Mindfulness in Plain English
by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana
A Sri Lankan monk's clear, practical guide to insight meditation: how to sit, what to do with the breath, what to do with distraction, pain, boredom and the inevitable problems. It is unpretentious and exact, and many experienced meditators call it the best instruction manual in English.
Read it if…
you want precise, no-nonsense meditation instruction without mysticism.
Skip it if…
you want a secular, science-framed approach; this is Buddhist practice, plainly taught.
Three things you will actually use
- Return to the breath; that is the whole technique.
- Treat distractions as objects of attention, not failures.
- Sit daily; small and regular beats long and rare.
Do this first
Sit for ten minutes, attend to the breath at the nostrils, and return each time you wander, without judgment.
Our verdict
Clear, precise and classic; the meditation manual.
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