Letting Everything Become Your Teacher: 100 Lessons in Mindfulness

by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Hor Tuck Loon

Yes, there actually is a way to let everything become your teacher, to let life itself, and everything that unfolds within it, the "full catastrophe" of the human condition in the words of Zorba the Greek, shape your ongoing development and maturation. Millions have followed this path to greater sanity, balance, and well-being, often in the face of huge stress, pain, uncertainty, sorrow, and illness.
In his landmark book, Full Catastrophe Living , Jon Kabat-Zinn shared this innovative approach, known as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), with the world. Now, in this companion volume, 100 pointers from that groundbreaking work have been carefully selected to inspire you to embrace what is deepest and best and most beautiful in yourself.
Whether you are trying to learn patience, cope with pain, deal with the enormous stress and challenges of the age we live in, improve your relationships, or free yourself from destructive emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, these deceptively simple meditations will remind you that you have deep inner resources to draw upon, the most important of which is the present moment itself. Regardless of your age or whether you are familiar with the healing power of mindfulness, this insightful, inspirational guide will help you to honor, embrace, learn from, and grow into each moment of your life.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Meditation, Psychology, Philosophy, Zen

160 pages, Paperback

First published April 28, 2009

About the author

Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., is founding Executive Director of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He is also the founding director of its renowned Stress Reduction Clinic and Professor of Medicine emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He teaches mindfulness and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in various venues around the world. He received his Ph.D. in molecular biology from MIT in 1971 in the laboratory of Nobel Laureate, Salvador Luria.

He is the author of numerous scientific papers on the clinical applications of mindfulness in medicine and health care, and of a number of books for the lay public: Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain and Illness (Delta, 1991); Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life (Hyperion, 1994); Coming to Our Senses: Healing Ourselves and the World Through Mindfulness (Hyperion, 2005); and Arriving at Your Own Door: 108 Lessons in Mindfulness (Hyperion, 2007). He is also co-author, with his wife Myla, of Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting (Hyperion, 1997); and with Williams, Teasdale, and Segal, of The Mindful Way Through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness (Guilford, 2007). Overall, his books have been translated into over 30 languages.

His major research interests have focused on mind/body interactions for healing, clinical applications of mindfulness meditation training, the effects of MBSR on the brain, on the immune system, and on healthy emotional expression while under stress; on healing (skin clearing rates) in people with psoriasis; on patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation; with prison inmates and staff; in multicultural settings; and on stress in various corporate settings and work environments. His work in the Stress Reduction Clinic was featured in Bill Moyers’ PBS Special, “Healing and the Mind” and in the book of the same title, as well as on Good Morning America, the Oprah Winfrey Show, and NPR. It has contributed to a growing movement of mindfulness into mainstream institutions such as medicine, and psychology, health care and hospitals, schools, corporations, the legal profession, prisons, and professional sports.

He has trained groups of CEOs, judges, members of the clergy, and Olympic athletes (the 1984 Olympic Men’s Rowing Team) and congressional staff in mindfulness. The Stress Reduction Clinic has served as the model for mindfulness-based clinical intervention programs at over 200 medical centers and clinics nation-wide and abroad.
Dr. Kabat-Zinn has received numerous awards over the span of his career. He is a founding fellow of the Fetzer Institute, and a fellow of the Society of Behavioral Medicine. He received the Interface Foundation Career Achievement Award, and the New York Open Center’s Tenth Year Anniversary Achievement in Medicine and Health Award (1994); the Art, Science, and Soul of Healing Award from the Institute for Health and Healing, California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco (1998); the 2nd Annual Trailblazer Award for “pioneering work in the field of integrative medicine” from the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine in La Jolla, California (2001); the Distinguished Friend Award from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (2005), and an Inaugural Pioneer in Integrative Medicine Award from the Bravewell Philanthropic Collaborative for Integrative Medicine (2007).

He is the founding convener of the Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine, and serves on the Board of the Mind and Life Institute, a group that organizes dialogues between the Dalai Lama and Western scientists to promote deeper understanding of different ways of knowing and probing the nature of mind, emotions, and reality. He was co-program chair of the 2005 Mind and Life Dialogue: The Clinical Appl

Reviews

[Hamêd · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are interesting and useful lessons in this book. If we take them seriously and bring them into the context of our life, they can heavily influence the quality of our life. As John Kabat Zinn said in one of his lectures, mindfulness is not merely a technique; it's a way of being. Therefore, mindfulness can help us to change our relation with ourselves and our world. All in all, I recommend this book for those who want to transform themselves and their world.

[Paul Bard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Remarkable treasury of instant wisdoms on mindfulness based pain practice, for those who have no patience for earnest intellectual books like the source text of this book

The simple instructions require careful attention to actual practice. The practicality and directness of the book belies it's sophistication, which embodies best practices for being with pain and suffering.

It represents a universal problem and a treatment solution which has limitless help. It also has the advantage of extreme brevity, giving it the status of a military field report of medical diagnosis.

Highly recommended.

EDIT: just completed the third re-read.

Kabat-Zinn applies the Buddha's teachings to applications using pain as the main object of meditation.

The stark presentation of distraction versus insight is the strongest point, in the middle.

The weakest point is Zinn's motivational appeal at the start to personal feeling.

The precision of the actual instructions at the end seems to be matchless.

EDIT - 4th re read, 2024. Frustrating how the instructions are scattered across the book and the larger book, but I managed to draw them all together. The overall orientation to experience is in the context of sitting and walking meditation, then the instructions on walking meditation, then the the instructions on pain make the last quarter of the book.

Probably no need for the walking meditation instructions, and the pain meditation stuff is perfect, but the first half of the book is apparently focused on motivating readers to a formal Buddhist practice and also to direct inquiry and could be much tighter.

I guess this is the last re-read. I took audio notes and listened to them many times before rewriting them into my own practice. So there’s no need to re read.

[Magdelanye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decades ago, it was JKZ who introduced me to mindfulness practice outside the Buddhist context.
Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness was just what I needed at that time. I didn't need to feel like a failed Buddhist nor any guilt whatsoever ensuing from my own spiritual and life-style choices.I needed to forgive myself for not achieving instant enlightenment, and I certainly didn't need to suffer any more as a backdrop to life.Certainly my misery was not satisfied with company, and although the experience was mighty foreign to me, I was tentatively flirting with happiness. JRZ gave me a toolkit and didnt judge me when I messed up.

This lovely little book encapsulates the essence of the original work with photos of nature and calligraphy by Hor Tuck Loon. Don't be put off by the idea that this is merely a readers digest approach or a publicity trick. Its far more accessible than the original book, way less intimidating and thus a good introduction as well as a handy guide for daily use.

[Oge · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a nice summary of Jon Kabat-Zinn's best-seller "Full Catastrophe Living", a must-read for those interested in mindfulness, yoga, and meditation -- and their impact on stress reduction, among other things.

[Darrel Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple and profound

I read this on a bus ride to work. I didn’t realize I had already begun the practice outlined in the book.

It is 100% worth the 45 minutes it takes to read...first non-step in the direction of the lifelong journey of mindfulness

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good simple summary of many mindfulness lessons. Perfect for those who do not want to read a longer book.

[Julie MacKay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains quotes from the book 'Full Catastrophe Living'. The quotes are the highlights of the most important, inspiring parts of the book, and they were encouraging.

I've read a fair bit about mindfulness, so it's not new to me. I think this book is best for people like me who already know a bit about mindfulness and this book can encourage and strengthen you to practice mindfulness. I wouldn't recommend it as your first book on mindfulness if you are new to it. I haven't read 'Full Catastrophe Living', but from the sounds of it, it would be the better book for beginners to read with things explained in more detail.

[Shamilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting a daily affirmation type of book, but that is not what this is. It is really just a companion book to go along with the author's other book "Full Catastrophe Living". Each page is a reminder of what's in the book and also helps to keep you focused on your mindfulness meditation practice. I will probably never read the entire Full Catastrophe book again because it is very long, but this little book will be a nice way to remind me of it's focus.

[Debbie Hoskins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This "fell off the shelf at the library," which when that happens I know to read it. I kept it at my work desk for inspiration. It was helpful and thoughtful.

[jenkamichiko Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple and accessible. Pleasant reading.

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

good read, was expecting more of a continuous read rather than themed massages, however it was well written and I've already seen improvements in my meditation from this short read

[Yvonne S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excerpts from longer works; nice for choosing a chalice lighting reading or a brief passage for meditation.

[Kathleen Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you

I'm so grateful for having discovered jon kabat_-zinn and his healing books
They have helped me enormously and I will continue to reread them as often as I can

[Inge Quets · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear, to the point, wise guidelines to live a mindful life.

[ej · Rating 4 out of 5]

prolly like a 4.5, super quick read, lots of good insight n inspirational as well

[Nishelle D’souza · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didnt really enjoy it

[Pixie Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A selection of quotes from 'Full Catastrophe Living'; I would be interested to see how well it conveys the topics from the full book.

[AllBookedUp · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a nice summary of Jon Kabat-Zinn's best-seller "Full Catastrophe Living," and are lessons of mindfulness and being present and accountable. It has Buddhist lessons. I feel to benefit it the most, break up the lessons and really reflect upon each lesson as chunks.

Very deep and yet fast read. I recommend you purchase the book and use it as daily lessons.

[Marlene Nathans]

This book is great for those who completed the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Course or if you read Full Catastrophe Living. Helps incorporate the principles of awareness in your daily practice. Mindfulness/ awareness needs to be cultivated and this book is an excellent aid.

[Mary Rank · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jon Kabat-Zinn is the best when it comes to mindfulness and meditation. I've enjoyed his other books, but this was just excerpts of those books. Sort of like Deep Thoughts, but not humorous. Skip this book and get one you can sink your teeth into.

[Evon · Rating 3 out of 5]

it so makes sense on paper. finding the time is the issue, isn't it!!!????

[Erika Nerdypants · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent little book on the practice of mindfulness and meditation.

[Mckinley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Affirmations and short paragraphs to read and mediate on.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some good points in here, but it was a short one.