Introducing Mindfullness: A Practical Guide

by Tessa Watt

Mindfulness is one of the oldest and most basic skills known to mankind. In its essence, it’s as simple as rediscovering the taste of fresh water or the vastness of the sky. It is learning, or re-learning, how to be present, how to be in this moment.

With mindfulness we can appreciate our lives, instead of rushing through them, always trying to get somewhere else. Being mindful can also help us to be less swept away by our powerful, habitual currents of thought and emotion, which can manifest as stress, depression, negative thinking, anxiety, anger, resentment or self-doubt. We can train ourselves in mindfulness, just as we exercise to keep our bodies healthy. Mindfulness training is free of any religion or dogma, although it draws on the ancient traditions of meditation and yoga, incorporating insights from modern medicine and psychotherapy.

There is a growing body of research demonstrating the enormous benefits of mindfulness practice for our physical and mental health and wellbeing, with new studies out every month. Doctors and counsellors increasingly recommend mindfulness as an approach for patients with depression, stress and anxiety-related ailments. Mindfulness training is also being adopted in schools and workplaces, helping students and employees to be more focused and productive, and less reactive to stress.

This book is a clear and concise guide to mindfulness practice, packed with straightforward exercises which the reader can try right away. It covers all the main mindfulness practices including sitting meditation, mindfulness of body, mindful movement, awareness of thoughts and reactions, and creating a ‘breathing space’. It gives practical tips and exercises for bringing mindfulness into daily activities like eating, walking and brushing our teeth. It is written simply for newcomers, but also gives a sense of the potential depth and breadth of mindfulness practice for those who wish to take it further. Presented in bite-sized chunks and free from jargon, it is the most accessible guide to mindfulness on the market.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Health, Psychology, Reference, Personal Development, Spirituality

Hardcover

First published January 5, 2012

About the author

Tessa Watt teaches mindfulness and is co-director of Being Mindful, an organization which offers mindfulness training for both the public and in workplaces. In her earlier career she was a research fellow in history at Cambridge University, and then for many years a senior producer in BBC Radio and Music.

Reviews

[Nicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been doing mindfulness-related stuff -- meditation, yoga -- for a long time, but I'd never read specifically about mindfulness. If you've done yoga and meditation before, there's very little new in it, but it's a helpful reminder to slow down and really taste, touch, smell, hear, see things. It's an easy read -- as befits an introductory, practical guide -- and easy to absorb, with lots of practical advice and careful explanation of what you're "meant" to do.

Since it's practical, it's very unfluffy about it -- if you feel like mindfulness/meditation/etc is kind of a hippy thing to do, this probably won't dissuade you at first glance, but it doesn't make it sound mystical or anything like that.

[Debra Langley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mindfulness: A Practical Guide has me breathing more deeply, feeling pressure on the balls of my feet as I go for my morning runs and generally being a lot more aware of what is going on around me all the time. The diamond I am taking away from the book however, is the realization that I am not my thoughts, "thoughts are not facts, and the thoughts are not us." Tessa Watt captures it perfectly:" we can start to get a glimpse of how our mind works, and see that the constant stream of images and conversations it throws up are no more substantial than the changing scenes of a movie on screen." Her blue sky analogy will stick in the recesses of my mind forever and is particularly intriguing:" Our mind is like a vast blue sky,and the thoughts are like clouds, some of them small and wispy, some of them thick, black and heavy. The clouds may seem to fill the sky, but we begin to understand that we are not the clouds; we are the sky which holds them."

[Claxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

My good friend Keyton K. loaned me this book. I enjoyed it very much -- I've read several books about meditation and/or mindfulness recently, and from what little I know of the genre, this seemed very practical, clear, and down to earth. I am naturally skeptical of Eastern-style meditation and mysticism (forgive my Bible-thumping heart), but this gave me solid ideas I can attempt to implement to improve my overall well-being. (As I write this, it is reminding me to be more conscious of my naturally shallow, frantic breathing.) I truly enjoyed reading Keyton's annotations in the book -- very cool to look at mindfulness through the eyes of a younger, kinder, gentler soul. Thanks, Keyton! Send some more my way!

