Mindfulness in Plain English

by Henepola Gunaratana, Lauri Porceddu (Translator)

Author Bhante Gunaratana, a renowned meditation master, takes us step by step through the myths, realities, and benefits of meditation and the practice of mindfulness. This expanded edition includes the complete text of its predecessor along with a new chapter on cultivating loving kindness. For anyone who is new to meditation, this is a great resource for learning how to live a more productive and peaceful life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Buddhism, Meditation, Spirituality, Philosophy, Self Help, Psychology

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 25, 1992

About the author

Bhante Henepola Gunaratana is the founding abbot of the Bhavana Society. Born in rural Sri Lanka, he has been a monk since age 12 and took full ordination at age 20 in 1947. He came to the United States in 1968. “Bhante G” (as he is fondly called by his students) has written a number of books, including the now-classic meditation manual Mindfulness In Plain English and its companion Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness. Bhante G regularly leads retreats on vipassana, mindfulness, metta (Loving-friendliness), concentration, and other topics both at the Bhavana Society and elsewhere.

Bhante Gunaratana is an internationally recognized author and meditation teacher. Prior to coming to the United States, he spent five years doing in missionary work with the Harijanas (Untouchables) of India and ten years in Malaysia. He has taught in a number of settings, including American University of Washington DC where he served as Buddhist chaplain and the Buddhist Vihara of Washington DC, where he served as president. Bhante G has a strong scholarly background and livelong commitment to dhamma.

In 1985 Bhante G co-founded the Bhavana Society and became its abbot. He wanted to teach meditation in an environment allowing for longer retreats and intense practice free from the trappings of a city vihara. He continues to teach in the direct, compassionate style that characterizes his books and articles. Bhante G conveys a well-rounded approach to Buddhist Dhamma, touching on all aspects of the Noble Eightfold Path. He emphasizes metta bhavana (the cultivation of loving-friendliness) as a basis for samma-samadhi, or right concentration. As a teacher, he is known for his emphasis both on samadhi and on metta as part of spiritual training.

In 1996, Bhante G received the title of Chief Sangha Nayaka Thera for North America. This acknowledged his status as highest-ranking monk of his sect in the United States and Canada. In 2003, his autobiography, Journey to Mindfulness, was published. In 2005, the Sri Henepola Gunaratana Scholarship Trust was founded under his guidance. This trust provides educations for poverty stricken children in rural Sri Lanka.

Bhante G continues to write articles, lead retreats, and teach at the Bhavana Society and all over the world.

Reviews

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I expected an exceptional guide to meditation and was surprised to find the book also contained strong, clearly articulated reasons for cultivating mindfulness. This is the best, most concise book on the subject I've read to date. The directness with which ideas are expressed may be startling for some, but the rationale for practice offered throughout is solid. I think it will appeal to any rational person, whether they subscribe to a particular religion or have no faith at all. This is an excellent book. It offers basic guidance for mindfulness practice and the motivation to actually take it up.

The book is available for free in several electronic formats here: http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma4/m...

[Marcus · Rating 5 out of 5]

No review, just quotes. Each of the following paragraphs are direct quotes, in the order they are found in the text. The book is freely available online.

We have taken a flowing vortex of thought, feeling and sensation and we have solidified that into a mental construct. Then we have stuck a label onto it, 'me'. And forever after, we treat it as if it were a static and enduring entity. We view it as a thing separate from all other things. We pinch ourselves off from the rest of that process of eternal change which is the universe. And then we grieve over how lonely we feel. We ignore our inherent connectedness to all other beings and we decide that 'I' have to get more for 'me'; then we marvel at how greedy and insensitive human beings are. And on it goes. Every evil deed, every example of heartlessness in the world stems directly from this false sense of 'me' as distinct from all else that is out there.

You do not sit around developing subtle and aesthetic thoughts about living. You live. Vipassana meditation more than anything else is learning to live.

The other person is our mirror for us to see our faults with wisdom. We should consider the person who shows our shortcomings as one who excavates a hidden treasure in us that we were unaware of. It is by knowing the existence of our deficiencies that we can improve ourselves

Somewhere in this process, you will come face-to-face with the sudden and shocking realization that you are completely crazy. Your mind is a shrieking, gibbering madhouse on wheels barreling pell-mell down the hill, utterly out of control and hopeless. No problem. You are not crazier than you were yesterday. It has always been this way, and you just never noticed. You are also no crazier than everybody else around you. The only real difference is that you have confronted the situation; they have not. So they still feel relatively comfortable. That does not mean that they are better off. Ignorance may be bliss, but it does not lead to liberation. So don't let this realization unsettle you. It is a milestone actually, a sigh of real progress. The very fact that you have looked at the problem straight in the eye means that you are on your way up and out of it.

