A nice little book, where the author provides a little history, followed by the description of 62 simple meditation exercises. He addresses mundane activities like showering or cooking, that can suddenly have a calming effect once we approach them more mindfully.
The line between meditation and mindfulness is a fuzzy one, however, and opinions and definitions vary. In simple terms, one could say that meditation is setting aside time to focus on something good for yourself — like exercise or prayer or breathing — whereas mindfulness is being more aware, much more aware, of everything going on around you and in you. The two combine in mindfulness meditation, in which one meditates and also focuses that meditation on the thoughts, feelings, and sensations of the moment. Bentley emphasizes the potential meditative moments within the mundane and encourages us to notice and appreciate all of the sensations we feel while performing simple tasks. We can try to ignore the various distracting thoughts and just be “in the moment.
The author is not austere towards the reader. He demystifies meditation, as it is not some mythical, magical solution that only the enlighten can achieve, but helps the reader see how there is value in whatever degree of meditation or mindfulness one can muster. All in all, it was quite helpful.