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Ten to Zen: Ten Minutes a Day to a Calmer, Happier You
This all-levels meditation guide presents a simple 10-minute practice to reduce anxiety and promote well-being. Drawing on his 20 years as a clinical therapist, author Owen O'Kane offers a unique combination of therapeutic and mindfulness techniques for managing stress, improving mental clarity, and putting an end to unhelpful thought patterns. With step-by-step instructions for each minute of the practice and easy-to-follow exercises for developing a daily meditation routine, Ten to Zen is an empowering handbook for finding peace, clarity, and joy—anytime and anywhere. All it takes is 10 minutes.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 8, 2019
194 people are currently reading
740 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
February 19, 2020
The Mental Shield
There are situations in life that require struggle that can occur in the form of unpleasant confrontations. We lose control and surrender to a cyclic, demonic and sterile mental monologue. We internalize Hell, which has harmful consequences for our mental and physical health.
Ten to Zen proposes to equip us with a tool capable of providing us with some guidance whenever life reserves troubled challenges -- The Mental Shield
For 10 minutes daily, it’s worth trying 👍
There are situations in life that require struggle that can occur in the form of unpleasant confrontations. We lose control and surrender to a cyclic, demonic and sterile mental monologue. We internalize Hell, which has harmful consequences for our mental and physical health.
Ten to Zen proposes to equip us with a tool capable of providing us with some guidance whenever life reserves troubled challenges -- The Mental Shield
For 10 minutes daily, it’s worth trying 👍
February 21, 2020
A Capa Mental
Há situações na vida que requerem luta que pode ocorrer na forma de confrontos desagradáveis. Descontrolamo-nos e entregamo-nos a um monólogo mental cíclico, demoníaco e estéril. Interiorizamos o Inferno, o que acarreta consequências perniciosas para a nossa saúde mental e física.
“Por vezes as nossas mentes operam como um grupo obcecado de trapezistas saltando de preocupação em preocupação, a um ritmo que perturbaria a maior parte dos atletas olímpicos.”, se eufemizarmos a agonia mental com uma pitada de humor! ... 😉
“Dez Minutos para o Zen” propõe-se apetrechar-nos com uma ferramenta capaz de nos proporcionar alguma orientação sempre que a vida nos reserva desafios conturbados — A Capa Mental
“Este livro pretende ajudá-lo a viver com mais calma, mais paz e, por fim, com maior capacidade de adaptação.”
Por 10 minutos diários, vale a pena tentar 😉👍
Há situações na vida que requerem luta que pode ocorrer na forma de confrontos desagradáveis. Descontrolamo-nos e entregamo-nos a um monólogo mental cíclico, demoníaco e estéril. Interiorizamos o Inferno, o que acarreta consequências perniciosas para a nossa saúde mental e física.
“Por vezes as nossas mentes operam como um grupo obcecado de trapezistas saltando de preocupação em preocupação, a um ritmo que perturbaria a maior parte dos atletas olímpicos.”, se eufemizarmos a agonia mental com uma pitada de humor! ... 😉
“Dez Minutos para o Zen” propõe-se apetrechar-nos com uma ferramenta capaz de nos proporcionar alguma orientação sempre que a vida nos reserva desafios conturbados — A Capa Mental
“Este livro pretende ajudá-lo a viver com mais calma, mais paz e, por fim, com maior capacidade de adaptação.”
Por 10 minutos diários, vale a pena tentar 😉👍
November 10, 2018
(Received from the publisher via NetGalley)
In case you hadn't noticed, mental health and mindfulness are big topics right now, and it's very easy to find plenty of writing telling us why we should be focusing on our mental wellness, talking about our problems, taking time for the things that really matter, and all the rest of it. What's lagging behind is information on the practicalities of changing our lives: yes, it's all very well saying we need to worry less and look after ourselves more, but given that the vast majority of us live in a world that's falling apart under authoritarian late-stage capitalism and our survival means we fundamentally don't have control over how we spend our time and energy, the actual realities of that can be quite different.
That's where Ten to Zen, by Owen O'Kane differs from other things we've seen on the topic: where other books are introductions to subject matter, this is very specifically a manual on how to integrate a particular ten minute "mental exercise routine" into your life. In doing so, O'Kane introduces a lot of tools and concepts I've been familiar with from elsewhere, as well as some (like EDMR and "tapping") that I'm not. Taking the rationale that, no matter how busy we are, most of us can probably squeeze in a ten minute activity somewhere in our ridiculous schedules, O'Kane offers a minute by minute breakdown of how we can calm down, centre ourselves and give our minds the workout needed to just work a bit better for us. He does so by bringing in lessons from his own life and work, including counselling for the terminally ill, which gives everything a touch of "focus on what really matters".
O'Kane brings quite a specific tone to the writing in this book that's probably best characterised as "friendly old schoolteacher". It's a tone that probably won't work for some people - it does, frankly, come across as a bit condescending at times - but it does mean that Ten to Zen is very accessibly written and would serve as a good introduction to the subject it tackles. If you've read other books on the techniques contained here, Ten to Zen is probably only going to be of interest if you are interested in that "how" question and in giving the specific ten-minute routine a go. I have to admit that so far I haven't actually tried it out, although I have taken on some of the things I didn't know much about and incorporated that into my "toolkit" of anti-anxiety stuff.
Of course, the concept isn't perfect. There is something fundamentally broken about the idea that we need to justify spending ten minutes watching the clouds and not thinking about our e-mails through its own "productivity" lens. But that's not O'Kane's fault, and I think the gap that Ten to Zen addresses is an important one to fill. This is a short read and, if the concept appeals, one that I can definitely recommend as delivering exactly what it promises.
In case you hadn't noticed, mental health and mindfulness are big topics right now, and it's very easy to find plenty of writing telling us why we should be focusing on our mental wellness, talking about our problems, taking time for the things that really matter, and all the rest of it. What's lagging behind is information on the practicalities of changing our lives: yes, it's all very well saying we need to worry less and look after ourselves more, but given that the vast majority of us live in a world that's falling apart under authoritarian late-stage capitalism and our survival means we fundamentally don't have control over how we spend our time and energy, the actual realities of that can be quite different.
That's where Ten to Zen, by Owen O'Kane differs from other things we've seen on the topic: where other books are introductions to subject matter, this is very specifically a manual on how to integrate a particular ten minute "mental exercise routine" into your life. In doing so, O'Kane introduces a lot of tools and concepts I've been familiar with from elsewhere, as well as some (like EDMR and "tapping") that I'm not. Taking the rationale that, no matter how busy we are, most of us can probably squeeze in a ten minute activity somewhere in our ridiculous schedules, O'Kane offers a minute by minute breakdown of how we can calm down, centre ourselves and give our minds the workout needed to just work a bit better for us. He does so by bringing in lessons from his own life and work, including counselling for the terminally ill, which gives everything a touch of "focus on what really matters".
O'Kane brings quite a specific tone to the writing in this book that's probably best characterised as "friendly old schoolteacher". It's a tone that probably won't work for some people - it does, frankly, come across as a bit condescending at times - but it does mean that Ten to Zen is very accessibly written and would serve as a good introduction to the subject it tackles. If you've read other books on the techniques contained here, Ten to Zen is probably only going to be of interest if you are interested in that "how" question and in giving the specific ten-minute routine a go. I have to admit that so far I haven't actually tried it out, although I have taken on some of the things I didn't know much about and incorporated that into my "toolkit" of anti-anxiety stuff.
Of course, the concept isn't perfect. There is something fundamentally broken about the idea that we need to justify spending ten minutes watching the clouds and not thinking about our e-mails through its own "productivity" lens. But that's not O'Kane's fault, and I think the gap that Ten to Zen addresses is an important one to fill. This is a short read and, if the concept appeals, one that I can definitely recommend as delivering exactly what it promises.
January 31, 2019
Unfortunately I did not really enjoy reading this book, as it was more basic than I anticipated. I felt like the book was too long, but somehow lacked substance. What I liked about the book was the author's personal struggle, and lessons from the terminally ill. I wish the book covered this in more dept. I suppose this is a good book if you are completely new to the topic, and are starting to take steps to live a more mindful, self-compassionate, and authentic life.
I was worried about the section where the author encourages you to accept others as they and basically rationalise their behaviours. For instance, the boss who never give praise as they believed that it made them look weak due to their upbringing. I appreciate the concept that don't have control over other people, and that trying to change other people causes grief. However, if you are an empath, have poor boundaries, or tend to rationalise other peoples' bad behaviours, acceptance of problematic behaviours could be harmful. I don't feel like this was adequately addressed in the book.
I was worried about the section where the author encourages you to accept others as they and basically rationalise their behaviours. For instance, the boss who never give praise as they believed that it made them look weak due to their upbringing. I appreciate the concept that don't have control over other people, and that trying to change other people causes grief. However, if you are an empath, have poor boundaries, or tend to rationalise other peoples' bad behaviours, acceptance of problematic behaviours could be harmful. I don't feel like this was adequately addressed in the book.
February 12, 2019
I really enjoyed this book.
