In his follow-up to Full Catastrophe Living--a book in which he presented basic meditation techniques as a way of reducing stress and healing from illness--here Jon Kabat-Zinn goes much more deeply into the practice of meditation for its own sake. To Kabat-Zinn, meditation is important because it brings about a state of "mindfulness," a condition of "being" rather than "doing" during which you pay attention to the moment rather than the past, the future, or the multitudinous distractions of modern life. In brief, rather poetic chapters, he describes different meditative practices and what they can do for the practitioner. The idea that meditation is "spiritual" is often confusing to people, Kabat-Zinn writes; he prefers to think of it as what you might call a workout for your consciousness. This book makes learning meditation remarkably easy (although practicing it is not). But it also makes it seem infinitely appealing. --Ben Kallen


From Publishers Weekly
Kabat-Zinn ( Full Catastrophe Living ), founder of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, here urges readers to practice "mindfulness," a more than 2000-year-old Buddhist method of living fully in the present, observing ourselves, our feeling, others and our surroundings without judging them. Free of trendiness, the book presents meditation as a natural activity that can be practiced anytime and anywhere, without props or trappings. Kabat-Zinn explains how to live in the moment by taking up such techniques as "non-doing," trust and concentration. He shows readers meditation postures and ways to meditate, including visualizing mountains and lakes, and concentrating on walking or standing. Amusing anecdotes illustrate applications of mindfulness in everyday life, including "Cleaning the Stove While Listening to Bobby McFerrin," "Cat Food Lessons" and two chapters on parenting as a form of meditation (children as "live-in Zen masters"). This warm, witty and wise guide should bring relaxation to stressed-out people. Author tour. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
Kabat-Zinn, the founder and director of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, provides an excellent handbook on living fully in the present moment through mindfulness meditation. This meditative technique, widely used in Buddhist practice, is presented in nonsectarian form with sufficient instructions for the beginner (who may also order the cassette tapes to facilitate disciplined practice). Kabat-Zinn's previous Full Catastrophe Living (Delacorte, 1990) was directed to those in crisis; this book, which is for everyone, includes reflections on the beauty of the present and meditation's emotional and spiritual applications. An important book for public and seminary libraries, and for health and New Age collections.Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From AudioFile
The subtitle, Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life, says it all: a simple and straightforward introduction to Buddhist meditation practice from one of the country's leading authorities on stress-reduction techniques. The program has as its goal a personal transformation of the listener. The presentation is clear and effective, suiting the material and expressing the author's ideas. C.S. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine


From Booklist
Presented, like a 12-step daily reader, in little chapterbursts, this is a guide to pure meditation. That is, meditation not "in order to relax, to experience a special state, to become a better person, to reduce some stress or pain, to break out of old habits and patterns, to become free or enlightened"--although those are "all valid reasons to take up meditation"--but for what Kabat-Zinn calls "mindfulness"--a waking from the dream of knowing what our lives are about and where we're headed to the realization that each of us is always in just one place and moment. Beyond that realization, we may achieve wisdom--at least so thought the Buddha and other sages Kabat-Zinn cites. In his book's three parts, Kabat-Zinn presents, first, the rationale for taking up "a personal practice of mindfulness," then some matters of meditational form (e.g., "Dignity," "Posture," "How Long to Practice?"), and last, applications and perspectives on mindfulness. Throughout his jargon-free, directly written text, Kabat-Zinn sprinkles suggestions for practice, and he appends a list of helpful tapes. Ray Olson


Ruth Stephens, RN
". . . your book has been of great help . . . [it] show[ed] how to begin the internal healing I so deeply crave."


Jo Erickson
"I have . . . read it many times and refer to various sections quite frequently . . . What a life saver you are."


Nicole Krakora
". . . add my name to . . . [the] infinite list of grateful people who have discovered the transformative power of your work."


Book Description
The time-honored national bestseller, updated with a new afterword, celebrating 10 years of influencing the way we live. When Wherever You Go, There You Are was first published in 1994, no one could have predicted that the book would launch itself onto bestseller lists nationwide and sell over 750,000 copies to date. Ten years later, the book continues to change lives. In honor of the book's 10th anniversary, Hyperion is proud to be releasing the book with a new afterword by the author, and to share this wonderful book with an even larger audience.


About the Author
Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D. is the founding director of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, as well as Professor of Medicine emeritus. He leads workshops on stress reduction and mindfulness for doctors and other health professionals and for lay audiences worldwide. He is the bestselling author of Full Catastrophe Living, and, with his wife Myla Kabat-Zinn, Everyday Blessings, a book on mindful parenting. With Dr. Andrew Weil he created the CD program Meditation for Optimum Health. He was featured in the PBS series Healing and the Mind with Bill Moyers, as well as on Oprah. He lives in Massachusetts.

ANNOTATION

The author of Full Catastrophe Living offers the most enlightening exploration yet of the principles of mindfulness--the ancient Buddhist method of stress reduction. Kabat-Zinn blends stories, anecdotes, poems, images, and scientific observations with easily followed instructions in the art of "capturing" the present and living fully within each moment in order to achieve inner peace. Previously annotated in February 1995 Advance.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The time-honored national bestseller, updated with a new afterword, celebrating 10 years of influencing the way we live.

When Wherever You Go, There You Are was first published in 1994, no one could have predicted that the book would launch itself onto bestseller lists nationwide and sell over 750,000 copies to date. Ten years later, the book continues to change lives. In honor of the book's 10th anniversary, Hyperion is proud to be releasing the book with a new afterword by the author, and to share this wonderful book with an even larger audience.

Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D. is the founding director of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, as well as Professor of Medicine emeritus. He leads workshops on stress reduction and mindfulness for doctors and other health professionals and for lay audiences worldwide. He is the bestselling author of Full Catastrophe Living, and, with his wife Myla Kabat-Zinn, Everyday Blessings, a book on mindful parenting. With Dr. Andrew Weil he created the CD program Meditation for Optimum Health. He was featured in the PBS series Healing and the Mind with Bill Moyers, as well as on Oprah. He lives in Massachusetts.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Kabat-Zinn ( Full Catastrophe Living ), founder of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, here urges readers to practice ``mindfulness,'' a more than 2000-year-old Buddhist method of living fully in the present, observing ourselves, our feeling, others and our surroundings without judging them. Free of trendiness, the book presents meditation as a natural activity that can be practiced anytime and anywhere, without props or trappings. Kabat-Zinn explains how to live in the moment by taking up such techniques as ``non-doing,'' trust and concentration. He shows readers meditation postures and ways to meditate, including visualizing mountains and lakes, and concentrating on walking or standing. Amusing anecdotes illustrate applications of mindfulness in everyday life, including ``Cleaning the Stove While Listening to Bobby McFerrin,'' ``Cat Food Lessons'' and two chapters on parenting as a form of meditation (children as ``live-in Zen masters''). This warm, witty and wise guide should bring relaxation to stressed-out people. Author tour. (Jan.)

Library Journal