Customer Reviews
Clear, funny and thought provoking - By: Little Poem, 13 Nov 2008 
If you prefer to 'listen & learn' than read, this is a great introduction to mindfulness. Jon Kabet-Zinns style is down to earth, thought provoking with a dry humor that will has you laughing out loud (be warned if you are listening to the CDin public!). Even the choice of a raisin for one of the short meditations will promote some giggles, but then there's nothing like a raisin for raise'n your awareness!
Inevitably, this short CD does not go into a lot of depth about mindfulness. If your curiosity if raised by the raisin, I would recommend one of Jon Kabet-Zinns thinner books for a good overview of the mindful approach to meditation. Wherever You Go, There You are
I'm not so sure! - By: Kelly A19, 24 Mar 2008 
I wanted to provide a review as a counter-balance to the other, more positive reviews.
I am currently reading 'Full Catastrophe Living' & purchased the CD to help me practice meditation. To be honest, I wish I'd stuck to just the book! Jon seems like a lovely, compassionate man but I find him incredibly annoying!
I tried the 'eating meditation' first & could not stop myself from giggling everytime he said the word 'raisin'! I love the New York accent but, unfortunately, I do not find it relaxing. His constant repetition, particularly of the words 'moment...by moment...by moment...by moment...by moment' (you get the picture!) is irritating beyond belief. A lot of the time I just wsished he'd shut up & leave me to it! I suspect Jon likes the sound of his own voice - certainly his book is full of similar repetition & could be half as thick, & thus less scary, if he just cut to the chase a little more often.
I am determined to stick with the book & to follow his advice - however, I suspect the CD will end upin a charity shop!
Fully functional though slightly lacking - By: ric03, 04 Jan 2008 
This was my first taste of Jon Kabat-Zinn, though I've studied mindfulness before. As a general introduction to the subject it is fine. Jon is a gentle & engaging speaker, & on the first CD gives you a thoughtful, basic understanding of mindfulness. There are several meditations (as mentioned) on the second CD, which are also basic, but clear & helpful.
I liked his presentation & have ordered his 'Full Catastrophe Living' as a result of listening to these CDs. I would, however, reccomend this set as an aid, rather than as a proper introduction. It is a very nice addition, if you are interestedin stress reduction and/or mindfulness, & can help both to clarify understanding of the system & fine tune your meditation technique. If you are looking for a thorough introduction to the subject though, I would reccomend the book 'Mindfulnessin Plain English' by Bhante G. For around the same price, you get a much more thorough understanding.
