Just so you know, Mindfulness is a type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you're sensing and feeling in the moment, without interpretation or judgment. Here is the 10 best books to read for mindfulness.
1. 10% Happier by Dan Harris
Modern society does a fantastic job of
pushing us into a continual state of stress and worry. This, to no one’s
surprise, has serious consequences on our physical and mental well-being. Dan
Harris masterfully shares the story of his own life and how meditation has
helped him live with more compassion and fulfillment.
Dan is the perfect example of just your
regular, non-spiritual guy who discovers that meditation doesn’t have to
greatly alter your life – sometimes, it just makes your current one much
happier. I found this book extremely relatable to my use of meditation and
would be a great book for anyone interested in meditation, but skeptical of the
real-world benefits.
2. Waking Up by Sam Harris
Admittedly, Sam’s book is slightly harder
to comprehend for someone who has never practiced mindfulness before, but I
still feel that it is an incredible book to read early on in your journey.
Sam basically explains that our concept of
the “self” is false and keeps us stuck in a dream-like realm of discontent and
misdirected thinking. By practicing meditation, we can “wake up” from this
state and actually live life, rather than sputtering along on autopilot.
Sam is a thought leader in mindfulness for
a reason, and his book is a must-read for many.
3. The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer
We all have an inner monologue that rambles
non-stop, all day, every day, like clockwork. This voice is always talking,
changing how we pilot our lives, and almost never shutting off. The first step
towards a life of freedom and peace is realizing that this is going on, because
then you can pause, step back, and view your thoughts from a totally new
perspective.
The Untethered Soul is my most recommended
book for anyone looking to get out of their own head, transcend their ego, and
get a handle on their anxiety in the process. This was the book that helped
launch my own journey of self-exploration and mindfulness.
My favorite lesson from this book (that
becomes clear quite early) is that your thoughts do not define you, they’re
simply outputs of an always active mind.
4. Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon
Kabat-Zinn
While mindfulness may be an ancient
Buddhist practice, it certainly isn’t just for Buddhists. Mindfulness is all
about waking up to the world around you and living in peace and harmony with
oneself.
In this book, Jon Kabat-Zinn provides
chapter-by-chapter glimpses into the many different facets of mindfulness. It’s
a practice about letting go, being non-judgmental, kind, and embracing the
present moment.
In a way that can’t be explained, this book
will help you become more comfortable in your own skin.
5. The Headspace Guide to Meditation and
Mindfulness: How Mindfulness Can Change Your Life in Ten Minutes a Day by Andy
Puddicombe
The Headspace app changed my life, and
without a doubt has changed the lives of many others as well. To this day, I
still find myself going through its beginner 10-day mindfulness challenge as a
friendly reminder of the principles, and for the fact that just 10 minutes of
meditating can make a world of difference.
Headspace’s founder, Andy Puddicombe, is a
former Buddhist monk with many years of experience teaching the practice. Andy
began his meditative journey much like the rest of us – a regular, busy guy
with everyday problems and stress. He does a marvelous job of introducing the
topic of mindfulness with stories from his own life and helping people
understand just how powerful 10 minutes per day can be.
6. The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
The Four Agreements isn’t your traditional
book about mindfulness. Instead of ramming the practice of meditation down your
throat, Don Miguel Ruiz very gently provides a guide to living life and staying
mindful.
Don brilliantly introduces ancient Toltec
wisdom into our modern world. The Four Agreements he discusses are: be
impeccable with your word, don’t take anything personally, don’t make
assumptions, and always do your best.
His ideas offer a formidable code of conduct
that no one can disagree with. I’m convinced that making this book required
reading in any level of education would make the world a much better place for
everyone.
Be warned, this is a book that you will
want to carry around with you everywhere. It’s that good.
7. Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for
Finding Peace in a Frantic World by Mark Williams and Danny Penman
Most of the books on this list offer
incredible insight and wisdom into the world of mindfulness, but few offer a step-by-step
plan to get there.
Mark Williams and Danny Penman are at the
forefront of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), the main topic of this
book. Their plan incorporates a series of simple, powerful practices that you
can start doing today to disrupt the merry-go-round of exhaustion, stress,
anxiety, and depression.
With science as a cornerstone of their
methodologies, it’s safe to say that this stuff works. This book was a
surprisingly good read and highly recommended for anyone looking for a hand to
hold through their journey.
8. The Power of Now by Eckart Tolle
What kind of mindfulness book list would
this be without Eckart Tolle? While Tolle would most likely agree that there
isn’t anything new about his ideas in The Power of Now, he certainly has a way
of revealing them in a different light.
The message Tolle delivers is that of
living “in the now” – a concept many adept mindfulness practitioners
understand, but one that beginners don’t quite comprehend. Tolle’s enthusiasm
and clear, compassionate voice is what makes this book stand out and change the
lives of those who read it.
9. Full Catastrophe Living by Jon
Kabat-Zinn
Before a reader of mine recommended this
book to me, I had never heard of it. But Jon Kabat-Zinn made this list twice
for a good reason. Full Catastrophe Living is for everybody from the sick to
the healthy, young or old, and everything in-between.
It’s an amazing book on meditation and
explaining the power of mind-body medicine. Since it provides many different
types of meditative therapies, it doesn’t go super in-depth, which means it’s
the perfect introductory book for anyone whose interest has been peaked.
For anyone looking for alternative ways to
cope with stress and deal with pain, Full Catastrophe Living is worth the read.
Thank you truly for the recommendation, you
know who you are.
10. The Mindful Path Through Worry and
Rumination: Letting Go of Anxious and Depressive Thoughts by Sameet Kumar
Probably the only “sleeper” book on this
list, but one that deserves more attention. As someone who’s struggled in the
past with worry, rumination, and obsessive thoughts, I wish I had come across
this book sooner.
Kumar’s book is highly relatable to people
on all different paths of life. Its main focus is on mindfulness and disrupting
the destructive tendencies of your thoughts.
It’s a good book to read (and re-read) for
stepping out of your constant states of worry and regret. It’s also a great
recommendation for anyone struggling with depression or broader negativity.
Walk in a more mindful path. Be like a monk. Wiser, stronger, better.
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