The Mindfulness Key

This groundbreaking book explains how to practise mindfulness, using step-by-step exercises to help the reader understand key techniques such as breathing, relaxation, body scanning and concentration building.

This groundbreaking book explains how to practise mindfulness, using step-by-step exercises to help the reader understand key techniques such as breathing, relaxation, body scanning and concentration building. Written by a team of practising therapists led by Sarah Silverton, it includes chapters on using mindfulness to self-treat such specific problems as depression, stress, anxiety, chronic illness, and childcare and relationship issues. As we progress through each chapter, we learn how to become aware of unhelpful automatic reactions to our emotions, feelings and experiences. Rather than 'reacting' to life as we always have, mindfulness shows us how to observe our experience and as a result behave in a way that is gentler, wiser and more positive. Practical, accessible and featuring uncomplicated exercises to help the reader fully understand and adopt the mindfulness approach, this book truly is a breakthrough: the most friendly and engaging title available on the subject; and one which, like a trusted therapist, guides the reader through his or her problems and questions, anticipating their needs with kindness and compassion. "This book has so much potential to help people and contribute to the flowering of greater well-being and sanity on this planet." Jon Kabat-Zinn

Sarah Silverton is a meditation teacher working with the Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice at Bangor University in Wales. She was trained by Professor Mark Williams of Oxford University, and by the Center for Mindfulness in Massachusetts, established by Jon Kabat-Zinn. A trained occupational therapist and counsellor, she has 25 years' experience of working with people with mental health issues and physical disabilities, including chronic fatigue

The price we pay for today’s fast-paced, always-connected life is often stress, anxiety, and depression. While drawing on ancient wisdom, Donald Altman embraces twenty-first-century brain science to create practical, everyday strategies for experiencing a less-encumbered, less-entangled state of being. These techniques reactivate natural abilities you already possess. The four keys for unlocking mindfulness are the body, the mind, the spirit, and relationships. Altman presents practices for turning each key toward contentment, confidence, and joy, including shifting our mental and emotional perceptions, inhabiting the body and its “sense-abilities,” exploring spiritual connection, and tapping into the healing powers of community and relationship. Inviting and accessible to those new to mindfulness but comprehensive enough for more experienced practitioners, these powerful tools will help you transform your life from the inside out.

Good communiation is essential to any healthy relationship, whether it's between spouses, family members, friends, or co-workers. In this book Susan Chapman, a marriage and family therapist and a longtime meditation teacher, explains how mindfulness can be brought to bear in the way we speak and listen to each other so that we can strengthen our connections and better accomplish our goals. Drawing on Buddhist principles and on her training as a psychotherapist, Chapman explains how the practice of mindfulness—learning to become fully present in the moment—makes it possible for us to listen more deeply to others and to develop greater clarity and confidence about how to respond. Chapman highlights five key elements of mindful communication: silence, mirroring, encouraging, discerning, and responding, and she dedicates a chapter of the book to each. Other topics include identifying your communication patterns and habits; uncovering the hidden fears that often sabotage communication; staying open in the midst of difficult conversations so that we can respond wisely and skillfully; and learning how mindful communication can help us to become more truthful, compassionate, and flexible in our relationships.

Mind Clearing (MC) builds on mindfulness approaches, with the ultimate aim of reducing suffering caused by mental, emotional, relationship and spiritual distress, through clearing the mind. This book offers a fresh approach for mental and physical health practitioners wishing to expand their practice and for individuals wanting to improve health and happiness at a fundamental level. The first book to explore Mind Clearing within the context of modern practice, this book looks at its origins, key principles and interpretations to aid understanding of the approach. With examples from practice and clear guidelines on the 'Do's and Don'ts' of Mind Clearing, practitioners and individuals will feel confident in carrying out the approach, and will learn to communicate effectively by dissolving the mind and the projections and fixed attitudes that it represents.

Learning how to pay attention to the present moment. Becoming mindful is about the small, everyday things such as pausing to take a breath before you drive off in a hurry or considering the food that will nourish your body before a meal. Or it can mean checking in with yourself before responding to a challenging email or text. Every moment of our lives can become an opportunity to practice mindfulness. This book will invite you to sharpen your awareness and ask yourself with more frequency, “What do I notice right now?” or “How do I need to respond or be with this situation?” These seemingly tiny moments of noticing yourself can have a major impact on your life as you learn to track habitual patterns and awaken to change. Practicing mindfulness is not about being better by figuring it all out. It is about tolerating the moments when you don’t know or learning to be more curious about the struggle. Here you will learn how to establish a basic practice with guidelines for posture and breathing as well as various options for meditations that involve sitting, walking, gently moving or lying down. You can try these exercises at your lunch break, before you rise or fall asleep. But best of all is for you to sprinkle mindfulness throughout your day. Whether you are new to mindfulness or a seasoned practitioner, you can make the conscious decision to change your approach to life. Moment by moment you have the opportunity to cultivate awareness that will make a difference in how you engage with the world on a daily basis.

"Endorsed by The Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice, Wales, UK."