i have to admit to never having finished reading fpiafw.
when i started it i was pretty depressed and reading it made me more so.
i keep meaning to go back to it, but my mentor keeps giving me new books to read so i haven't had the chance.
what i can say about the workbook is that it really is just that. a workbook.
it has a couple of excellent chapters at the beginning explaining things before it goes in to the 8 weeks worth of sessions.
it's really well written.
at the end of each session in the 'homework' practice diary they've added a lot of questions and answers between the different days diaries.
the questions are those that regularly come up in an inquiry which is what you have in a group session after every practice.
it's a very supportive book all the way through.
it mirrors our group sessions all the way through.
if you can't get to a group then this is an excellent way of doing the course.
the practices are longer than fpiafw, whereas the body scan in fpiafw is around 20 minutes the workbook is around 40 which is what we use in sessions and for homework.
the sitting practice is around the same length.
working with difficulty is around 25 minutes which i feel is about right for a practice like that. it's really well guided by mark williams.
all three authors lead different practices.
the only weak point , if it's fair to call it that,is the mindful movement, listening to guidance makes it sound clumsy, a dvd would have been better.
if you have your own movement practice such as yoga , tai chi, pilates etc, then i'd stick with your own practice done mindfully, but still following the daily program for length of practice and frequency.
my mentor is possibly going to start recommending the book to people who cant make the group sessions for whatever reason, hoping that they'll come to a group at a later date. so if she recommends it it must be good
mick.