Calming Your Anxious Mind: How Mindfulness & Compassion Can Free You from Anxiety, Fear & Panic

by Jeffrey Brantley

Drawing on techniques and perspectives from two seemingly different traditions, this second edition of the self-help classic Calming Your Anxious Mind offers you a powerful and profound approach to overcoming anxiety, fear, and panic. From the evidence-based tradition of Western medicine, learn the role your thoughts and emotions play in anxiety. And, from the tradition of meditation and the inquiry into meaning and purpose, discover your own potential for presence and stillness, kindness and compassion-and the tremendous power these states give you to heal and transform your life. Use this encouraging, step-by-step program Learn about the mechanism of anxiety and the body's fear system Develop a healing mindfulness practice-one breath at a time Start on the path to presence, stillness, compassion, and loving kindness Practice acceptance during mindfulness meditation Feel safe while opening up to fearful and anxious feelings This book is a welcome addition to the anxiety disorders field. Comprehensive as well as clearly written, it provides a wealth of information on the use of meditation and mindfulness practice in recover from anxiety difficulties.-Edmund J. Bourne, Ph.D., author of The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook and Coping with Anxiety Dr. Brantley's book is clear and warm. It takes the mystery out of meditation and explains how things that at first sight appear 'ordinary' are in fact very important. His extensive clinical experience and his empathy constantly shine through the book.-Jonathan Davidson, MD, director of the Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Program at Duke University I think the book is fantastic and believe it will fill an important niche in the treatment of anxiety disorders. The information on the physiology of anxiety and the stress response helps to demystify the symptoms for readers, making their problem seem more manageable. Beautifully guided meditations anticipate and address the questions that anxious new meditators will have. The instructions to stay present with the anxiety is powerful and healing. I know I will be recommending it to my patients and colleagues. Holly B. Rogers, MD, staff psychiatrist with Duke University Counseling and Psychological Services As a psychotherapist and teacher of stress reduction, I find this book helpful to clients and clinicians, as well as to meditators wishing to deepen their own practice. Brantley gives practical and compassionate guidance to anyone seeking skillful ways to work with anxiety and panic.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Psychology, Meditation, Health, Mental Health, Spirituality

324 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Jeffrey Brantley, MD, DFAPA, has practiced mindfulness meditation for over thirty years, and his work in medicine and psychiatry has emphasized mindfulness and mindfulness-based interventions to promote individual health and well-being. He is a founding faculty member of Duke Integrative Medicine, and founded the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program at Duke Integrative Medicine in 1998. Brantley is the author of Calming Your Anxious Mind and coauthor of the Five Good Minutes series and Daily Meditations for Calming Your Anxious Mind.

Reviews

[Kevin Orth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone and everyone with a mood disorder would do well to read this book. I am alive today because of conventional therapies. I am thriving today because of the Buddhist philosophies I embrace which this book draws upon, without using Buddhist terms to get the very same points across. Highly recommend.

[Isabella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: In this second edition, Brantley concocts a remedy for anxiety that's a delightful blend of evidence-based Western medicine and the introspective wonders of meditation. As if he's the Gandalf of tranquility, Brantley guides readers through understanding the mechanics of anxiety, unraveling the body's fear system, and cultivating mindfulness like a garden of serenity. The book offers a step-by-step program to dance with anxiety, embrace mindfulness, and unlock the doors to presence, compassion, and loving kindness.


Pros:
🌟 Four stars for a mindfulness solution so potent, it might make your anxieties question their life choices. Brantley's approach combines the best of both worlds, creating a harmony that's more impressive than a meditation playlist curated by a monk.

😄 A great self-help book that doesn't take itself too seriously. Brantley's writing is like a wise friend gently nudging you toward peace, sprinkling humor amidst the serious business of calming anxious minds.

