Customer Reviews
Inspiring and practical - By: , 13 Jul 2004 
Jon Kabat-Zinn's work has the ring of truth about it; he speaks from experience & that counts fora lotin my world. His approach to meditation is entirely practical - he deals with so many of the issues & problems that inevitably arisein starting a meditation practicein a gentle & understanding way; thisin itself inspires me to keep going! I very much recomment his guided meditation tapes available from his website - excellent.
Lights on. Lights off! - By: Stephen, 27 Nov 2002 This book will guide you into the world of presence. As a companion to Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now, I have found it invaluable. I've been turned on & off by meditation over the last 25 years. This book reveals that it's ok just to be yourselfin the meditation. The sessions are to be present. An understanding of being 'present' & the life-transformation that develops thereafter is explained beautifullyin Eckhart Tolle's book. To take his work into meditation look no further than Kabat-Zinn's brilliant book. If you're looking for something that's missingin your life it's livingin the moment. All past & future can only happenin the present moment. This is the only reality. I also like this book because I can relate to Jon's encouragement to be naturalin you meditation. There are some beautiful imagary meditations given here as well. I really like the mountain meditation.
What you'll feelin this book is someone who's real, has kids, helps others, cares & walks the path of livingin the present moment. His words are those of someone whose stripped away the fluff & revealed the beauty of what's underneath.
If you're looking for meditation to reduce stress, become more connected with your true self, move into a place of peace & serenity, then move away from you mind. Understand the mind as the most powerful tool on the planet, yet very dangerous as well. I think of it as I've been downloaded into a body that has zillions of thoughts, feelings & distractions. It's a game that involves our very souls. However, somewherein that game is the right way to play. When you discover that, you awaken to find a new world. Now you'rein a world where you have all the time you'll ever need because the present moment is timeless. However, once the switch is on, the mind keeps switching it off. You'll need hooks to switch it back on again. The fun is trying to keep the light on more than it's off! If the lights do go on enough times, there's no going back to a cosy permanent unconscious state!
I'm not sure if I'd read this book before Eckhart Tolle's book, beingin the moment would have made any sense. I see Jon's book as a real gem now, & worthy of a front row seatin my top 5 books. Each person has there own trigger to awaken them. Mine was 'the power of now'. I can't recommend it enough. It is so deeply profound it's like the words from the parent of our universe. Each book I buy nowin this category is about 'beingin the present moment'.
Jon's book, therefore, is highly recommended. I feel a lot can be gained even as a novice. Equally though those with more experience will gain loads from this brilliant book.
excellent - By: , 24 Jan 2002 This is the classic book on the subject of meditation by Jon Kabat-Zinn (publishedin America as Wherever You Go, There You are). If you only read one book on meditation try this one. It enables you to thik differently & experience every aspect of your life from a radical new viewpoint. Highly recommended.
