Bhante Henepola Gunaratana

The title of this book does not lie. Gunaratana offers a how-to for insight mindfulness in a straight-forward and easy-to-understand language. This is not the deeply didactic philosophy of mindfulness, but rather a deep dive into South and Southeast Asian Buddhism. The first order of business is to dispel the misconceptions surrounding mindfulness and meditation. For example, there is no magic to this vipassana style medication. You won't levitate. Instead, you become grounded in morality, show more concentration, and wisdom. Speaking of concentration, you learn the concept of shallow concentration which seems contrary to successful mindfulness. In other words, you won't lose yourself in mindfulness. Instead, you will train your mind to concentrate on a mental object, the breath being more convenient and ever-present. Despite the easy language and thin volume, Mindfulness is a treasure trove of information. show less

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 show more 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. show less

This was my second book on meditation. Having read its name a lot on the internet, I had high hopes for it; and, I was not disappointed.
This might be the very book that turns the course of my life towards mental fulfillment.

The book leaves no doubt about the awesome power of mindfulness. But it also cautions that to see any palpable result, one has to keep practicing for years; but all that effort is very well worth it.

I (re)started my meditation practice after reading the method described show more in this book. The thing that I liked the most about this book was that I found the answers to EVERY SINGLE doubt or question that I had about meditation.
It explained in a very coherent way WHY we need to meditate, even more so when you are busy. It explains how we live our life in a blur: chasing happiness, evading pain and ignoring the neutral moments. When we practice Vipassana meditation we become mindful of our universe: internal and external. Even a simple act of breathing or walking isn't the same when you are mindful. When you get rid of the concept of "me", the world as you know it disappears, and you perceive every moment as if for the very first time.

The last chapter that described the end-result that one could attain with meditation was mind-blowing! Just reading that part made me tingle with excitement.

I will definitely keep on meditating in the future and hope to become a better human being.

EDIT (upon the second re-read):

On the second reading, I felt some things were different with the book. Having read Siddhartha before it, I felt there were some common threads here as well.
Once again, it was a legit treat to read the last chapter. The author has put forth so eloquently the point of it all.

I have noticed that recently while meditating, I would sometimes get these really profound thoughts. For example, the other day I realized that being mindful is like breaking the fourth wall. You can see your predicament as a third person.
The most difficult part for me in my practice that I've realized would be to cultivate loving-kindness towards all beings, even those who have hurt us.

I will continue pursuing the goal of becoming able to meditate throughout my wakeful existence. show less

This detailed instruction on vipassana meditation concludes with the search for a self: "You find nothing. In all that collection of mental hardware in this endless stream of ever-shifting experience, all you can find is innumerable impersonal processes that have been caused and conditioned by previous processes. There is no static self to be found; it is all process. You find thoughts but no thinker, you find emotions and desires, but nobody doing them. The house itself is empty. There is show more nobody home." show less