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Summary: meditation for klutzes
Review: This book is gem--it delivers on its promise, to convey the depth of daily meditation with some prointers on "how-to", and the impact it can have on your life. Clearly written, it never panders or digresses, and is as pleasant and informative a read as I've seen on such a weighty subject....a must! Dr. S
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Summary: Inner peace, wisdom and harmony
Review: Jon Kabat-Zinn¢s ability to describe and explain living in being-mode and mindfulness is brilliant. Although these things are thought to be some "eastern things", he successfully presents them as the life things, which directly have effects on our stability, development, relationships and quality of life. The chapters of the book are interesting, meaningful and inspiring, and not forcing a reader to see the world through any religion or spiritualism; they are not written in such a style.
If you want to learn what the mindfulness is, or just to be more inspired on seeking the right path and attitudes in your life, then read this book.
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Summary: A guide for those seeking peace in their lives
Review: Jon Kabbat-Zinn is a man of remarkable insight and integrity. His previous book "Full Catastrophe Living" was a gem of clinical wisdom. This book is briefer and gives a sound overview of the value and practice of mindfulness meditation. Let us all be where we are, and the world will be a better place for it.
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Summary: Nonreligious Introduction to Meditation
Review: In today's world the everday person experiences incredible amounts of stress. Since 9/11 we have had to deal with watching innocent people jump out of burning buildings, airplanes explode midair, and now the recurrent fears of bio/chemical attacks. These are stress factors that we can only add to the previous ones we already had to deal with such as family, work, home, and school. Basically, we are a VERY stressed nation.Fortunately, we do have several anti-stress options at hand and this book features several including seated meditation, walking meditation, and mindful yoga. Even if none of these methods work for you personally, this book features some very simple, very effective advice: everday take some time to just lie silently on the floor and breathe. It's that simple. However, if meditation is of interest to you, you have come to the right book. Jon Kabat-Zinn has taken the study of meditation seriously with the Western practioner in mind. He has done studies and research on the awesome powers of meditation to help patients with both psychological and physical ailments. The results are astounding and encouraging. Best yet, Kabat-Zinn's work with patients has helped him establish specific suggestions that will help you gain the tremenous benefits of meditation. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is in need of stress relief, but may not be ready for an spiritual journey inward.
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Summary: A pioneering piece of work
Review: Jon Kabat-Zinn has produced a wonderful book with Wherever You Go, There You Are. Compiled from his years of work in the field of mind/body medicine, Kabat-Zinn offers an easy to read format for using mindfulness meditation for health care issues. This books format allows for easy, and quick, readings with short blurb like sections. Simple, everyday language conveys the deep and profound message of applying mindfulness meditation to your life. Most importantly, this book is presented in a way that encourages you to try the technique. All too often we read a book as fast as we can, so we can get the knowledge and go on to the next book. Kabat-Zinn interjects sections where we can apply what we have just read into our life. In this way we are able to begin new habits, this time healthy and good-for-us. I highly recommend this book and hope you enjoy it, and the resulting benefits, as much as I have.
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Summary: Concentrated Wisdom - A Definite Keeper
Review: This has long been a best seller and justifiably so. Kabat-Zinn works clinically with people who are stressed and his earlier book, Full Catastrophe Living, was written for people who are almost pathologically stressed, to bring them the beneficial effects of meditation. The present book is written for average people on the street, who may not need so urgently the therapeutic effects of meditation, but in the belief that we can all of us use a healthy dose of it. It is written with no religious strings attached, and even avoiding the word "spiritual," and yet it has the ability to open up the spiritual realm for us, no matter what we wish to call it. It is an introduction for the beginner and a source of good advice for the practitioner of meditation. It's written in bite-sized chapters, in clear, easy and very readable prose. It is a delight to read. The book's three parts explore the why and how of meditation and its many applications in daily life. Many chapters conclude with suggestions for reflection or meditation. It is concentrated wisdom that deserves much rereading and a permanent place on your library shelf.
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Summary: life changing
Review: I read this book about nine months ago. For me, it was the right book at the right time. This book instructed and inspired me to begin a daily practice of mindfulness meditation. This simple practice changed my life and my relationship with the world. Now there is less struggle, more awareness, acceptance of paradox, and I'm less apt to get caught up in the thinking and story-lines that dominated my existence.
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Summary: Insightful and Practical - Inspiring
Review: Insightful and easily adaptable is my description of the authors suggestions in this book. Jon Kabat-Zinn describes simplistic methods on self awareness in a mellifluous writing style that is pure pleasure to read. As a meditating novice I found the information to be practical and extremely helpful in diminishing the stessors of daily life. However, with any self awareness or motivation book, to realize benefit the reader must challenge himself or herself to incorporate the learned material into their lives. I suggest highlighting inspiring points so they may be easily read again and again.
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Summary: Balm for the Soul
Review: I am a voracious reader of books of all types, with a strong interest in Buddhism, and particularly Buddhist psychology. This book is one of a precious few that I hold close to my heart. Kabat-Zinn has managed to write a book that is gentle, comforting, and practical. That the book is comforting and gentle does not mean that it shallow or filled with simplistic platitudes. Rather, comfort flows naturally from the quiet passion of a teacher sharing earthy wisdom. That the book is practical does mean that it is dry and monotonous, or that it emphasizes technique at the expense of the heart. Instead, Kabat-Zinn gently touches on what meditation and what meditation is not. Without arousing anxiety or dampening enthusiasm, he refutes misunderstandings and guides the would-be student around the common snags and obstacles of a new meditation practice. The book is organized in short "chunks" that can be read a digested easily. I carried the book with me on the subway where I found that I had enough time to read and contemplate one chunk before reaching my destination. Reading Kabat-Zinn's book is a meditation in itself. This book is one of my treasures. I highly recommend it to anyone who is exploring meditation or Buddhism, particularly those who may be depressed or discouraged and in search of solid, caring wisdom.
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Summary: If you are interested in meditation, or, if you want to find
Review: a way to slow the pace of your busy world, Jon Kabat-Zinn can express the "out of body" concepts of meditation in a way that no one else can. You get to choose: "Wherever you go...." is a book that can be explored over and over, that can start you on a path to a new habit to find within yourself what you need to survive today's busy world; that can help you find a new habit to renew the life you lead. Or, utilize its message just as a brief "chapter read" to jump start the positive if you are not looking for a lifelong habit. It is very difficult to express, in words, the inner activities that result in becoming comfortable in your own skin. Kabat-Zinn writes thoughtfully and honestly about how he has accomplished this, and what things might work for you. There are many treasures in this book. For me, his ability to describe the rewards one gets from practiced patience, and to impress upon the reader the simplicity of the "body scan" and how it can lead to the habit of lying down meditation are two examples of things that readers can take away at any given time from his book. Many self-help readers today are looking for the "quick fix" or some small coping practice they can employ to keep their days positive. In some ways, in addition to helping you understand why meditation works and why it can change your life, Kabat-Zinn writes a poetic and illuminating version of the "one minute help" chapters that the "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff" series provided to these readers in the busy working world. When you couple his vision and ideas with the lovely verse that liberally sprinkles his book (Kabir, Thoreau and Whitman are favorites) you have a quiet and inspirational message that can do more to help you understand and eliminate your stress than can all the meditation, control and organizational techniques advocated in today's America could ever do. Read "Wherever you go, there you are" and learn how mindfulness can change the course of your daily life for the better. It works.
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