Success Through Stillness: Meditation Made Simple

by Russell Simmons, Chris Morrow

Master entrepreneur, original hip-hop mogul, and New York Times bestselling author Russell Simmons shares the most fundamental key to success—meditation—and guides readers to use stillness as a powerful tool to access their potential. In the New York Times bestseller Super Rich, Russell Simmons proved that to be rich is more than just having money in the bank—wealth is about balance, joy, and conscientious living. In Success Through Stillness, Simmons shows the connection between inner peace and outward success through interviews with other successful leaders in various industries, and how learning to be still has been instrumental in his own career. Simmons attributes his meditation practice with changing his life for the better and says that there is no “bad” way to meditate, only different forms for different people.In this highly anticipated new book, Russell Simmons guides readers into finding greater clarity and focus, and explains how to be healthier in both mind and body. Simmons breaks down what he's learned from masters of meditation into a guide that is accessible to those unfamiliar with the practice.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Meditation, Spirituality, Health, Personal Development, Audiobook

226 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 4, 2014

About the author

Russell Wendell Simmons is an American entrepreneur, writer and record executive. He co-founded the hip-hop label Def Jam Recordings, and created the clothing fashion lines Phat Farm, Argyleculture, and Tantris. Simmons' net worth was estimated at $340 million in 2011.
After producing or managing artists such as Kurtis Blow, Run DMC, Whodini, and Jimmy Spicer, Simmons joined forces with producer Rick Rubin to found Def Jam Recordings. Under Simmons' leadership as chairman, Def Jam signed acts including the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, L.L. Cool J., Jay-Z, DMX, and Kanye West. From 1992 to 1997, he also produced the Def Comedy Jam television program.
Simmons has promoted veganism and a yoga lifestyle. He also published books about healthy lifestyle and entrepreneurship. In 2017, Simmons was publicly accused of sexual assault by multiple women; he denied the allegations. Following these allegations, Simmons stepped down from his various business roles and charities, including his position at Def Jam.

Reviews

[Patrice Hoffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I initially threw my hat in the ring for a bid at winning Russell Simmons Success Through Stillness: Meditation Made Simple I didn't think I'd be picked. Honestly, I wasn't hoping to be picked either. Not because I didn't want to read his book, but because I only requested entered into the giveaway off of name recognition. I'm too young to really have lived the impact RunDMC had on the hip-hop community, yet old enough to know the profound mark Russell Simmons has made on, not only music, but business in general. I've always known him to be a mogul who yells at the top of his lungs in that adorable lisp that some may find a reason not to take him serious. I knew better.

Suffice it to say, once I got the notification that I'd won a copy, I was beyond ecstatic. Although I allowed some time to pass before devoting time to this self help book, I feel that I've read it at the perfect time in my life. I'm working more than 50 hours at my job some weeks, and trying to maintain going to school part time. If anyone was in need of a few moments of stillness I would be that perfect candidate. Sure I'm not running a multi-million dollar company, in charge of a team that caters to my every need, nor am I a pop culture icon that has a huge platform to change the minds of the mass. I'm just me. An average person who's problem are just as important to me as Simmons are to him. Enough about me. I step off my soap box now.

Success Through Stillness is Russell Simmons plea to the world that meditation can solve many problems. He hails meditation as being the Holy Grail and that everyone should get in on the action. This self-help book is written with an excitement that is often lacking in other books in this genre. I felt as excited about beginning meditating as Simmons sounds encouraging me.

What is most appealing about this novel is that it's not just 200+ pages of "Uncle Rush" repeating and drilling the success of meditation into the heads of readers, although that does happen, he offers proof. It's clear and apparent that he researched the benefits of meditation and presented his findings in the most approachable terms as possible. In the beginning chapters, he mentions the science of the art of meditation by revealing how it changes the corpus colloseum and allows each hemisphere of the brain to communicate in a more productive manner with each other. I'm currently taking a Psychology class so these revelations made so much sense. Yet, if I had no knowledge of the brain and it's parts such as the Amygdala, or Frontal Lobe and their functions, the language is approachable and engaging.

Besides using a scientific approach, Simmons provides studies conducted on the brain of one who practices meditation and one who doesn't. Simmons provides articles naming some of the top psychologists and their proof of the meditating's benefits. I love that he doesn't think that readers aren't smart enough to know that his opinion alone isn't enough to drastically change their daily lives. Who really wants to devote 20 minutes twice a day to something that may or may not actually work? I know I don't. Free or not. Between work, school, my reviews, and life that seems like a huge undertaking.

