I had the wonderful opportunity to meet and get to know Toby Estler as a result of our mutual connection through the University of Santa Monica. Toby was one of the assistants at the University during my second year. I always knew that he possessed a special energy, and was a very loving and gentle soul from the first day I met him.
I received a call from Toby about two years after my graduation as a result of our connection to Team in Training an organization affiliated with Leukemia and Lymphoma Society that helps budding athletes get prepared for a 100 mile bike rides or a 26.2 mile marathons. Toby had learned about Compassionate Communications, (a patient outreach program I founded), through some mutual friends and wanted to find out how he could help. He did help by becoming one of our initial “compassionate communicators” in our pilot program. Toby has since gone on to become my personal coach and a very good friend. He does writing for our organization, and is also involved in helping design and deliver an upcoming workshop that we are facilitating called “Facing Change: From Breakdown to Breakthrough.
I don’t know how many of you are runners, but Toby’s love for running and his 35 moving meditations for runners is the topic of this podcast. I use to be an avid runner some years ago, but due to an injury, I shifted to cycling. I remember the long hours pounding the pavement, and just how meditative running can be. Toby’s book entitled, “Running Home,” is more than a how to manual or motivational on sports and fitness. It is a book about focus. The book is made up of thirty-five meditations based on character qualities, core values, and affirmations. These stories are captivating and grab the reader’s attention. They are designed to encourage runners to carry the satisfying experience of running into an enriching and deepening growth in their personal and professional life. These short inspirational chapters are equally appropriate for any chosen sport. Toby writes from his heart with a rare combination of the sportscaster, a poet, and a spiritual sports chaplain. Toby relates the joy of running to accessing the inner essence of man’s spirit.
Toby Estler is a remarkable communicator. He masterfully articulates how running has transformed his life, empowering him to overcome his past. As he shares these experiences and his new freedom, it is his hope that others will turn their lives around and move toward bigger goals and more rewarding behavior.
I encourage anyone who is into running to read, “Running Home“. It is a powerfully transforming and you will never look at running the same once you have implemented some of Toby’s meditative practices. You can also visit his personal website by clicking here. Enjoy this great podcast!!!!
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