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The Doctor Who Sat for a Year
As a psychiatrist, Brendan Kelly is used to extoling the benefits of a daily meditation practice, but following his own advice is a different story. Finding the time to sit quietly every day isn’t easy when you’re already trying to juggle a stressful job, a busy family life, a cinema addiction, a cake habit and low-level feelings of guilt over an unused gym membership. But this is the year he is going to do it. Can he improve his life by meditating for 15 minutes every day? Will it improve his relationships with his family and patients? And will he ever be more Zen than Trixie the cat? The Doctor Who Sat for a Year is a funny, thoughtful and inspiring book about embracing both meditation and our imperfections. ‘An excellent introduction to the path of meditation … The author describes both how difficult meditation can be in the face of daily distractions and, ultimately, how easy it becomes when simple choices are put in place.’ Michael Harding
Audio CD
Published October 27, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
August 22, 2020
I was really looking forward to this book, hoping to read an insightful journey into meditation, but was sorely disappointed. The book is well written and funny and told with Brendans singular wit, but misses the mark as far as an examination into a meditation practice. It feels like the author is continually striving for something, unbeknown to himself, which he even confesses towards the end.
This is not an insightful examination of the impact of meditation on a person's life, instead it leaves you feeling like it was a missed opportunity in examintauon of meditation practice from the point of view of a mental health professional.
Instead I learned a lot about Brendan, his weaknesses for burgers and cake, in equal measure, a lot about his rather zen cat and how he is an early riser. Also that he never really understood what he was trying to do with his meditation experiment, something he often refers to as unsatisfactory. There was the odd insight into his work and some brilliant observations on phsyciatry and mental health but this is not a contemplative journal of someone on a journey using the power of meditation to look inside and better understand himself. No this is a journal of a doctor who happened to do meditation. Our doctor has a great deal of difficulty with his practice and I feel messed an opportunity here where he could have talked with colleagues in the psychology world and maybe examined frameworks that rely on meditation such as Act or compassion focused therapy. Instead he doggedly performs his daily sit and that is as about as much as we get.
The best bit in the book is the hints and tips section on practicing meditation, which are insightful and useful, however I am not sure if these were findings that the author arrived at himself during his journey or as things he has read about.
This is not an insightful examination of the impact of meditation on a person's life, instead it leaves you feeling like it was a missed opportunity in examintauon of meditation practice from the point of view of a mental health professional.
Instead I learned a lot about Brendan, his weaknesses for burgers and cake, in equal measure, a lot about his rather zen cat and how he is an early riser. Also that he never really understood what he was trying to do with his meditation experiment, something he often refers to as unsatisfactory. There was the odd insight into his work and some brilliant observations on phsyciatry and mental health but this is not a contemplative journal of someone on a journey using the power of meditation to look inside and better understand himself. No this is a journal of a doctor who happened to do meditation. Our doctor has a great deal of difficulty with his practice and I feel messed an opportunity here where he could have talked with colleagues in the psychology world and maybe examined frameworks that rely on meditation such as Act or compassion focused therapy. Instead he doggedly performs his daily sit and that is as about as much as we get.
The best bit in the book is the hints and tips section on practicing meditation, which are insightful and useful, however I am not sure if these were findings that the author arrived at himself during his journey or as things he has read about.
April 21, 2019
A quirky account of the rewards and challenges of establishing a daily meditation practice. Written by psychiatrist, Dr. Brendan Kelly, this is a clever blend of science and ancient eastern wisdom. "Physician heal thyself," is the phrase that kept going through my mind as I read it. Not that this doctor needed healing from any medical or psychological disease but this book illustrated how we all strive to be at ease in the world, even without illness and the obstacles we meet and even create, when trying to achieve this.
An enjoyable and accessible read for anyone interested in incorporating meditation into their daily routine or, indeed, for those who cannot understand why anyone would want to do this.
Full of insightful reflections on Buddhist philosophy, honest accounts of less than perfect "sitting" and "meditating," it was interesting to read that even this highly productive, busy and effective man, (I found I had to NOT allow myself to read his biog, every time I picked up the book, lest I was flooded with feelings of inadequacy), has days when he thinks he should be doing more, performing better and longed for the serenity of Trixie, his cat.
