What exactly does “mindfulness” mean to you? No two people are alike, and therefore the definition of this word could differ, as well. Maybe you’re going through a particularly stressful time and need more help in finding inner peace. When our thoughts wander, we find ourselves not being present and missing out on what’s happening to us, right now.
Sometimes, it’s helpful to find a good book that guides you in your own way. We’ve rounded up seven of our favourite books on mindfulness and meditation to guide you toward a more peaceful life.
1. 10% Happier
Success and “enlightenment” (Credit/Amazon)
Not a huge believe in meditation or mindfulness? Then this is the perfect book for you. Dan Harris is a correspondent for ABC News and the co-anchor for the weekend edition of Good Morning America. Following a panic attack on live television, Harris realised he had to change something in life, and wrote this book. Winner of the 2014 Living Now Book Award for Inspirational Memoir, 10% Happier demystifies meditation with humour and humility. It doesn’t promise complete fulfilment, but perhaps you’ll end up 10% happier.
Meditation suffers from a towering PR problem, largely because its most prominent proponents talk as if they have a perpetual pan flute accompaniment. If you can get past the cultural baggage, though, what you’ll find is that meditation is simply exercise for your brain.
—Dan Harris, 10% Happier author
2. I Am Here Now: A Creative Mindfulness Guide and Journal
Daily doodles (Credit/Amazon)
Journaling is a great way to stay focused while having fun. Jot down your thoughts, get out your colouring pens and doodle your way into a more mindful place in I am Here Now. Authors Alexandra Frey and Autumn Totton are of founders of the Mindfulness Project. I am Here Now teaches mindfulness, while encouraging creativity with grounding exercises.
3. The Mindful Workplace
Foster strong work relationships (Credit/Amazon)
This book by Michael Chaskalson explores the theories of mindfulness at work. We spend half our life working, so it makes sense that we learn how to incorporate mindfulness techniques in this area of our lives. The Mindful Workplace teaches Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) techniques to build personal resilience, manage stress and communicate more effectively.
4. Body Calm
Stress can be toxic to the body. It can lead to high blood pressure, heart palpitations, hormonal issues and problems with your immune system. Learning to calm those reactions is really a mind over matter, says Sandy C. Newbigging in Body Calm.
Calm mind, calm body (Credit/Amazon)
Mental stress is damaging to us in our heads, and it affects our bodies. This book teaches a new self-healing meditation technique and recognition of stress and anxiety triggers. Sandy is a best-selling author and runs international residential retreats through his CALM academy.
5. The Power of Now
Be present (Credit/Amazon)
An oldie but a goodie. If you haven’t read Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now, then you must. This book is a life changer and may possibly be the only book on mindfulness that you will ever need. The moment you apply all the techniques in the book and step outside of your own thoughts is monumental. Here are your thoughts. Here is you, looking at your thoughts. Once this happens, those thoughts will no longer have any control over your life—you will. Tolle teaches us that the present moment is the only one that matters.
5. Get Some Headspace: 10 Minutes Can Make All the Difference
Clear the mind noise (Credit/Amazon)
Do you find it hard to meditate and be mindful because you can’t clear your head of all the thought clutter? Andy Puddicombe wants to teach you how to clear the clutter and get more “Headspace”. Headspace teaches readers how to preparing to meditate (the approach), the act of meditating (the practice), and how to apply meditation skills to everyday life (application). The book can be read along with the Headspace app, which users say is a great daily reminder of the little things we can do to be more mindful.
6. Five Deep Breaths: The Power of Mindful Parenting
Just trust yourself (Credit/Amazon)
As a parent, I really don’t like getting advice about my kids because there really is no one solution to parenting. Everyone seems to have an opinion about what’s best! So books about mindful parenting techniques are more about teaching parents how to find their own answers, and to step back, take a deep breath and be kinder on themselves. Five Deep Breaths: The Power of Mindful Parenting, by
7. What Does It Mean To Be Present?
Simple exercise for mindfulness (Credit/Amazon)
What Does It Mean To Be Present?—Rana DiOrio’s beautifully illustrated book—helps children to answer the title question: what does it mean to be present? It’s not just kids who love this book though. Learning how to slow down and appreciate moments and the world around you doesn’t need to be complex. Parents, after a long day, you might find this is the perfect antidote to life’s little stresses.
News reporter Dan Harris suffered a panic attack on live tv to an audience of five millions viewers. This was his journey to discovering mindfulness, meditation and inner peace.
Written By: Adriane Rysz