Interested in learning more about mindfulness and meditation?
The best way to learn about mindfulness is to practice, but for us left-brain Buddhas, we may want to read a book or two to get the lay of the land before we embark on our journey.
Whether you are new to mindfulness, or have already begun practicing, there are LOTS of books out right now that provide a wealth of information and support. I’m sharing my favorites with you today — organized into very specific categories. Because of course.
Basic Books to Get You Started
My favorite book to recommend to beginners is Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World by Mark Williams and Danny Penman. This book provides a succinct overview of what mindfulness is and the research supporting it benefits. It then walks you through eight weeks of different mindfulness practices (including links to free online guided meditations) to get you started. The practices are primarily based in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT).
I also recommend reading something by Jon Kabat-Zinn, who began developing secular mindfulness programs for hospitals back in the 1970s. Two of his books that are great to start with are Wherever You Go, There You Are, and Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness. Full Catastrophe Living is a great introduction to Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction.
Books about Mindfulness for Depression and Anxiety
Research indicates that mindfulness and meditation may work just as well as medication for mild to moderate cases of depression. Certainly, if you are struggling with depression or anxiety, it is important to talk to your doctor about appropriate treatments. If you are receiving treatment and are interested in practicing mindfulness as a way to support that, you can check out the following books:
The Mindful Way Through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness by Mark Williams (comes with a CD of guided meditations)
The Chemistry of Joy and The Chemistry of Calm by Dr. Henry Emmons. These books cover a lot more than mindfulness, but meditation is a core component of the Eastern wisdom that Emmons draws upon.
Books about Mindful Parenting
I came to mindfulness practice through my struggles as a mother (dealing both with postpartum depression, as well as the normal challenges of parenting). Here are a few of my favorite books for parents:
Buddhism for Mothers by Sarah Napthali. This book CHANGED MY LIFE. No question. Read it.
Parenting in the Present Moment by Carla Naumburg. Carla is amazing — this book is honest and down-to-earth about how mindfulness practice supports us in the hard work of parenting.
No-Drama Discipline by Dan Siegel. Siegel encourages us to rethink what we mean by discipline, and provides lots of helpful suggestions for parenting in a way that supports our children’s emotional and cognitive development, and promotes calm and compassionate interactions.
Books about Buddhism and Mindfulness
Mindfulness is practiced in many secular settings today. It also has origins in various contemplative traditions and philosophies, such as Hinduism and Buddhism.
If you are interested in learning about Buddhist mindfulness practices, and some of the origins of mindfulness, I highly recommend Joseph Goldstein’s Mindfulness: A Practical Guide for Awakening. He walks you through the Buddha’s teachings on mindfulness, with lots of suggestions for integrating the teachings into 21st-century lives. I loved reading this book and want to read it again.
You can also check out Thich Nhat Hanh’s The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching — it’s a great combination of Thay’s gorgeous writing, and the basics of the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.
I also highly recommend Tara Brach’s books Radical Acceptance and True Refuge. Brach approaches mindfulness from a Buddhist perspective, but her works are very accessible for Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike.
Books about Mindfulness with NO Woo-Woo
Do you like your mindfulness served with straight-up science and instructions, no woo-woo? Then check out these gems:
10% Happier by Dan Harris. Harris starts out a skeptic, concerned that mindfulness would make him lose his edge in a competitive business (broadcast journalism). His conclusion? Mindfulness is not a cure-all, but it is based in solid research, can be a completely secular practice, and can make you about 10% happier.
Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom by Rick Hanson. As the title suggests, it’s full of cool information about your brain, research about mindfulness practice, and how you can literally shape your brain through meditation.
Books about Teaching Mindfulness to Children
Our children can benefit from mindfulness as much as we can. The following are my two faves for making mindfulness accessible for children:
Sitting Still Like a Frog by Eline Snel — a great introduction to mindfulness and lots of fun activities and ways to practice with children. The book comes with a CD narrated by Myla Kabat-Zinn
Planting Seeds by Thich Nhat Hanh — this one also comes with a CD with guided meditations and songs for kids.
Ready, Set, Breathe by Carla Naumburg — this book is packed with fun, practical ways to teach mindfulness to, and practice mindfulness with, your children (ages 3-10).
Books about Mindfulness in Schools and the Workplace
The Way of Mindful Education by Daniel Rechtschaffen. I used this book in the professional development course I taught to teachers in the fall. It is a great introduction to mindfulness practices in general, and then explores how we can incorporate mindfulness into our teaching through topics like “the mindful teacher” and “the mindful classroom.” This book also includes a full curriculum for teaching mindfulness to students.
Mindfulness for Teachers by Patricia Jennings. A great introduction to the practice of mindfulness for teachers, and how mindfulness can make us more effective in the classroom.
Search Inside Yourself: The Unexpected Path to Achieving Success, Happiness (and World Peace) by Chade-Meng Tan. Tan is Google’s Jolly Good Fellow, or Chief Mindfulness Officer. He developed the Search Inside Yourself program (get it? Google?) to combine ancient meditative practices with current research on emotional intelligence, and use them to transform the workplace. Funny and easy to read.
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Is there a book about mindfulness that I haven’t included? I’d love to know your faves! In the meantime, happy reading — and don’t forget to go on your journey after reading the travel guide. 🙂
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