One popular human strategy for dealing with difficulty is autosuggestion: when something nasty pops up, you convince yourself it is not there, or you convince yourself it is pleasant rather than unpleasant. The Buddha's tactic is quite the reverse. Rather than hide it or disguise it, the Buddha's teaching urges you to examine it to death. Buddhism advises you not to implant feelings that you don't really have or avoid feelings that you do have. If you are miserable you are miserable; that is the reality, that is what is happening, so confront that. Look it square in the eye without flinching. When you are having a bad time, examine that experience, observe it mindfully, study the phenomenon and learn its mechanics. The way out of a trap is to study the trap itself, learn how it is built. You do this by taking the thing apart piece by piece. The trap can't trap you if it has been taken to pieces. The result is freedom.


Pain is inevitable, suffering is not. Pain and suffering are two different animals. If any of these tragedies strike you in your present state of mind, you will suffer. The habit patterns that presently control your mind will lock you into that suffering and there will be no escape. A bit of time spent in learning alternatives to those habit patterns is time will-invested. Most human beings spend all their energies devising ways to increase their pleasure and decrease their pain. Buddhism does not advise that you cease this activity altogether. Money and security are fine. Pain should be avoided where possible. Nobody is telling you to give away all your possessions or seek out needless pain, but Buddhism does advise you to invest some of your time and energy in learning to deal with unpleasantness, because some pain is unavoidable.


You can experience the desire to perfect yourself. You can feel craving for greater virtue. You can even develop an attachment to the bliss of the meditation experience itself. It is a bit hard to detach yourself from such altruistic feelings. In the end, though, it is just more greed. It is a desire for gratification and a clever way of ignoring the present-time reality.

If you leave 'I' out of the operation, pain is not painful. It is just a pure surging energy flow. It can even be beautiful. If you find 'I' insinuating itself in your experience of pain or indeed any other sensation, then just observe that mindfully. Pay bare attention to the phenomenon of personal identification with the pain.

Meditation in the midst of fast-paced noisy activity is harder still. And meditation in the midst of intensely egoistic activities like romance or arguments is the ultimate challenge.

The concept of wasted time does not exist for a serious meditator. Little dead spaces during your day can be turned to profit. Every spare moment can be used for meditation. Sitting anxiously in the dentist's office, meditate on your anxiety. Feeling irritated while standing in a line at the bank, meditate on irritation. Bored, twiddling you thumbs at the bus stop, meditate on boredom. Try to stay alert and aware throughout the day. Be mindful of exactly what is taking place right now, even if it is tedious drudgery. Take advantage of moments when you are alone. Take advantage of activities that are largely mechanical. Use every spare second to be mindful. Use all the moments you can.

You see the way suffering inevitably follows in the wake of clinging, as soon as you grasp anything, pain inevitably follows.

Your whole view of self changes at this point. You begin to look upon yourself as if you were a newspaper photograph. When viewed with the naked eyes, the photograph you see is a definite image. When viewed through a magnifying glass, it all breaks down into an intricate configuration of dots. Similarly, under the penetrating gaze of mindfulness, the feeling of self, an 'I' or 'being' anything, loses its solidity and dissolves. There comes a point in insight meditation where the three characteristics of existence -- impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and selflessness -- come rushing home with concept-searing force. You vividly experience the impermanence of life, the suffering nature of human existence, and the truth of no self. You experience these things so graphically that you suddenly awake to the utter futility of craving, grasping and resistance. In the clarity and purity of this profound moment, our consciousness is transformed. The entity of self evaporates. All that is left is an infinity of interrelated non-personal phenomena which are conditioned and ever changing. Craving is extinguished and a great burden is lifted. There remains only an effortless flow, without a trace of resistance or tension. There remains only peace, and blessed Nibbana, the uncreated, is realized.

[Saeah · Rating 5 out of 5]

 “We are simply not paying enough attention to notice that we are not paying attention.”

I have a meticulous system for taking notes when I read, but it didn’t work with Mindfulness in Plain English. Underlining 90% of the book doesn’t help highlight the most important lessons. This is the best book on mindfulness and meditation that I’ve read to date.

I read this book as a meditation refresher several years after I started meditating. I expected to take away a few tips on how to breathe better, how to deal with feeling sleepy and how to cope with pain and numb legs. I didn’t expect all the profound insight on the true meaning of mindfulness.