If the scientific benefits of meditating was not enough, Russell Simmons does not waste an opportunity to name drop. I'm not mad at him. I would too if I had friends such as Deepak Chopra, Ellen Degeneres, and Oprah. He says they too accredit their ability to balance their lives in a productive manner is due to meditating.

Because Success Through Stillness is so engaging and inspiring, I almost forgot to read it objectively. Once I came back down from cloud 9, after reading more than 85% of the book, I realized I was no closer to knowing how to meditate than when I open the book. I bet you're saying there's nothing to it. Just sit in a lotus position and mumble some mumbo-jumbo. I'm a little more technical and in need of direction than others. And I only came to this conclusion when one of my co-workers passed my cube and asked me if the book I was reading was good. I answered "Yes!" Without hesitation. And then I said aloud "but I'm no closer to knowing how to meditate than when I began the book."

Ultimately, all concerns were rectified and I'm confident in having the tools needed to begin meditating. I appreciate Russell Simmons for writing this book along with Chris Morrow. Meditation was never on my list of things to try until reading Success Through Stillness. Meditation is worth the try. Essentially, it's just like Simmons says, I risk nothing in trying it except an enlightenment I've never experienced before.


Copy provided through Penguin Group via a Goodreads Giveaway

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second celebrity endorsed meditation book I've read. I prefer Dan Harris' 10% Happier by far.

There is absolutely nothing "wrong" with this book. It is a very good way to introduce people to meditation. It's a quick read and has some fluff to it, including Russell Simmons' personal stories. But that's kind of the point of both this book and Dan Harris' is that they tell you how and why they are meditating. After all these books aren't scientific studies, they are celebrity endorsements.

I have to warn that the actual section on meditation takes up about 10% of this book. That's quite small considering the title. My personal opinion is that if you want to start a meditation practice this is not the book to teach you. This is more of a book you read on the side or keep in your bathroom, probably to remind yourself of why you are starting or continuing a meditation practice.

I like this book, not love, just liked. Russell Simmons seems like a pretty cool dude.

My one warning to readers is that TM.org will try to "sell" you meditation. This is an organization (form of meditation) that Russell promotes and works with. They will attempt to get you to pay to learn. Don't do this! Meditation should always be free. There are an incredible amount of free resources for Buddhist meditation and meditations that are religion free. There are even free audios from Universities that are available for free download online. Google UCLA Meditation Audio and you'll find them. Those are research based guided meditations as well. I'm sure everything that David Lynch and Russell Simmons continues to do with TM will be great but this is one thing that I dislike about it. They also have a pretty tight lock on their actual practice. If you attempt to look it up you won't find it described anywhere, which makes me think that they are trying to charge you a hefty amount of money for something "exclusive" by taking down anything that resembles it. That's not very Zen of David!

Buddhist books and audios were what I started with and they were great! So those have my endorsement.

[C.A. Huggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had my doubts. I've tried meditation off and on before but never stuck to it. But Russ sold me on it. The book is a great, quick read, and I can't wait to put this into use.
Will you start dating super models like Russ after meditating? Probably not.
Will you become a millionaire like Russ after meditating? Probably not.
Will you somehow manage to reverse the aging process in a Benjamin Button-esque fashion like Russ after meditating? Probably not.
But it can make you happier, give you a clearer focus, and improve your mental as well as physical health.
So that works for me.

[Yodamom · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
I got much more out of this little book the I expected to at the 50 % point. I was a bit underwhelmed by the first half, it was very analytical of the reason to meditate and the stories of those who do practice it. Please, I didn't need all that I just need the golden ticket, magic mirror. I wasn't interested in hear about that how it helped other stuff, I wanted instant gratification ! Ha ! Mr Simmons made me wait, and slow down to his pace before he gave out the very short, very simple and yet very impressive method. Captain Sparrow would find it perfect that is all comes down to the "rum." Read the book, you'll find out.
Some of my favorite quotes tom the book:

"The bad news is that shit happens.
The good news is that each and everyone of you has the power to control and change your experience of this shit when it happens"- Hedy Kober

"You have control over your work alone, never the fruit."-Bhagavad Gita

"You will not be punished for your anger. You will be punished by your anger" Lord Budda

" My religion is compassion":- Russell Simmons

"If you want others to be happy practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."- The Dali Lama

"the irony is, when I look around at a lot of so-called religious leaders today, I don't see a lot of compassion. I see a lot of judgement and even hatred, but not so much empathy."- Russell Simons

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not a bad read, but like most of the so-called self help books it was long on fluff and short on substance. And like the self help books, the real information concerned with the subject could have been contained in a pamphlet. I guess the market for pamphlets is very small, so the writers fill the pages with stories or examples of stuff somewhat related to the subject and there you have it....a book. In the final chapter, Mr. Simmons revealed his techniques for meditation.

I began meditating in 1970 when I first began to explore Buddhism. What I learned from this book is that for meditation to be truly effective, one must be consistent in the practice. My dipping into the well of meditation occasionally was insufficient to gain the full benefits of that practice. The author made it clear to me that to realize the full benefits of meditation, I need to sit in silence for at least 20 minutes twice a day....every day.

I do believe that meditation, stretching, and balance exercises are important to overall health. However, if our practice is incorrect, our benefits from that practice will not be as great as we would desire. So, learn proper techniques and do it.....Michael

[Tony Rogers Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must say, I really enjoyed this book. Russell penned a straight-forward, step by step guide to meditation and mindfulness for the beginner. He starts off covering what meditation is, the myths about meditation, why people don't meditate, the mental benefits of meditation, the physical benefits of meditation, what science says about mediation and ends with step by step how-to meditate. I found this book to be informative, practical and entertaining. Russell did an excellent job of weaving stories and illustrations throughout the book from his personal life as well as insight from other famous authors, teachers and entertainers that attribute their success to meditation. This is an excellent guide for anyone looking to begin meditation or simply improve the quality of their life.

Tony Rogers Jr
Author of Visionary:Making a difference in a world that needs YOU

[Tia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simplistic in message and delivery, but still useful information to remind you why meditation will benefit you—something you probably don’t need much convincing for if you’ve already picked up this book, but Simmons writes that his goal is to help you understand its benefits from as many different aspects as possible to push you to not just take the leap but to stick to it. It’s a bit repetitive, heavy on the personal anecdotes, and doesn’t actually spend more than a chapter talking about how to meditate, but that’s the point. Meditation is not as mysterious and out of reach as we make it out to be, just go try it. It’s good for you.

[Jessica Bellas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally! A succinct and accessible book about the benefits of meditation and how to meditate. There is no foo-foo BS in this book. Everyone who is curious about meditation but is turned off by new age granolas should read this book. I am going to recommend it to everyone I know!

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

"When you let go of anxiety, you won’t want to ease into a better you. You’ll want to go there right away. Yes, the more you come to know your true self, the more you want to make that self better."

“The cultivation of friendliness creates inner strength.”

"When your mind is settled, the emotions that you have been ignoring, that you’re afraid that you aren’t ready to deal with, are going to rise up to the surface. Whether it’s emotions about your relationships, your job, your body, or anything you’ve been avoiding, the defense mechanism of fear that has been keeping that feeling suppressed is going to drift away. It’s as if when you finally let down your guard during meditation, it’s going to let all your dreams come up to the surface. And once they’re there, you’ll realize just how easy it is to follow them instead of staying stuck in place."

“Stillness is the soil in which imagination is nourished, and our ideas can grow to incredible heights. The soil that can yield a crop that will sustain us for a lifetime.”

"To use a political analogy, one pet peeve I have is that many people tend to refer to Africa as a country. It’s always, “In Africa they need to do this,” or “In Africa they should do that.” But the truth is that Africa is made up of many different countries, cultures, languages, and perspectives. There are many, many layers to Africa. If you only view it as a single entity, then you’re never going to truly understand it.
Well, the same is true of your brain. You might only think of it as that featureless gray blob, but it actually has many different parts and layers, each with its own function and impact on your thinking and body. Which is why if you only think of your brain as formless space, you’re never going to be able to use it to its full potential."

"If meditation were basketball, every single one of us would have Michael Jordan’s natural ability. It’s not like some of us would be short and couldn’t jump, while others would be six foot six and be able to fly through the air! We’d all be like Mike. It would just be a question of accessing that ability."