🧘‍♂️ As someone with anxiety problems, I've found this book to be a soothing balm for the mind. The techniques are practical, the insights are profound, and the overall vibe is more calming than a cup of chamomile tea on a rainy day.

🔍 I'll definitely use some of the techniques in this book. Brantley provides a toolbox of mindfulness strategies that feels like a Swiss Army knife for the anxious soul—practical, versatile, and capable of slicing through worries with ease.

Cons:
⌛ It's a bit repetitive, like a meditation mantra that plays on a loop. While repetition can be a key to mastery, readers might find themselves wishing for a bit more variety in the mindfulness symphony.


📚 In conclusion, "Calming Your Anxious Mind" is a great companion on the journey to tranquility. Jeffrey Brantley, you've crafted a mindfulness guide that's more calming than a zen garden and more practical than a pocket-sized meditation guru. Four stars – one for each corner of the peace of mind you've bestowed upon us. 🕊️📚

[Judy Phin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite informative from all aspects of Anxiety and where it could possibly stem from, it brings a good amount of awareness of what chemical reactions occur in your body when certain external and internal factors, in the end it wrapped up that the main tool towards dealing with anxiety is with mindfulness then demonstrated different meditation techniques

[Isabelle reads a book a day because she has no friends · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Anita Zinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

9-9-12

I am finding this book to be very helpful, in using the tool of "Mindfulness" to bring about mental healing. As the "Forward" part of the book says: "This book presents methods that can serve as a remarkable path to freedom from the imprisonment from chronic anxiety and panic, at whatever level they may manifest themselves in your life."

"Practicing mindfulness means learning to relax and stay present with nonjudging and friendly awareness. Mindfulness is cultivated by paying attention -- on purpose and carefully -- to the contents of this moment."

"As you increasingly come to these experiences as conditions in this present moment instead of as your enemy or your "problem," they will no longer dominate your life. You will make more effective responses to them."

Your experience of fear, anxiety, or panic is transformed when you make it the direct object mindfulness".

Meditation practices, aim at helping you to be "present" for the moments of your life, regardless of what is happening in and around you during those moments."



9-18-12

QUOTE: " Because mindfulness practice increases your awareness of and sensitivity to everything --- including pain and fear --- you should be aware that you may actually feel worse in the beginning. However, this is only a stage in the process of healing and transformation. As your meditation practice strengthens, the will learn to relax and stay present even when anxiety, fear, and panic move through the present moment. This is not an act of willpower, but a capacity that you develop through meditation."

"One of the fruits of mindfulness practice is the discovery, over time, of the core of steadiness and harmony at your center. This core is dependable, unwavering, and a source of inner peace. Staying at this core, relating to experience --- even painful experience --- from this place, you have an increased capacity to remain present."



10-31-12

Last chapter - COME HERE FEAR

Poem:

I take myself back, fear.
You are not my shadow any longer.
I won't hold you in my hands.
You can't live in my eyes, my ears, my voice
my belly, or in my heart my heart
My heart my heart
But come here, fear
I am alive and you are so afraid
of dying.

