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Jon Kabat-Zinn's book Wherever You Go, There You Are was my first introduction to mindfulness meditation. Kabat-Zinn chooses to introduce mindfulness not through direct instruction, but rather by sharing his own reflections on mindfulness and its application to daily living.The chapters are brief, making them ideal as readings to start or end the day. Since then I have taken up yoga and attended courses on mindfulness and stress management. Yet I still find new insights in this book.Readers looking for a "how-to" guide on meditation may be disappointed, but Wherever You Go beautifully introduces the spirit of the practice. I highly recommend the book to anyone wanting to explore mindfulness for the first time or deepen an established practice.For those who want basic instructions in mindfulness, try Kabat-Zinn's CD series Guided Mindfulness Meditation, Series 2. In addition, the author's book Full Catastrophe Living offers a scientific look at stress, how it affects our bodies and minds, and how mindfulness can help us manage its effects.Wherever You Go, There You Are (ROUGH CUT)
This book by Kabat-Zinn is written in brief chapters, each with a complete thought and most of them with a recommended action. Ideal as a daily guide to a more mindful life. This book would be perfect if it were available for the Kindle. Fortunately Hyperion, the publishers, have said it will be Kindle-ized in June.
How we live our lives should reflect our priorities and our core values.The book provides the basics to begin meditation. It is a book I will recommend to my clients should they want a basic book on meditation or self-realization. It stresses the importance of simplicity, of choosing those things that are meaningful to us and saying no to those things that are mental clutter. This is a good book on the basics of mindfulness and meditation. Being mindful of the moment is important as the moment is what we have. In asking ourselves this question, we provide meaning to our lives and give ourselves a direction, a north star so to speak.As a therapist, I found the book very well-written, easy to follow and laid out in a very readable manner.
What are we here to do, to create, to fulfill.
What is most important is that we choose to meditate and devote a part of each day to the practice.
So often, we go with the flow, do what we think we should do and not give our actions much thought.
Its focus is on the importance of being aware of the moment, of attending fully to that which is at hand now.
Other books on this subject that I find helpful are Handbook for Constructive Living (Latitude 20 Book) and Naikan: Gratitude, Grace, and the Japanese Art of Self-Reflection.I think that the most important message in this book is that how we live our lives and what we do every day should be a reflection of our core values and what is most important to us.
There is no one way or body position that is required for successful meditation.
What is required is that we choose to practice meditating and prioritize it in our daily lives.Kabat-Zinn suggests that we all ask ourselves what our job is on this planet.
Kabat-Zinn encourages us to think about what we do and CHOOSE our actions wisely.
Life is not a dress rehearsal and the author encourages us to focus on the here and now and fully attend to our lives.
I thank you, Jon Kabat Zinn, for writing this book. The works in this book help me see myself a little bit better, a little bit clearer. They also provide techniques and tools to overcome the bumps or challenges that I may be experiencing at any one moment. Mine is an ongoing quest to understand my self. You are a true guru. I practice the 8 limbs of Yoga on the mat and off it.The Yoga Sutras and the works of other Yoga masters guide me daily. I have been practicing Yoga for 8 years and teaching it for 2. They provide direction on how to proceed when I feel stuck or confused.
Yet there have been times when I have needed something more to bring presence into my daily life. 'Wherever You Go There You Are' has provided me with what I have been looking for. So, thank you so much for this insightful piece of work. Thank you.
This book is great for personal growth. It works if you do your part.Try it. Give it time. Enjoy a pleasant surprise.
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