Resources
We have compiled a list of retreat centers, training, online resources, and Southwest Virginia mindfulness-related organizations for you. Use the navigation below to sort by resource type.
Sign the pledge to try to create more happiness and less unhappiness in the world around you, and then let this site show you how!
More is being discovered about the effects of mindfulness all the time, and the American Mindfulness Research Association is at the forefront of that research.
An intentional community that holds a range of programs, events, and retreats. Keep an eye on their calendar to see what they’re up to next.
A nonsectarian Buddhist center that offers weekly programs in Vipassana, Zen, Tibetan, and Western Buddhism.
Sacil believes that everyone can be mindful and creative, and uses the Zentangle® Method to relax, build confidence, and recognize each person’s unique talent.
A contemplative-progressive school right here in Southwest Virginia! You don’t find too many schools where mindfulness is a central focus of the curriculum.
Immerse yourself in the internal martial arts, such as Xing-Yi and Ba-Gua. Mindfulness for the whole body!
Teaching Buddhist philosophy and meditation to all who are interested in Rockbridge County, on 45 acres of hilly forested land.
A Nature Center and Woodland Garden located in Lexington, with a mission to educate and inspire people of all ages to become effective stewards of the earth. Boxerwood sponsors many educational programs, special events, and community activities, some of which are mindfulness-based.
Run by InStill teacher and board member Anna Pittman, The Breathing Space offers a broad range of mindfulness-related workshops and activities to stimulate the consciousness residing in you.
An engaged practice community, following the Bodhisattva path in the Plum Village tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh.
The Contemplative Higher Education Alliance for Research, Teaching, and Service supports the growth of contemplative practices in higher education by providing opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to engage in cross-institutional events and activities in the mid-Atlantic region.
Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning is the home of social-emotional learning.
A center for experiential education, rooted in the Gospels, encouraging the transformation of human consciousness through contemplation, and equipping people to be instruments of peaceful change in the world.
The Center for Mindful Self-Compassion provides information about Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC), an 8-week program designed to cultivate self-compassion skills for daily life. It is a place where people can learn about self-compassion, find out where to train in MSC, continue to practice MSC skills, and explore how to teach MSC to others.
The Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society is the home of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy.
Providing non-sectarian mindfulness instruction, keynote presentations, and organizational consulting and training for criminal justice professionals and employees in all arenas.
Compassion Games: Survival of the Kindest is a community engagement experience that invites people around the world to challenge one another to reveal and promote acts of compassion that better our lives, our communities, and all life on Earth.
A documentary and accompanying eBook dedicated to a lifestyle that integrates fitness with spirituality, created right here in Southwest Virginia
A central hub that brings many different practices under one umbrella, to easily find what’s right for you and connect with others of like mind.
This University of Virginia center explores contemplative practices, values, ideas, and institutions, with a mandate to engage the whole institution in mindfulness.
An innovative approach to professional artistry, inspiring creatives to be more professional and professionals to be more creative by providing tools, concepts, and a process for cultivating and sharing your excellence through work that matters.
A small, comfortable space dedicated to promoting the well-being of all who enter. Featuring small classes in Yoga, Tai Chi, and Middle Eastern drum rhythms, plus massage therapies, Reiki, energy healing sessions, and weekly group meditations.
The Work is a powerful tool that can help you find peace in any situation. Trained facilitators are available to Work with you for free at almost any time. InStill ED, Jamie Reygle, used to be one of these.
Founded on the science and philosophy of Ayurveda, Eupepsia combines Advanced Health Screenings with Traditional as well as Progressive Therapies and Fresh Vegetarian Fusion Nutrition, tailored to each person’s body type, in a unique setting tucked in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia, USA.
Focusing is a way of living confidently connected to your own inner knowing in relationship to yourself and others. Led by expert teacher Sandy Jahmi Burg, the only Certified Focusing Professional in SWVA.
Liberating peers from addiction & mental illness through acudetox, peer counseling, anxiety/depression groups, and payee services.
Join thousands of others in a weekend of mindfulness, yoga, and music, each Labor Day weekend.
Helping teachers, caregivers, human service providers, environmentalists and others succeed through their Contemplative Teaching and Learning, Transforming Trauma and Transformational Ecology initiatives.
A Chiropractic clinic with a difference, also offering CranioSacral therapy, Laughter Yoga, and regular meditation sessions.
Through Heart Based Therapeutics training and research programs, Heart Based Institute is committed to improving and transforming the quality and effectiveness of Whole-Person Care by supporting its five fundamental dimensions–physical, emotional, mental, social, and spiritual.
A mindfulness practice community based in Roanoke that meets weekly, for practice, meetings, mindful movement, family hikes, and other social events.
A living container for the realization of the Buddha’s teachings, also promoting interfaith and multi-lineage dialogue.
Offering up to 75% funding to attend meditation retreats for educators, school administrators and other staff, health care professionals, artists, first responders, employees of 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations or private foundations, employees of government or non-governmental organizations providing direct services, members of active or retired military, and reservists.
With a particular focus on mindfulness, Hokie Wellness aims to foster a healthier Virginia Tech community by providing prevention services, education, outreach, and resources to employees and students.
Offering a range of holistic natural and/or energy based services to both people and animals, including Reiki, Aura Clearings, Color Therapy, Home Clearings, workshops, group meditation sessions, Reiki Shares, Canine and Equine Massage, and Animal Communication.
Bringing kindness to some of the people who need it the most – prisoners.
Inward Bound Mindfulness Education is dedicated to improving the lives of teens, parents, and professionals, through mindfulness retreats. You may even find someone from InStill staffing one!
Get the Insight Timer app, and join our SWVA Mindfulness group, providing an opportunity for residents of Southwest Virginia to connect, to sit together, and to share information about mindfulness-related activities in the region.
A form of conscious movement that practices the awareness of body, emotions, thoughts, and our relationship with the world in the present moment.
A hub for serious peace initiatives, a platform that actively supports, advertises, promotes and aids in financing them. It offers a forum where its community debates, discusses and educates each other on what projects to support.
A place for meetings, celebrations, social & group gatherings, workshops, youth, music, retreats, quiet days, and training in Abingdon, with space for overnight, day, hostel, and short and long-term sabbatical stays.
A professional certified life coach since 1999 and former therapist, Doro is one of our teachers, and is dedicated to supporting people mindfully. Sessions can be conducted over the phone.
A counseling and wellness center dedicated to serving the New River Valley and surrounding communities with Mental Health, Wellness, Education, Mindfulness, and Mind, Body, and Spirit Enhancement.
With compassion and humor, Jeff Foster speaks about the journey of healing and spiritual awakening in an unassuming and practical way.
A practical, contemplative, and welcoming intentional community that is open to visitors and interns during the warmer months of the year.
Jessie Benson is a life fulfillment coach, helping people discover who they are and build their own dream life. She also helps people connect with meaning in their life by serving as a meditation and yoga teacher.
A Yoga & Wellness center in Floyd, Virginia, dedicated to providing a sacred space for education and practices that promote a life in balance. It even has a bed and breakfast onsite!
Based in Elkin, NC, Luminous Mind Meditation is run by dedicated meditator and a McLean Meditation Institute certified meditation & mindfulness instructor, Denise Lyon. Most of her teaching occurs there, and she is happy to travel to run workshops and retreats.
A 53-acre retreat center in the Blue Ridge Mountains, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Meadows of Dan, Virginia, offering guided programs in forest therapy, meditation, art, yoga and more.
Christiansburg-based counselor with over 25 years’ experience, specializing in helping people with marriage and relationship issues, parenting concerns, and stress management. Trained and certified in mindfulness-based psychotherapy techniques.
