Running Toward Stillness

by Stephen Legault

In 2006 Stephen Legault experienced a period of tremendous upheaval, the result of bad decisions and a lifetime of anger and fear that left him in a deep depression, struggling to come to terms with the choices he had made. While running on a sun-dappled trail he realized that, like so many other people, he felt alone and afraid and was suffering, and that he had to do something about it. Having been toying with meditation for years and studying the teaching of the Buddha since he was a teenager, Stephen decided to address his disquiet by dedicating himself more fully to both meditation and running. By combining these two practices, he was able to more effectively address the problems in his life and bring a renewed sense of meaning, joy and creativity to the acts of spiritual contemplation and physical activity.


Illustrated throughout with the author's photographs highlighting the tranquil beauty of India, the American Southwest, Canada's West Coast and the wild landscapes of the Rocky Mountains, Running Toward Stillness is an invitation to run through the woods, along the seashore and on mountain trails in order to experience moments of sublime delight, personal insight and the healing power of the natural world.

Genres: Nonfiction

320 pages, ebook

First published October 14, 2013

About the author

Stephen Legault is the author of fourteen books, including most recently Where Rivers Meet: Photographs and Stories from the Bow Valley and Kananaskis and Earth and Sky: Photographs and Stories from Montana and Alberta.

He is a full-time conservation activist, writer, photographer, public speaker, and strategy consultant who lives in Canmore, Alberta with his wife Jenn, and two sons, Rio and Silas. He has been writing since 1988, and for nearly as long has been leading national and international conservation programs and organizations.

Stephen recently served as the program director (Crown, Alberta, NWT) of the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y). His writing includes nine murder mystery novels, books of essays on Buddhism and Taoism and a collection of works by 25 authors on the Bow Valley of Alberta.

Follow Stephen on Facebook, or visit www.stephenlegault.com.

Reviews

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an important book for me, hitting me at a time when I was ready for it.

It's not a traditional running book, but for those maybe more thoughtful and meditative, those experiencing the changes and self discovery of middle age it's the perfect book.

[Jeremy Kroeker · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Running Toward Stillness, Stephen Legault writes honestly about mistakes, love, and hard-won life lessons. Recommended regardless of your positions on running or Buddhism.