This book tells you what meditation is and what it isn’t. If you have an allergy to the word meditation, this is probably the book to start with because as the title indicates, it’s in plain English. There’s very little of the type of lingo that tends to turn a lot of people away from meditation. The book discusses things like loving kindness in a way that is approachable and understandable. It gives concrete tips on how to deal with some of the challenges you face not only during meditation, but in life. I had so many ah-ha moments that I actually started saying “ah-ha” while reading it.

Even though this book is centered on a Buddhist meditation practice called Vipassana, or insight, meditation, the book felt secular to me. You can get a lot out of it regardless of your religious or non-religious affiliation.

Even if you never plan to meditate, this book is still worth reading. If you’ve ever had anxiety or depression, if you ever get nervous or antsy, if you have difficulties concentrating, if you get distracted easily, read this book. If you’ve ever felt jealous, resentful, or just a little out of control, read this book. If you have regrets about the past or feel uncertain about the future, read this book. If you think you’re too busy to read, read this book.

Both a great orientation for those who are new to meditation and mindfulness and a refresher for seasoned meditators. It's a book I'll read again and again. Highly recommended. 10/10.

"We view impermanent things as permanent, though everything is changing all around us. The process of change is constant and eternal."

[K · Rating 2 out of 5]

No problems with the message(s) in this book, but the tone was not for me. The use of the second person combined with absolute statements struck me the wrong way, as did the repeated concept that every problem you have can be solved (or at least ameliorated) by meditation -- and that if it isn't, the solution is still meditation.

[Tuyet Chu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still know that the best way to understand mindfulness and meditation is just by the very act of meditation itself, yet reading this book gave the great understanding of Buddha's teaching. In Vietnam, Buddhism is combined folklore with Confucian and Taoist teachings making this faith somehow vague despite the fact that most of Vietnameses identify themselves as a Buddist. Thank to the beautifully written books as this one that Buddism and mindfulness become understandable for those who in need.

[Viet Hung · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for beginner meditators

This is more than the 3rd times I re-read this great book, after 3 years practicing meditation. Each time I read it, each time I learn more out of it. Certainly, I will re-read if after more meditation. If there is only one book to suggest for beginner meditators on the practice side, no doubt that I would pick this one.

[Darryl Knudsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even those who don't plan to engage in Buddhist meditation will benefit from his descriptions of the many distractions (mental and physical) that we create for ourselves and which make it more difficult to lead aware lives full of compassion for those around us.

Excellent overview of Vipassana meditation and why it's worth your time. Also an excellent articulation of the need and benefits of cultivating "loving friendliness" toward yourself, those you love, strangers, and even eventually toward your "enemies."

The books strengths relative to others are a very useful orientation in which the author situates Vipassana meditative techniques and Theravada Buddhism within the broader Buddhist and meditative taxonomy. Too many meditation books present their "truths" without acknowledging other approaches and schools; this can be very confusing for the reader.

Another relative strength is his gentle and caring descriptions of loving friendliness, the distractions we live with and create, and how insight meditation can help us achieve our desire to live fully, presently, with compassion toward others, and ultimately more meaningfully.

This book is not the best book I've come across for those who are actually sitting regularly and engaged in the practice of Vipassana meditation already. The descriptions of dealing with distractions, pain, etc., are a little summary in their nature and not terribly helpful.

But thought of as more of a dhamma book that succinctly and readably lays out the landmarks and broad contours of Vipassana meditation, this book is the best I've come across so far.

DK

[Bart Everson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to evaluate this book, because I've never read anything quite like it.

It is a basic meditation manual. It does not attempt to cover a broad range of approaches. Rather it's focused on one specific type, namely mindfulness meditation, also known as Vipassana or insight meditation. The author is coming from a Theravāda Buddhist tradition. However, as the title implies, the material is given a straightforward presentation with minimal metaphysical baggage.

That might sound dry. It's not. The writing is direct and passionate, though that passion is subtle rather than breathless. There is a lot of wisdom here.

My favorite quote:

We are learning here to escape into reality, rather than from it.

Personally, I sought this book out because I needed it. I had jumped into mindfulness meditation after reading one brief article in Psychology Today. After a few months, I felt the need to deepen my understanding of what I was doing.

This book fit that bill. I now have a much clearer idea about what mindfulness is, and various formal practices that can cultivate it.

I have only two reservations. Firstly, I have little with which to compare this book. Secondly, though the baggage may be minimal, there is still a little bit of preachiness here and there. But with these caveats in mind, I'd still recommend the book to almost anyone with an interest in the subject.

