Amazon.com Review If you'd like to read about meditation and then go back to your regular life, don't get this book. Henepola Gunaratana, a monk from Sri Lanka and venerated teacher of Buddhism, warns us that vipassana meditation is "meant to revolutionize the whole of your life experience." In one of the best nuts-and-bolts meditation manuals, he lays out the fundamentals of basic Buddhist meditation, the how, what, where, when, and why, including common problems and how to deal with them. His 52 years as a Buddhist monk make Mindfulness in Plain English an authority on a living tradition, and his years of teaching in America and elsewhere give it the clarity and straightforwardness that has made it so popular. If you'd like to learn the practice of meditation, you can't do better. --Brian Bruya
Product Description With his distinctive clarity and wit, "Bhante G" takes us step by step through the myths, realities, and benefits of meditation and the practice of mindfulness. We already have the foundation we need to live a more productive and peaceful life Bhante simply points to each tool of meditation, tells us what it does, and how to make it work. This expanded edition includes the complete text of its bestselling predecessor, as well as a new chapter on the cultivation of loving kindness, an especially important subject in today's world.
Nice place to startNovember 27, 2008 I love Bhante G.'s clear, lucid writing. This book helped me to establish meditation as a daily feature in my life and I will always be grateful for that. First 3 times through I would have given it 5 stars, but as my practice deepened I found myself flipping through pages looking for answers to questions I did not have at the outset. I also was left with a feeling that my meditation was getting "dry"--the emphasis on Vipassana before proper development of concentration was not the right mix for me. If you are a beginner, this might not make sense. In that case, buy this book and start your practice! If or when you feel the need for more, Thanissaro Bhikku's writings are a tremendous help. His work, as well as that of many other wonderful teachers, can be found at [...]. This free website has thousands of pages of useful information, and is highly recommended to all on the path. If you came to this review because you are thinking of learning meditation--I promise you the effort is more than worth it, and it does not have to involve a lot of physical pain. Make a commitment by purchasing a buckwheat sitting cushion, put it in a prominent place where you can not avoid seeing it. This will add to to your motivation, and make the actual sitting session much more enjoyable. Then go explore your mind!
Gunaratana MindfulnessOctober 16, 2008 I have read this book three times and will probably continue to re-read it for the rest of my life. If you are interested in meditation, this is THE book. It is deceptively simple and brilliantly clear. There are lots of well-meaning but not so well written books out there on the topic. This is the one to help a newbie or a seasoned practitioner find the navigational aids and roadmap to meaningful and authentic meditation, and it will help the dabblers decide if this is really the path they want to tred.
Zen and WonderfulSeptember 7, 2008 A very zen approach to becoming more mindful and thereby becoming more meditative and spiritual about every day miracles. This book hit all the high notes with me.
Recent purchase, A book "Mindfulness"August 19, 2008 Easy inexpensive purchase! Very quick delivery! I love it when it's like that!
Two copies (One for a friend)
Mindfulness in Plain English, Updated and Expanded Edition
ekcgAugust 15, 2008 Not quite as easy a read as I was lead to believe in the reviews. But definitely an excellent overview of mindfulness. I liked how it pointed out the pitfalls some beginners run into. I liked how they outlined the variety of ways meditation can be practiced. I would recommend this book to other beginners.