[Conrad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cutting out all the repetitive passages, this book wouldn't be longer than thirty pages and it would still be full of bullshit. I do believe in the power of meditation and the importance of focus on the present moment, but if this book had been my introduction to meditation I wouldn't even have tried it. Dr. Brantley himself seems to be afraid to apply the concepts in his book to truly traumatizing experiences. Instead he provides advice on how to deal with anger about being stuck in traffic (spoiler: apparently the answer is saying yes to the experience). Now I wonder if Dr. Brantley would give the same advice to victims of child abuse or rape or people who are haunted by memories of things they've done in the past. Dr. Brantley refers to the heart and the mind as abstract concepts instead of organs to make the case that all of us have the capacity to be joyful and calm (eg on p.174), but he never explains what he actually means when he is talking about the mind or the heart. Indeed, Dr. Brantley predicted that not all of his readers will agree and claims that your inability to see that you're capable of mindful self acceptance stems from "habits and conditioning that block your sense of connection with - and full expression of - the deep and profound inner qualities of stillness and clarity." On top of that, Dr. Brantley says that our habits do not define who we are and that everyone has them. In my opinion, Dr. Brantley's statements are ridiculous unless you apply them to "ordinary people" exclusively. Dr. Brantley never brings up experiences that shape the sense of self worth of people who had to live through trauma that go beyond fear of the dentist and still he preaches that the common concerns people have regarding the power of meditation simply reflect the basic human experience. What a ton of bullshit.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The exercises in this book are very good, and it provides a good introduction to mindfulness, but there is a lot of overlap with Jon Kabat-Zinn's work, which I prefer. If you're already familiar with mindfulness techniques, there's not a lot that's new or groundbreaking here - while it directly addresses the specific states of fear, anxiety, and panic, most of those chapters say basically the same thing as all other mindfulness books. Overall, it's a decent introduction though, and I'm not sorry that I read it, I just was hoping for something a little deeper.

[Denise Hatcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book which explains in detail the fundamental elements of mindfulness. He makes various references to MBSR, or mindfulness-based stress reduction in the seventeen chapters which are divided into three parts. My favorite sentence is found on page 101 where the author challenges, “Everything happens in the present moment, yet how many of your moments go unnoticed?”

My take aways are: I am going to try to be more in tune with the act of walking when I walk my daily miles; I am going to use my technology less; and, I am going to be more aware of and in tune with my feelings. There are seven pages of resources and references at the end of the book and it was interesting to look at them. The inclusion of the impactful book Tuesdays with Morrie stood out to me and reminded me the need to carpe diem.

[Carolina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simples, informativo e cheio de óptimos exercícios. Um bocadinho repetitivo lá mais para o fim.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Books about meditation have an inherent flaw: you can't read what they say about meditating, especially exercises, while you are meditating. And so it goes with this book. An audio CD (or better, downloadable audio files) would be of great help. Suggestions by the author to record the exercises and play them back to yourself seem a bit...odd.

"Calming Your Anxious Mind" is a good introductory book to the whys and hows of meditating; really, of mindfulness practice, with meditation as the basis for expanding the practice throughout one's life.

I had a sense that it was better written than most, though for some reason I could not pay attention to it and my mind kept wandering. Perhaps I just found the topic boring at this particular moment of my life. Whatever, that was definitely an issue with me, not the book. It's also a quick, easy read and a good reference, although the lack of an index was a bit puzzling.

Recommended reading, as is most of what has been written by Jon Kabat-Zinn, a contributor here.

[Zainab Al Khalifah · Rating 5 out of 5]

كتاب عملي يدرس مسببات بعض الاضطرابات النفسية كالقلق والهلع، الخوف والتوتر، وأثرها على الصحة الجسدية. كما يبحث في السبل السلوكية المعرفية للتعامل معها وعلاجها كالتأمل الواعي. لغة الكتاب واضحة، والمصطلحات العلمية في اغلبها مشروحة باسلوب بسيط غير معقد، يسهل على عامة القراء الاطلاع عليه.

اقتباسات متفرقة:
"نحن نميل للهرب من الخوف بدلاً من فحصه، ويبقى غير مدروس بعناية بسبب رغبنا الشديد من احتمالية القاء نظرة عليه، والاعتراف امام أنفسنا بمدى سيطرة الخوف على حياتنا وقراراتنا"

"لا تظنن أن أفكارك هي فعلاً كما تظن، فالخريطة ليست كواقع المنطقة.."

"أنت أكبر بكثير من أي تجربة عارضة تمر بك.."

"حين تجعل من الوعي التام طريقة حياة، أن تتعامل مع الحياة بوعي تام كي تقابل وتتواصل مع كل تجربة لحظة ظهورها واندفاعها نحو حاضرك"

"فحين تكون حاضراً، حين تكون أكثر وعياً، تنفتح على ثراء حياتك على نحو لم تتوقعه.."