It should be mentioned that this book was published under a free license, and multiple free and pay electronic versions seem to be floating around.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably one of the most practical, nuts-and-bolts guides to meditation practice I've read. The author is writing from the perspective of the vipassana tradition, but what is unique about this book is that it primarily stays away from the spiritual side of Buddhism. It's focus is almost entirely on the technique, problems, and solutions of mindfulness meditation. Of all the books I've read on Buddhism, this is the first I've come across like that. It is valuable information particularly to someone new to meditation, but there is plenty here even for those more experienced. I found the two chapters on "Dealing with Distractions" particularly useful.

One unfortunate side effect of keeping the books focus so sharply on technique, is that it seemed to lack the poetry and heart of other Buddhist authors like Thich Nhat Hanh or Charlotte Joko Beck. Also, as is more typical of older Buddhist writing, there is a strong emphasis on the purpose of meditation being enlightenment, or achievement of an ultimate spiritual goal. More modern writers like the two mentioned above have wisely shifted the emphasis away from achievement of a goal to simply doing the practice (which is ironically what most of this book is so much about).

[Frank · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too verbose, that is, too much filler. For example, many of the solutions to problems that arise in meditation are the same: gently bring your attention back to the breath. So why break up the problems into different sections and take up many pages with the same solution? Oh yes, to justify charging for a full book.

[David Katzman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m an armchair Buddhist. Meaning, I like to think about being Buddhist more than actually practicing. But I certainly have deep appreciation for much of Buddhist thought, and I occasionally meditate, and I want to do so more frequently. I almost joined a Zen Buddhist Temple about a mile away from where I live. Still thinking about doing so. Oddly enough, the Art Director who designed Death by Zamboni with me quit his job to become a monk there. I think I drove him crazy because I was so demanding. Or … perhaps I enlightened him!

Buddhism has many sects, some of which believe in mystical crap like reincarnation. Reincarnation seems to be the opposite of one of the core philosophies of Buddhism, which is that there is no “Self.” There are only mental processes going on in our head that we identify with too strongly and label as our “Self.” If there is no “Self,” then there is nothing that could reincarnate. But for the most part, Buddhist philosophy is focused is on meditation and using meditation to understand ourselves and reality (or the lack thereof). Buddhism is cool because there’s no book that tells you what is true. There are no Commandments, no Heaven or Hell with which to threaten you. There are suggestions and ways to explore that help you figure things out for yourself. And furthermore, I find myself agreeing with most of the teachings of Buddhism. I think it to be a better way to live. Whether you agree with everything any given Buddhist believes or not, the practice is intended to help you move toward an enlightened state by considering existence and states of being for yourself. It’s more like a philosophy or even a science than a religion because you can evaluate its truth and results rather than requiring faith to believe.

I do believe there is great power in meditation to calm and focus the mind, release stress, and heal neuroses. I think it can also make us better listeners and, yes, kinder beings. Meditation can help us eliminate self-destructive desires. And, in fact, meditation has been shown, clinically, to help ameliorate diseases. Here’s a quote from Wikipedia research on meditation:

Diagnoses for which MBSR [Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction] was found to be helpful included chronic pain, fibromyalgia, cancer patients and coronary artery disease. Improvements were noted for both physical and mental health measures.

Mindfulness In Plain English was definitely a bit odd here and there, with some bits I didn’t much appreciate, either too-exaggerated, an overpromise, or a bit mystical. But other parts struck a chord.

This book is about “mindfulness,” which is a state of awareness of the present moment and all that is happening in that moment, particularly our inner feelings and thoughts, that can be encouraged through Vipassana meditation. If those feelings happen to be painful ones, you simply observe your own reactions and by observing, you weaken them. The more you do it, the more effective you become. I would not describe this book as being quite as ideal for a beginning meditator as it claims, even though it does speak mostly in plain language. I actually think there are some CDs or DVDs out there that make it a lot easier to get started than reading a book. They guide you through the process while you meditate. I have found Meditation for Beginners to be a great DVD for someone wanting to dip their toes into meditation. I’ve been using it for years.

Here are a few interesting tidbits from the book to help you decide if it’s interesting to you (and by the way, an earlier version of this book is available online free here):

Buddhism as a whole is quite different from the theological religions with which Westerners are most familiar. It is a direct entrance to a spiritual or divine realm, without assistance from deities or other “agents.” Its flavor is intensely clinical, much more akin to what we might call psychology than to what we would usually call religion. Buddhist practice is an ongoing investigation of reality, a microscopic examination of the very process of perception. Its intention is to pick apart the screen of lies and delusions through which we normally view the world, and thus to reveal the face of ultimate reality.

