Breathwork guide and meditation teacher Matteo Pistono offers a how-to book for upgrading your nervous system to live your optimal life physically, emotionally, and spiritually.Do you want to calm your racing thoughts before lying down for a restful night of sleep? Or raise your energy levels before your morning exercise or spin class, and have laser focus before an important meeting? Are you overwhelmed from the flood of information from your social media and news feed? Any time your emotional state is out of balance, there are time-tested, practical methods to breathe your way back into the state of being you want.You have the capacity to change how you feel, in any moment, when you partner with your breath. It’s a matter of paying attention and then consciously altering your breathing pattern.Too often books on breathing and breathwork coaches do not teach the actual mechanics of breathing. Instead, they guide one-off sessions, teach protocols, or direct you to an app. The consequence of just following a protocol without understanding breathing mechanics leaves the student disempowered and dependent on the teacher. Instead, in Breathe How You Want to Feel, learning functional breathing becomes the basis upon which you gain control of your well-being—it’s the secret tool behind resiliency.Breathe How You Want to Feel offers you a psychophysical tool kit that includes:· awareness building,· understanding the dials of your nervous system,· the importance of nasal breathing,· how breath holds (even when very short) are a superpower, and· how to integrate optimal breathing throughout your everyday life, especially when you're sleeping.You’ll use these tools to optimize your breathing to overcome being tired, wired, and uninspired. You’ll learn how to breathe optimally during your workday, while exercising, when entering meditative and flow states, and for deep rest. And you’ll partner with your breath to discover deeper meaning in life. This book meets you, the breather, where you are with step-by-step actionable tools to improve your health, sleep, and well-being.

Spiritual biography meets edge-of-your-seat undercover reporting: how an American Buddhist smuggled out hard evidence of abuse and torture in Tibet. For nearly a decade, Matteo Pistono smuggled out of Tibet evidence of atrocities by the Chinese government, showing it to the U.S. government, human rights organizations, and anyone who would listen. Yet Pistono did not originally intend to fight for social justice in Tibet-he had gone there as a Buddhist pilgrim. Disillusioned by a career in American politics, he had gone to the Himalayas looking for a simpler way of life. After encountering Buddhism in Nepal, Pistono''s quest led him to Tibet and to a meditation master whose spiritual brother is Sogyal Rinpoche, bestselling author of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. Pistono not only became the master''s student but also couriered messages to him in Tibet from the Dalai Lama in India. This began an extraordinary, and ultimately vital, adventure. In the Shadow of the Buddha is a book about Tibet through the eyes of a devotee-a stranger hiding in plain sight. It''s about how a culture''s rich spiritual past is slipping away against the force of a tyrannical future. It''s about how Tibetans live today, and the tenacity of their faith in the future in spite of dire repression and abuse. It''s also about Pistono''s own journey from being a frustrated political activist to becoming a practicing Buddhist mystic, a man who traveled thousands of miles and risked his own life to pursue freedom and peace.Watch a Video

Nineteenth-century Tibetan mystic Tertön Sogyal was a visionary, whose mastery of meditation led him to be a revered teacher to the Thirteenth Dalai Lama. Known for his deep spiritual insights and service to the nation of Tibet, Tertön Sogyal’s ability to harness the power of the mind was born of both his profound understanding of the Buddha’s teachings and the unique experiences he had while striving for peace against tremendous odds. His life is an example of courage and diligence appreciated by spiritual practitioners of all traditions; and his practical instructions on meditation and opening one’s heart—amid conflict, uncertainty, and change—are as relevant today as they were during his lifetime.Fearless in Tibet, the first comprehensive work in English on Tertön Sogyal, captures the essence of his teachings, visions, and spiritual realizations, as well as the challenges he faced during his early yogic training and his efforts to promote harmony between Tibet and China.Combining riveting storytelling and Tertön Sogyal’s profound instructions, Matteo Pistono takes you on a journey through a mystical past that reveals practical inner guidance for today’s challenges. You will see the power of transforming negativity into opportunity, letting go of attachments, becoming mindfully present, and embracing impermanence. This intricate tapestry of intrigue and spirituality will infuse your path with timeless wisdom and inspiration.

The captivating life story of a renowned Siamese Buddhist activist, critic, and indomitable defender of the disenfranchisedMatteo Pistono’s deft prose weaves together the story of Sulak Sivaraksa’s years of social-justice work and his tireless campaigns to effect change. As a seminal figure in the world of socially engaged spirituality, Sulak has given us a blueprint for peaceful, nonviolent activism in the twenty-first century. More than forty vintage photos illustrate both his life and a turbulent period in Thailand’s history.