A Roanoke-based a psychotherapist with a focus on serving the transgender community. Also a peak performance coach, and group facilitator on topics including Emotional Freedom Techniques, discovering your life purpose, goal-setting, and overcoming emotional eating.
Formed under the guidance of the Tibetan Buddhist Master Lama Norlha Rinpoche, MOCD offers practitioners of various levels and interests the opportunity to develop and sustain the practice of meditation. The organization also provides the meeting ground for teachers across many spiritual paths and disciplines.
Fostering interdisciplinary dialogue between Western science, philosophy, humanities, and contemplative traditions, to build a scientific understanding of the mind as a way to help reduce suffering and promote human flourishing.
If it’s related to mindfulness, they’re talking about it at Mindful.
Sara Yun offers massage therapy and yoga classes exclusively for women over 40, in an effort to break the cycle of putting themselves last.
Mindfulness-based coaching in Mooresville, NC from Dr. Assaad Mounzer, a well respected Physician and Surgeon who has transitioned from Urology to Coaching.
Providing courses designed for under-resourced public schools, and offering educators practical skills for self-care, facilitation, and connecting with youth, with simple, effective mindfulness practices that can be integrated into the school day and adapted for diverse environments.
Offering a variety of classes, as well as daylong and residential meditation retreats throughout VA, WV, and the greater D.C. area – all designed to help you reduce stress and pain (emotional and physical), and discover more calm, joy, and sense of well-being.
A network was established to facilitate communication among all educators, parents, students and any others interested in promoting contemplative practice (mindfulness) in educational settings.
Promoting the science and practice of mindfulness throughout our community, with the vision of becoming a primary source of scientific and practical information regarding mindfulness.
A not-for-profit project with a mission to make mindfulness mainstream, by providing a comprehensive and practical free online guide to mindfulness, featuring leading teachers and experts.
The home of Dr. Dan Siegel’s Interpersonal neurobiology (IPNB), an interdisciplinary field which seeks to understand the mind and mental health.
Dedicated to providing emotional support, fellowship, and information for parents, relatives, and friends of those with mental illness, as well as for consumers themselves. We continue to provide quality programs and events for our community through your support.
Integrating traditional academics, contemplative practice, and experiential learning, Naropa University is this country’s first contemplative university.
A peer-led, weekly group-meeting gathered in the spirit that all individuals have the power and potential to free themselves from the suffering that is caused by addiction(s) of any kind. This is a support group for anyone who has been affected by or are suffering from the disease of addiction.
Wednesdays | 7pm to 8pm
Meetings are on Zoom due to COVID. If interested in joining zoom meetings contact birxellen@gmail.com
A group of people who support each other in Zen practice. Emphasis on strong zazen and the integration of Zen in daily life. Strong zazen involves both discipline and beauty. The beauty of zazen is a mind that is open, attentive, fresh, vital, and sensitive.
Contact
Ellen Birx: 540-230-4955
A place to explore the extraordinary potential that exists in all of us as individuals and together as a human family.
Publishing books on mindfulness in daily life with a committment to making these teachings accessible to everyone and preserving them for future generations.
Providing K-12 educators with innovative practices and principles that integrate social, emotional and academic learning, promote mindfulness, and assist teachers to develop and sustain their own authentic and reflective teaching practice.
Hundreds of articles about mindfulness.
How you look at the world determines what you see, so read some good news for a change.
Providing prisoners, prison staff and prison volunteers with proven effective mindfulness-based interventions.
Creator of easily accessible, open educational resources and curricula, as well as a range of training options, from daily classroom integration to stand-alone health and wellness courses. Their Pure Power Curriculum is freely available to any non-profit that teaches strategies to achieve success through focus.
Offering a unique blend of courses designed to provide the skills and knowledge necessary for becoming a knowledgeable, thoughtful, skillful and caring counselor, including a course on Mindfulness and Counseling.
Offering retreats in the Bön tradition throughout the year, and offering many other opportunities to engage, including daytime visits, service retreats, individual service retreats, and residency programs.
A spiritual education and retreat center dedicated to providing a safe, beautiful and tranquil haven for individuals seeking to awaken to a deeper experience of body, mind, heart and spirit. It is a place to connect profoundly with the natural world and with other like-minded people who are committed to authenticity, exploration, transformation and self-revelation.
Licensed psychotherapist specializingin MBSR, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, EMDR, Integrative Yoga Therapy, Acupressure, and Energy Healing.
Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Southern Dharma offers affordable, teacher-led retreats in a variety of spiritual traditions with a unifying thread of meditation, contemplation, and silence.
Founded by InStill teacher and adviser, Joe Klein, Springhouse is an independent learner-centered environment that supports 7th through 12th grade students to discover their unique gifts, and also offers programs that foster the holistic development of youth, young adults, and adults.
An inter-faith prayer and retreat center located in Stoneville, NC, featuring a 25,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility situated on 140 acres of beautiful and peaceful wooded property that offers a natural setting for prayer, reflection and meditation.
Tuesdays 6pm-7:15pm;
Thursdays 6pm-7:15pm;
Saturdays 9am-10am
Christ Episcopal Church | Franklin Rd SW & Washington Ave SW
A place where people can learn about Zen Buddhism, find support for their own home practice, and connect with a teacher in a fully established Zen Center. No preliminary training or long preparation is necessary to join.
Contact
Richard Normand: 540-345-5932; tainormand@verizon.net
A yoga studio in Floyd, VA offering several types of yoga, meditation and mindfulness classes, and massage therapy.
This international center for meditation and well-being in Boone, NC, hosts events and programs that help strengthen individuals and relationships, and contribute to individual and world peace.
An educational charity dedicated to building a new world based on interfaith unity and a culture of peace by promoting pluralistic programs and progressive values. They operate a multi-faith spirituality school, an award-winning publishing house, and a peacebuilding practice with programs designed to foster spiritual ascension and social activism.
A multi-faceted program of clinical care, professional training, education, research and outreach intended to further the practice and integration of mindfulness into all aspects of society.
Fostering mindful awareness across the lifespan through education and research, to promote well-being and a more compassionate society.
Find your center at this safe, nurturing yoga community in Roanoke. Uttara’s goal is to help their students become healthier, happier, and more comfortable with their bodies; to teach them ways to calm and focus their minds; to help them become stronger and more vital; and to re-connect to their inner divine light.
Well of Mercy offers a spiritual environment, respectful hospitality, and quiet sanctuary for those in need of a temporary respite from daily demands, expectations, and stresses or those who may simply wish to move apart for a time of prayer, rest, and renewal.
Yoga studio in Abingdon offering a comprehensive array of classes, including short free guided meditations.
A Wytheville-based nonprofit that provides holistic services for optimum health and healing, as a community that integrates complementary alternative medicine into universal health care.
A 16 acre Zen community with a sweeping view of the ancient mountains of the Pisgah National Forest.
A Dharma practice group that you can join from anywhere in the world. Each Sunday, renowned Insight Meditation teachers offer meditation instruction, teachings, and live Q&A on video.
The home of Integral Yoga® synthesizes the various branches of Yoga into a comprehensive life style system in a residential setting.
We are compiling the most comprehensive playlist of mindfulness-related videos on the web. Choose from dozens of insightful talks and meditations from masters of the mindfulness universe, or simply put the playlist on Random, and see what happens! Either way, keep coming back – we are adding new videos all the time.
Mindful Media
The best way to understand mindfulness is to practice it, and learning from those with oodles of experience is a great way to support your practice. Here are number of books, podcasts, videos, and apps that can help you go deeper into your mindfulness journey. Use the navigation below to sort by resource type. (Books are below and can be sorted by genre.)