The purpose of meditation is personal transformation. The “you” that goes in one side of the meditation experience is not the same “you” that comes out the other side. Meditation changes your character by a process of sensitization, by making you deeply aware of your own thoughts, words, and deeds. Your arrogance evaporates, and your antagonism dries up. Your mind becomes still and calm. And your life smoothes out.

Mindfulness and only mindfulness can perceive that the three primary characteristics that Buddhism teaches are the deepest truths of existence. In Pali these three are called anicca (impermance), dukkha (unsatisfactoriness), and anatta (selflessness—the absence of a permanent, unchanging entity that we call Soul or Self). These truths are not presented in Buddhist teaching as dogmas demanding blind faith. Buddhists feel that these truths are universal and self-evident to anyone who cares to investigate in a proper way. Mindfulness is the method of investigation. Mindfulness alone has the power to reveal the deepest level of reality available to human observation. At this level of inspection, one sees the following: (a) all conditioned things are inherently transitory; (b) every worldly thing is, in the end, unsatisfying; and (c) there are really no entities that are unchanging or permanent, only processes.

[Leftbanker · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book isn’t meant to be read, it is meant to be experienced on a completely transcendental level, above the common concerns and petty squabbling that make up modern life for over-privileged douche bags like you, people who post shit on Facebook like a picture of a kitten hanging on to a tree limb with captions some other douche bag wrote saying things like “Mondays Suck” or “Is it Happy Hour Yet?”. Maybe you drive a Humvee or some other gas-guzzling, climate-changing leviathan while you listen to Rush Limbaugh speeding to your cross-fit gym that charges you $90 a month where some other half-wit screams slogans at you, just like this clown.

Maybe you should have gone to the library instead? It’s not too late.

For only you and your ilk can find themselves in the top 10% of the wealthiest citizens, yet you feel you need something more. You are too cool to be a garden variety Jesus Freak, but you don’t like to read, so you can't define life on your own terms, so you turn to some used car salesman masquerading as a mystic who makes Tony Robbins seem articulate and sincere.

All sarcasm put aside, if you want to meditate, just fucking do it. You don’t need to be spoon-fed this pop psychology turd which claims to answer all of life’s questions.

There are no “answers” so just try to learn something every day of your life. Look for wisdom and insight. You ain’t going to find it in this self-help brochure.

[Daniel Clausen · Rating 4 out of 5]

One review wrote about this book "An odd mix: kept switching back and forth between pragmatic-sounding approaches to meditation and kinda out-there metaphysical/philosphical tangents. Felt repetitive, but that could have just been the attempt to put this material in "plain English"."

This sums up my impression of the book.

In some ways, the book was a perfection introduction to meditation; but in the end, I was glad once I was done to write my own summary that amounted to three pages.

For me, three pages was enough.

What are the major themes of the book? What does it all come down to?

1) meditation is not a casual pursuit -- it requires "gumption" (a great word that the author uses). The ability to practice, try, fail, and try again.

2) meditation leads to mindfulness -- an elevated state where one reaches a new level of consciousness.

3) this state of advanced consciousness cannot be described, it has to be felt and obtained through constant repetition.

4) this state of consciousness is reached by letting go -- you can't grit your teeth and get there. You have to let go.

5) everything comes down to breathing. You have learn to breathe, to focus on your breathing, and to be gentle with yourself, your thoughts, and your breathing.

[Tiffany · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a book club pick and I tried my best to approach it with an open mind. I have studied several Buddhist texts in the past and this one is one of the best I've seen at simplifying the idea of Buddhist transcendence or enlightenment for the layman. I can see how this book would be a great resource for people looking to learn the "secrets of meditation", the author himself states there are no secrets all that's required is a willingness to try and focus. In general people are searching for something to soothe their souls and this can certainly be a simple first step.

However, a key point to remember here is that Buddhism is a religion and, like most religions, teaches that following it's practices will bring happiness. If you're not happy, you obviously haven't achieved enlightenment yet. A person who already subscribes to a particular faith and finds themselves grounded within that faith will not find any use for this brand of meditation or mindfulness. In my opinion, all faiths have their own form of introspection be it meditation, devotional, prayer, etc. I truly believe that introspection can ground a person and help them find inner peace and happiness but that introspection does not necessarily demand one follow the Buddhist method.

[Kaśyap · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Guide to vipassana meditation for a complete beginner. A clear and readable text. Would recommend to anyone who is looking to begin practicing meditation and don't want to get bogged down by theoretical and ritualistic stuff.