"كل شيء يحدث في لحظة الحاضر، الخوف والهلع ليست سوى تجارب تدخل حاضرك وتمر خارجة منه.."

"معظم ممارسات التأمل تتطلب الصبر والاستعداد لأن تكون في حضرة التوتر وعدم الارتياح، والممارسة تهدف لتعلم شيء بداخلك يحوي السكينة والهدوء و��ط كل هذا الانزعاج"

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Brantley, a physician, describes techniques a person can use to achieve more loving kindness, peace, harmony, serenity, forgiveness, and happiness. He teaches the reader how to replace fearful, anxious thoughts with peaceful ones and shares medical research about the benefits of meditation and mindfulness.

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

there are some good points but I didn't have posits so I dog eared pages along with writing on the book, I kind of skimmed through first half because it tells me how why and such I wanted to know more about how to calm my anxious mind I know the other stuff I needed the tools but I'm unsure on the results for me here

[Colleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh... what can I say, a little more than half-way through this book just became monotonous, it keeps repeating itself and doesn't get to the point, I really felt it might help me but I just couldn't take anymore, it's a slow read and boring so I just had to stop reading.

[Asher Valentine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn't concentrate on the book about halfway through. Have already read plenty about mindfulness and this provided nothing new. Too bored to get to the end of the book. Prolly be a good read for someone else

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wouldn't say this book was super fun to read, but it was really interesting and useful. It got me to sign up for a class in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, and really helped me understand why mindfulness is important.

[platkat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I still want to stab people on the bus as I read this, but to be fair, I haven't actually sat somewhere quiet and tried any of these.

[Rajiv Bais · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is more of a condensed version of Jon Kabat-Zinn’s “Full Catastrophe.” However, it’s great to refer to when you need a “refresher.”

[Blair Hodgkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book came so highly recommended that I was sure I was going to love it, but I can't score it as high as I would like due to some serious shortcomings. I will come back to its failings, but first I will praise it for what it does well. This book is probably the best single resource I have read to help one actually follow a program of practices that will increase mindfulness and awareness. Many of the steps helped me when I first encountered them twenty years ago, but some of the other practices I am only just encountering for the first time thanks to this book. Many of its insights are fundamental and will provide me food for thought for some time to come. I will certainly be applying myself to some of the variations of meditation practices. Much of the discussion about compassion and kindness is very much needed by many of us.

The shortcomings are a different matter. Certain "judgements" are applied to the value of certain emotions inconsistently. Sometimes, an emotion just is, and should be noted for awareness without judgement. The book states this in some places, but in other places it judges emotions (especially anger) with harshness. This is inconsistent with the first statement. The goal shouldn't be to ignore or repudiate anger, but to accept it and eventually control it constructively or dissipate it. Many of the greatest human achievements have been accomplished by doing so. Being aware of the anger is the first step. This book sometimes takes a view that might emotionally neuter us from achieving with one of our most important emotional drives.

The book also tries to redefine the word "forgiveness" in a way that is common in our culture as if forgiveness is a selfish act we do to help ourselves by unfettering ourselves of resentment and anger. This is utterly rubbish and "forgive" me if I have to go off on a little rant here. Forgiveness is a selfless act by which others benefit as much as we do ourselves. To simply let go of resentment and anger and accountability to say we forgive is one of the biggest mistakes endlessly perpetuated in our current culture. The confusion here is with acceptance. Only by being aware and accepting our feelings can we take power over them and remove ourselves from this power and that is what gives acceptance so much more power and appeal than mere forgiveness, which is valuable but of distant, secondary importance. I suppose to some people such an observation is mere semantics but as the saying goes, "words have meaning and names have power." The fact that this book tries to appeal to the cult of inappropriate forgiveness is a serious deficiency. Let's get back to using the word "acceptance" and "forgiveness" correctly and give those names back their related but separate power.