As one who has repeatedly started-and quit-daily meditation, I was inspired to start once again and am happy to say that for now, it is what it is and I am happy with that.
An enjoyable and accessible read for anyone interested in incorporating meditation into their daily routine or, indeed, for those who cannot understand why anyone would want to do this.
Full of insightful reflections on Buddhist philosophy, honest accounts of less than perfect "sitting" and "meditating," it was interesting to read that even this highly productive, busy and effective man, (I found I had to NOT allow myself to read his biog, every time I picked up the book, lest I was flooded with feelings of inadequacy), has days when he thinks he should be doing more, performing better and longed for the serenity of Trixie, his cat.
As one who has repeatedly started-and quit-daily meditation, I was inspired to start once again and am happy to say that for now, it is what it is and I am happy with that.
August 18, 2019
**listened via audible**
This book started off well and I was really enjoying it. I found incredibly informative and interesting as it’s a subject I want to build my knowledge on. However as the book went on it got more repetitive and less informative.
Plus I got fed up about hearing about his flipping cat!!!
This book started off well and I was really enjoying it. I found incredibly informative and interesting as it’s a subject I want to build my knowledge on. However as the book went on it got more repetitive and less informative.
Plus I got fed up about hearing about his flipping cat!!!
July 21, 2021
Got a third of the way in and had to call it quits. I didn’t really care enough to press on and find out whether he did in fact, reach enlightenment following a year-long commitment to daily meditation. Kelly writes about his cat that seems to have mastered mindfulness and touches on how these quiet observations have taught him a lot. You and me both pal. Trixie was the MVP here.
I’m going to stick to my Smiling Mind app for any and all mindfulness practices. Anyway, I’ve just created a new shelf: Abandoned 🙂 2/5
I’m going to stick to my Smiling Mind app for any and all mindfulness practices. Anyway, I’ve just created a new shelf: Abandoned 🙂 2/5
July 23, 2019
Funny that I should have read this book in a constantly distracted state - commuting on public transport, while my phone is going off, getting deliveries of appliances, with the TV on in the background, thinking of what to write on this review. It made me very aware of my own inability to focus these days.
The Doctor Who Sat for a Year follows Dr Brendan Kelly’s efforts to meditate for 15 minutes every day for a year. As a psychologist, he has an especially interesting take on the topic. While much of the stuff published on meditation and mindfulness these days is divorced from the Buddhist roots of the practice, Dr Kelly embraces them. Each month is dedicated to a different aspect of Buddhism - first the four noble truths and then the noble eight-fold path to enlightenment.
This is a journal and it reads as such. It can be repetitive - he often revisits the same topics such as books, films, the cat, and worrying about the usefulness of the practice and whether he is doing it well enough / deeply enough for it to count. It is self-reflective, often times not very deep, but (almost) always entertaining.
If you're only a few months in and wondering if it gets better, it does. From July/August the entries become longer and more detailed as Dr Kelly starts getting into the history and mechanics of Buddhism. Some months also have fascinating discussions on topics such as the benefits of meditation on mental health, the use of self-immolation as a tool for protest etc.
4/5 would recommend.
The Doctor Who Sat for a Year follows Dr Brendan Kelly’s efforts to meditate for 15 minutes every day for a year. As a psychologist, he has an especially interesting take on the topic. While much of the stuff published on meditation and mindfulness these days is divorced from the Buddhist roots of the practice, Dr Kelly embraces them. Each month is dedicated to a different aspect of Buddhism - first the four noble truths and then the noble eight-fold path to enlightenment.
This is a journal and it reads as such. It can be repetitive - he often revisits the same topics such as books, films, the cat, and worrying about the usefulness of the practice and whether he is doing it well enough / deeply enough for it to count. It is self-reflective, often times not very deep, but (almost) always entertaining.
If you're only a few months in and wondering if it gets better, it does. From July/August the entries become longer and more detailed as Dr Kelly starts getting into the history and mechanics of Buddhism. Some months also have fascinating discussions on topics such as the benefits of meditation on mental health, the use of self-immolation as a tool for protest etc.
4/5 would recommend.
August 26, 2019
Boring. I gave up by March 6th...
June 9, 2020
Couldn't get into it, maybe because it wasn't what I was expecting it to be.
