Yoga Minds, Writing Bodies

Christy I. Wenger

Description

This book argues for the inclusion of Eastern-influenced contemplative education in writing studies as a means of exploring the active engagement writers maintain with their bodies throughout the composing process. It explores how this engagement can be navigated by integrating yoga and mediation into the instruction and practice of writing.

Sujets

• Santé et bien-être
• Bien-être émotionnel
• Bien-être émotionnel
• Sport
• Sports fitness
• Yoga
• Health
• Fitness

Informations

• Publié par: Parlor Press, LLC
• Date de parution: 01 mai 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781602356634
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

YOGA MINDS, WRITING BODIES: CONTEMPLATIVE WRITING PEDAGOGY
Christy I. Wenger
The WAC Clearinghouse
wac.colostate.edu
Fort Collins, Colorado
Parlor Press
www.parlorpress.com
Anderson, South Carolina


PERSPECTIVES ON WRITING
Series Editor, Susan H. McLeod
The Perspectives on Writing series addresses writing studies in a broad sense. Consistent with the wide ranging approaches characteristic of teaching and scholarship in writing across the curriculum, the series presents works that take divergent perspectives on working as a writer, teaching writing, administering writing programs, and studying writing in its various forms.
The WAC Clearinghouse and Parlor Press are collaborating so that these books will be widely available through free digital distribution and low-cost print editions. The publishers and the Series editor are teachers and researchers of writing, committed to the principle that knowledge should freely circulate. We see the opportunities that new technologies have for further democratizing knowledge. And we see that to share the power of writing is to share the means for all to articulate their needs, interest, and learning into the great experiment of literacy.


Recent Books in the Series
Sarah Allen, Beyond Argument: Essaying as a Practice of (Ex)Change (2015)
Steven J. Corbett, Beyond Dichotomy: Synergizing Writing Center and Classroom Pedagogies (2015)
Tara Roeder and Roseanne Gatto (Eds.), Critical Expressivism: Theory and Practice in the Composition Classroom (2015)
Terry Myers Zawacki and Michelle Cox, WAC and Second-Language Writers: Research Towards Linguistically and Culturally Inclusive Programs and Practices (2014)
Charles Bazerman, A Rhetoric of Literate Action: Literate Action Volume 1 (2013)
Charles Bazerman, A Theory of Literate Action: Literate Action Volume 2 (2013)
Katherine V. Wills and Rich Rice (Eds.), ePortfolio Performance Support Systems: Constructing, Presenting, and Assessing Portfolios (2013)
Mike Duncan and Star Medzerian Vanguri (Eds.), The Centrality of Style (2013)
Chris Thaiss, Gerd Bräuer, Paula Carlino, Lisa Ganobcsik-Williams, and Aparna Sinha (Eds.), Writing Programs Worldwide: Profiles of Academic Writing in Many Places (2012)
Andy Kirkpatrick and Zhichang Xu, Chinese Rhetoric and Writing: An Introduction for Language Teachers (2012)


Publication Information
The WAC Clearinghouse, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523
Parlor Press, 3015 Brackenberry Drive, Anderson, South Carolina 29621
© 2015 by Christy I. Wenger. This work is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license.
Produced in the United States of America
ISBN 978-1-64215-063-6 (pdf) | 978-1-64215-064-3 (epub) | 978-1-60235-660-3 (pbk.)
DOI 10.37514/PER-B.2015.0636
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Wenger, Christy I., 1982-
Yoga minds, writing bodies : contemplative writing pedagogy / Christy I. Wenger. 1 online resource. -- (Perspectives on writing)
Includes bibliographical references.
Description based on print version record and CIP data provided by publisher; resource not viewed.
ISBN 978-1-64215-063-6 (pdf) -- ISBN 978-1-64215-064-3 (epub) -- ISBN 978-1-60235-664-1 ( mobi) -- ISBN 978-1-60235-660-3 (pbk. : acid-free paper)
1. English language--Composition and exercises--Study and teaching. 2. Mind and body. 3. Self in literature. 4. Yoga. I. Title.
PE1404
808’.04207--dc23
2015007050
Copyeditor: Don Donahue
Designer: Tara Reeser
Series Editor: Susan H. McLeod
The WAC Clearinghouse supports teachers of writing across the disciplines. Hosted by Colorado State University, it brings together scholarly journals and book series as well as resources for teachers who use writing in their courses. This book is available in digital format for free download at http:/wac.colostate.edu.
Parlor Press, LLC is an independent publisher of scholarly and trade titles in print and multimedia formats. This book is available in print and digital formats from Parlor Press at http://www.parlorpress.com. For submission information or to find out about Parlor Press publications, write to Parlor Press, 3015 Brackenberry Drive, Anderson, South Carolina 29621, or email [e-mail].