[Hákon Gunnarsson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is the best, or at least among the very best books on meditation, and mindfulness that I have read. It is certainly the most practical one as it goes into the basic problems of meditating, how to sit still for a long time, distractions, boredom, and so on. Gunaratana really does give the reader a guide to meditation in plain English as the title promises.

He also goes into things like what meditation is (chapter 3), and what it isn’t (chapter 2). In my view, those two chapters should be very interesting to anyone that is coming to meditation for the first time, especially chapter 2. Let me quote just from that chapter:

“Misconception #11
A couple of weeks of meditation and all my problems will go away

Sorry, meditation is not a quick cure-all.”

I have heard people claim the oposide more than once, and in my view that only builds unrealistic expectations. That is what I like so much about this book in particular, it is down to earth.

Mindfulness in Plain English is not a general guide to meditation though, it is specifically about Vipassana style meditation. This may not be everybody’s cup of tea, I’m not sure it’s mine, but it is helpful even to those that want to use a different method of meditation. For example it explained to me the uses of Zen koans, which I had never really understood before.

So, even though I’m no expert I would like to recommend this book to anyone that is interested in mindfulness or meditation as a very good starting point. It is clear, well organized, and well written. A classic in its field.

[Proustitute (on hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite having and constantly trying to deepen a daily meditation practice for years, I hadn't read this book. Since I'm slowly in the process of trying to reintegrate vipassana into my existing meditation practice—one rooted in the Kundalini yogic tradition—I found this book the be an invaluable resource, not only as a reintroduction of sorts to vipassana (insight meditation), but also perhaps reminding me why I've always preferred vipassana practice to zazen ("just sitting").

For those new to meditation and mindfulness practice, this book is perhaps the best place to start. With short chapters, it would be ideal to work through the ideas here slowly, reading and savoring and reflecting on each as they're presenting as one incorporates them into a daily practice at home. In all of my reading on meditation, yoga, Buddhism, and even some sometimes questionable, esoteric philosophical tracts on the training of the mind, I don't think I've encountered a book that has been so direct, accessible, and admirably put together.

This will help you to see why sitting daily is for everyone, not just Buddhists or those seeking enlightenment (whatever that might be). But, more importantly, this book will articulate how your practice of seated meditation carries over into your daily life, and how the point of meditation—and the most important part of meditation—begins after you have risen from your cushion.

Start or deepen your practice here... or, for those who might have fallen off the meditation bandwagon, and recall all of the positive effects it had on their daily lives (and perhaps bemoan daily something along these lines: "I wish I had more time to meditate again!"), this is the book for you to recommence your journey.

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn’t my cup of tea. There was a heavy emphasis on morality and shaming which I don’t respond well to, especially considering my history with a fundamentalist church I had been a part of for a few years. I was put off by the similarity between the church’s teaching and the teachings in the book that would both extoll the importance of morality and the awfulness of the human condition. Striving for perfection and the lofty goal of liberation ( or heaven) while understanding you will never be capable of achieving it. Too many parallels for my taste. This is very much a personal feeling, the seed of which is very likely my experiences with that church’s teachings. I did find the final chapter on mindfulness throughout the day helpful and I suppose that a beginning practitioner will find the material beneficial, but I believe there are better books than this to start with. I do think that Buddhism, when it’s emphasis is on morality, is just not my jam,though I do think there is enormous benefit to mindfulness.

[Kouver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great exposition of not only meditation but also of how to practice mindfulness throughout everyday life. (Also a great intro to Vipassana meditation.)

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This audio was easy and helpful to listen to; a detailed guide to mediation, and one I will reference frequently for my practice.

[Seon Ji (Dawn) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for those interested in Vipassana meditation.

The author is very clear and concise.

Very easy to follow and understand.

I will re read over and over

[Anastasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and informative but a bit repetitive.

[Brendan Monroe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhere near the top of my list of New Year Resolutions I didn't make for 2019 because I think it's sort of lame to be like everyone else and fail hard like everyone else but nevertheless I sort of made in my head because the start of a new year does feel like the time to stop the old things and start the new was the decision to try and be more mindful.

Step 1: Ditch the distractions.

Easier said than done! I actually listened to the audiobook of this which was the probably the worst format to listen to a book about mindfulness on because who sits around just listening to an audiobook? Not me anyway. I listen to an audiobook when I'm doing something else. Brushing my teeth, washing dishes, exercising.