A practical, step-by-step guide to meditation, suitable for beginners as well as those wishing to refresh their knowledge and inspire their practice. Matteo Pistono began studying Buddhism and yoga in Nepal in the early 1990s, and later lived and worked in Tibet for a decade. In this book, Matteo shares the essence of the many teachings and practices he learned during his 20 years of study under eminent teachers in Nepal, India, Tibet and Thailand, and his guidance is especially relevant as an antidote to today's stresses and challenges. Matteo shares how to: - develop a daily meditation practice - connect the body and mind with body-scanning meditation - integrate mindfulness awareness into everyday life - meditate while walking, drinking tea, eating and in daily life - come to know your heart and mind in the innermost way This book was previously published as Meditation (Hay House Basics series).

An introductory step-by-step guide to meditation, suitable for beginners as well as those wishing to refresh their knowledge and practice.Meditation Made Easy is a clear, how-to book on meditation aimed at complete beginners and practicing readers looking for easy, approachable meditation techniques. In this book, readers will learn:How to develop a consistent meditation practice at home and while travelingBasic instructions and techniques of meditationInstructions for seated, walking, and supine meditation posturesHow to use the breath as an object of meditationHow to deal with distraction and lethargy in meditationThis book is for readers who do not know how to start a practice, or for those people who do not have access to teachers. It is especially useful for the multitudes of yoga practitioners who want to meditate but have never received solid instruction in the yoga studio. Using traditional Eastern practices, but aimed at a Western audience, the methods in this book can be utilized on the meditation cushion as well as in daily life when stress and challenges arise. Previously published in the Hay House Basics series.

For nearly a decade, Matteo Pistono smuggled out of Tibet evidence of atrocities by the Chinese government, showing it to the United States government, human rights organisations, and anyone who would listen. Yet Pistono did not originally intend to fight for social justice in Tibet - he had gone there as a Buddhist pilgrim. Pistono's quest led him to Tibet and to a meditation master whose spiritual brother is Sogyal Rinpoche, bestselling author of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. Pistono not only became the master's student but also couriered messages to him in Tibet from the Dalai Lama in India. This began an extraordinary, and ultimately vital, adventure. In the Shadow of the Buddha is a book about Tibet through the eyes of a devotee - a stranger hiding in plain sight. It's about how a culture's rich spiritual past is slipping away against the force of a tyrannical future. It's about how Tibetans live today, and the tenacity of their faith in the future in spite of dire repression and abuse. It's also about Pistono's own journey from being a frustrated political activist to becoming a practicing Buddhist mystic, a man who traveled thousands of miles and risked his own life to pursue freedom and peace.

Breathwork guide and meditation teacher Matteo Pistono offers a how-to book for upgrading your nervous system to live your optimal life physically, emotionally, and spiritually.Do you want to calm your racing thoughts before lying down for a restful night of sleep? Or raise your energy levels before your morning exercise or spin class, and have laser focus before an important meeting? Are you overwhelmed from the flood of information from your social media and news feed? Any time your emotional state is out of balance, there are time-tested, practical methods to breathe your way back into the state of being you want.You have the capacity to change how you feel, in any moment, when you partner with your breath. It’s a matter of paying attention and then consciously altering your breathing pattern.Too often books on breathing and breathwork coaches do not teach the actual mechanics of breathing. Instead, they guide one-off sessions, teach protocols, or direct you to an app. The consequence of just following a protocol without understanding breathing mechanics leaves the student disempowered and dependent on the teacher. Instead, in Breathe How You Want to Feel, learning functional breathing becomes the basis upon which you gain control of your well-being—it’s the secret tool behind resiliency.Breathe How You Want to Feel offers you a psychophysical tool kit that includes:· awareness building,· understanding the dials of your nervous system,· the importance of nasal breathing,· how breath holds (even when very short) are a superpower, and· how to integrate optimal breathing throughout your everyday life, especially when you're sleeping.You’ll use these tools to optimize your breathing to overcome being tired, wired, and uninspired. You’ll learn how to breathe optimally during your workday, while exercising, when entering meditative and flow states, and for deep rest. And you’ll partner with your breath to discover deeper meaning in life. This book meets you, the breather, where you are with step-by-step actionable tools to improve your health, sleep, and well-being.

Spiritual biography meets edge-of-your-seat undercover reporting: how an American Buddhist smuggled out hard evidence of abuse and torture in Tibet. For nearly a decade, Matteo Pistono smuggled out of Tibet evidence of atrocities by the Chinese government, showing it to the U.S. government, human rights organizations, and anyone who would listen. Yet Pistono did not originally intend to fight for social justice in Tibet-he had gone there as a Buddhist pilgrim. Disillusioned by a career in American politics, he had gone to the Himalayas looking for a simpler way of life. After encountering Buddhism in Nepal, Pistono''s quest led him to Tibet and to a meditation master whose spiritual brother is Sogyal Rinpoche, bestselling author of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. Pistono not only became the master''s student but also couriered messages to him in Tibet from the Dalai Lama in India. This began an extraordinary, and ultimately vital, adventure. In the Shadow of the Buddha is a book about Tibet through the eyes of a devotee-a stranger hiding in plain sight. It''s about how a culture''s rich spiritual past is slipping away against the force of a tyrannical future. It''s about how Tibetans live today, and the tenacity of their faith in the future in spite of dire repression and abuse. It''s also about Pistono''s own journey from being a frustrated political activist to becoming a practicing Buddhist mystic, a man who traveled thousands of miles and risked his own life to pursue freedom and peace.Watch a Video

