In previous posts I have talked about how mindfulness can be helpful in our lives. In addition, I’ve mentioned that mindfulness can be a tool that mental health professionals use in their work with clients. If you are new to the concept of mindfulness, hopefully my previous posts have given you a starting point in your understanding of mindfulness. I can’t stress enough that though mindfulness is as simple as noticing your breath, mindfulness can be a very difficult concept to understand and to explain because of the experiential nature of it. Mindfulness is something that must be experienced to be fully understood. Also, like I have mentioned in the above posts, a short blog entry can not begin to do justice to the enormity of the topic.
That said, in the next several posts, I would like to give some recommendations for those who are interested in mindfulness and would like to explore the world of mindfulness a little further…
I’ll begin with, A Path with Heart, by Jack Kornfield. This is a classic book about how to live with your heart and a great introduction to the idea of mindfulness and mindfulness meditation. Jack Kornfield is a clinical psychologist as well as a world renowned meditation teacher. As a mental health professional, Chapter 17, “Psychotherapy and Meditation” is particularly moving as Kornfield discussed the importance of both perspectives in our lives. I recommend anything by Jack Kornfield. In addition, iTunes has his wonderful Meditation for Beginners to purchase.
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