also spells out the most important principles behind a meditative approach to yoga, including how to stretch and move, how to breathe, how to close or half-close your eyes, and - most importantly - how to use your attention at different stages of yoga practice, in order to work towards a true integration of body, breath and mind. One basic principle is the frequent changes between mobilisation (moving and holding a pose) and relaxation (letting go of everything). The front cover shows a woman in the "corpse pose", and this position is described as the "climax" of meditative yoga, allowing the mind to flow freely into "a spontaneous meditative dive that further vitalizes both mind and body". Patterns of yoga Most of the postures are described according to a fixed pattern, moving from a starting pose into the posture itself, which is then held for some time, before the practitioner goes out of the posture again in order to rest and relax. This general pattern and its implications are discussed in a separate chapter. The book is rich in such thematic chapters, treating issues of general interest to all yoga practice: how to move your back and upper body, how to breathe, as well as the relation between yoga and meditation, and the diet and life style suitable for yoga practice. Down to earth There are many good and even more bad yoga books on the market. However, I know of no other book that approaches the concrete practice of yoga with the same degree of lucidity and thoroughness as this one. Although based on a meditative orientation, it has none of the fluffy new-age rhetoric that make too many yoga books boring to read, and it is not primarily concerned with metaphysics, neither eastern nor western. Instead it goes about its task in a practical and down-to-earth way, making it a true joy to use the book for one's own yoga practice at home. My quality of life has improved since I started not only reading, but using this book. You can buy the book here , and you can read an article on meditative yoga by Torbjørn Hobbel here .

A new Danish version of the Norwegian book “Stillhetens Psykologi” edited by Are Holen will hit the streets in not too long. "Stillhetens Psykologi" (literally translated "The Psychology of Silence") is a basic book about Acem Meditation, a meditation technique fom Norway. My favourite part of the book is the last chapter, called "Silence". In this chapter it is described in a poetic way how meditation can make it possible to get in touch with more silent parts of our existence. One sentence goes: "Sjelen kan få hviske oss i øret om noe ulevet", meaning something like "The soul can whisper us in the ear about something unlived." This sentence reminds me of a song by Carla Bruni, the French singer-songwriter and earlier topmodel who is now French president Nicolas Sarkozy's wife. In the song Péché d'envie she sings about everything she wants to have done in her life: "I want to have done, said, been, understood, bitten, slipped, cherrished..." and the list goes on. She also asks the Devil to forgive her all her beautiful desires... The parallell between meditation and Carla Bruni's song might seem far fetched. Nevertheless, many of the desires mentioned in Péché d'envie could manifest themselves through the spontaneous activity during Acem Meditation. In Carla's song the desires come through an exhaustive list of words, during Acem Meditation they might come in a more subtle way.

Books – Page 2 – The Meditation Blog

Q: The book «Meditative Yoga» launched in Delhi

The book Meditative Yoga: integrating body, breath and mind , which builds on more than 40 years of teaching in Acem School of Yoga, was launched in India on 13 October this year by the highly esteemed Indian publishing company Motilal Banarsidass. Both authors of the book, Dr. Are Holen and Mr. Torbjørn Hobbel, were present at the book launch in New Delhi, along with a number of dignitaries from Indian society. The Indian edition is a black-and-white version of the international edition, which was published in full-colour print on Dyade Press earlier this year. The book is a revised translation of the Norwegian edition Yogaboken – bevegelse og pust . In connection with the book launch in New Delhi, the weekly magazine Speaking Tree, published by The Times of India, printed an interview with Dr. Are Holen , founder of Acem School of Yoga. [caption id="attachment_2935" align="alignleft" width="584"] From left: Torbjørn Hobbel (head of Acem India), Are holen (head of Acem International), D.R. Kaarthikeyan (former head of Central Bureau of Investigation and Human Rights Commission), Banbit Roy (former Indian ambassador to Norway), P. J. Sudhakar (Director News of Doordarshan), J. P. Jain (Director Motilal Banarsidass).[/caption]

Meditative Yoga from Norway to the world

Halvor2019-07-05T11:55:50+02:00December 16th, 2015|

When a book is published in Norwegian, a language spoken by only five million people, it is usually expected to stay well within the borders of this small Scandinavian country. However, Are Holen and Torbjørn Hobbel’s book Meditative Yoga: Integrating Body, Breath and Mind has beaten the expectations.

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Meditation in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

The Meditation Blog2019-07-05T14:38:59+02:00February 25th, 2014|

Cultural histories

Meditative practices have flourished in widely different parts of Eurasia, yet historical research on such practices is limited. Research to date has focused on contexts rather than actual practices, and within […]

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Hindu, Buddhist and Daoist Meditation

The Meditation Blog2019-07-05T14:39:07+02:00February 25th, 2014|

Cultural histories

Large waves of global interest in meditation over the last half century have all focused on techniques stemming from Hinduism, Buddhism and Daoism. This collection of essays explores […]

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The book «Meditative Yoga» launched in Delhi

Halvor2019-07-05T14:54:26+02:00November 24th, 2012|

After the successful publication in English of the full-colour version of Meditative Yoga: integrating body, breath and mind on Dyade Press earlier this year, a black-and-white Indian version was launched by Motilal Banarsidass in New Delhi in October. The authors Dr. Are Holen and Mr. Torbjørn Hobbel were present, as were a number of Indian dignitaries.

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The Shaking Woman

Halvor2019-07-05T14:55:54+02:00September 15th, 2012|

When she was giving a speech in honour of her dead father, the novelist Siri Hustvedt suddenly began to shake violently. Her book "The Shaking Woman" is a cascade of personal, literary, therapeutic, and neurological reflections meant to shed light on her condition - and on the human condition in general. But does it succeed?

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I remember

Halvor2019-07-05T14:56:00+02:00August 30th, 2012|

Begin to write on a sheet of paper "I remember..." and then see what comes next. Surprisingly often, what comes are memories that haven't been looked at for years, and they frequently carry central issues from your life. Meditation is also a work-through of memories.

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Meditative yoga

Halvor2019-07-05T14:56:33+02:00August 22nd, 2012|

Meditative Yoga cover The recently published Meditative Yoga: Integrating Body, Breath and Mind by Are Holen and Torbjørn Hobbel differs from other yoga books. It spells out in concrete and lucid detail how yoga can provide a meditative impulse in everyday life. It contains beautifully (and usefully) illustrated stepwise instructions for more than 60 postures and practices, as well as a number of yoga programmes for different levels.

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Peaceful pirate talking meditation

The Meditation Blog2019-07-05T14:59:44+02:00March 5th, 2012|

"The least serious book on Acem Meditation ever!" This is how a reader characterised the illustrated story-book "Peaceful Pirate Talking Meditation", which was recently published in Taiwan. It is full of humorous anecdotes and drawings relating the meditative and sometimes not so meditative adventures of a latter-day meditating viking.

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New book in Spanish: Guía complementaria

The Meditation Blog2019-07-05T15:03:58+02:00September 20th, 2011|

A new Spanish-language book on Acem Meditation was published this summer. Meditación Acem: Guía complementaria will be used at the beginner's courses in Spain and will also be interesting and useful for Spanish speakers who have already learnt Acem Meditation.

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Silence

elisabethh2019-07-06T22:10:00+02:00March 19th, 2011|

What is the relationship between a chapter in the book "Stillhetens Psykologi" (litteraly translated "The Psychology of Silence") about Acem Meditation and the song Péché d'envie by Carla Bruni?

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