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The Anxious Lawyer: An 8-Week Guide to a Joyful and Satisfying Law Practice Through Mindfulness and Meditation
"This book offers an easy to follow program for beginning a meditation practice, written by lawyers and for lawyers. I highly recommend this book for anyone in the legal world who has wondered about meditation but hesitated to get started."
-- Congressman Tim Ryan, author of A Mindful Nation and The Real Food Revolution
Interest in meditation and mindfulness has skyrocketed in recent years, thanks largely to neuroimaging and the body of scientific research that has validated the many benefits of these practices. Sadly, the legal community has for the most part been left out, even though lawyers would clearly benefit from mindfulness. Many lawyers feel hesitant to try meditation, which can seem alien and inaccessible from the vantage point of a professional culture that places great value on logic and reason.
Jeena Cho and Karen Gifford set out to help address this gap in The Anxious Lawyer . Both Cho and Gifford began meditating as practicing attorneys, and have firsthand knowledge of the difficulties and rewards of legal practice. They experienced how meditation and mindfulness practices support a more effective and enjoyable legal practice. Both also found unexpected rewards of meditation that go better self understanding, more rewarding relationships and a deeper feeling of connection with the world.
The Anxious Lawyer provides a straightforward 8-week introductory program on meditation and mindfulness, created by lawyers for lawyers. The program draws on examples from Cho and Gifford's professional and personal lives to create an accessible and enjoyable entry into practices that can reduce anxiety, improve focus and clarity, and enrich the quality of life.
The program
· Instruction on a number of simple meditation techniques
· Concrete guidance for establishing a daily meditation and mindfulness practice
· Exercises designed to give the reader practical experience in bringing the insights of meditation and mindfulness to meeting the challenges of daily life - and particularly of legal practice
· Practical examples of how mindfulness and meditation can help to cultivate a more joyful and satisfying law practice
· Discussion of scientific research on the effects of meditation and what the evidence shows about its benefits
· Practical tools, including access to guided meditations and worksheets that allow the reader to track his or her progress
-- Congressman Tim Ryan, author of A Mindful Nation and The Real Food Revolution
Interest in meditation and mindfulness has skyrocketed in recent years, thanks largely to neuroimaging and the body of scientific research that has validated the many benefits of these practices. Sadly, the legal community has for the most part been left out, even though lawyers would clearly benefit from mindfulness. Many lawyers feel hesitant to try meditation, which can seem alien and inaccessible from the vantage point of a professional culture that places great value on logic and reason.
Jeena Cho and Karen Gifford set out to help address this gap in The Anxious Lawyer . Both Cho and Gifford began meditating as practicing attorneys, and have firsthand knowledge of the difficulties and rewards of legal practice. They experienced how meditation and mindfulness practices support a more effective and enjoyable legal practice. Both also found unexpected rewards of meditation that go better self understanding, more rewarding relationships and a deeper feeling of connection with the world.
The Anxious Lawyer provides a straightforward 8-week introductory program on meditation and mindfulness, created by lawyers for lawyers. The program draws on examples from Cho and Gifford's professional and personal lives to create an accessible and enjoyable entry into practices that can reduce anxiety, improve focus and clarity, and enrich the quality of life.
The program
· Instruction on a number of simple meditation techniques
· Concrete guidance for establishing a daily meditation and mindfulness practice
· Exercises designed to give the reader practical experience in bringing the insights of meditation and mindfulness to meeting the challenges of daily life - and particularly of legal practice
· Practical examples of how mindfulness and meditation can help to cultivate a more joyful and satisfying law practice
· Discussion of scientific research on the effects of meditation and what the evidence shows about its benefits
· Practical tools, including access to guided meditations and worksheets that allow the reader to track his or her progress
251 pages, Hardcover
First published September 7, 2015
83 people are currently reading
484 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 15, 2016
Lawyers are notoriously cynical, and meditation is not the first thing the average lawyer thinks about when he/she is burnt out. Quitting law, sabbaticals, long vacations, and/or changing jobs are what pops into the mind of a very tired, very anxious attorney. I should know, I have practiced law for over two decades. Accordingly, I have to admit that I approached "The Anxious Lawyer" looking for a quick fix, will it "fix" the problem now? I found that the answer is both yes and no. The act of reading the book is the beginning of the "fix." Learning to meditate, grappling with mindfulness, learning to breathe and have compassion for yourself, as well as others, these are some of the lessons Jeena Cho teaches. I think Cho's seminar must be an effective continuing legal education course, and I would like to see it offered. I also think this book would be a very effective audio book or dvd (if they don't exist already). Will this book "cure" anxiety? No, the practice of law produces overwhelming amounts of anxiety, as does almost any profession in 2016. Cho does, however, provide many of the tools needed for dealing with that anxiety and minimizing the damage to your health and mental well being.
(In return for an honest review, I was provided with an advance review copy of the book by the publisher via NetGalley.)
(In return for an honest review, I was provided with an advance review copy of the book by the publisher via NetGalley.)
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January 19, 2020We're technically not finished with it for class, but I read ahead and finished it (because why not).
This was a nice introduction into the world of mindfulness with a legal focus (the stress, and struggles of the profession). I really enjoyed the weekly practice and I know that I'll bring many of them (as well as find others) into my life even after the class is complete.
4/5 stars.
This was a nice introduction into the world of mindfulness with a legal focus (the stress, and struggles of the profession). I really enjoyed the weekly practice and I know that I'll bring many of them (as well as find others) into my life even after the class is complete.
4/5 stars.
January 13, 2020
Took my awhile to read this, but a great book for the practicing attorney. 8 week program that took me a long time to get through. A great starting book on the topic of meditation and mindfulness.
September 15, 2016
A pretty good beginners book regarding starting a practice of meditation. Focused on a practice aimed at lawyers. Has practical suggestions regarding the benefits of a meditative practice in the no stop self critical time starved lawyers world. Written by lawyers and for lawyers.
December 1, 2017
An excellent introduction and guide to mindfulness training and meditation by two practicing attorneys. I hope to keep up the practice.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews