Deep Listening: A Healing Practice to Calm Your Body, Clear Your Mind, and Open Your Heart

by Jillian Pransky, Jessica Wolf

Take your mindfulness practice to a new healing level with guided meditations, journaling prompts, and restorative yoga poses.World-renowned restorative yoga teacher Jillian Pransky came to the practice of yoga to heal herself. For much of her life, she subscribed to a relentless work hard/play hard mentality, burying parts of herself beneath the pursuit of busy-ness and accomplishment. It wasn’t until a devastating personal loss and health crisis thrust her into suffocating anxiety that she stopped racing around. As she began to pause and examine her actions and emotions, she found herself able to unlock deeply seated tension in her mind and body. Since then, Pransky has been devoted to studying and teaching mindfulness practices, deep relaxation, and compassionate listening.In Deep Listening, Pransky presents her signature Calm Body, Clear Mind, Open Heart program—a 10-step journey of self-exploration that she’s taught around the world. Derived from the techniques that healed her, the practice of Deep Listening invites you to pay close attention to your body, mind, and heart. You’re taught how to tune inward and relax into a state of openness, ease, and clarity. This is the new frontier in integrative wellness—mindfulness designed for healing.Pransky doesn’t ask you to “be your best self,” or “do more!” She asks you to “be here” and “do less.” She guides you gently through the stages of Deep Listening, from being present and noticing your tension to welcoming what you discover with softness and compassion. She integrates tools like guided meditations, journaling prompts, and restorative yoga poses to help you regard yourself with kindness and curiosity. Immersing yourself in the practice of Deep Listening will allow you to nurture your own well-being.

Genres: Nonfiction, Spirituality, Self Help, Philosophy, Psychology, Health

290 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 10, 2017

Reviews

[Christine Hiester · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really lovely. I hadn't heard of the author and didn't know what to expect. I was very pleased to find that Deep Listening is filled with wisdom, well-written, so peaceful in its tone, and with many, many practices for application. This is not just a yoga book, nor is it a memoir, yet it includes both. I will come back to this book over and over in my own practice and in my retreat ministry where I lead women into rest and wholeness.

[Anna Webster · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent introduction to somato-sensory approaches to movement and life. As someone who has very much resonated with Jillian's "GO GO GO" lifestyle, the ability to slow down and listen to your body is really a fantastic skill. Her detailed pages about restorative yoga were very well put together and described (you can absolutely tell that she is a yoga instructor), and I liked the non-pretentious way that she described coming to her own experience with learning the art of "deep listening." My only comment is that if you are more advanced in yoga, you may already be very familiar with the poses and flows that Pranksy suggests, but it's also wonderful for those who are completely new to the practice - so I see both sides of it. 5 stars.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book... Deep Listening provides insights & tools to promote your your own well being and healing. It’s a practice of loving- yourself, others and your life - as it IS. It’s a practice of listening with curiosity and not judgement. Jillian’s openness, knowledge, authenticity and humor make this practice so accessible. Love love love.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

My yoga teacher reads from this book sometimes at the beginning of class. She thought I would relate to the author as a fellow parent of a severely food allergic child (which comes with a great deal of anxiety day-to-day). I enjoyed the excerpts, and so I decided to buy and read the entire thing. Good decision - I appreciate the calming nature of this book, and just overall really enjoyed it.

[Laura Vee · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the perspective of someone who's traversed the spectrum from toxic to healthy polyamory, Pransky and Wolf's "Deep Listening" offers invaluable insights into the art of presence - a skill that proves especially crucial in navigating multiple relationships with authenticity.

★★★★½ (4.5/5 Stars)

Having experienced both the chaos of toxic poly dynamics and the richness of genuine connection, I found their framework for deep listening particularly relevant to the complex emotional landscape of ethical non-monogamy.

Thematic Analysis:
The authors' exploration of embodied listening speaks directly to challenges many of us in ENM face - from managing multiple emotional connections to navigating metamour relationships. Their insight that true listening begins with self-awareness resonates deeply with those of us who've learned the hard way that poly relationships amplify our internal patterns.

Writing Style:
Pransky and Wolf weave together practical guidance with contemplative wisdom in a way that feels both accessible and profound. Their approach acknowledges the messiness of human connection while offering concrete tools for deeper presence.

Critical Framework:
The book excels in its treatment of:
- Somatic awareness in relationships
- Managing emotional overwhelm
- Developing genuine presence
- Building authentic connection through listening

Personal Resonance:
The sections on "listening beyond words" particularly struck home. In poly relationships, where clear communication is vital, their insights about attunement and non-verbal cues offer valuable tools for navigating complex dynamics. Having moved from toxic to healthy poly situations, I appreciate their nuanced exploration of how our listening patterns reflect our relationship with ourselves.

