Mindfulness

October 10, 2011
From Oxford University professor Williams and journalist Penman comes this clearly articulated and remarkably user-friendly guide to mindfulness. Williams and Penman forgo the religious theory that often accompanies mindfulness texts, emphasizing the practice’s therapeutics instead of its theology. Deceptively simple exercises involving attentive eating, breath-focused meditation, and the noticing of bodily sensations will effectively move practitioners from an overanalyzing “Doing mode” to a “Being mode” that is fully awake to the present moment. Introductory chapters effectively explain how stressful life conditions lead to negative mental states and why it is better to acknowledge emotional distress rather than suppress it. The remaining chapters present an eight-week course that begins with increasing attention during routine tasks and ends with a complete integration of mindfulness into daily life. Along the way, the authors present several “habit releaser” activities that will give routines a shakeup. Completing the mindfulness exercises found in this practical and wise book will leave readers with the glowing assurance that “whatever you are doing, mindfulness is only one breath away.”