Being Present. David Kundtz
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Praise for David Kundtz
Awakened Mind
“How often have you gone through a task, or even a day, without thinking about what you were doing or the consequences thereof? Suddenly you realize that your life is passing you by without much meaning in it. This book will change that.”
—ALLEN KLEIN, MA, CSP, author of The Healing Power of Humor and The Courage to Laugh
“I have been a fan of David Kundtz for many years. Awakened Mind is his most profound work ever. In it, he calls us to our highest selves. Read it and be inspired.”
—MJ RYAN, author of Attitudes of Gratitude, The Power of Patience, and several other books
“Delightful treats. One-minute nutrition for your spirit.”—Mary Anne Radmacher, author, artist, trainer/coach, speaker
“Kundtz's book is a great way to begin or end a day. I most highly recommend it.”
—KAREN CASEY, author of Change Your Mind and Your Life Will Follow and several other books
Quiet Mind
“Delightful teachings that embolden us to find essential refuge and nourishment in the fabric of our daily lives.”
—WAYNE MULLER, author of How, Then, Shall We Live?
“David Kundtz has written a gem—the rare book that illustrates the mystical possibilities of our daily lives.”
—STEVEN HARRISON, author of Doing Nothing and Getting to Where You Are
“. . . a thought-provoking reminder of the beauty that surrounds us if we will slow down long enough to pay attention.”
—SAM HORN, author of Tongue Fu! and ConZentrate
This edition first published in 2015 by Conari Press, an imprint of
Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC
With offices at:
665 Third Street, Suite 400
San Francisco, CA 94107
Copyright © 2015 by David Kundtz
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Red Wheel/Weiser, llc. Reviewers may quote brief passages.
ISBN: 978-1-57324-644-6
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available upon request.
Cover design by Jim Warner
Cover photograph © Andy Roberts/Getty
Interior by Maureen Forys, Happenstance Type-O-Rama
Typeset in Monotype Garamond Pro and Proxima Nova
Printed in Canada.
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www.redwheelweiser.com/newsletter
Contents
Part 2: Summer and Early Adulthood
June: Friends, Social Life, and Leisure
July: Intellectual Life and Culture
August: Family and Family Life
September: Health, Wellness, and Illness
November: Science and Religion
January: Ecology, Peace, and Mindfulness
February: Creativity, Emotions, and Dissent
Acknowledgments
Many thanks to Robert Stenberg and Brendan Collins, who read the text and made valuable and appreciated comments.
Thanks and special appreciation to Jan Johnson and Rachel Leach, publisher and editor, and all at Conari Press for their support and help in preparing the text.
Introduction
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
T.S. ELIOT
The goal of this little work is clear: to encourage and facilitate your capacity to be more mindful and awake to the present, and thus achieve the peace that comes only from living in the moment, being present in the “now,” as you live the cycles in a year of life. This is a work about increasing your ability to attend, to pay attention—being mindful, being present.
Some Considerations on Mindfulness
As I consider what to say about mindfulness, I experience a challenge: to express in words what is so utterly simple, neither a magic quick fix nor a miracle cure, but rather a deep well of possibilities worth a lifetime of exploration. Also, I like the phrases “being aware” and “being awake” because they are more commonly understood and, unlike what often