Contents
Acknowledgments
Preface: In the beginning, there is no substitute for sweat.
Introduction: From the Sticky Mat to the Classroom: Toward Contemplative Writing Pedagogy
Chapter One: The Writing Yogi: Lessons for Embodied Change
Interchapter One: Using “Body Blogs” to Embody the Writer’s Imagination
Chapter Two: Personal Presence, Embodied Empiricism and Resonance in Contemplative Writing
Interchapter Two: Habits of Yoga Minds and Writing Bodies
Chapter Three: Situating Feelings in Contemplative Writing Pedagogy
Interchapter Three: 26 The Writer’s Breath
Conclusion: Namaste
Notes
References
Appendix A: Yoga Asana Handout Iyengar Yoga for Writers*
Appendx B. Yoga Pranayama Handout Writer’s Yoga Breathing*
About the Author


Acknowledgments
Raising a child takes a village and so does writing a book. I am thankful for all who comprised my “village;” without them, this book would not have been written.
My deepest gratitude goes to my husband and my mother, both of whom provided me endless cheerleading—and ice cream breaks when needed. Thanks, mom, for raising me to be like you: a strong, confident woman who isn’t afraid to take risks. Thanks, Steve, for never doubting what I could accomplish and supporting me all the way through. And, thanks, Nancy, for taking care of Paige so mommy could write.
I thank my departmental colleagues at Shepherd University, many of whom read parts of this text and provided useful feedback for revision during faculty writing group meetings. I also thank the English department faculty and graduate students at my previous institution, Lehigh University, for helping me to build the theoretical foundation and pedagogical practice that serves as the backbone of this book. Of course, I thank my students at both schools for being active participants in my courses and for their willingness to be a part of my project. My students have given me the biggest gift of all: a bounty of greatly reflective writing and honest accounts of their experiences with contemplative pedagogy.
I owe a great deal of gratitude to both my mentors at Lehigh, Barry M. Kroll and Edward Lotto. Both read countless drafts of the earliest stages of this project and pushed me to refine my ideas. They encouraged my pedagogical experimentation and helped me navigate the professional, personal and logistical challenges of getting students to move in the classroom. I remain thankful, Barry, for the continued gifts of your time and knowledge.
A special thanks to Laurence Musgrove for helping me with the yoga illustrations throughout the book; you brought my stick figures to life! Thanks also to my peer reviewers and editors. The former offered thoughtful suggestions for revision, which substantially strengthened the final draft of this book, and the latter made the process a smooth one. Editors Sue McLeod, Mike Palmquist and David Blakesley, thanks for making the journey to publication enjoyable.
Not only did my yoga teachers inspire me to write this book, they also helped me implement the contemplative pedagogy I discuss within its pages. Holly, I am deeply grateful that you found my work to join yoga and writing compelling and offered your time and energies to my students. Our many talks on your porch about the philosophy of yoga shaped what this project turned into and gave me the confidence to move forward. Special thanks to Christa and Gena, who have helped me to integrate yoga in my classes at Shepherd. You all have all shaped me as a yogi, which has, in turn, shaped me as a teacher. Namaste .
And, to my girls, Jamie, Nikki and Sarah, I offer thanks for years of love and friendship. Thanks for reading drafts, thanks for the free talk therapy and thanks for making me step away from my computer every now and then. In the words of Anne of Green Gables, you are my kindred spirits.
I dedicate this book to my daughter, Paige, who teaches me daily what it means to be mindful and to find joy in the present moment. Mommy loves you.


YOGA MINDS, WRITING BODIES: CONTEMPLATIVE WRITING PEDAGOGY


Preface: In the beginning, there is no substitute for sweat.
—BKS Iyengar, Light on Life
I take a hard look in the mirror, noting my yoga pants and sneakers. As someone who prefers to dress business casual for teaching, this outfit is a deviation that feels both exciting, because it’s freeingly comfortable, and a bit scary. I chose my loose-fitted yoga pants carefully today, avoiding the skin-tight pair I regularly wear to the yoga studio. Through my slow development as a yogi, I’ve learned that to understand your body, you have to see it; to see it clearly, you have to claim it. It’s hard to see if your knee is lined up over your big toe, for example, if that knee is swallowed up by fabric. Tighter fits allow for better alignment assessment and easier movement in yoga. While my tight pants have a practical purpose, then, that they’ve come to rest in my closet is just one indication of how far I’d come in letting go of my body self-consciousness and claiming my body as it is. As a yogi, I understand these actions of giving myself over to my practice—worrying less about others’ perceptions of my body and more about my own sense of embodiment—as a sign of growth. As a writing teacher-cum-yogi about to bring these two worlds together, however, I proceed with measure. Still standing in front of my mirror, I move my arms up and down