Alan Watts is one of the most widely read philosophers of the 20th century. In addition to his 28 books, Alan Watts delivered hundreds of public lectures and seminars the recordings of which have been preserved in the archives of the Electronic University, the highlights of which are featured here.
Dharma talks at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, CA. Each talk helps guide us toward the end of suffering and the attainment of freedom.
A unique biopic about Yogananda, telling the story of his life and influence on yoga, religion and science, combining re-enactment, interviews, and verité.
A simple, sheltered gardener becomes an unlikely trusted advisor to a powerful businessman and an insider in Washington politics, all through being ‘there’ (or ‘here’, for him).
Check in with how you’re feeling, and try short activities tuned to your emotions with this app that utilizes the slogan: Stop Breathe Think.
Brightmind expands the boundaries of human potential through tailored meditation instruction from world-class meditation teachers Shinzen Young and Julianna Raye.
Featuring over 100 guided meditations to help you manage anxiety, lower stress and sleep better, Calm is a great mindfulness app for beginners, and also includes hundreds of programs for intermediate and advanced users.
Relationship therapist Rebecca Wong invites fabulous, big-thinking guests to talk about what it means to be human together. Featuring deep conversations about the big stuff — life, love, and legacy — and how to foster connection for yourself and with yourself.
An overcrowded maximum-security prison-the end of the line in Alabama’s correctional system-is dramatically changed by the influence of an ancient meditation program. A spark is ignited for convicts who will never see the light of day through an extended Vipassana retreat.
The presidencies of Kennedy and Johnson, the events of Vietnam, Watergate, and other history unfold through the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75, and an ability to remain present through it all.
This documentary takes us on a journey from the swamps of Louisiana to the slums of Kolkata in search of what really makes people happy.
Headspace is meditation made simple, teaching you the life-changing skills of meditation and mindfulness in just a few minutes a day.
Jack Kornfield trained as a monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India and Burma, and has taught meditation since 1974. He co-founded the Insight Meditation Society and the Spirit Rock Center, and has taught in centers and universities worldwide, working with many of the great teachers of our time. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.
Sermons by Fr. Richard Rohr, a globally recognized ecumenical teacher bearing witness to the universal awakening within Christian mysticism and the Perennial Tradition. He is a Franciscan priest and founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation. His teaching is grounded in practices of contemplation and self-emptying, expressing itself in radical compassion, particularly for the socially marginalized.
Director Tom Shadyac speaks with intellectual and spiritual leaders about what’s wrong with our world and how we can improve both it and the way we live in it.
A story of soul searching, science, nature and creativity, InnSæi takes us on a global journey to uncover the art of connecting within in today’s world of distraction and stress.
After young Riley is uprooted from her Midwest life and moved to San Francisco, her emotions – Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness – conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house, and school. This is a great way to see how the mind works, and the message – to allow your emotions, rather than deny them – is central to mindfulness practice.
Joseph Goldstein has been a leading light for the practice of Insight and Loving Kindness meditation since his days in India and Burma where he studied with eminent masters of the tradition. In this podcast he delivers these essential mindfulness teachings in a practical and down to earth way that illuminates the practice through his own personal experience and wonderful story telling.
Featuring the largest free library of guided meditations on earth and an excellent meditation timer, all for free, Insight Timer is one of our favorite apps. If you install it, please join our group, SWVA Mindfulness.
A film about finding true happiness and wellbeing through the practice of meditation, pulling back the curtain on what it means to meditate, on what modern science reveals about its benefits, and on how meditation and mindfulness can be used in workplaces and schools.
A documentary about a man who impersonates a wise Indian Guru and builds a following in Arizona. At the height of his popularity, the Guru Kumaré must reveal his true identity to his disciples and unveil his greatest teaching of all. This is a valuable warning for anyone seeking answers outside of themselves.
Focusing is an empowering tool that helps you improve your life by tapping in to the wisdom of your own body. No special tools are needed, you just need to be willing to learn simple techniques that bring you back to your natural state of being.
Susanne Marie offers a space of meeting in the open nature of the heart, where our own humanity is celebrated as the divine and where nothing is excluded. Her work is transformational and empowering as she points to the guide within each of us. She specializes in helping others deconstruct their beliefs of what living a life of freedom looks like, with deep personal insight, humor, and grace.
Clark Kent is an alien who as a child was evacuated from his dying world and came to Earth, living as a normal human. But when survivors of his alien home invade Earth, he must reveal himself to the world. Check out the training Clark receives early in life: a teacher who gets him to focus and visualize, and then later when he explains to General Zod that his parents taught him to focus when dealing with suffering. Once Zod understands this, he is able to change the focus of his perception for positive results.
A computer hacker learns from mysterious rebels about the true nature of his reality and his role in the war against its controllers.
This documentary is about G.I. Gurdjieff, a spiritual teacher and mystic who, after a lifetime study, developed a form of meditation incorporating modern dance.
Bringing ancient wisdom to everyday life in a practical, common sense vernacular. From everyday experiences to pithy revelations, each podcast is a journey on the path of self-discovery led by Sharon.
Join the New York Times bestselling author of The Untethered Soul and The Surrender Experiment for this free series of five curated teaching sessions, recorded at the yoga and meditation center known as Temple of the Universe.
Rachael Kable shares her personal stories and experiences with mindfulness, including how mindful living helped her manage stress and improve her wellbeing. Described by her listeners as “genuine, down-to-earth and encouraging”, Rachael is passionate about empowering people to live more mindfully in fun, simple and meaningful ways.
A podcast offering free guided mindfulness meditation and talks about the subject from somebody out there doing their best to live by it.
Hosted by Krista Tippett, this is a Peabody Award-winning public radio show and podcast. What does it mean to be human? How do we want to live? And who will we be to each other? Each week a new discovery about the immensity of our lives.
Conversations about creating a life worth living. Open-minded discussions of habits, meditation, wisdom, depression, anxiety, happiness, psychology, philosophy, and motivation.
A chance encounter with a stranger changes the life of a college gymnast. The tagline for the film is “There are no ordinary moments”. ‘Nuff said.
A podcast and website dedicated to the exploration of contemporary mindfulness in society.
After Richard Alpert was fired from Harvard in 1963 for conducting psychedelic drug research, he journeyed to India, found a guru and was renamed Ram Dass (“Servant of God”). This documentary details what he has learnt since then.
Ram Dass first went to India in 1967, where his intense dharmic life started, and he became a pivotal influence on a culture that has reverberated with the words “Be Here Now” ever since. This podcast features lectures and spiritual talks Ram Dass has given all around the world.
A surprising story of transformation as troubled kids in a San Francisco public middle school are introduced to the practice of mindfulness meditation in a nearly impossible learning environment.
Satsang, which means ‘association with the highest Truth’, is the invitation to step into the fire of self-discovery. With Mooji, this fire will not burn you, it will burn only what you are not, and set your heart free.
The true story of Heinrich Harrer, an Austrian mountain climber who became friends with the Dalai Lama at the time of China’s takeover of Tibet. This movie gives some great insights into the ways of Tibetan monastics, and the depth of their mindfulness practice.
Tara Brach’s teachings blend Western psychology and Eastern spiritual practices, mindful attention to our inner life, and a full, compassionate engagement with our world. This podcast is a collection of dharma talks that help reveal the possibility of emotional healing and spiritual awakening through mindful, loving awareness as well as the alleviation of suffering in the larger world by practicing compassion in action.