"No, when it is time to get put in that box, most of us have finally realized that a happy, contented life isn’t one spent focused on building wealth or collecting toys. Instead, we finally see that true happiness lies in being compassionate and appreciating the world, rather than being coldhearted and greedy. We realize that our favorite moments were those spent simply with the people we loved, the moments we spent walking on the beach on a beautiful day, hearing the waves and feeling the sun on our faces. Or simply sitting with our friends and laughing at a good joke."

"Instead of helping you embark on a diet, meditation will help you embark on a lifestyle change. It’s going to help you reexamine your entire relationship with food and learn how to stop being controlled by what your body thinks it needs or what society is telling you to crave." "That’s the power of mindfulness—when you’re conscious of what you’re actually putting into your body, as opposed to just giving yourself over to your cravings, you’re going to eat much more selectively and healthily."

Rating: 4/5

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Success Through Stillness by Russell Simmons is basically a book about meditation. He takes you through five parts: 1.) Why Meditate; 2.) Why you think you cannot meditate; 3.) The physical benefits of meditation; 4.) Living up to your potential; and 5.) How to meditate. He also tries to show a connection between ‘worldly successful’ people and inner peace.
 
I think most people know that Russell Simmons has changed his life and is now all about yoga, meditation and promoting veganism (if that is a word). As such he wrote a book to help people find their way to mediation and I think it is great. There are a lot of people who may not know anything about mediation or where to start and this book could be a guide. Not to mention he could also be a game changer for those in the rap industry.
 
Personally for me it was a bit of a letdown, in fairness I have read a few books on meditation and yoga so it may not come as a surprise that it felt like a lot of what people already know. I think the biggest let down was the how to meditate part. His advice was to sit for 20 minutes and internally chant Rum. This is not bad but it kind of missed a lot. Now I am no expert but it sounds like he is talking about the ‘Bija Mantra” which is actually rather interesting part of the Vedic tradition anyway these are tools used for expansion of the mind through the power of sound vibrations. In other words you create transformation though sound. Rum is one of the sounds and it is used on the third chakra which represents the ability to control your life. But what if your issue is about feeling secure or your ability to speak your truth? You would use a different sound and for the life of me I cannot understand why you would do this mentally. Eventually silence comes but initially it is the sound that quiets the mind. Also I wanted him to talk about success differently, money does not equate to success and I was looking for examples of that.
 
Getting off the soap box I did listen to this book on audio narrated By Herbert Point-Du-Jour. He was fantastic. I am sure if I had read the book I would have rolled my eyes but listening to it on my ipod allowed my mind to consider how this book would be useful for someone else. His voice is quite soothing and he reads at a great speed.
Final thought if you are already into meditation skip this book or borrow if from the library. If you are interested in mediation and have no idea why or where to start this is a good intro but then check out youtube or a meditation teacher and figure out what will work for you.
 
*The audiobook was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

[Monica White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading this insightful book. What a great introduction to meditation! Russell's writing style is engaging, humorous at times, and informative. I learned a lot from reading this book, and I have already started to see impressive results from meditating. Thank you Russell for sharing your knowledge and experience on this topic.

[Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't my first book on meditation but if it had been, I would have rated it higher.

I think it's great that Russel found a way to communicate with such a broad spectrum of people and had them understand the benefits of meditation.

The meditation chapter itself was very short but to the point.

I hope this book benefits many people who are new to meditation and mindfulness.

[Susan Allison-Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read on a simple way to improve your well being. I would have put the 'How to' early in the book. I was distracted by wanting to try Mr. Simmons way of meditating. It really does work, so give it a try, even if you skip to the end like I did.

[Trelani Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good book. It's designed for those who are either wanting to meditate or new to the practice. Had I read this early on, it would've definitely convinced me to be more consistent. Plenty of solid info here.