Nineteenth-century Tibetan mystic Tertön Sogyal was a visionary, whose mastery of meditation led him to be a revered teacher to the Thirteenth Dalai Lama. Known for his deep spiritual insights and service to the nation of Tibet, Tertön Sogyal’s ability to harness the power of the mind was born of both his profound understanding of the Buddha’s teachings and the unique experiences he had while striving for peace against tremendous odds. His life is an example of courage and diligence appreciated by spiritual practitioners of all traditions; and his practical instructions on meditation and opening one’s heart—amid conflict, uncertainty, and change—are as relevant today as they were during his lifetime.Fearless in Tibet, the first comprehensive work in English on Tertön Sogyal, captures the essence of his teachings, visions, and spiritual realizations, as well as the challenges he faced during his early yogic training and his efforts to promote harmony between Tibet and China.Combining riveting storytelling and Tertön Sogyal’s profound instructions, Matteo Pistono takes you on a journey through a mystical past that reveals practical inner guidance for today’s challenges. You will see the power of transforming negativity into opportunity, letting go of attachments, becoming mindfully present, and embracing impermanence. This intricate tapestry of intrigue and spirituality will infuse your path with timeless wisdom and inspiration.

The captivating life story of a renowned Siamese Buddhist activist, critic, and indomitable defender of the disenfranchisedMatteo Pistono’s deft prose weaves together the story of Sulak Sivaraksa’s years of social-justice work and his tireless campaigns to effect change. As a seminal figure in the world of socially engaged spirituality, Sulak has given us a blueprint for peaceful, nonviolent activism in the twenty-first century. More than forty vintage photos illustrate both his life and a turbulent period in Thailand’s history.

A practical, step-by-step guide to meditation, suitable for beginners as well as those wishing to refresh their knowledge and inspire their practice. Matteo Pistono began studying Buddhism and yoga in Nepal in the early 1990s, and later lived and worked in Tibet for a decade. In this book, Matteo shares the essence of the many teachings and practices he learned during his 20 years of study under eminent teachers in Nepal, India, Tibet and Thailand, and his guidance is especially relevant as an antidote to today's stresses and challenges. Matteo shares how to: - develop a daily meditation practice - connect the body and mind with body-scanning meditation - integrate mindfulness awareness into everyday life - meditate while walking, drinking tea, eating and in daily life - come to know your heart and mind in the innermost way This book was previously published as Meditation (Hay House Basics series).

An introductory step-by-step guide to meditation, suitable for beginners as well as those wishing to refresh their knowledge and practice.Meditation Made Easy is a clear, how-to book on meditation aimed at complete beginners and practicing readers looking for easy, approachable meditation techniques. In this book, readers will learn:How to develop a consistent meditation practice at home and while travelingBasic instructions and techniques of meditationInstructions for seated, walking, and supine meditation posturesHow to use the breath as an object of meditationHow to deal with distraction and lethargy in meditationThis book is for readers who do not know how to start a practice, or for those people who do not have access to teachers. It is especially useful for the multitudes of yoga practitioners who want to meditate but have never received solid instruction in the yoga studio. Using traditional Eastern practices, but aimed at a Western audience, the methods in this book can be utilized on the meditation cushion as well as in daily life when stress and challenges arise. Previously published in the Hay House Basics series.

For nearly a decade, Matteo Pistono smuggled out of Tibet evidence of atrocities by the Chinese government, showing it to the United States government, human rights organisations, and anyone who would listen. Yet Pistono did not originally intend to fight for social justice in Tibet - he had gone there as a Buddhist pilgrim. Pistono's quest led him to Tibet and to a meditation master whose spiritual brother is Sogyal Rinpoche, bestselling author of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. Pistono not only became the master's student but also couriered messages to him in Tibet from the Dalai Lama in India. This began an extraordinary, and ultimately vital, adventure. In the Shadow of the Buddha is a book about Tibet through the eyes of a devotee - a stranger hiding in plain sight. It's about how a culture's rich spiritual past is slipping away against the force of a tyrannical future. It's about how Tibetans live today, and the tenacity of their faith in the future in spite of dire repression and abuse. It's also about Pistono's own journey from being a frustrated political activist to becoming a practicing Buddhist mystic, a man who traveled thousands of miles and risked his own life to pursue freedom and peace.