Full Catastrophe Living
by Jon Kabat-Zinn
The foundational text of mindfulness-based stress reduction, from the clinic where it was developed: the body scan, sitting meditation, yoga, and how to apply awareness to pain, stress, illness and daily life. It is long and thorough, more a course than a read, and it remains the most complete secular mindfulness manual.
Read it if…
you want the full eight-week MBSR program in book form.
Skip it if…
you want a quick introduction; see his shorter books.
Three things you will actually use
- Practice daily; the course is the practice, not the reading.
- Bring awareness to pain rather than fighting it.
- Respond instead of react; the breath is the gap.
Do this first
Do the body scan, lying down, for twenty minutes today.
Our verdict
Thorough and foundational; the mindfulness course in print.
Compare with other Health books
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Clear, precise and classic; the meditation manual.
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Hal Elrod · Health
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