So there I was, listening to a book about mindfulness and how to eliminate distractions while I was at the gym huffing and puffing while trying to keep track of how many reps I had done. Wait ... what was that about distractions?

Nevertheless, I got this book in audiobook format and I finished it in audiobook format, albeit with a lot of rewinding (is it still right to say "rewinding" in the digital age?) and relistening. This isn't one of those things that just sucks you in right from the start. It's not exactly a Jo Nesbø thriller I mean. It requires your full attention and focus.

So even now I feel like I got it, but I don't feel like I really got it. I mean, there's a lot to unpack here. This book is largely about meditation, and when I say largely I mean that this is basically what you're supposed to do alongside reading this book. The Buddhist fellow who authored this tells you how to sit while meditating, how important it is to focus on your breathing, to focus on the pain of sitting cross-legged — which I hate personally and find very VERY unpleasant — and what to do with those thoughts that just come and threaten to derail your entire mind-altering meditative experience.

I think I will start meditating, at least I plan too, as I want to be more mindful. Who doesn't, really? But I haven't started yet which perhaps made this book a bit less useful than I might have otherwise found it as it seems to be for people who have already begun meditating but perhaps haven't been doing it right.

My biggest takeaway, the thing I most liked, was the idea of "loving friendliness". So let's say you have colleagues you really really really dislike, as I recently did. Well, had I read or listened to this book previously, I would have tried radiating loving friendliness instead of boiling with hatred on the inside like a very malicious lobster about to be dished onto a plate. I will certainly try this in the future, this idea of loving friendliness, as I do believe that hatred or ruminating on unpleasantries does no one any good, least of all me. I just have to keep telling myself that, because it can be so nice at times to hate certain people and certainly very easy and it's so so very hard not to. But I will try. I'll add it to the list of 2019 resolutions I haven't made but that I subconsciously sort of have.

[Clif · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book, both in the message it conveys and in the way it conveys it.

If you stripped away the religious encrustation that has built up around the teachings of the Buddha, you would have a simple plan for life and Gunaratana shows the way by defining the purpose of meditation with a goal of insight.

The concept of the individual as a substantial thing and the endless pursuit of gain and avoidance of loss to the ego sentence us to misery. Through careful use of the mind, it is possible to win freedom from the rat race and gain appreciation and acceptance of the transitory nature of all things.

Starting by monitoring the breath, not to control it but to keep the mind centered and undistracted, the author explains how and why meditation can be useful to our harried senses. With practice one finds new horizons to sensation but also a liberation from the self, the self that ties us down to the lowest level of experience. With time one gains distance from what at first seems so concretely "me" so that all things can be seen purely, disinterestedly, untransformed by passion.

I challenge any reader to finish this book without a desire to give meditation a try.

The Buddha emphasized the practical rather than the mystical. He did not promise eternal life or offer any supernatural salvation from existence. He sought only to relieve the suffering he saw around him and that he himself knew from experience. This experience led him to discover a way out of constant fear, anxiety and stress, as obtainable today for anyone as it was 2500 years ago. It applies to any one of us because every one of us shares the human condition.

Not only is this book easy reading, but the very reading itself is calming, encouraging and enlightening. Everyone should grab a copy because it has real value to the individual in daily life.

Some doubts linger in my mind, however. What is it that drives us to read novels and follow the exploits of others? Don't we find fascination in the ups and downs of life? Who was it that said tragedy is one of the few things that elevates life above the level of a farce? Suppose we all could become enlightened in the Buddhist sense. Would there be any concept of initiative, drive, progress? It seems to me that Buddhist philosophy is about as counter to Western capitalist thought as could be imagined.

And how should the Dalai Lama, the most well-known representative of Buddhism in the Western World, respond to the over-run of his country by the Han Chinese? Does he feel loving compassion toward those who are bent on supplanting the Tibetans in Tibet?

For personal relief from stress and suffering, I can fully understand the applicability of the Buddhist philosophy. As a social movement, it has its limits.

[David Manley · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are trying to meditate but are extremely frustrated by the fact that meditation is totally impossible, read this book.

It's excellent and thorough. I read it as a book, but it is really more of a guide or manual. If I have any hope of learning to meditate properly, it is partly thanks to this book, and I will certainly be referring back to certain parts. I've been using the Headspace app for a while, and that is helpful, but I needed more context and theory, and a better understanding of what I'm striving towards, and advice on how to deal with frustration over the reality that meditation is completely impossible. Headspace is better at vague hype, keeping you on task during a meditation and reminding you to meditate every day than it is at the deeper philosophical objectives.