Unfortunately, the book occasionally falls into cultish spells of wonder about Buddhism and quotes many questionable authorities and overlooks some of the shortcomings attached to Eastern mysticism and faith. The book often states that the practices it offers are appropriate for people of any faith, so it would be helpful to unhitch it from just one of the philosophies that has often been associated with it. Very little mention is made of the teachings of other cultures which have discussed and refined meditation techniques to equally and often greater degrees. A secular book on mindfulness meditation should not be tainted with so much from any particular religion. Perhaps a third edition will correct this shortcoming.

In the final analysis, I would recommend this book, but I recommend it with a caveat to read it critically. Take note of what's useful and be "mindful" of what is not.

[Justyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not new to mindfulness, so this book didn't provide me with any new major insights. But if you're new to the concept and are looking to learn how to meditate or live a more mindful life, then this book will be a great introduction. Mindfulness has been around for ages, but the secular version has been popularly applied to psychotherapy and counseling. I was particularly interested in its application to anxiety, and while the book does cover how the fight or flight response works, it seems more like a general mindfulness guide. I wish there were more concrete examples to illustrate the points. The book read a bit repetitively (although a quick and easy read, it could've been cut down), and seemed long-winded in explaining simple concepts. Nonetheless there are some great meditation exercises here, breaking down formal and informal practices. Like life, mindfulness is a process and a change in your approach to life rather than just a skill. We spend so much time trying to keep busy, and distract ourselves with work, social media, and other mundane tasks that we forget to just be in the moment. Mindfulness can enrich our lives if we learn to tune into the present, stop doing, and just be.

[Billie Walden · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why, oh why, do books that purport to be chock full of activities for self help spend 95% of the text telling you over and over how good they are, how helpful they will be, and why they are effective, but not actually providing any actionable material??? 17 of the 435 pages (reading in Libby) had any activities to try/use/implement. All the rest is just self-aggrandizement of how wonderful life will be if you implement his meditation and mindfulness techniques. Thankful I checked it out from the library. It might have been written by AI, it is so redundant.

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found listening to the audiobook to be a lot easier than if I were to read it since it is pretty dry material, but I appreciated the science backed benefits to mindful meditation and found it insightful. It's full of guided mindful meditation practices which having a physical copy would be good to refer back to. It's a book I could see being very useful if you really dedicated yourself to the practices with an open mind.

[Saint Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe this book can be an excellent resource for people new to mindfulness. About the first 22% of the book is spent explaining the fear reaction and the power of the mind on it. It can be very repetitive, but that can be a good thing for newbies. The writer is a MD and is a consultant for the Duke Psychiatry Department, so he might know a thing or two.

[Juan Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mindful

As a beginner in meditation, and as a veteran of many battles with fear, anxiety and panic, this book will give you insight about how to deal with this by meditating and being mindful with loving kindness.

[Janessa Grimm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is definitely one that you want to take your time with and ponder over, rather than rush through for the sake of learning about a specific topic. I️ can tell that I will be revisiting parts of this book periodically to brush up on certain things related to mindfulness, meditation, etc.

[Catherine Li · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is interesting to learn the physical origination of anxiety. The other part of the book is basically teaching how to be mindfulness and advocate meditation. It’s pretty technical, could be helpful if one tries.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book for people wanting to learn about mindfulness or to renew previous knowledge. I listened to it in my car. It would have been better if I had listened to it when I could take the time to do the meditations that they taught. Overall I would recommend this.

[Geoffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not the first book you should read if you have excessive anxiety, but it is a must read once you understand what is going on with you and begin your recovery. This book is all about meditation which is a necessity for managing anxiety and your life in general.

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is not what I thought. It was a book about meditation.

[Amy GB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taking a mindfulness-based therapy course and this book really helped me with some of the concepts. A little repetitive but useful.