[Elena L · Rating 5 out of 5]

A literal 10/10! I loved this self help book. It really had me take my time reading and actually doing all the practices. It’s fun. I honestly think everyone should have it. It’s amazing because I originally bought it because of a work competition we were having and now it’s one of my favorite self help books.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simpilized version of mindfulness. An okay book, but with so many books about mindfulness, I felt this one fell a bit short and didn't provide anything new and insightful

[daisy · Rating 2 out of 5]

i went to a lot of trouble finding the charger for this dumb ipad to rate this book.

[Eric Abels · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

[Newton Piccone]

I started this book and didn’t finish because I realized I already practice basic mindfulness everyday.

[Ibrahim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read or read through this book at least twice and trying to find time for a third reading. Mindfulness: A Practical Guide is pretty much what the title conveys, that is, a foundational read on the process and value of mindfulness. I had found the book especially useful during the COVID pandemic when isolation and depression began to hover over my life.

It is a good reference and resource to return to from time to time when one feels a need for re-grounding in one's life and affairs. I recommend this book, and recommend that one keeps is easily accessible because probably one will want to return to its pages from time to time.

[Alexa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is not my cup of tea. I went into it with the idea that I was going to get some tips on being a little more self aware and how to ease my anxieties, and though it does of offer a few tips, every chapter feels like it’s saying the exact same thing. The first few pages the content feels fresh because you just started reading, but then after everything begins to feel overly repetitive. There’s only so many ways you can say the same thing. Personally, I did not enjoy this book. It’s a quick and easy read, but it does feel like it drags on.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

MindfulnessMindfulness (My edition looks different-- a white cover with an eye) is an introduction to the practice of mindfulness. I felt disappointed that it was so repetitive and simplistic. I was hoping for richer content.

[Arti · Rating 2 out of 5]

With the hype around mindfulness, I decided to explore the subject and see how I could bring it into my life and reap the claimed benefits... I found this practical guide on kindle as part of the amazon prime membership and decided to start with it...

The book is easy to read and follow - but I guess I am not yet a convert and so cannot say with an authority whether it works or not... all I can say is that the book failed to inspire me to start practising - that could just be my own fault and no fault of the book though...

I found the idea of multiple practices - some formal (such as mindfulness of body, senses, thoughts, emotions, movement etc.), some informal like mindful activities etc. - to be overwhelming for a beginner and i think that the ages old standard meditation technique of following the breath is the best way to start and the book just adds too many dimensions... It is true that one could argue that it gives us an option to pick what works best at any time, but I found the range of options to be intimidating making it difficult to determine what to focus on or how to practice every day...

Mindfulness as a concept appeals to me - I am (and have been for a while) a believer and practitioner of living in the moment and have been trying hard to slow down and enjoy the journey... I don’t follow any structured or prescribed practices... but a sincere desire, constant monitoring, and some discipline has helped me to make progress... for me it has not been about using the body to control the mind but simply a process of identifying little things that bring happiness and then focusing on cherishing little things every day... it reminds me of the good that is happening every day and helps me to stay in the moment and stop chasing happiness in the future... and as I have started looking at things differently, it has helped me to be more in control of my thoughts and emotions and not get carried away in the moment..

But what fascinates me (and probably the reason why I struggle to fully adopt mindfulness) is that we all spend so much of effort in creating or breaking habits - even apply neuroscience research in the process - habits that allow us to respond without cognitive function - because it helps us to free up the brain for more involved tasks but even more so as it helps us to gain that split second edge needed for higher effectiveness or excellence... and now when we start exploring mindfulness, we are trying to do the opposite - get out of auto pilot mode and be more in control of thoughts and emotions and not react through habitual responses... it will be interesting to see where the balance lies...

My search continues and for now I hope to include breath based meditation techniques into my routine and maybe it will help to accelerate my own journey on this path - but only time will tell...

[Shaunaly Higgins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes you just have to remind yourself to get back to your Self especially in this whirlwind we call life. Personally, I do try to practice mindfulness every day but the human condition isn't so straight forward especially during those times when life becomes a bit more challenging and you find yourself seemingly veering off your chosen path of conscious living. This book is nicely ordered and offers steps that will allow the reader to return to appreciate moment-to-moment living while focusing your full attention on your present experience. The practice of mindfulness has roots dating back thousands of years in Eastern spiritual traditions so there has to be something said about that in and of itself. One of my favorite things to constantly ask myself is "are you truly living your life or is your life living you?" Life goes in the blink of an eye and good or bad, I sure don't want to miss a moment of it.

I would definitely recommend this valuable book also, for the simple fact that you can write in it! I love when I can write, scribble, highlight and make personal notes to reflect back upon :)

"DON'T JUST DO SOMETHING, SIT THERE"

[Ken Bour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tessa has written a straightforward and detailed explanation of mindfulness meditation devoid of the mystical elements found in guides emanating from Buddhist traditions. Even her explanation of "loving kindness" derives from treating oneself this way first which then makes it more likely that such behavior will extend to others. I wasn't too keen on her extended ideas about meditating for the happiness and wellness of all other sentient creatures, but I suppose she just couldn't resist a shout-out to Eastern mysticism. Incanting silent "prayers" for those we don't know doesn't seem very purposeful or, for that matter mindful. If it indeed works, via some special magic in the cosmos, there are plenty of monks in Tibet handling that function for the rest of us...

I practiced meditation in my college years and recently renewed my interest in this topic. This beginner's guide, replete with "Try It Now" examples, was ideal for my present situation.

[jeanmarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Direct, not too ‘out there’ and with just enough information plus a bit more.

This is a concise book that you can move through somewhat quickly to jump start your practice. She has space for exercises and reflections.

I read this and ‘everywhere you go, there you are’ simultaneously. This book felt like the intro level abridged version and I enjoyed that. I can see myself revisiting this book in 6 months and learning more to deepen my practice.

Is this for you? If you want something that feels grounded, gives you instruction on what to do, and helps you see how to grow your practice over time, yes. If you want a lot of details, stories, a spiritual side, a clear refutation of spiritual-ness (a la 10% happier), a workbook, something that will take time to move through or an in-depth ‘advanced’ level treatment, no.

I liked it and will definitely revisit the material here once I get a bit more experience. Enjoy!

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book indeed lives up to its subtitle of "a practical guide." It gives you concrete exercises to help build mindfulness and encourages you to take notes on what you are thinking as you read the book. I have been curious about mindfulness for a few years and have finally started to put the practices into my routine.

One of the best things about this book is also one of the worst things: it iterates the same message over and over again. There are only so many ways to describe being in the present moment and taking each breath as it comes. The author certainly gets the message of mindfulness across, but so much so that it almost becomes repetitive. Regardless of my small compliant, this is a good book with short bite-size chapters, so it's easy to space the reading out over time while you begin doing the practices.

[Lydia Plum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been well into my journey of meditation for several years when I found this book on Amazon. Though it's very similar to meditation, everyday mindfulness is definitely a newer topic for me. So I thought I'd give this a read to get a more well-rounded grasp on it.

The book was quick and easy to read and super straight forward, which I'm sure would be appreciated by those who are new to this kind of thing. It's definitely practical, allowing readers to make mindfulness their own and pulling them away from possibly intimidating practices we often find with meditation guides.

I feel like the layout was a bit too simple and I would've appreciated a bit more depth in the writing, and the low-quality images ("Try it now!") were super cheesy. Apart from those, I definitely enjoyed the book and I think it would be a great start for beginners!

[Keyton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mindfulness by Tess Watt tells you what it is not about. It's not about have an outer-body experience in a spiritual realm to experience true genuine happiness. But instead learning that genuine happiness is found within your own body. Realizing that the devil is your ego, and God is not much more than a high consciousness. And the only way to find genuine happiness is to destroy your ego, and learn to live in the moment. To actually know what you are doing, versus living your life on auto-pilot. The concept of mindfulness is simple: you focus your attention on your present experience. Next time you pick anything up, see if you ca actually feel the weight of this object, and maybe even feel the texture.

[Sheryl Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a gift from a very dear friend. I didn't know much about the practice of Mindfulness and found the book very interesting. Just like the title reads, Mindfulness: A Practical Guide, the book does just that. It guides the reader through the Mindfulness process. It explains the different techniques, tells how to practice them, gives the reader space to journal their thoughts about their experience, and inserts testimony from people who have practiced the different exercises and their take-away from it.

I came away having learned something new and will use some of what I learned throughout each day.

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

READ OCT 2017

This is a good overview of meditation practices, especially for those who may find the practice suspicious. Best quotes: "Words can only point in the vague general direction--you have to experience it in your one body and being" (p. 149); "We can't hold anything still...a new 'now' will come along to take it's place. Sometimes the now is difficult and challenging, sometimes surprising and magical...be at ease with now, whatever 'it may bring'" (p. 153).

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, but not very detailed. The basic gist is, in order to be mindful, practice mindfulness. Ok, thanks. There are some good exercises in here for application, but I would have preferred a little more insight into the clarity of thought and approaches to mindfulness.

She was careful not to choose a methodology, which I feel worked against her in the long run. As a beginner's guide, something lightweight to get you started, I feel this works just fine.

[Anilou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toes in the Water

I have been aware of mindfulness since the Zins' writings fascinated and inspired me decades ago. With time, more recent events obscure earlier memories.
This book was a breath of fresh air. This, my re-introduction to a life fully savored in the here and now, is an incredible beginning for me.
Not all resolutions commence on January 1. Thank you, Tessa Watt.

[Diah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book, much like the title, is very practical and short. Since I am already familiar with meditation, it was very easy to follow the instructions inside. If you're not a meditate-person, try this book. Also, I suggest to keep reading it maybe a few days in between the practice. Overall a useful book.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, simple introduction to mindfulness! A little confusing at times -- like, the writer keeps talking about a "space" you create during mindfulness, but she never really explains what this space is or how it's created. Other than the elusive "space," this book is pretty good at explaining mindfulness terms and practices.

[Fredy Cifuentes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introduction to meditation

If you want a good introduction to the meditation practice, this is your book
Very short, precise and easy to read, with a lot of exercises and practices
The author know the subject very well and her advise and recommendations are priceless
Good book for beginners
If you are advance, this is not your book !

[bumbu · Rating 2 out of 5]

A big collection of “mindfulness” practices.
Unfortunately it only gives you instructions on what to do, and a bit of why.
But it doesn’t teach you how far should you take it, what are the goals of each practice, how to know you’re doing it right.
Also it only focuses on individual and basic practices, community practices are missing. As well as wisdom cultivation practices.

[Lover's · Rating 5 out of 5]

Practical and easy to digest

It explained ideas about mindfulness, provided easy to implement exercises and, is written with conversational tone that allowed me to comfortably enjoy its message.

[Bruce Ciotta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of practice makes this a practical introduction to a topic I knew little about. It's dryly written by bit too bad. Opened up the subject for me to do more investigation and give it more thought.

[Jon Reese · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for beginners!

If you have experience with meditation however, the concepts might seem super basic. You might find yourself already in the state of being mindful habitually without realizing it.

[Jenny Marie Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learned a lot of great tools to practice throughout l ife. Read it for.yourself. What could.it hurt?

Learned a lot of great mindfulness meditations. They are great to practice its so easy and calming. Eating food is better. Try for yourself! You wi l
See