With a few small exceptions early on, the book is totally empirical. It does not promise anything that you can't test (although it does take years to develop the skill needed to be able to test the promises, so uh, take that for what you will). It explains the reasoning behind seemingly arbitrary aspects of mindfulness meditation, like why it is that you're told to focus on your breathing. It has specific, practical advice for the usual pitfalls we encounter when trying to meditate, and the rationale behind everything. Recommended.

[Viet Hung · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Ta không bao giờ có thể có được tất cả những gì mình muốn. Đó là chuyện không thể được. Nhưng may thay, ta vẫn có một sự lựa chọn khác. Ta có thể học cách làm chủ được tâm ý của mình, bước ra ngoài vòng xoay bất tận của sự ham muốn và ghét bỏ. Ta có thể thực tập trừ bỏ sự ham muốn, nhận diện những tham vọng nhưng không bị chúng sai khiến. Nhưng điều ấy không có nghĩa là từ nay chúng ta sẽ nằm xuống giữa đường, và để mặc cho ai cũng có thể bước ngang qua chà đạp. Điều ấy chỉ có nghĩa là ta vẫn tiếp tục sống đời sống bình thường của mình, nhưng với một cái nhìn hoàn toàn mới mẻ. Chúng ta vẫn làm những gì mà một người bình thường phải làm, nhưng ta có tự do, không bị thúc đẩy, lôi cuốn bởi những ham muốn của mình. Ta có thể muốn một cái gì đó, nhưng không phải đeo đuổi theo nó. Ta có thể sợ hãi một điều gì, nhưng không cần phải đứng đó mà run rẩy. Thái độ ấy không phải là dễ. Nó đòi hỏi rất nhiều năm tháng thực tập. Nhưng ta biết rằng cố gắng kiểm soát hết mọi việc trên đời này là một chuyện không thể nào có được. Thế thì giữa hai cái, cái khó làm vẫn còn hơn là cái không thể làm được."

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't really want to review this, so this is really just a few brief notes I wanted to share. I liked this well enough and found it useful enough to buy a copy for my physical book library. When I first began reading it, and its description of meditation, I was beginning to think that this may be impossible for me, but reading it further, he shared an old metaphor of meditation as taming a wild elephant, with your mind being the wild elephant, stamping and trying to get away with all its might. I found that entertaining and inspiring. I have also found that metta, done properly, is incredible (done half-assed, it is not particularly helpful).

I have learned through reading this, that while I'm interested in meditation, I am not interested in Buddhism as a religion. If I was interested in a dogmatic, schismatically divided, tradition-packed faith, I would have stayed with the one I grew up in. ;) The lady is still agnostic.

[Rupinder · Rating 2 out of 5]

Since this is not a 'book' based in fiction or non-fiction genres, it is a bit unfair to give any rating to this work. The proof, as they say, is in the pudding. So the real merit of this book can be judged by somebody who actively meditates, since this is essentially a manual for Vipassana Meditation.

I am yet to try out Vipassana, but I am pretty eager after reading this book. IMHO, the book can be pared to at least half its length if the author were not so verbose. And as you can expect from any book dealing with these topics, there is a little bit of 'woo' sprinkled here and there. But I think this is definitely not the worst in that regard.

The instructions given in this book are fairly straight-forward without too much extra baggage. It definitely arouses reader's interest in the practice.

[Jorn Hermans · Rating 4 out of 5]

UPDATE: Ik heb het toen voor een week of twee uitgeoefend, maar ik ben daarna gestopt omdat het te veel tijd inneemt. Ik denk ook niet dat ik het per se nodig heb(?). Wel aan te raden voor wie het gevoel heeft dat hij/zij continu gespannen is en/of 1001 gedachten door zijn/haar hoofd heeft spoken. Na een sessie voelde mijn geest als een oceaan zonder golven en wind, een heel fijne ervaring.

Een heel goed boek om alle basisinformatie over Mindfulness te verkrijgen. Goed genoeg om mij te overtuigen om het de komende tijd eens toe te passen (of toch te proberen).
Sommige concepten zijn wel wat te hocus pocus naar mijn goesting.
De rating komt zodra ik het opgeef of zodra ik de effecten van Mindfulness voel!

[Myla · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm sure for those who want to learn exactly how to meditate this is probably a five star book. I can tell the author is a highly respected, well known expert on the subject and I must admit a bit of what I learned about meditating was interesting-ish, but he lost me quite quick with his talk about how horrible humans are and how you're supposed to think, but don't think, etc. I feel as if he was trying to reap the benefits of the Holy Ghost without actually praying to God and asking for that companionship.