Notable Strengths:
- Excellent integration of body-based awareness
- Practical tools for emotional regulation
- Strong framework for authentic connection
- Valuable insights into relationship patterns

Areas for Development:
- Could explore multiple partner dynamics more explicitly
- Additional guidance needed for managing parallel relationships
- More resources for navigating metamour communications
- Deeper exploration of listening in conflict situations

The book particularly shines in its examination of:
- Building emotional resilience
- Developing presence in challenging moments
- Creating authentic connection
- Managing emotional boundaries

What makes this work valuable for ENM practitioners is its tools for:
- Managing emotional bandwidth across relationships
- Developing genuine presence with multiple partners
- Processing complex feelings through somatic awareness
- Building sustainable listening practices

Recommended for:
- Anyone seeking deeper relationship connection
- Those working on emotional presence
- ENM folks managing multiple relationships
- Anyone healing from toxic relationship patterns

Despite not being specifically about polyamory, "Deep Listening" provides essential skills for navigating the complex emotional terrain of multiple relationships. The authors' emphasis on embodied awareness proves particularly valuable for those of us managing multiple connections while maintaining authenticity.

The work succeeds in bridging the gap between theoretical understanding and practical application of deep listening skills. For those of us who've experienced both the challenges and rewards of ENM, their framework offers valuable tools for building and maintaining genuine connection across relationships.

Their exploration of how listening patterns reflect attachment styles and emotional availability resonates deeply with the poly experience. The emphasis on sustainable practices rather than perfect execution feels particularly relevant to those of us managing multiple relationship dynamics.

Having walked the path from toxic to authentic polyamory myself, I found their insights about how presence creates safety especially valuable. The book offers crucial tools for developing the emotional bandwidth necessary for healthy multiple relationships, even though it doesn't explicitly address ENM contexts.

This stands as an essential resource for anyone seeking to deepen their capacity for authentic connection, particularly valuable for those of us navigating the complex emotional landscape of ethical non-monogamy.

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine. It’s a very standard “yoga” book about a person who was always “on”, always doing things, being an “athlete” who then found stillness and relaxation. It’s just a little uninspiring. A lot of these books to me still feel like they just went to the other extreme. “To balance out the nervous system we need to rest and only rest and I didn’t need to push myself too hard.” And while that is of course true some of the time, an actually balanced yoga practice should include all kinds of engagement and practices. Your physical body NEEDS movement and stability and just “resting” in a meditation after you’ve already sat down for 8 hours at a desk will not bring you the lasting balance that you seek. While I agree with and utilise all practices that the book talks about, avoiding putting stress on your body sometimes in a mindful way so we can grow resilient won’t result in balance. I wish there were more books out there that talked about the balance, usually it’s sadly one of the two extremes.

[Heather Larcombe · Rating 3 out of 5]

1. Get it in print, don't try to listen to it.
2. Don't listen to the meditations unless you can get a professional reader or someone you love to read them for you. Ms. Pransky writes good meditative script, but believes that reading slowly must include lengthening words. No. That's not how reading slowly works. The .... ground.... will.... welcome.... you... is fine. It does not have to be The... grooooooooooound... will... weeeeeeelcooooome... yooooooooou. Too much. I have very little experience with yoga or yoga + meditation. Maybe that's just how they do it in yoga studios.
3. Pretty sure this could be shorter, but it's not unreasonably long for its contents.

[Elizabeth Hoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing, practical, simple to implement. I have read books that have been overly science focused or overly fluffy, this book sits in the happy middle. Jillian is genuine and you can feel her warmth radiating while reading her words. Loved this and will have it by my bedside to flip through regularly

[Ales Zupancic · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books on mindfulness

Definitely one of the best books on mindfulness. It leads you step by step from some basic principles to more advanced ones. Even though I am not a yoga fan, I really like the book, because you can do most of the exercise in the book without yoga’s part.

[Lauren Chase · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't really connect to the author's voice/writing style. I thought the made up word "Relaxmore" (or whatever it was) used throughout was distracting and cheesy. I appreciated the photos of poses and instructions on how to be fully present in each pose. Possibly a good reference for someone interested in gentle yoga, restorative poses, and meditation.

[Elisha Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took three months to read this book of just under 300 pages. I relished every word. I journaled. I brought it’s lessons into my yoga classes. I read snippets to the students during savasana/relaxation. It’s a book I will come back to again and again.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is full of tools that guide the reader connect to herself and her life. Each chapter progressively delves deeper into listening with suggested meditations, visualizations, journal prompts and yoga poses.

[Ann Gurka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Depth and awareness

This book is a gentle guide to self love and self caring. The practices are simple but profound ways to live from your center with an open heart.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book. I use this book for reference often when practicing yoga as well as teaching my classes.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely book for yoga teachers and practitioners. Both deeply thought and accessible. Highly recommend.

[Yen Xi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for restorative yoga

[Yanee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely ♥️

[Torey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful. What a peaceful encouraging way to practice deep listening. I felt appreciative of my body and my breath while I worked thru her chapters.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Useful content for restorative practitioners

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teachings that I return to again and again. They are a gift, helping shape my life, actions, inner speech, and willingness to pause.

[JA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really difficult to slow down and listen.

[Amy Lee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible. Do not read. This author is a phony.

[Kiera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a beautiful book. I’m so glad I reread this one during this season because I do not remember resonating with it in 2020 (pre-pandemic) as much as I do now.

This book is a great reminder to rest. You don’t have to do it all and have it all together. Do you even know what true rest looks like for you? Many people don’t and this author does a great job of showing you what it truly looks like for anyone.

[JODI · Rating 5 out of 5]

We can all benefit from Deep Listening!

This beautiful book is for anyone who wants to be more present in every moment. The combination of storytelling with actual “practices” gives the reader the background + the tools to help bring it all to life. Deep Listening truly has something for everyone!