September 29, 2020
I’m glad the author decided to not put mediation in the title.
The book was well written enough, hence the 3 stars.
There was a LOT of writing about his work life and people’s mental health issues, which I was not expecting.
I was expecting more about the meditation experience in itself. But I do agree with the author, in one of his entries, when he states that he was it meditating well. He sounded like someone suffering with ADHD to me, as there is not one time in the entire book in which he wasn’t constantly distracted during his attempt to meditate.
It also did not impact much of his life which is not surprising, as he just couldn’t do it.
I’m amazed that he continued to try it for as long as he did.
It’s a good enough read. I think it can be very relatable to people who are starting to meditate now or that struggle to let go of their intrusive thoughts.
The book was well written enough, hence the 3 stars.
There was a LOT of writing about his work life and people’s mental health issues, which I was not expecting.
I was expecting more about the meditation experience in itself. But I do agree with the author, in one of his entries, when he states that he was it meditating well. He sounded like someone suffering with ADHD to me, as there is not one time in the entire book in which he wasn’t constantly distracted during his attempt to meditate.
It also did not impact much of his life which is not surprising, as he just couldn’t do it.
I’m amazed that he continued to try it for as long as he did.
It’s a good enough read. I think it can be very relatable to people who are starting to meditate now or that struggle to let go of their intrusive thoughts.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2022
I liked this book. It’s not exciting or fascinating. It is basically a diary/journal and therefore a reflection of a busy life and attempts to meditate. There are reflections on Buddhism and different ways to meditate, funny observations and a clearly loved cat. I listened to it on audible and it corrected misconceptions about meditation and gave me new ideas to think about. It’s not an in depth manual on how to meditate as some reviewers were expecting but it does give you ways to start, how to motivate yourself without pressurising yourself and an understanding of what meditation can do in a light interesting way. Worth a read.
April 7, 2024
This book was by an eminent Irish psychiatrist, who tried to journal his attempt to meditate daily for one year. I always like reading diaries, I would have liked this more if it felt less filtered. He clearly left out large chunks of his life - his family (fair enough), any gripes, failures. I still liked reading about his travels, his cat, his book group of all psychiatrists who read novels seemingly written by those with mental illness, and the interspersed quotes by Freud and others. His short entries were the best.
July 17, 2024
Despite a whole year of daily meditations, Brendad doesn't seem to grasp any real benefit. The whole diary feels like he's beating himself up with unfulfilled expectations.
This book is witty, humble, and insightful, delving into psychology, Buddhism, travel, and lots of other aspects of Brendan's life.
The last section was an instructive account of how to meditate. I feel this could have been woven inbetween the diary entries in order to break things up and introduce more useful elements earlier on rather than at the very end.
This book is witty, humble, and insightful, delving into psychology, Buddhism, travel, and lots of other aspects of Brendan's life.
The last section was an instructive account of how to meditate. I feel this could have been woven inbetween the diary entries in order to break things up and introduce more useful elements earlier on rather than at the very end.
March 30, 2021
Initially this book irritated me a little. However, as time went on I very much looked forward to hearing more. He is funny as well as discoursing on other topics. I wish he had a bibliography of the books he read though. I read this as an audiobook and wasn’t inclined to stop the car to write them down. They sounded interesting, in the most part. I think the general view is that it is a 3 and a half book. They are almost certainly correct but I’m having a generous day.
August 18, 2022
Listened to the audiobook of this.
3.8/5.
I found it very insightful with some comic relief . It resonated with me a lot as I aim to practise more on meditating and I like that we see through the faults , difficulties and doubts of the narrator just like everyone else experiences when they embark on cultivating self-improving habits like meditation.
“You don’t have to be perfect at meditation, aim of it is to practise and improve “
3.8/5.
I found it very insightful with some comic relief . It resonated with me a lot as I aim to practise more on meditating and I like that we see through the faults , difficulties and doubts of the narrator just like everyone else experiences when they embark on cultivating self-improving habits like meditation.
“You don’t have to be perfect at meditation, aim of it is to practise and improve “
October 16, 2022
Interesting audio book on borrowbox app. I was expecting and would have loved more experiences in meditation retreats. I am inspired to meditate daily now, I think I will do gratitude mediations and meditations for weight loss. I’m not particularly interested in Buddhism but love Sufism Islam. I would encourage the author to look into Sufism Islam and our 5 daily prayers which are also a mediation. Thank you.