I thought it was straight to the point, with techniques that are simple to use and that actually work. It had a very personal feel to it and I appreciated the author's honesty about his own experience. I have recommended it to a lot of my friends who have found it as accessible and down-to-earth as I have. A lot of self-help books promise results and have left me feeling overwhelmed by the amount of exercises. Ten to Zen was very well suited to me as it combines theory with practice and the balance was just about right for me. I listened to it on audio and I got to hear the author's own voice, which was a nice touch, as he comes across as empathic and warm as he does in the book.
I thought it was straight to the point, with techniques that are simple to use and that actually work. It had a very personal feel to it and I appreciated the author's honesty about his own experience. I have recommended it to a lot of my friends who have found it as accessible and down-to-earth as I have. A lot of self-help books promise results and have left me feeling overwhelmed by the amount of exercises. Ten to Zen was very well suited to me as it combines theory with practice and the balance was just about right for me. I listened to it on audio and I got to hear the author's own voice, which was a nice touch, as he comes across as empathic and warm as he does in the book.
February 14, 2019
I love this book! I loved its simplicity and the refreshing lack of jargon. It’s really helped me achieve a more positive approach to my mental health. It’s given me tools to approach things differently and really taught me about the benefits of focussing time on my mind as well as my body. Don’t be fooled with how easy this book is to put into practise! The author has a long and successful career in mental health and knows his stuff. If you’ve always been put off with books promising to change your life, give this one a try. You won’t be disappointed. I’ve been buying this book for so many people and they are all seeing the benefits. 5 STARS from me. I can’t wait for more from this author!
April 28, 2020
Una lettura semplice, dove vengono evidenziati i benefici del rilassamento mentale attraverso l'analisi delle proprie emozioni nel momento stesso in cui si presentano e la capacità ad accettarle e lasciarle andare, per ritrovare la serenità.
Secondo l'autore bastano 10 minuti al giorno per fare questo, seguendo una routine da lui stesso ideata al fine di usufruire in modo efficiente di tutti e 10 i minuti.
L'ho trovata una bella lettura, non specifica, con buoni spunti di riflessione.
Secondo l'autore bastano 10 minuti al giorno per fare questo, seguendo una routine da lui stesso ideata al fine di usufruire in modo efficiente di tutti e 10 i minuti.
L'ho trovata una bella lettura, non specifica, con buoni spunti di riflessione.
January 31, 2024
Dal titolo sembra uno di quei libri con le ricettine di vita (che non funzionano mai) scritte apposta per i creduloni.
Me lo ha però consigliato una psicologa e in effetti poi si scopre un metodo ben consolidato che guida e rendere “fattibile” prendersi cura della salute mentale.
Me lo ha però consigliato una psicologa e in effetti poi si scopre un metodo ben consolidato che guida e rendere “fattibile” prendersi cura della salute mentale.
August 31, 2019
a very useful book about anxiety and ways to cope with it that is easy to read and understand. please ignore repetitions at the very beginning. it gets better as you go!
September 12, 2023
O guia ideal para acalmar a ansiedade e as preocupações que vivemos no nosso dia-a-dia!
Com um treino de 10 minutos diários da nossa mente, o autor ensina-nos a parar, encontrar o nosso calmo, respirar, domar os nossos pensamentos, aproveitar (de forma consciente) e praticar a aceitação, compaixão e autenticidade, com o objectivo de tornar a nossa vida mais plena e tranquila.
Com um treino de 10 minutos diários da nossa mente, o autor ensina-nos a parar, encontrar o nosso calmo, respirar, domar os nossos pensamentos, aproveitar (de forma consciente) e praticar a aceitação, compaixão e autenticidade, com o objectivo de tornar a nossa vida mais plena e tranquila.
January 18, 2025
Excellent book to kick start your understanding of the spiritual world of meditation. This book caught my attention when I was in search of something to help me cope with my early state depression. It really helped minimize my depression. I have read it twice and recommend it to anyone who the learn the basics of breathing and to calm your mind.
May 6, 2020
This a fantastic book for those of dealing with anxiety and the stress of life. Basically a primer on meditation, it breaks down a ten minute meditation into minutes and what to focus on each minute, with emphasis on acceptance, compassion and authenticity.
September 19, 2021
Strong foundation, incisive structure, and nice blend of personal experience and theoretical justification. But really more about clarity and taking responsibility. Practical basis to put into action change that could make your life better.
January 23, 2019
Not even the title is original!
July 12, 2022
Non mi è piaciuto, il libro non aggiunge niente di nuovo, ed i capitoli sono spesso composti da introduzioni, fuffa e giri di parole senza però arrivare mai a conclusioni significative
December 12, 2022
molto semplice ma che fornisce preziosi appunti, soprattutto per chi non è mai stato in terapia o non ha mai avuto a che fare con la mindfulness
https://lamenteaffilata.blogspot.com/...
https://lamenteaffilata.blogspot.com/...
May 24, 2019
An easy read, inspiring.
Always nice to get tips on how to improve our lives, and to lead a better life.
Thank you to my boyfriend for offering me this book.
Always nice to get tips on how to improve our lives, and to lead a better life.
Thank you to my boyfriend for offering me this book.
February 28, 2019
I absolutely love this book and use the techniques on a daily basis. They are so brilliantly explained and clearly written which makes it possible to complete routinely.
I heard the author interviewed on 'The Michael Ball' Radio 2 show at the end of 2018 and was so impressed by his compassion and expertise across a number of different fields in healthcare, this really comes through in the book and adds a real foundation of authenticity. There are so many books out there of this nature, many of which I have delved into, but none of which I routinely use as much as 'Ten to Zen'.
A top notch guide! I have bought the book for family members which says it all, really!
I heard the author interviewed on 'The Michael Ball' Radio 2 show at the end of 2018 and was so impressed by his compassion and expertise across a number of different fields in healthcare, this really comes through in the book and adds a real foundation of authenticity. There are so many books out there of this nature, many of which I have delved into, but none of which I routinely use as much as 'Ten to Zen'.
A top notch guide! I have bought the book for family members which says it all, really!
February 5, 2022
This is an interesting system for mindfulness. However there are ten steps with some of the steps having more than one thing you need to do. Therefore learning the system is cumbersome. I found that I would be trying to do it all and kept stopping and thinking what's next?. I know with practice it would be possible to learn. But it still feels like there is too much going on at once. I find it far easier to just sit down and meditate for ten minutes and get the same relief. Rather than having to observe my thoughts in several current ways, picture myself somewhere nice, put on a calming cloak etc. Just sit down and observe your breath the gentle in and out of it. This is true Zen!
February 27, 2019
Worthwhile , practical and convenient . I found it most user - friendly ,functional ,useful and made it active as applied his pragmatic , viable and useful methods . A good lesson and examination of daily procedures of how to get on with every day life with all the stress we seem to have around us.
February 28, 2019
Excellent book, very practical with no jargon. The author has managed a very simple but effective way of using techniques that are easy to use and understand. This is an excellent read and a great tool to use in a busy and hectic lifestyle, as the title says ten minutes a day to a calmer, happier you.
February 24, 2022
This is a really good book via audio. Not sure about if reading it. I did find it complex to fit all these techniques in 10 mins but I chose the useful ones instead. Really helpful though.
Still same review. Enjoyed but more stressed about the minutes than just sitting there for 10 mins. Maybe that’s his secret agenda. Lol
Still same review. Enjoyed but more stressed about the minutes than just sitting there for 10 mins. Maybe that’s his secret agenda. Lol
August 20, 2020
I listened to this as an audiobook. It is narrated by the author whose voice is very soothing and is enjoyable to listen to. The actual concept/exercises themselves were interesting and helpful. But the book itself was quite repetitive and it felt like the author was trying to stretch it out a bit to make it longer. Still worth a read though.
January 5, 2019
O dear!!
I have got through 50% of the book and still not learnt Anything about the ten to Zen technique.
Maybe the author should have taken his own advice, the pertinent information in this book could have been written on 10 pages in 10 minutes!!
Sorry!
I have got through 50% of the book and still not learnt Anything about the ten to Zen technique.
Maybe the author should have taken his own advice, the pertinent information in this book could have been written on 10 pages in 10 minutes!!
Sorry!
January 30, 2019
Excellent, no bullshit, just common sense
Practical, time constrained exercise helping you toward becoming mindful and compassionate to your self. Will definitely give exercises a try.
Practical, time constrained exercise helping you toward becoming mindful and compassionate to your self. Will definitely give exercises a try.
February 7, 2019
I’ ve decided to read this book to decrease my anxiety level, my overthinking and to relax. It’s mainly about taking care of your mind through a daily technique to help you relax and calm down. Need to practice it daily to see the results.
February 12, 2019
This book has been a massive help since published end of December. It is my go to book in times of need and I’ve had no hesitation recommending it to my friends. It’s practical and clearly explained. Essential to reduce stress and anxiety
February 12, 2019
I really enjoyed reading this book. I was looking for ideas to reduce stress in my life and I found it very useful. It’s written in an easy accessible style and layout, giving various steps to becoming a calmer person. I highly recommend it.
February 12, 2019
I love how honest the author is about his own life. And that he’s an nhs professional who understands the science behind depression and anxiety. Really well written and easy to incorporate into my life...just 10 minutes a day. Perfect
February 27, 2019
An interesting, helpful read written by an experienced clinician with a common sense approach to the subject. There is lots of substance and insight throughout. I have found it very helpful. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews