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A B.R.A.V.E Year: 52 WEEKS BEING MINDFUL
Like the rest of the body, it’s good to exercise the mind. Daily exercise, and meditation, has been shown to increase health, by decreasing stress, which allows the body (and mind) to naturally release endorphins, relax and heighten awareness.
In this helpful book, Gabriel Constans leads through fifty-two gentle and encouraging sessions planned to reconnect the body and mind. It takes courage, bravery, to honestly witness what we discover, inside and out, without turning away or getting caught in the content. It is a brave act to allow oneself to be still, if even for a moment, to look at one’s present experience, face the world and grow stronger.
In this helpful book, Gabriel Constans leads through fifty-two gentle and encouraging sessions planned to reconnect the body and mind. It takes courage, bravery, to honestly witness what we discover, inside and out, without turning away or getting caught in the content. It is a brave act to allow oneself to be still, if even for a moment, to look at one’s present experience, face the world and grow stronger.
- GenresNonfictionHealth
210 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2022
9 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
April 18, 2023
I think this book should be made compulsory reading for the whole world and should get an international award! ‘A BRAVE Year: 52 Weeks Being Mindful’ by Gabriel Constans is a masterpiece and a must read for all those caught up in a frenzied and hectic existence. The meditation exercises mentioned in this book can really transform your life, your negative conditionings to life and your way of tackling stress. With compassion and the ease of an enlightened master, internationally well renowned writer Gabriel Constans takes the weary reader on a trip into themselves, a place where we rarely wish to go. We as a human race have travelled everywhere to gain peace little knowing that sometimes the greatest journeys do not need to be measured in miles but in inhalations and exhalations. The greatest peace will only be achieved by every traveler who takes an intentional road or rather ‘breath trip’ into their physical bodies, mind and soul. We keep on travelling aimlessly while on earth and then finally leave with troubled souls while leaving behind sick bodies, broken hearts, and too many unnecessary wrinkles all over our tired aged faces. Must it be this way? Gabriel Constans has the solution to this sad reality of the globalized citizen of the 21st century in the form of this tiny but precious book. Through something as simple as observing our breath, Constans imparts to the reader the science of being truly human sans all preconceived presumptions, prejudices, feelings of hurt, sorrow et al. The simple exercises taught here in this book took my breath away and I have never felt so spiritually enriched and at peace as I have felt after reading ‘A BRAVE Year: 52 Weeks Being Mindful’. I have been working on autopilot for a long time and this book refreshed my whole way of looking at myself and others. No lecturing, no statistics, and no complicated procedures are found in this beautiful book. The exercises mentioned are easy to read, follow, memorize and teach with the help of some of the most extraordinary mnemonics that makes a reader smile and wonder why they did not pick this book up before! I personally have been through a lot of stress for a long period of time ever since the pandemic and reading this brilliant book gave me a lot of peace. What I especially loved about this book is that it contained no rigmarole method towards mindfulness especially regarding where and how one can practice these exercises. I’ve been reading a lot of theological and spiritual books for the past three years, but none gave me that lasting peace and tranquility with myself as Constans’ book. You will find this book more spiritually nourishing in its simplicity and humble instructions than any other book you have ever read so far. This book is true spirituality and fantastic soul curry without all the banal lecturing. Instead, it is the reader who discovers himself or herself in the light of intentional self-reflection without judgement. Dump every soul curry book you’re reading currently and read Gabriel Constans book immediately! If you are grieving, depressed, feeling lost, feeling troubled at heart, feeling like a failure or simply feeling empty within, then this is the book for you. You don’t need to be spiritual or religious to pick up this book. It is a book meant for everyone under the sun. Those suffering from psychiatric ailments like OCD, clinical depression, paranoia and other psychological ailments will also find this book extremely helpful. Western readers will find this book as a timely boon while Eastern readers will reconnect with their ancient art of breathing which will make them slow down their pace towards fulfilling materialistic desires that bring no comfort. It is said that a tree is known by its fruit, and you will realize the positive impact this book will have on your life after you read the whole book, so don’t speed read through this gem! I implore you to read this treasure; do not miss the opportunity to change your life with every oxygen rich breath you take! I hope to get a hard copy of the book pronto so that I can carry it with me wherever I go. I thank the author for sharing this book with the readers of the world, reading this book meant a lot to me. This book is not just a simple how-to book, it is a great service to the world rendered by the compassion of this extraordinary author. Obviously, this book gets 5 stars from me! Well done!
April 12, 2018
Insightful Book from a Brilliant Author!
Such a great read, hands down! Mindfulness is a way of life. Meditation is a state that embellishes it with a rational sense.
Keeping our minds alert and active could do us wonders. This book avails a path to an encouraging awareness we may attain via several means. In them, the author explores readily available approaches in a very interesting clever sense.
The rich pages herein guide the reader to a broader horizon. At the end of the road, it becomes enlightenment in a rather constructive sense.
This valuable book creates a realm that’s abundant with positivity and humanity both in one. It is a self-induced journey that anyone could embark when he or she has the intention to do so. The reader would enjoy not only the fruits of the trip but also the entire expedition they have embarked.
Such an invaluable asset to any library! We can’t help but thank the author for making the efforts to write this easy to read, implement, enjoy and benefit from literature. Highly recommended!
Such a great read, hands down! Mindfulness is a way of life. Meditation is a state that embellishes it with a rational sense.
Keeping our minds alert and active could do us wonders. This book avails a path to an encouraging awareness we may attain via several means. In them, the author explores readily available approaches in a very interesting clever sense.
The rich pages herein guide the reader to a broader horizon. At the end of the road, it becomes enlightenment in a rather constructive sense.
This valuable book creates a realm that’s abundant with positivity and humanity both in one. It is a self-induced journey that anyone could embark when he or she has the intention to do so. The reader would enjoy not only the fruits of the trip but also the entire expedition they have embarked.
Such an invaluable asset to any library! We can’t help but thank the author for making the efforts to write this easy to read, implement, enjoy and benefit from literature. Highly recommended!
March 14, 2018
I was curious and brave enough to purchase and explore A BRAVE Year: 52 Weeks Being Mindful by Gabriel Constans PhD in a rather challenging time for me. It was like someone pointed a finger and told me to slow down with doing my two part-time jobs, studying online marketing for my book A World Without Color and preparing the launch of the new one.
Life is a torrent which leaves many bruises on our body and mind so I thank the author of this insightful book for giving me the much-needed sense of calmness, focus and awareness in a small space while going to work and back home, which is almost the only time when I can read and relax with a good book.
Living through A BRAVE Year can be a brave act, because allowing ourselves to pause, to be still, undisturbed and not doing something of a greater importance is challenging in this hectic world which forces us to sacrifice our personal mental and spiritual nourishment and growth on the altar of the physical survival.
This is why A BRAVE Year: 52 Weeks Being Mindful isn't a onetime read but the source of fifty-two sessions and classes of mindfulness to be accessed repeatedly. With a brave enough and honest mind to accept and “witness what we discover, inside and out, without turning away or getting caught in the content.”
BJ
www.bernardjan.com
Join my mailing list, subscribe to blog Muse!
Bernard Jan
Life is a torrent which leaves many bruises on our body and mind so I thank the author of this insightful book for giving me the much-needed sense of calmness, focus and awareness in a small space while going to work and back home, which is almost the only time when I can read and relax with a good book.
Living through A BRAVE Year can be a brave act, because allowing ourselves to pause, to be still, undisturbed and not doing something of a greater importance is challenging in this hectic world which forces us to sacrifice our personal mental and spiritual nourishment and growth on the altar of the physical survival.
This is why A BRAVE Year: 52 Weeks Being Mindful isn't a onetime read but the source of fifty-two sessions and classes of mindfulness to be accessed repeatedly. With a brave enough and honest mind to accept and “witness what we discover, inside and out, without turning away or getting caught in the content.”
BJ
www.bernardjan.com
Join my mailing list, subscribe to blog Muse!
Bernard Jan
July 17, 2019
“A B.R.A.V.E. Year: 52 Weeks Being Mindful” by Gabriel Constans offers a master class in mindfulness that can be spread out over a year.
The acronym B.R.A.V.E. stands for Before Reacting Access Validate and Explore.
The author explains, “First, the acronym is easy to remember, and reminds us to pause, pay attention, acknowledge what is taking place, and look into its ever-changing character. B.R.A.V.E. is a simple mnemonic for mindful meditation. Secondly, it is a brave act to allow oneself to be still, if even for a moment, to look at one’s present experience, and not be doing something. Thirdly, it takes courage, bravery, to honestly witness what we discover, inside and out, without turning away or getting caught in the content.”
The lessons can be practiced as is or in a series.
The author asserts, “There is no need to ‘prove’ or ‘believe’ that these exercises work. Students, and teachers, are encouraged to use those that resonate, and which they find are making a difference in their daily lives.“
I found the descriptions of each session to be enlightening and easy to follow. However, the plain vanilla text cries out for periodic photos or colorful graphics. Hence, my granting one less star in this review. 4/5
Pub Date 01 Nov 2017
Thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.
#AbraveYear52weeksBeingMindful #NetGalley
The acronym B.R.A.V.E. stands for Before Reacting Access Validate and Explore.
The author explains, “First, the acronym is easy to remember, and reminds us to pause, pay attention, acknowledge what is taking place, and look into its ever-changing character. B.R.A.V.E. is a simple mnemonic for mindful meditation. Secondly, it is a brave act to allow oneself to be still, if even for a moment, to look at one’s present experience, and not be doing something. Thirdly, it takes courage, bravery, to honestly witness what we discover, inside and out, without turning away or getting caught in the content.”
The lessons can be practiced as is or in a series.
The author asserts, “There is no need to ‘prove’ or ‘believe’ that these exercises work. Students, and teachers, are encouraged to use those that resonate, and which they find are making a difference in their daily lives.“
I found the descriptions of each session to be enlightening and easy to follow. However, the plain vanilla text cries out for periodic photos or colorful graphics. Hence, my granting one less star in this review. 4/5
Pub Date 01 Nov 2017
Thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.
#AbraveYear52weeksBeingMindful #NetGalley
January 20, 2022
Every breath that we take is a chance at a new life. Instead of the tension and the constant overthinking of the mind which is the root cause of stress, the author has tried to teach the readers to relax and understand every emotion, every sense and every touch.
In 52 weeks, through weekly routines, the author has explained how being mindful of our thoughts can change the very way that we look at life. Simple, concise chapters for every week, followed by exercise routines in the end which help in reducing the stress and understanding the mind, its thoughts and working better.
So instead of playing the victim, hero or the villain, be B.R.A.V.E. and change your life!
In 52 weeks, through weekly routines, the author has explained how being mindful of our thoughts can change the very way that we look at life. Simple, concise chapters for every week, followed by exercise routines in the end which help in reducing the stress and understanding the mind, its thoughts and working better.
So instead of playing the victim, hero or the villain, be B.R.A.V.E. and change your life!
July 29, 2018
This book was a breath of fresh air, literally and figuratively!
I am not normally a self-help reader, but I kept seeing fabulous reviews for this book and finally had the time to read it. Was I ever surprised!
What I enjoyed the most about it was the easily digestible practice areas to jump-start your day or week. This book offers simple and straightforward methods to practice mindfulness and find a healthy alternative to deal with: anxiety, stress and perhaps even the cravings that cause debilitating, physical and mental addictions.
It was not meant to be read quickly, rather it is what I would call a “workbook” that each morning I plan to use to get my mind where I need it to be to go back out in the world.
I closed my eyes remembering to focus on the mindfulness exercises I had just read. My stress melted away. After coming up for air and doing the exercise again and again for about fifteen minutes, I felt renewed, so incredible! It was exactly what I needed and I am so grateful.
If you are tired of feeling overwhelmed, out of control or just plain, stressed out -- this book was made for you. I added the two quotes from the book below to show the balance of spirituality and methodology in the easy to read and understand text.
“Living With Doubt, Anxiety and Fear (Exercise Area—Head To Toe) Ignoring, or trying to get rid of, doubt, anxiety, fear and tension, often leads to other reactions and behaviors we use to numb or divert ourselves from experiencing them at all. This is true for emotions and thoughts, as well as physical sensations and the senses. Bringing awareness to the body helps change these habits.”
“Wood is alive. Water is alive. Everything has its own life. Everything lives inside us. He says live with the world inside you. It matters that you care. It matters that you feel. It matters that you notice. It matters that life lives through you. Look, feel; let life take you by the hand. "
I am not normally a self-help reader, but I kept seeing fabulous reviews for this book and finally had the time to read it. Was I ever surprised!
What I enjoyed the most about it was the easily digestible practice areas to jump-start your day or week. This book offers simple and straightforward methods to practice mindfulness and find a healthy alternative to deal with: anxiety, stress and perhaps even the cravings that cause debilitating, physical and mental addictions.
It was not meant to be read quickly, rather it is what I would call a “workbook” that each morning I plan to use to get my mind where I need it to be to go back out in the world.
I closed my eyes remembering to focus on the mindfulness exercises I had just read. My stress melted away. After coming up for air and doing the exercise again and again for about fifteen minutes, I felt renewed, so incredible! It was exactly what I needed and I am so grateful.
If you are tired of feeling overwhelmed, out of control or just plain, stressed out -- this book was made for you. I added the two quotes from the book below to show the balance of spirituality and methodology in the easy to read and understand text.
“Living With Doubt, Anxiety and Fear (Exercise Area—Head To Toe) Ignoring, or trying to get rid of, doubt, anxiety, fear and tension, often leads to other reactions and behaviors we use to numb or divert ourselves from experiencing them at all. This is true for emotions and thoughts, as well as physical sensations and the senses. Bringing awareness to the body helps change these habits.”
“Wood is alive. Water is alive. Everything has its own life. Everything lives inside us. He says live with the world inside you. It matters that you care. It matters that you feel. It matters that you notice. It matters that life lives through you. Look, feel; let life take you by the hand. "
September 1, 2018
"Mindful exercises to reduce the stress, increase the ability to self-reflect, and learn how to live with internal and external realities".
'A Brave Year' is exactly what I needed! Yes indeed, mind and body are interconnected; therefore knowing what is happening with your body, exploring your physical sensations and psyche help the mind.
Actually, 'A Brave Year' isn't just a book! It's a fabulous experience, a wonderful journey towards inner peace. Mindfulness meditation helps to reduce stress and control your fears. I does me good! Thank you Dr. Constans!
I strongly recommend this book (... and it's a great gift idea for your loved one!).
'A Brave Year' is exactly what I needed! Yes indeed, mind and body are interconnected; therefore knowing what is happening with your body, exploring your physical sensations and psyche help the mind.
Actually, 'A Brave Year' isn't just a book! It's a fabulous experience, a wonderful journey towards inner peace. Mindfulness meditation helps to reduce stress and control your fears. I does me good! Thank you Dr. Constans!
I strongly recommend this book (... and it's a great gift idea for your loved one!).
July 10, 2019
Dr. Constans’ book could be the solution you’ve been looking for.
Stress, worry and the fast pace of life can become so habitual that there’s little time left for happiness. We can also feel that there’s no time left to find ways to break that habit. So we’re left with a vicious circle. If that’s the case, Dr. Constans’ book could be the solution that you’ve been looking for.
This wonderful book is laid out in a way that makes mindfulness easy and fun. Each of the 52 sections or lessons is short. However “short” doesn’t mean that you don’t get lots of help. Each lesson has gentle, encouraging exercises that ease you into a more relaxed state of mind. In that state, you are able to be mindful of the moment. As a result, you’re not preoccupied with the past or future, and you can make better decisions about your day and your life. Happiness becomes an option.
Something that I particularly liked about the book was the use of acronyms as tools. For example, one of them that Dr. Constans suggests is S.T.O.P. This acronym can be extremely helpful in times of stress, and it’s easy to remember. Stop – Take a Breath – Observe – Proceed.
I highly recommend taking a few minutes out of each day to read and enjoy this very insightful and helpful book. Without too much effort, you might find yourself smiling. I know I did!
Stress, worry and the fast pace of life can become so habitual that there’s little time left for happiness. We can also feel that there’s no time left to find ways to break that habit. So we’re left with a vicious circle. If that’s the case, Dr. Constans’ book could be the solution that you’ve been looking for.
This wonderful book is laid out in a way that makes mindfulness easy and fun. Each of the 52 sections or lessons is short. However “short” doesn’t mean that you don’t get lots of help. Each lesson has gentle, encouraging exercises that ease you into a more relaxed state of mind. In that state, you are able to be mindful of the moment. As a result, you’re not preoccupied with the past or future, and you can make better decisions about your day and your life. Happiness becomes an option.
Something that I particularly liked about the book was the use of acronyms as tools. For example, one of them that Dr. Constans suggests is S.T.O.P. This acronym can be extremely helpful in times of stress, and it’s easy to remember. Stop – Take a Breath – Observe – Proceed.
I highly recommend taking a few minutes out of each day to read and enjoy this very insightful and helpful book. Without too much effort, you might find yourself smiling. I know I did!
July 23, 2018
A B.R.A.V.E Year is a book of mindfulness lessons, aids, and exercises with pithy statements and plenty of acronyms to help us to remember certain points and approaches. It looks at how to stop and see, how to calm the mind, and gives us tools to halt the negative mind cycles we so often find ourselves in.
This would have been a five-star book hands down if not for a couple of formatting issues that made it a lot more difficult to follow. To be clear, I have the Kindle edition. Each weekly lesson has an exercise area with a link to it. All great. The problems hit when you click the link entitled 'take me back'(issue 1). Unfortunately, every single one of these links returns you to the first lesson, and as the weekly lessons are not numbered but simply called 'This Week' (issue 2), you cannot simply go to the contents and click back to your week. Instead, I found myself having to scroll right through the book and scanning to try and find my original location. By about 30% of the way through, this became tedious and time consuming. If this gets fixed so that the 'take me back' links connect to the relevant lesson, I would give this five stars with no hesitation. For sure, the exercise area is a wonderful idea.
If you never have enough time in the day, then this book is for you. If you experience anxiety, stress, or have physical and/or mental addictions, then this is the book for you. A B.R.A.V.E year offers healthy alternatives to all of the above. It can be read all in one go, but you will benefit more from doing one exercise per week. These 52 mindfulness lessons could save you years of suffering and pointless running around like a headless chicken.
For anyone interested in mindfulness and meditation, I would highly recommend this read.
This would have been a five-star book hands down if not for a couple of formatting issues that made it a lot more difficult to follow. To be clear, I have the Kindle edition. Each weekly lesson has an exercise area with a link to it. All great. The problems hit when you click the link entitled 'take me back'(issue 1). Unfortunately, every single one of these links returns you to the first lesson, and as the weekly lessons are not numbered but simply called 'This Week' (issue 2), you cannot simply go to the contents and click back to your week. Instead, I found myself having to scroll right through the book and scanning to try and find my original location. By about 30% of the way through, this became tedious and time consuming. If this gets fixed so that the 'take me back' links connect to the relevant lesson, I would give this five stars with no hesitation. For sure, the exercise area is a wonderful idea.
If you never have enough time in the day, then this book is for you. If you experience anxiety, stress, or have physical and/or mental addictions, then this is the book for you. A B.R.A.V.E year offers healthy alternatives to all of the above. It can be read all in one go, but you will benefit more from doing one exercise per week. These 52 mindfulness lessons could save you years of suffering and pointless running around like a headless chicken.
For anyone interested in mindfulness and meditation, I would highly recommend this read.
February 5, 2018
I grabbed Gabriel’s book for a few reasons. For one, I have enjoyed meditating, two I believe highly in mindfulness and three the benefits of gratitude alone can change a person’s life. I have not completed this book yet and once I do I will update my review but what I have encountered so far as truly been a blessing. I have learned things about myself by doing the exercises and how each event that plays out in my life has an effect on my mindset. I think anyone could benefit from downloading Gabriel’s book and rebuild their lives over 52 weeks, come on… it’s just a year of dedication that could change the next twenty years and to me… that is worth it!
February 27, 2023
I am enjoying this book. It is a gentle gude through mindfulness and how to use it to benefit yourself, (and those around you). There is no pressure to 'do this or do that' to a deadline or to achieve a goal. But there are thoughtful paragraphs to guide you to be more present, to understand how your mind works and to use this knwoledge to make your life less stressful, so you enjoy your own life much more.
As someone who gets anxious, I love that this book works alongside my meditation time and helps me understand myself a bit better.
As someone who gets anxious, I love that this book works alongside my meditation time and helps me understand myself a bit better.
May 3, 2023
I’ve been meditating for over 30 years and this book is excellent for anyone who wants to practice meditation and mindfulness and doesn’t know where to start. It’s also a great way to get to know yourself and your body better. It has several acronyms to help you get started which focus on things, for example, your observations, emotions, thoughts, and intentions as well as other things. I did all the meditations and couldn’t believe how relaxed I felt. Thank you. So don’t be a grasshopper jumping from one thing to the next. Sit, relax, close your eyes, and let Gabriel guide you.
February 26, 2025
A B.R.A.V.E Year: 52 Weeks Being Mindful by Gabriel Constans is a practical and encouraging guide to mindfulness and self-awareness. Through 52 weekly exercises, the book helps readers reconnect their body and mind, reduce stress, and cultivate a sense of inner peace. With a focus on courage and self-reflection, Constans provides gentle guidance for embracing stillness and presence in everyday life. This book is ideal for those looking to develop a mindfulness practice and strengthen their mental resilience throughout the year.
December 11, 2018
Reading "A B.R.A.V.E Year: 52 Weeks Being Mindful" introduced me to a unique step-by-step guide to meditation, stress relief, and self-awareness. The weekly lessons offer helpful tools and resources to overcome life's daily challenges. I look forward to reading more works by this insightful author.
September 3, 2020
I liked this book. It laid everything out simply and with the right motivation its easy to follow and its follow-able. Its like every self help book though. You still have to do it. I didn't get through the entire book. But I think I will come back to it around New Year and give the 52 week thing a good go.
November 4, 2018
Everyone needs reminders to slow down and savor the moment. In A Brave Year, Gabriel Constans gives us 52 weekly mind exercises, each meant to help achieve that goal. If you're looking for help in learning how to deal with life, I recommend this book as a primary tool.
November 8, 2024
I was introduced to Gabriel Constans through the wonderful world of social media, and after ruffling through his work, I came across the rare gem that is "A Brave Year: 52 weeks being mindful".
As a Carl Jung devotee, metaphysics enthusiast, and author with a deep fascination for the human mind, I have pondered at lengths over the nature of our perceived reality, and how our perceptions may alter in accordance to our inner self, and our ability to self-reflect.
From the opening chapter, "A Brave Year" invited me on a journey not just of heightened awareness, but self-discovery. Habitual thinking is being automated through the use of powerful mindful exercises that gradually eliminate our stress, anxiety and negative self-talk to make room for a healthier state of mind.
What distinguishes Gabriel Constans' work from similar publications is his deep understanding of archetypes (e.g. villain, hero and victim) and their positive or negative manifestation as they are being "acted out" in everyday situations. His invitation to be mindful and self-reflective is thus sprinkled with a deep understanding of human psychology, along many nuggets of wisdom from some of the greatest minds in human history.
Reading about B.R.A.V.E. was absolutely refreshing and I would recommend it to anyone seeking a healthier state of mind.
As a Carl Jung devotee, metaphysics enthusiast, and author with a deep fascination for the human mind, I have pondered at lengths over the nature of our perceived reality, and how our perceptions may alter in accordance to our inner self, and our ability to self-reflect.
From the opening chapter, "A Brave Year" invited me on a journey not just of heightened awareness, but self-discovery. Habitual thinking is being automated through the use of powerful mindful exercises that gradually eliminate our stress, anxiety and negative self-talk to make room for a healthier state of mind.
What distinguishes Gabriel Constans' work from similar publications is his deep understanding of archetypes (e.g. villain, hero and victim) and their positive or negative manifestation as they are being "acted out" in everyday situations. His invitation to be mindful and self-reflective is thus sprinkled with a deep understanding of human psychology, along many nuggets of wisdom from some of the greatest minds in human history.
Reading about B.R.A.V.E. was absolutely refreshing and I would recommend it to anyone seeking a healthier state of mind.
April 3, 2022
This has lots of little simple exercises perfect for general wellbeing but also for health issues like anxiety, PTSD, insomnia... You can dip in and out it when it suits you and there are guided exerceises to help if you are trying to cope with particular issues like bereavement. I'm sure Gabriel Constans book will help lots of people.
September 16, 2018
Well it has only been 3 weeks into being mindful and some days are easier than others to complete the task. There are lots of great prompts in this book. Overall a good read.
October 4, 2018
I think this book is an excellent workbook for someone trying to learn to become more mindful in their daily life. The author has approached mindfulness almost with a "baby-step" approach, with exercises to do each week to help the reader learn how to become more mindful. There are 52 pages of "classes"--each class is designed to teach the reader or student about the concepts and benefits of that class' mindfulness concepts, and explain the exercises. Ideally, the reader or student will follow, review, repeat the class throughout the week, gaining strength and comfort with the practice as the week goes along. The last part of the book is a breakdown of each exercise, with detailed instructions for how to perform each one. This is because as the year goes on, you will go from performing 1-2 mindful exercises per class to 4-5. Many exercises are repeated throughout the year, but they will be different, as you learn more about yourself and get more comfortable with the practice. Having the exercises broken down in detail in a separate section helps keep each week's lesson to one page, and allows the author to only explain each exercise once. I think this is a smart approach. In my digital version, each lesson contained smart links, where I could click directly to the exercise description page for the exercise I needed. Overall, I think this is a smart way to teach someone how to become more mindful. Sometimes, people try to jump into meditation or yoga or mindfulness in big chunks, dedicating an hour and expecting massive change right away. I think these week steps, bite sized incremental pieces are well designed for the novice. I do think each lesson could benefit from a heading: Lesson 1 or Week 1 or something like that. I lost my place a few times and had a hard time figuring out where I'd left off. I ended up counting pages. This may matter more to some than others.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
October 6, 2018
Mindfulness is a very good thing to have in this day and age with all the hustle and bustle of daily life. I like to read all I can on the subject as life can really take you into a spiral and mindfulness helps you to center. This book is layed out in lessons and excercises you can do to be more mindful. It is in sections of Habits and Conditioning, Habitual Thinking and Self-Talk, Our In-Common Behavior Traits and Remembering to Stop plus more labels. It is done on a weekly basis and you have things to do for that week to become more mindful. It centers on reducing stress, learning how to live with internal and external awareness and to be in the moment. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in mindfulness and learning about it. This is done in a class form but can be done individually.
I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
October 27, 2018
This is a first for me by this author.
52 Weeks Being Mindful... A powerful book full of meditative exercises which are very helpful especially if you suffer mental health issues.
There are fifty-two weekly practices that assist you in becoming familiar with your body in all its magnificence—something I truly believe is key to managing anxiety etc.
I would recommend it to anyone who is starting out, curious but doesn’t want to put themselves out in public practice, or who has dropped off the wagon of self-care—it brings you back to a place of replenishment.
This is a book I'll be returning to as many times as I need to and following the exercises.
Thank-You Netgalley for my ARC.
52 Weeks Being Mindful... A powerful book full of meditative exercises which are very helpful especially if you suffer mental health issues.
There are fifty-two weekly practices that assist you in becoming familiar with your body in all its magnificence—something I truly believe is key to managing anxiety etc.
I would recommend it to anyone who is starting out, curious but doesn’t want to put themselves out in public practice, or who has dropped off the wagon of self-care—it brings you back to a place of replenishment.
This is a book I'll be returning to as many times as I need to and following the exercises.
Thank-You Netgalley for my ARC.
November 3, 2018
I wanted to like this book as I've been working on increasing my mindfulness, but it didn't work for me. I suspect this is for two reasons, I think I'd prefer it as a physical book so I can flick between the weekly class section and the exercise description section. Plus I do a daily meditation using an app, so I think I maybe used to being guided audibly rather than visually.
I recieved a free electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I recieved a free electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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