January 22, 2023
A journal of meditation by a doctor who took meditation on as a quest, aim or challenge to see whether he could fit it in every day of the week for a year. Not very exciting writing to be fair, as he talks about his life, experiences, work, family, and usually how poorly the meditation is going compared to his expectations. I liked the focus on every month being specific and linked to the Buddhist principles. Not so keen on making meditating something more than it is, or hoping for it at least.
November 24, 2022
3.5 ⭐️
I strongly related to the Doc’s struggles with meditating. I enjoyed learning about Buddhism and similarities with the 8 limbs of yoga darshana.
At times I found the content repetitive, though I guess this is a metaphor for meditation- ceaseless intrusive thoughts jammed on repeat in your head
I strongly related to the Doc’s struggles with meditating. I enjoyed learning about Buddhism and similarities with the 8 limbs of yoga darshana.
At times I found the content repetitive, though I guess this is a metaphor for meditation- ceaseless intrusive thoughts jammed on repeat in your head
June 23, 2024
I listened to this, initially at bedtime and the lovely Irish lilt sent me straight off to sleep. Found the writer’s journal of books, films and places he’d visited interesting and jotted down a few. I had rather hoped that he would explore different types of meditation and what worked or didn’t work.
April 4, 2020
Quite an easy read. A good insight and introduction into Buddhism and meditation, told in lighthearted, journal form. At times I found it somewhat repetitive, and as though the author was trying to fill the pages. Enjoyed it overall.
February 12, 2025
"The Doctor Who Sat for a Year" is written by a psychiatrist who attempted to meditate every day for a year. In his humorous account, he explains both what he achieved and what he didn't. If you're new to meditation, you might learn something valuable.
September 29, 2019
Enjoyed it until around July. Was expecting it to be focusing on meditation but it was mostly on the doctor's life , his job, his hobbies and got tired reading quotes from Budda.
November 6, 2019
Not for me
February 7, 2020
Not bad. Good in places
January 9, 2022
2.5, a bit too much of a list for me, but this is just my personal preference
August 4, 2023
Very mediocre, only kept going because I hate to leave a book unfinished. I have learned next to nothing.
January 30, 2024
Interesting
January 8, 2021
I chose this to listen to as I fall asleep. Too many books are too exciting to listen to at bedtime and keep me awake. This lulled me to sleep every night. I am interested in meditation and wanted to see what the effect of meditating every day would be. This was actually a little disappointing as the good doctor did not seem to get a great deal of benefit from meditating every day other than better concentration. I think I was expecting more benefits. Unless you are very interested in meditation I would suggest this is not the book for you
March 7, 2020
I was disappointed with this book. I was really hoping to have something insightful and how meditation has made a massive change to his life. Instead I got a ton of diary entries where he felt like he failed at meditating. On a highlight, I now know more about Buddhism than I did before - not something I expected to read a lot about in this book.
April 3, 2021
I have quite mixed feelings about this book. It was amazing to find out about the author's self-imposed challenge of meditating every day for a year. He was really inteligent and he focused each month on one aspect of the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, the fundamentals of Buddhism. He also has a masters in Buddhist Studies, so has a reasonable understanding of these. He didn't discuss them in depth though to be honest, and he often reflected that he was journalling more about films and his cat. Not that I minded, as I enjoyed these more personal aspects of his life. I would have liked to hear more about his patients (he is a consultant psychiatrist), and more about his meditation journey to be honest.
It's inspired me to set myself the same challenge, and I hope I get more out of it than he did, as he often said he didn't feel any better for it. I would have liked to have dug deeper into his experiences, but overall, a good, light read.
It's inspired me to set myself the same challenge, and I hope I get more out of it than he did, as he often said he didn't feel any better for it. I would have liked to have dug deeper into his experiences, but overall, a good, light read.
September 12, 2019
Couldn’t finish this. Got 1/3 (April) of the way through and just got a bit tired of hearing movies reviews and conversation about his work life. I was hoping for more about meditation from a doctor’s perspective, its impact on his work and life, but it lacked that depth. I found his cat more interesting.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews