Mindfulness is exceptionally easy to get started with, and people often experience benefits almost immediately. Why, then, do many initial enthusiasts end up dropping the practice after a short while? According to Oxford professor and leading mindfulness expert Willem Kuyken, it's because traditional mindfulness training is too far removed from how we actually live. This next-generation resource brings mindfulness home by teaching core skills in easy-to-integrate ways that touch directly on life's daily challenges. Dr. Kuyken provides stepping stones for building a personal practice that is sustainable, purposeful, and richly rewarding, now and for years to come. Interweaving ancient wisdom and modern scientific psychology, the book presents stories, quotations, reflection questions, tips for overcoming hurdles, and compelling guided practices, including audio tracks at the companion website.
Willem Kuyken, PhD, is the Ritblat Professor of Mindfulness and Psychological Science at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, and Director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre. His work focuses on preventing depression, promoting mental health, and flourishing across the lifespan. Dr. Kuyken has published more than 150 journal articles and has been named one of the world's most highly cited researchers. He lives in London.
Introduction. A Life Well Lived: Beginning with the End in Mind 1. Wake Up! 2. Pay Attention! 3. Coming Home to Our Bodies 4. Appreciating the Life We Have 5. Our Most Important Natural Resource: Our "Body-Mind" 6. How We React to Stress and Difficulties 7. Befriending Our Minds 8. Perspective: Changing the View 9. Responding Wisely 10. Cool Head and Warm Heart: The Art of Balance and Equanimity 11. Living Well: Taking Care of Ourselves, Our Relationships, and the World 12. A Life Well Lived Resources Index About the Author
"In this wonderfully clear book, internationally renowned psychologist Willem Kuyken explains why and how mindfulness practice can help you 'light up your life with a sense of reconnection and love.' Whether you are new to mindfulness or have been practicing for years, this is a book to treasure--step by step, it reveals ways to reorient toward your deepest values and lead a life worth living."--Mark Williams, DPhil, coauthor of The Mindful Way Through Depression "This book is not just about inner change; it is about how we live our lives. Dr. Kuyken provides tools for making a critical shift from judgment, blame, and aversion to curiosity and kindness. His skillful guidance allows us to make--and commit to--small shifts that can help us become the flourishing, engaged, and responsive people we long to be."--Christina Feldman, author of Boundless Heart-