[Sheba Family · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the concept that Russell Simmons is trying to encourage. Following his prescribed twice daily 20 minute meditation, the world would be a better happier place. It has obviously really helped him in his life. Nothing he says is wrong to the best of my knowledge but rather true (why I gave 3 stars and not 2). He gives a thorough description of what aspects of your life are likely to improve with the practice including a few personal examples and studies here and there. What I didn't like is that the whole book was a sales pitch to meditation. It is a great way to start, but becomes redundant and disengaging quickly. It lacks for depth and variety. While his intention was to keep it simple and quick so it can reach and motivate a larger audience, I actually found the redundancy and lack of depth made it harder to read and finish. It started off motivating me, then dipped off. It eventually made me feel as thought the subject was only superficially touched upon. The studies he mentions throughout added a lot of interest to his points, yet they are unreferenced and he doesn't go into detail. Only the last 20 pages or so mentions how he recommends to meditate. I think meditation is deeply personal (and varies per individual), not suited to going over only 1 way to do it (in a book about meditation). The instructions were also riddled with more of a sales pitch. Unless you're a big Russell Simmons fan, i don't recommend this book. While it motivates to some degrees to meditate, It is mediocre at best. There are better options for reading on the subject out there!

[Beth Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Russell Simmons writes in a very conversational, down-to-earth tone, which makes this book very easy to read. I enjoyed his simple analogies, and he is not shy using examples from his many famous friends. His instructions for meditation at the end are extremely simple, which makes the practice seem achievable. He is also very encouraging and upfront about the challenges and obstacles that might discourage people who are new to mediation.

I didn't award a full 5 stars mainly because some of the points he made felt overly repetitive. And while I don't doubt the proven benefits of meditation, he seemed like he was trying to oversell in some areas. And the unexpected diatribe about eating meat (he is a practicing vegan) was uncomfortable, and not really on message, especially as he in later chapters talks about letting go of judgement.

Overall, this book makes meditation extremely accessible to everyone, and it's easy to be convinced by the connection between Simmon's impressive success and his dedication to meditation. Recommended for anyone interested in learning about meditation.

[Nikki Punjabi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book I've read on meditation. As on the cover it says MEDITATION MADE SIMPLE -- it does made simple for you if you are willing to start meditation. I did meditation two years back and after relocating to other place I stopped but as I wanted to get back on track, this book helped me to learn a lot on the basics of meditation. It charged me up and showed me a way to be a better version of myself.

I highly recommend to you for this book if you are reading this review and have came here that means somewhere you are looking for the meditation and are not able to go for it. Just read this book once and you'll get full energy for it.

I just accompanied my friend in the book (Big Bad Wolf) fair. I took out his extra hour and invested time to find out few books for me and this was one of them. He was waiting for me and I was looking for the book I like. This is the second best book I got I feel after reading it completely. This is the first book I read very interestingly and finished in 15 days otherwise I feel boring but this is full on power pack book.

Go for it!

[Leigh Collazo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read on audiobook. The narrator is not the author, but the audio is engaging and well-paced.

I absolutely adore Russell Simmons for his ability to pull himself out of a life of drugs and partying in favor of a life of mindfulness and peace. In the first half of the book, Simmons outlines the many benefits of meditation and helps readers overcome meditation obstacles and excuses they might face. The second half focuses on how to meditate, and tips and strategies for getting the most out of your meditation sessions.

The tone is conversational, as if Simmons is speaking right to the reader. Though he's a wealthy hip-hop mogul who rubs elbows with the stars, he also feels like a real person who you can just sit and talk to as a friend.

I read The Happy Vegan awhile back (also on audiobook), and I loved that one, too. Highly recommended!

[Danielle Woolard · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a massage therapist, I was taught the science behind meditation. As a Reiki practitioner, I was taught the spiritual aspects of meditation. I read this book anyway, and I'm so glad I did, this book gives us a perspective of the every day person, the person just trying to hustle and succeed. More than that, after reading this book, I actually WANT to meditate daily. I would say this book is part memoir, part pros. Simmons did a good job making meditation sound cool, it's what the cool kids are doing.

I was very tempted to rate this book 4 stars because many of the celebrities Simmons mentioned and quoted have since been "cancelled" for various reasons. It's not an especially good look, and the book is dated in that way. But meditation doesn't change, and how it affects us doesn't change. So look past the celebrity noise of the book and read it anyways!

[Ankush Arora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth a eead if you really want to meditate.

I was looking for a book that helps me meditate. At first when i saw table of contents. I was like .. what?? 18 chapters of blabbering about why we should meditate and then i will actually get to the part that i want to read.
But those 18 chapters are worth it. They cover each aspect of meditation in detail. Which is important when you really want to get hooked on meditation. I have been meditating for last 1 month and this book helped me why and how of meditation.. good thing is that it is a quick read.. abt 200 pages.
4 stars because i wanted a little bit more on how to meditate, there was no coverage on breathing control while meditation.. but still i would recommend to everyone no matter what stage of life you are at.

[David Goodday · Rating 3 out of 5]

The words 'Meditation Made Simple' were what drew me towards reading this book.
I have never heard of the author before, and was never into hip hop, so I wasn't interested in reading about his past exploits or why he chose this path. I just wanted to know the process of Meditation, so, although I did end up reading the whole book, I could easily have skipped more than three-quarters of it to get to the pages I was really interested in, having already decided it was a thing that I wanted to try.
That said, for those of you still unconvinced about the benefits of the process, the author does explain his reasons for taking up the practice, and tells the reader what he feels he has achieved from doing so.

[Amanda Bond · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't get me wrong - Russell Simmons talking about yoga and meditating is interesting and I did learn from this book. I just felt he spends 2/3 of the book telling you why you should meditate when he really had me in the first two chapters.

-Neat insights into how yoga and meditation helped him.

-Some fun stories with names you might recognize such as Rusell Brand and Jay Z

-It's a little ableist of him to want everyone to sit in lotus or half lotus, although he does talk about chair meditation a bit.

Overall it is a quick read and if you are a fan of hip hop and are thinking about meditation or yoga, this book is worth reading.

[Drea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness. Reading this book was so therapeutic. It was like meditating with my eyes open. Very clear and thorough to follow. Russell has gotten me through the exact road blocks he covered in his writing. Really helped me understand the process better and I am ready to try again and master it. I could have finished this book in 1 day because it is short and straight to the point, but things got in the way. Definitely adding this book to my collection so I can always refer back to a lot of great reads he provided.

[Tony Creech · Rating 3 out of 5]

A testimony on the benefits of secular meditation. Some points get pretty into selling meditation as a cure-all, but, I think his point of view comes from the hard truth that meditation is a powerful tool, an opportunity that can be used for much self direction, emotional IQ development, and self leading and perspective in life. It is a crazy powerful tool, but not a cure-all.
This book might be better if you’ve never studied meditation or heard much. I’d recommend the Headspace app or Waking Up by Sam Harris as much better.

[Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book about the importance of meditation for beginners!

I've been listening to this book whilst lying in my bathtub. I feel like it's a great place to be learning about relaxing activities.

It brings up a lot of everyday examples that might apply to your life so you can understand how significant this habit of meditation can be and I certainly learned a lot of new things, even though I've read a few books on the subject before.

Meditation is something we all need more of, stillness.

Another great beginner book on meditation is Eckhart Tolle's "The Power of Now".

[Adam Moskowitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short book on the massive benefits of meditation, from a unique viewpoint, a rapper/gangster type turned yoga/vegan/meditator. Very nice read.

I understand that for beginners it isn't that easy to sit down, close your eyes, and settle into stillness. Your thoughts have gotten used to making SO MUCH NOISE! They have enjoyed too much influence over you to simply fade the first time you try.
-- Russell Simmons, Success Through Stillness

[B L Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic Read ! I also had the privilege of hearing Russell speak on this book in person several years ago. It's sad that I'm just now getting to it considering that lecture sparked my interest in meditation. This book basically answers all questions you have about meditation, and I'd recommend it for any beginner meditator ! Thanks Uncle Rush for such a fantastic read ! I look forward to reading more from you !

[A-Sandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

The idea behind the book is interesting, but the writing is very poor and shallow. And I have to say, based on this book, I do not see Simmons as a ”still” person: in every chapter he needs to get to talk about beautiful women, parties, drugs etc. Maybe he truly has shifted the course of his life, but his inner peace does not come through on the pages of this book. Luckily it was light read, so it took only a couple of days to finish.

[D.I. Hills · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was OK to pass the time. Didn’t get much out of the actual ‘how he meditates’ section. The rest of the book (90%) was kind of like a motivational pep talk about the benefits of meditation. I guess if you’re into listening to someone name drop a bunch of cool rappers names and by association think they too are cool then hey, you’ll connect more than I did.

[Alejandro Cabral · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I expected

I really wished for the book to be more as I had the opportunity to meet the author in person and I loved his point of view on meditation. I guess I was hoping to like the book as much but there is just too much about him in it. Too much like a (disguised) autobiography.