The Spirited Walker: Fitness Walking for Clarity, Balance, and Spiritual Connection

By Carolyn S. Kortge

Book Overview

Fitness walking for Body, Mind, and Soul No matter how fast or far you walk, no matter what you goals or fitness level, whether you walk on a treadmill or in a forest, alone or with companions, this guide will lead you along a path of mental and physical exercise that travels from sole to soul. Author Carolyn Scott Kortge, an award-winning journalist and masters racewalker, offers a wealth of easy-to-do breathing exercises, visualisations, and active affirmations that transform fitness walking into a meditative practice - of awareness, spiritual renewal, and physical vitality. 'Whatever your motivation for walking - relaxation, aerobic fitness, weight loss, a healthy heart, or interaction with nature - a spirited walk can become the first step in a spiritual journey, ' Kortge says. With humour, anecdotes, and practical advice, she shows you how to take the first step and motivates you to walk for life with an approach for fitness that puts care of the soul on equal footing with care of the body. 'If you really want to give your spiritual life a boost, let Kortge show you how the simple act of walking can take you on a trail of self-transformation to destinations inward-bound that you never knew existed. Here is a direct way to knowing yourself and a celebration of being fully alive.' JERRY LYNCH, Ph.D., co-author of 'Working Out, Working Within' 'This is the walking book I wanted to write While so many books focus primarily on physical fitness and health, my readers tell me it's the spiritual connection walking satisfies that keeps them going.' MAGGIE SPILNER, walking editor, 'Prevention Magazine' Journalist CAROLYN SCOTT KORTGE holds bronze and silver meals from the USA Track and Field Association's National Masters Championships and was formerly ranked among the top five women racewalkers in her age group. As a feature writer for daily newspapers in Wisconsin, Kansas, and Oregon, she has captured numerous national awards for excellence.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060647361
• ISBN13: 9780060647360
• Release Date: April 1998
• Publisher: HarperOne
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

The Spirited Walker

This is an excellent book for anyone who is just starting to walk or for someone who walks on a daily basis. I highly recommend it.

Dennis

Though not a race walker, I'm well beyond fittness walking, walking faster than many others run. It's hard to find a book that takes you beyond fittness walking, but this one does. It has plenty of material for the beginning or average fittness walker, but also has lots of exercises for those who are ready to take thier practice to the upper levels. I also love the fact that there are also plenty of exercises for those who would like to combine thier spiritual practices with thier fittness routine. This is very practical those of us who have many demands on our lives & little time to go around.

Motivational

I enjoyed this books suggestions on using mantras to encourage yourself to go that extra distance. It is written with the beginner and beyond in mind to motivate you to bring more "sacredness" in to a simple act that we often take for granted. It isn't packed with alot of technical information about aerobic walking but does suggest reliable resources for the absolute beginner. It also includes the author and other's stories of "flagging motivation" and how they were able to overcome it by bringing more mindfulness to the situation. This is key not only in walking but in life in general (try the mantra exercise the next time you need motivation to get that laundry folded or wash those dishes!) If you're looking for something to motivate you to put more "pep in your step" this is one great book to do it.

Full of inspirational gems and practical advice

This book is terrific for a beginner or experienced walker. She will get you out your door and moving! It's very easy to read, and conducive to looking at a chapter or two at a time. She writes especially well about working through mental blocks, and assures the reader that *every* walker has a moment in *every* work-out when s/he wants to give up. She also gives sound advice about stretching and walking form with some simple illustrations. She encourages readers to connect to their own spirituality without espousing a particular religion or belief system. I no longer wear headphones regularly when I walk because of this book: she's helped me turn my walks into truly active meditation, refreshing me mentally with every step. I tried one of her ideas of silently repeating a phrase while I walk ("I am fit, and I am strong") -- and it powered me through hundreds of training miles and my first marathon! Share this book with friends who think they're not athletes, and watch her inspire them to change their self-perception. Great advice for a 15-minute or 15-mile walk, and highly recommended by this Team in Training marathon alumna and Avon 3-Day Walk veteran.

A great motivation booster for the seasoned exerciser!

I have been exercising for many years now. At the time of reading Kortge's book I was recovering from a form of chronic fatigue syndrome and looking for an exercise that did not compromise my recovery. This was it! In the past I had turned my nose up at walking; I was after all a runner! But this book changed my ways. Each morning before I exercised I read a chapter and was able to apply all that I had learned on my walk. It is one of those books that I didn't want to end. Spending a 1/2 hour with Kortge in the morning was a great way to start my day. (By the way I am now back to running and the principles still apply.)What makes the book special is there is a fine mix of theory, stories, practice and it is written with an energy that is encouraging, motivational and spiritual. I highly recommend this book to the novice walker and seasoned exerciser.