A clear, simple approach to meditation with highly respected meditation teachers, and featuring daily videos and guided meditations; a range of content for coping with day-to-day existence; regularly updated content; practical advice; quick meditations; offline access to guided meditations and videos; and Apple Health App integration.
Dan Harris is a fidgety, skeptical ABC newsman who had a panic attack live on Good Morning America, which led him to something he always thought was ridiculous: meditation. In this podcast, Dan talks with smart people about whether there’s anything beyond 10%: Can you be an ambitious person and still strive for enlightenment (whatever that means)?
The Force is, in many ways, just another term for mindfulness, so we could have picked any of the Star Wars movies. We chose this one, because this is the one in which Yoda trains Luke Skywalker in the ways of the Jedi.
A martial arts master agrees to teach karate to a bullied teenager, who eventually learns the power of presence.
An ordinary Lego construction worker, thought to be the prophesied as “special”, is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil tyrant from gluing the Lego universe into eternal stasis. It is when they enter Emmett’s brain and find it to be “prodigiously empty” that they realize he has what is needed to be a ‘master builder’.
Mindfulness is referred to implicitly throughout these films. Frodo goes in and out of being mindful of the effect of the ring has on him; Sam remains mindful of his situation; and Gollum could use some mindful awareness, as could Saruman and Wormtail.
An entertaining, secular, and educational look at the benefits of mindful practice, bringing together an unprecedented group of the world’s leading neuroscientists, psychiatrists, authors, and others to decode mindfulness.
Talks given by world-renowned dharma teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh.
A meditative film about a community of Zen Buddhist monks and nuns who have dedicated their lives to mastering the art of mindfulness with their world-famous teacher Thich Nhat Hanh.
Based on a Bhutanese folk saying that to be a happy person one must contemplate death five times daily, this app helps you contemplate your mortality by sending you five invitations at randomized times with a quote about death from a poet, philosopher, or notable thinker.
This podcast focuses on the things we don’t talk about enough, starting with death, but not ending there, and features interviews with philosophers, health workers, comedians, tech visionaries, and more.
A chronicle of one woman’s one thousand one hundred mile solo hike undertaken as a way to recover from a recent personal tragedy, that details a personal transformation made possible through confronting “the mix-tape radio station in my head”.
Yoga scholars, teachers and medical experts explore the history of yoga from ancient times to recent history as well as its therapeutic potential.
Books
We have categorized our book selections by: developing your practice, mindfulness in the world, developing your understanding, embodied mindfulness, contemplative Christianity, mindful fiction, mindful poetry, mindfulness for children, and for the classroom. Use the navigation below to sort by genre.
After a nationally televised panic attack, Dan Harris knew he had to make some changes, and eventually stumbled upon meditation. 10% Happier takes readers on a ride from the outer reaches of neuroscience to the inner sanctum of network news to the bizarre fringes of America’s spiritual scene, and leaves them with a takeaway that could actually change their lives.
MBSR is the benchmark for mindfulness training, and this workbook gives you the opportunity to practice much of it in the comfort of your own home, in your own time.
Outrageously witty, smart and accessible, Ruby Wax shows ordinary people how and why to change for good, with mindfulness advice for relationships, for parents, for children and for teenagers, and a six-week course based on her studies of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy.
The magical story of an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure as extravagant as any ever found. The story of the treasures he finds along the way teaches us about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts.
A set of immediate, illuminating, and hopeful talks on breaking America’s cycle of racial trauma. In these short reflective essays, Ward offers his insights on the effects of racial constructs and answers the question: how do we free ourselves from our repeated cycles of anger, denial, bitterness, pain, fear, violence? He looks at the causes and conditions that have led us to our current state and finds, hidden in the crisis, a profound opportunity to reinvent what it means to be a human being.
A beautifully written account of an exceptional life, and a profound introduction to the ancient science of Yoga and its time-honored tradition of meditation. Profoundly inspiring, it is at the same time vastly entertaining, warmly humorous and filled with extraordinary personages.
Integrating the wisdom of ancient mystics and the insights of contemporary thinkers, May examines the spiritual longings that are often hidden and controlled by society’s pressures and expectations.
A collection of conversations with the many seekers who came to Maharshi for guidance, encapsulating the essence of Sri Ramana’s teaching: that self-realization is the quest we must all pursue to truly understand the world.
In 1970, Ram Dass’ Be Here Now became the counter-culture bible for thousands of young people seeking enlightenment in the midst of the darkness of Vietnam. It was a pioneering bridge, written in colloquial language, from the psychedelic ’60s to eastern spirituality.
In this lucid classic, beloved teacher Ayya Khema introduces the reader to the how and why of meditation, providing a clear framework for understanding mindfulness practice. With specific, practical advice she illuminates the practices of compassion and sympathetic joy, and offers forthright guidance in working with the hindrances that we all encounter in meditation. Few introductory books are as simple and profound.
Nobel Peace Prize Laureates the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu have survived more than 50 years of exile, violence, and oppression. Despite their hardships—or, as they would say, because of them—they are two of the most joyful people on Earth. In 2015, they celebrated the Dalai Lama’s 80th birthday by creating this book, in which they look back on their lives to answer a single burning question: How do we find joy in the face of life’s inevitable suffering?
As a botanist and professor of plant ecology, Robin Wall Kimmerer has spent a career learning how to ask questions of nature using the tools of science. As a Potawatomi woman, she learned from elders, family, and history that the Potawatomi, as well as a majority of other cultures indigenous to this land, consider plants and animals to be our oldest teachers.
In Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer brings these two lenses of knowing together to reveal what it means to see humans as “the younger brothers of creation”. As she explores these themes, she circles toward a central argument: The awakening of a wider ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgement and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the world. Once we begin to listen for the languages of other beings, we can begin to understand the innumerable life-giving gifts the world provides us and learn to offer our thanks, our care, and our own gifts in return.
Razzaque explores an entirely new way of understanding psychological and mental distress based on clinical case studies from a mental hospital. His extraordinary conclusion: mental illness can be a form of spiritual awakening. The book posits that treatment of psychological difficulties should go beyond just “treating” episodes of mental illness but also, where possible, help the individual to complete the process of spiritual growth they have begun.
By using Buddhism as a lens to examine NASCAR racing—and NASCAR as a means to illustrate Buddhist teachings, this book provides a unique new perspective to the field of sports and spirituality. It considers mindfulness, handling setbacks, patience, discipline, heightened awareness, impermanence, equanimity, and how we face death.
At once a love letter to the sport and an engaging introduction to mindfulness, it shows how baseball teaches us deep truths about the world, about ourselves, and about each other. Lopez provides a lens for us to see baseball in a new way, a way that makes us ponder profound questions about winning and losing, about who we are, about finitude and infinitude, about birth and death.
Written by the mother of social-emotional learning, Linda Lantieri, this book offers a breakthrough guide for helping children quiet their minds, calm their bodies, and identify and manage their emotions.
A complete guidebook for all who wish to know the practice of Centering Prayer. Cynthia Bourgeault goes further than offering an introduction: she examines how the practice is related to the classic tradition of Christian contemplation, looks at the distinct nuances of its method, and explores its revolutionary potential to transform Christian life. The book encourages dialogue between Centering Prayer enthusiasts and those classic institutions of Christian nurture—churches, seminaries, and schools of theology—that have yet to accept real ownership of the practice and its potential.
Anonymous
This anonymous work of Christian mysticism written in the 14th century is a spiritual guide on contemplative prayer. The underlying message of this work suggests that the way to know God is to abandon consideration of God’s particular activities and attributes, and be courageous enough to surrender one’s mind and ego to the realm of “unknowing”, at which point one may begin to glimpse the nature of God.
Batchelor paints a refreshingly doctrine-free, life-informed portrait of the historical Buddha—told from the author’s unique perspective as a former Buddhist monk and modern seeker—showing us the Buddha as a flesh-and-blood man who looked at life in a radically new way.
With humor and empathy, Easwaran explains how the mind works, and how it can be changed, using meditation and other spiritual disciplines to shape a secure personality and a resilient, loving mind.
A unique spiritual self-study program designed to awaken us to the truth of our oneness with God and Love. Would you like to feel peaceful even in difficult circumstances? Would you like all of your relationships to be loving? Would you like to feel more connected to your Source? These are the goals of A Course In Miracles. They are achieved by learning to heal all of our relationships through the inspired practice of forgiveness.
The Daily Reader for Contemplative Living: Excerpts from the Works of Father Thomas Keating, O.C.S.O
The Daily Reader for Contemplative Living: Excerpts from the Works of Father Thomas Keating, O.C.S.O
This work brings together for each day of the year three prayer practices for contemplative living: first, a brief “active prayer”; second, spiritual reading; and, third, Lectio Divina. The brief introductory prayer sentences are from various sources – the Bible, church traditional prayers, or from well-known spiritual writers. The spiritual readings come from Father Keating’s books and talks. Each day’s entry concludes with a brief selection from the Bible, (Lectio Divina).
Brené Brown is a champion of vulnerability, and this book goes into detail how the courage to be vulnerable transforms the way we live, love, parent, and lead.
How can we bring an effortless yes to this moment? How do we stop running from “the mess of life”—our predicaments, our frustrations, even our search for liberation—and start flowing with all of it? In this book, Foster invites us to discover the ocean of who we are: an awareness that has already allowed every wave of emotion and experience to arrive.
Mary Oliver has touched countless readers with her brilliantly crafted verse, expounding on her love for the physical world and the powerful bonds between all living things. Carefully curated, these 200 plus poems showcase the poet at her edifying best.
The story of two men engaged in a passionate search for Dharma—or truth. Their major adventure is the pursuit of the Zen Way, which takes them climbing into the High Sierras to seek the lesson of solitude.
Prison activist and meditation teacher, Fleet Maull, shares his journey of transformation and service amidst the anger, violence,darkness and despair of a maximum security federal prison. This collection of writings from his 14 years behind bars vibrates with kindness, hope and the triumph of the human spirit. It is a testament to the truth that all human beings possess basic goodness.
The story of a young man and a generation of angry youths who rebelled against their parents and the unfulfilled promise of the sixties. Noah Levine’s search for meaning led him first to punk rock, drugs, drinking, and dissatisfaction. But the search didn’t end there. Having clearly seen the uselessness of drugs and violence, Noah looked for positive ways to channel his rebellion against what he saw as the lies of society.
This book points us directly to the diamond of truth that we really are. It offers us clear support in allowing any seeming obstacle to become a conduit for deeper awakening as the diamond is “polished naturally by life itself.”
In this memoir, Moorjani relates how, after fighting cancer for almost four years, her body-overwhelmed by the malignant cells spreading throughout her system-began shutting down. As her organs failed, she entered into an extraordinary near-death experience where she realized her inherent worth . . . and the actual cause of her disease. Upon regaining consciousness, Anita found that her condition had improved so rapidly that she was able to be released from the hospital within weeks . . . without a trace of cancer in her body! She shares all she has learned about illness, healing, fear, “being love,” and the true magnificence of each and every human being!
Edited by Tracy Heilers, Tim Iverson & Barbara Larrivee
This collaborative book contains dozens of stories of school transformation through mindfulness, in a multi-perspective exploration of the emergence of mindfulness in US education.
Written by local Zen roshi and Christian, Ellen Birx, this will appeal to Christians who are interested in the interspiritual practice of Christianity and eastern forms of meditation and mindfulness. Also included are sections on prayers and practices for those wishing to explore and apply the thoughtful insights Birx offers to their own interspiritual practice.
Goleman argues that our emotions play a much greater role in thought, decision making and individual success than is commonly acknowledged. He defines “emotional intelligence”—a trait not measured by IQ tests—as a set of skills, including control of one’s impulses, self-motivation, empathy and social competence in interpersonal relationships.
The life and teachings of the wandering lama, Patrul Rinpoche—a highly revered spiritual master and scholar of nineteenth-century Tibet. Patrul’s life story reveals the nature of a highly realized being as he teaches both simple nomads and great lamas in ways that are often unconventional and even humorous, but always with uncompromising authenticity.
Through his lyrical translations, Coleman Barks has been instrumental in bringing this exquisite literature to a remarkably wide range of readers, making the ecstatic, spiritual poetry of thirteenth-century Sufi Mystic Rumi as accessible as possible.
Rohr us the belief that we have no real access to who we really are except in God. Only when we rest in God can we find the safety, the spaciousness, and the scary freedom to be who we are, all that we are, more than we are, and less than we are. Only when we live and see through God can “everything belong.”
In the same way that we fall into the arms of a loved one or drop our heads on the pillow at night, we can surrender into the beauty and truth of who and what we really are. Adyashanti shares what he considers fundamental insights that will “spark a revolution in the way we perceive life,” through a progressive inquiry.
A fantastic toolkit for becoming as engaged as possible in the classroom. What are the five dimensions? Cultivating an open heart; engaging the self-observer; being present; establishing respectful boundaries; and developing emotional capacity. Sounds like mindfulness to us!
Renowned for the beauty and simplicity of his teachings, Ajahn Chah was Thailand’s best-known meditation teacher. His charisma and wisdom influenced many American and European seekers, and helped shape the American Vipassana community. This collection brings together his most powerful teachings, including those on meditation, liberation from suffering, calming the mind, enlightenment, and the ‘living dhamma’.
The Four Agreements are simple: Be impeccable with your word; Don’t take anything personally; Don’t make assumptions; and Always do your best. This book gives you their background, and some handy tips on how to keep them.
A rich composition that expands the spiritual vision introduced in The Waste Land. Here, in four linked poems, spiritual, philosophical, and personal themes emerge through symbolic allusions and literary and religious references from both Eastern and Western thought. The culminating achievement of a man who has been called the greatest poet of the twentieth century.
Thich Nhat Hanh has lived in exile from his native Vietnam since 1966. These remarkable early journals reveal not only an exquisite portrait of the Zen master as a young man, but the emergence of a great poet and literary voice of Vietnam. An elegant and profound glimpse into the heart and mind of one of the world’s most beloved spiritual teachers.
The story of one man’s spiritual awakening under severely restrictive, sometimes violent, physical, and intense emotional conditions.
In one of the most popular books on mindfulness, Jon Kabat-Zinn discusses how to use the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain, and illness.
A unique philosophical work, which hearkens back to the classical verse-form, but in a modern voice that speaks directly to the twenty-first century reader and practitioner. Gesture of Awareness involves a fascinating philosophical exploration of time, space, and movement but at the same time is a manual for an embodied “practice of exploration.”
Hayes introduces Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which is a scientifically-based psychotherapy that takes a fresh look at why we suffer and even what it means to be mentally healthy. This book can help you learn why the very nature of human language can cause suffering; escape the trap of avoidance; foster willingness to accept painful experience; practice mindfulness skills to achieve presence in the moment; discover the things you really value most; and commit to living a vital, meaningful life.
In more than three decades of practice and teaching, Boorstein has discovered that the secret to happiness lies in actively cultivating our connections with the world, with friends, family, colleagues–even those we may not know well. She shows us how mindfulness, concentration, and effort can lead us away from anger, anxiety, and confusion, and into calmness, clarity, and the joy of living in the present.
The science director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University explains that our inability to achieve sustainable fulfillment is tied to common but outdated notions about success. This book demolishes these counter-productive theories, drawing on the latest findings from the fields of cognitive psychology and neuroscience—research on happiness, resilience, willpower, compassion, positive stress, creativity, and mindfulness.
A wonderful summary of the neuroscience around mindfulness for kids. Quite a fun read, and short.
This book contains 30 rules, that, if completely disregarded will lead to happiness and give you a lot of laughs along the way. There is also a Midterm and a Final Exam, to keep the reader on the wrong track. Disclaimer: This book is not intended to replace medical advice. If, after reading any part, or the entire book, you are still not totally unhappy, seek the advice of your physician.
Welcome to the Glorious Grandeur of Ultra Spirituality. In case you haven’t noticed, the New Age has become the Old Age. But don’t recycle your crystals just yet! His Enlightenedness JP Sears is ushering in the Newer Age, blinding us with the dawn-like brilliance that is Ultra Spirituality.
Osho lays out a clear understanding of the difference between mind and consciousness, and the role that the brain plays in the two – a difference that Western science has been struggling to define for decades, but that Zen has known for centuries through first-hand experience.
A collection of the teachings of the great Indian sage, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, that is regarded by many as a “modern spiritual classic”. His teachings aim to end suffering by guiding the individual to an understanding of their true nature and the timelessness of being.
To Persians, the poems of Hafiz are not “classical literature” from a remote past, but cherished wisdom from a dear and intimate friend that continues to be quoted in daily life. With uncanny insight, Hafiz captures the many forms and stages of love. His poetry outlines the stages of the mystic’s “path of love”—a journey in which love dissolves personal boundaries and limitations to join larger processes of growth and transformation.
Sadhguru presents a path to achieving well-being through the classical science of yoga in a practical, accessible book. It is a means to create inner situations exactly the way you want them, turning you into the architect of your own joy.
Instead of serving up technique, this book concentrates on the fact that, “Every game is composed of two parts, an outer game and an inner game.” The former is played against opponents, and is filled with lots of contradictory advice; the latter is played not against, but within the mind of the player, and its principal obstacles are self-doubt and anxiety.
Law professor and mindfulness practitioner Rhonda Magee shows that the work of racial justice begins with ourselves. It is only by healing from the injustices done against us and dissolving our personal barriers to connection that we develop the ability to view others with compassion and to live in community with people of vastly different backgrounds and viewpoints. Incorporating mindfulness exercises, research, and Magee’s hard-won insights, this book offers a road map to a more peaceful world.
Part memoir, part science, part inspiration, and part practical instruction, Into the Magic Shop shows us how we can fundamentally change our lives by first changing our brains and our hearts.
Martin Laird shows that the Christian tradition of contemplation has its own refined teachings on using a prayer word to focus the mind, working with the breath to cultivate stillness, and the practice of inner vigilance or awareness. But this book is not a mere historical survey of these teachings: we also see the ancient wisdom of both the Christian East and West brought sharply to bear on the modern-day longing for radical openness to God in the depths of the heart.
A story for people who follow their hearts and make their own rules…people who get special pleasure out of doing something well, even if only for themselves…people who know there’s more to this living than meets the eye: they’ll be right there with Jonathan, flying higher and faster than ever they dreamed.
“Kabir’s poems give off a marvelous radiant intensity. . . . Bly’s versions . . . have exactly the luminous depth that permits and invites many rereadings, many studyings-even then they remain as fresh as ever.” –The New York Times Book Review
This is not your standard kids’ book. It gets at the heart of what mindfulness means in a direct, engaging way. Created for kids 9 and up, this book doesn’t just teach kids how to be present with their thoughts—it helps them learn that mindfulness can lead to understanding who they are, and why that matters.
A sequenced mindfulness program that can be used to introduce adolescents to mindfulness and its practice.
A clear, concise representation of New Thought philosophy and metaphysical Christianity. The spiritual concepts presented in these twelve lessons show how to increase personal empowerment and enhance spiritual growth. Dr. Cady teaches that our lives can be transformed by the power of our thoughts, words, and beliefs.
Palmer invites us to listen to the inner teacher and follow its lead toward a sense of meaning and purpose. Telling stories from his own life and the lives of others who have made a difference, he shares insights gained from darkness and depression as well as fulfillment and joy, illuminating a pathway toward vocation for all who seek the true calling of their lives.
Drawn from transcripts of talks given to Indian students, the book covers a wide range of universal topics. In short, accessible chapters, Krishnamurti explores the danger of competition, the value of solitude, the need to understand both the conscious and the unconscious mind, and the critical difference between concentration and attention, and between knowledge and learning.
A guidebook to The Work, which is a system of inquiry that can lead to incredible insights and personal change.
George S. Stewart
One must know how to pray before they can instruct others effectively in the art. With rare spirit, insight and faith, this book tells of the simplest ways of prayer, which can bring even those of us with no special spiritual endowment into real communion with God.
Life is not what it seems to be and you are not who you think you are, because life is like a dream and you are the dreamer. Tim shares eight life-transforming insights that will help you experience the ultra-awake state of ‘lucid living’. An experiential journey that can transform your understanding of who you are and open up a wonderful new experience of being alive.
Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius draws and enriches the tradition of Stoicism, which stressed the search for inner peace and ethical certainty in an apparently chaotic world. Serenity was to be achieved by emulating in one’s personal conduct the underlying orderliness and lawfulness of nature, and in the face of the suffering at the core of life, Aurelius counsels stoic detachment from the things that are beyond one’s control and a focus on one’s own will and perception.
An exploration of our inner landscape, particularly insights that touch us to the core but slide away like slippery fish. Many meditators have potentially life-changing revelations that their minds have difficulty absorbing. This is a collection of reflections on common liberating insights that are easily forgotten, embedding ageless teachings in stories and images to bring them to life so they will stick and continue to inspire us.
Written especially for the teacher or camp director who wants to bring mindfulness, social and emotional learning, and the arts into their day, this book offers a complete course that helps kids identify and talk about their feelings, self-regulate and self-soothe when stressed, and learn from easy mindfulness practices.
Michael Jordan credits George Mumford with transforming his on-court leadership of the Bulls, helping Jordan lead the team to six NBA championships. Mumford also helped Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Lamar Odom, and countless other NBA players turn around their games. In this book, Mumford shares his own story and the strategies that have made these athletes into stars.
This book gives insight into how to help your child manage stress and become happier, kinder, and more compassionate.
A set of 60 fun activity cards that provide you with plenty of imaginative ways to introduce mindfulness to your classroom.
Congressman Tim Ryan connects the dots between what’s happening in the classrooms, hospitals, boardrooms, research labs, and military bases across the country. He explores the scientific findings that support the beneficial effects of mindfulness and shares powerful stories from the field, showing how this simple practice is helping schoolchildren improve their ability to learn, veterans heal from trauma, and CEOs become more effective leaders. Ryan also provides practical tips for how to incorporate mindfulness into your life today.
“Racism is a heart disease,” writes Ruth King, “and it’s curable.” Exploring a crucial topic seldom addressed in meditation instruction, this revered teacher shines a compassionate, provocative, and practical light into a deeply neglected and world-changing domain profoundly relevant to all of us.
This Harvard professor of psychology determines that the mindless following of routine and other automatic behaviors lead to much error, pain and a predetermined course of life. She explains how the mindless—as opposed to the mindful—develop mindsets of categories, associations, habits of thought born of repetition in childhood and throughout schooling. To be mindful, stressing process over outcome, allows free rein to intuition and creativity, and opens us to new information and perspectives.
The mind contains the seeds of its own awakening—seeds that we can cultivate to bring forth the fruits of a life lived consciously. In this book, Goldstein shares the wisdom of his four decades of teaching and practice. Exquisite in detail yet wholly accessible and relevant for the modern student, Mindfulness takes us through a profound study of the discpline.
The father of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, Jon Kabat-Zinn, covers the key concepts of mindfulness in this primer on mindfulness practice.
A book by UVA professor Tish Jennings, filled with mindful awareness practices to help teachers recognize and regulate emotional reactivity in their classrooms.
Mindfulness in action—mindfulness applied throughout life—can help us work more effectively with life’s challenges. This guide to mindful awareness through meditation provides all the basics, and goes deeper to address the questions that naturally arise as your practice matures and further insight arises.
World-renowned Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck utilizes decades of research on achievement and success to explain how a growth mindset creates motivation and productivity.
The InSchools program has evolved out of the MindUp curriculum, which has comprehensive mindfulness training materials for grades K-8.
Jill Bolte Taylor was a 37-year-old Harvard-trained and published brain scientist when a blood vessel exploded in her brain. Through the eyes of a curious neuroanatomist, she watched her mind completely deteriorate whereby she could not walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life. Having lost the categorizing, organizing, describing, judging and critically analyzing skills of her left brain, along with its language centers and thus ego center, Jill’s consciousness shifted away from normal reality. In the absence of her left brain’s neural circuitry, her consciousness shifted into present moment thinking whereby she experienced herself “at one with the universe.”
Suzuki compares the teachings of the great Christian mystic Meister Eckhart with the spiritual wisdom of Shin and Zen Buddhism. By juxtaposing cultures that seem to be radically opposed, Suzuki raises one of the fundamental questions of human experience: at the limits of our understanding is there an experience that is universal to all humanity?
In a culture of fear, amid threats of terrorism, violence, environmental disasters, and distrust in our leaders, fear and groundlessness are pervasive. But it is the very potency of this fear that makes it such a powerful tool for personal and cultural transformation. Natural Bravery helps us to look at fear with immediacy and courage, and to engage with it as a path to transform ourselves—and the world.
Calling for harmony with, rather than domestication of, nature, and for a reliance on individual integrity, rather than on materialistic institutions, Emerson’s work is echoed in many of the great American philosophical and literary works of his time and ours.
One of Thomas Merton’s most widely read and best-loved books, New Seeds of Contemplation seeks to awaken the dormant inner depths of the spirit so long neglected by Western man, to nurture a deeply contemplative and mystical dimension in our lives.
This book is a breakthrough in terms of sharing, simply and clearly, the direct experience of who we really are, the boundless awareness at everyone’s center.
From beloved and bestselling author Parker J. Palmer (Let Your Life Speak), a brave, beautiful book of reflections on eight decades of life and work. Reframing aging as “a passage of discovery and engagement,” Palmer writes, “Old is just another word for nothing left to lose, a time to take bigger risks on behalf of the common good.”
What you wear. What you say. What you think/ignore/buy/don’t buy… Welcome to One City-Population: Everyone-where EVERYTHING you do matters. You’ve lived here your whole life, whether you know it or not. This book offers a new way of understanding what binds us all together-no matter where we are, no matter who, with savvy, humor, and literary liveliness.
A lyrical, lovely, and deeply touching adaptation of an authentic journal kept by an orphaned six-year-old girl–later believed to be a French princess–living in an Oregon lumber camp at the turn of the century.
The amazing story of a poem’s impact around the world, since it was written in 1966, by local author, Charles Finn. It is all about how hearts grow wings!
Leonard Cohen evolved into an international cult figure who transcended genres and generations. This anthology contains a cross section of his five decades of influential work, including many of his songs, and poems from his poetry collections. Encompassing the erotic and the melancholy, the mystical and the sardonic, this volume showcases a writer of dazzling intelligence and live-wire emotional immediacy.
A collection of more than 150 mindfulness poems, mostly by contemporary or recent poets. These poems call us to the here and now, and help us to dwell there. An inspiring read for lovers of beautiful, accessible poetry, it’s also a valuable resource for literature teachers, spiritual directors, meditators, interfaith clergy, mindfulness trainers, social workers, counselors, poetry therapists, hospice and grief workers, and medical personnel.
To make the journey into the Now, we will need to leave our analytical mind and its false created self, the ego, behind. Become connected to the indestructible essence of our Being, “The eternal, ever present One Life beyond the myriad forms of life that are subject to birth and death.” Tolle uses simple language and an easy question-and-answer format to guide the reader.
If you’ve suffered through shame, anger, depression, self-criticism, relationship issues, fleeing from happiness, or even avoidance to taking action in your life, this book can serve as your guide to a different way of being with yourself and all of your feelings.
A collection of poetic essays divided into twenty-eight chapters covering many aspects of existence. Each essay reveals deep insights into the impulses of the human heart and mind.
All teachers have free access to this. Please use it, a lot! To register, you will need a Tax ID, and you are welcome to use ours: 81-2558434.
One of the deepest expressions of suffering is self aversion, or what Tara Brach calls the “the trance of unworthiness.” In this book, she guides the reader in healing the shame and fear that bind our hearts.
This urgent call to action outlines a new dharma that takes into account the ways that racism and privilege prevent our collective awakening. Bridging the world of spirit and activism, the authors urge a compassionate response to the systemic, state-sanctioned violence and oppression that has persisted against black people since the slave era. Radical Dharma recasts the concepts of engaged spirituality, social transformation, inclusiveness, and healing.
This is a great introduction to mindfulness practice from one of the stalwarts of the American mindfulness scene, Sharon Salzberg.
Young brings readers an uncommonly lucid guide to mindfulness meditation: how it works and how to use it to enhance your cognitive capacities, your kindness and connection with the world, and the richness of all your experiences. He merges scientific clarity, a rare grasp of source-language teachings East and West, and a gift for sparking insight through unexpected analogies, illustrations, humor, and firsthand accounts that reveal the inner journey to be as wondrous as any geographical expedition.
One of Google’s earliest engineers and personal growth pioneer, Chade-Meng Tan, offers a proven method for enhancing mindfulness and emotional intelligence in life and work.
One hundred poems written between 1957 and 1996. Chosen by the author, these pieces have been selected from each of his previously published collections. Focusing on themes that have occupied his work for years―land and nature, family and community, tradition as the groundwork for life and culture, this volume celebrates the broad range of this vital and transforming poet.
Synthesizing disparate philosophies–Eastern religions, Jungian archetypes, Western individualism–into a unique vision of life as expressed through one man’s search for meaning, Siddhartha is the story of the quest of a wealthy Indian Brahmin who casts off a life of privilege and comfort to seek spiritual fulfillment and wisdom.
A book of mindfulness exercises with an accompanying CD, that is great for younger kids.
After a series of seemingly overwhelming life challenges, Melissa Miles McCarter discovered that the roadblocks we face, no matter how tragic, are no match for embracing “the eternal now.” She shares how you can “enjoy the ride of the eternal now” and gives six ways you can commit to accepting your life as it is and move into the future without getting stuck in the past.
The memoir of an archetypal “male warrior”–a trial lawyer–who struggled to find his heart and a more authentic, soulful path. Brown’s dramatic and often funny story takes readers through remarkably human experiences–emotional, physical, and economic–as he recounts his troubled childhood, his success in apprenticing with Canada’s top criminal lawyer, and his ultimate decision to leave the law and begin an inner journey to discover his soul’s purpose, reminding us that we are all truly connected, that our seemingly isolated struggles are actually part of the shared human challenge to live a life that is heart-centered and soul-driven.
An evocative examination of how we can respond to suffering, live our fullest lives, and remain open to the full spectrum of our human experience. Halifax has identified five psychological territories she calls Edge States—altruism, empathy, integrity, respect, and engagement—that epitomize strength of character. Yet each of these states can also be the cause of personal and social suffering. In this way, these five psychological experiences form edges, and it is only when we stand at these edges that we become open to the full range of our human experience and discover who we really are.
An interactive journal designed to help readers navigate the confusion and chaos of daily life with one simple reminder: that every answer we’re looking for is already inside us.
Over 300 short, beautiful, thought provoking poems by Bengali polymath, poet, musician, and artist, Rabindranath Tagore.
An extraordinary story of what happened after Singer experienced a deep spiritual awakening in his twenties, and decided to no longer let his personal fears and desires dictate his life but to simply surrender to what life had in store. This radical decision to follow life’s flow led Singer to both the pinnacle of success and the brink of disaster.
The how of Pooh? The Tao of who? The Tao of Pooh!?! In which it is revealed that one of the world’s great Taoist masters isn’t Chinese–or a venerable philosopher–but is in fact none other than that effortlessly calm, still, reflective bear. A. A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh! While Eeyore frets, and Piglet hesitates, and Rabbit calculates, and Owl pontificates, Pooh just is.
A classic manual on the art of living. In 81 brief chapters, the Tao te Ching is about wisdom in action, through balance and perspective. It helps the reader access the effortless skill that comes from being in accord with the Tao (the basic principle of the universe).
This is the first in-depth treatment of the person and skills of the mindfulness teacher. It is intended as a practical guide to the landscape of teaching, to help those with a new or growing interest in mindfulness-based interventions to develop both the personal authenticity and the practical know-how that can make teaching mindfulness a highly rewarding and effective way of working with others.
A series of powerful meditations and poetic reflections designed to comfort, inspire, and gently bring readers out of the harried, hectic day-to-day and back to the bedrock of peace, and even joy, of our true, essential, and authentic selves. This book touches into some of the deepest and highest areas of human experience, and shows us the obstacles and landmarks that appear on the journey.
A distillation of the lessons gleaned from sitting on the precipice of death with more than a thousand people. The Five Invitations are: 1) Don’t Wait; 2) Welcome Everything, Push Away Nothing; 3) Bring Your Whole Self to the Experience; 4) Find a Place of Rest in the Middle of Things; and 5) Cultivate Don’t Know Mind. These invitations show us how to wake up fully to our lives, and can be understood as best practices for anyone coping with loss or navigating any sort of transition or crisis.
The host of the popular podcast, The Mindful Kind, shares what she has learned about mindfulness with you, showing you how to implement mindfulness in all aspects of your life – from relationships, self-care, health, sleep, work and study to hobbies, creativity and fun, and even social media.
In this beautiful and lucid guide, Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh offers gentle anecdotes and practical exercises as a means of learning the skills of mindfulness. From washing the dishes to answering the phone to peeling an orange, he reminds us that each moment holds within it an opportunity to work toward greater self-understanding and peacefulness.
A brief secular take on the teachings of the Buddha, by Jamie Reygle.
Gary Snyder finds himself roaming over the planet: from the Dolomites to Lake Tahoe, from Paris and Tuscany to the shrine at Delphi, from Santa Fe to Sella Pass, he lays out a trail of complexity and lyrical regard.
You have the capacity for expressing creativity and spontaneity, wisdom and care. You have the potential for living from love. To manifest this requires intention, and the practices of open-hearted presence. This is the message of True Refuge, a series of stories and meditations that serve as a guide to finding emotional healing and spiritual freedom.
A simple, profoundly intuitive guide to finding freedom from limitations and inner peace.
For the millions of Americans who want spirituality without religion, this book is a guide to meditation as a rational practice informed by neuroscience and psychology. Harris argues that there is more to understanding reality than science and secular culture generally allow, and that how we pay attention to the present moment largely determines the quality of our lives.
Henry David Thoreau lived for two years, two months, and two days by Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. His time in Walden Woods became a model of deliberate and ethical living. His words and deeds continue to inspire millions around the world who seek solutions to critical environmental and societal challenges.
Manuel brings philosophies of emptiness and appearance to bear on race, sexuality, and gender, using wisdom forged through personal experience and practice to rethink problems of identity and privilege. Her hard-won insights reveal that an effective practice must embrace the tenderness found where conventional reality and emptiness intersect. Only warmth and compassion can cure hatred and heal the damage it wreaks within us.
In his definitive introduction to Zen Buddhism, Alan Watts explains the principles and practices of this ancient religion to Western readers. With a rare combination of freshness and lucidity, he delves into the origins and history of Zen to explain what it means for the world today with incredible clarity.
Often called “The Convict’s Bible,” this book is also relevant and important to any spiritual seeker. Interfaith wisdom, divided into 3 sections: The Big View, which discusses activism and spiritual exploration; Getting Free – a section of detailed practice instruction; and Dear Bo, which features correspondence between Bo and many of the inmates he challenged, encouraged, and loved. This book is available free to prisoners through the Human Kindness Foundation, and we have several copies in our office, which we are happy to distribute freely to people impacted by the criminal justice system.
This book invites you on the the journey back to yourself and to a trust-filled connection with life. On this journey, discover how to weave every part of yourself into your own heart so that you can know the joy of being fully here for Life.
There is a fundamental opportunity for happiness right within our reach, yet we usually miss it – ironically while we are caught up in attempts to escape pain and suffering. Pema’s radical and compassionate advice for what to do when things fall apart in our lives involves moving toward painful situations with friendliness and curiosity, relaxing into the essential groundlessness of our entire situation.
Immersed in nature, these poems paint pictures in your mind, like an “inner eye” that seeing the scenes Whyte is writing about. Like walking through a forest or an art gallery filled with paintings of nature, you can see, feel, smell and sense the scenes Whyte’s words paint.
A collection of sayings which encapsulate and compress Mooji’s essential spiritual teachings, which give the reader the chance to burn all that is not true and come into the full realisation of the timeless and limitless Self.
Who Dies? shows the reader how to open to the immensity of living with death, to participate fully in life as the perfect preparation for whatever may come next. The Levines provide calm compassion rather than the frightening melodrama of death.
108 stories that offer thoughtful commentary on everything from love and commitment to fear and pain. Drawing from his own life experience, as well as traditional folk tales, Brahm spins wry and witty stories that provide playful, pithy takes on the basic building blocks of everyday life.
By clinical psychiatrist Daniel Siegel, M.D., this book offers twelve revolutionary strategies to nurture children’s developing minds, and help your classroom thrive.
In this book, one of the great American teachers of mindfulness, Jack Kornfield, offers an extraordinary journey from the roots of consciousness to the highest expression of human possibility.
Using examples from his own life, case histories, and dramatic scenarios of businesses that made a conscious decision to bring civility to their organizations, Dr. Peck demonstrates how change can be effected and how we and our organizations can be restored to health. This wise, practical, and radical book is a blueprint for achieving personal and societal well-being.
A powerful, moving, and penetrating examination of how we live . . . and a breathtaking meditation on how to live better. An unforgettable narration of a summer motorcycle trip across America’s Northwest, undertaken by a father and his young son. A story of love and fear — of growth, discovery, and acceptance — that becomes a profound personal and philosophical odyssey into life’s fundamental questions.
