Beginning Mindfulness: Learning the Way of Awareness

Beginning Mindfulness: Learning the Way of Awareness
by Andrew Weiss

Beginning Mindfulness: Learning the Way of Awareness
List Price: $14.95
Our Price: $4.29
You Save: $10.66 (71%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $2.60 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions


(Click here)
Buy this book at online book store in your country
Canada | UK | Germany | France

Book Summary Information

Author: Andrew Weiss
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2004-02-04
ISBN: 1577314417
Number of pages: 256
Publisher: New World Library
Accessories:

Book Reviews of Beginning Mindfulness: Learning the Way of Awareness

Book Review: This "course" is way too complicated
Summary: 3 Stars

Weiss's sincerity and caring come shining through in this book, and he has some great ideas that he tries to synthesize into a structured program, but there are some deficiencies that in the end made me give up his program. Foremost is that the program he offers makes things WAY too complicated.

You are expected to remember numerous things to do throughout your day, as well as memorizing key words for "guided meditations" or hathas, and you are expected to remember different things to do in different parts of your meditations, in certain sequences. It is just too much, and eventually you feel like you are constantly forgetting something that you were supposed to be doing, or should have done.

For example: By the fourth week you are supposed to remember to do four different things throughout the day in a mindful manner, use a bell signal to stop and be mindful, do three different things in a certain order during your formal meditation, do mindful walking when you go to the restroom and after your sitting meditation, eat at least one meal mindfully, and use a hatha for at a least one activity throughout the day. This seems ridiculous to me. How could anyone possibly remember all of that? It eventually led to frustration and seemed contrary to one of the characteristics of mindfulness practice: that it should be a simple procedure.

The second problem, I felt, was poor explanations for the procedures. This is strange, because his explanations of the concepts of mindfulness were exceptional clear and practical, but when it came time to explain how to do something, it fell far short.

For example: at one point fairly far into the book, he says something to the effect of making the first segment of your meditation at least 5 minutes, the second 10 minutes, and the third at least 5. Yet, I had no idea what "segments" he was talking about. I thought I missed something and skimmed back through the entire book twice, but found no reference to these "segments", so I began guessing at what he might be referring to, but that just led to more confusion.

Not saying this to be true, but the FEELING I got was that this program is something that hasn't had a lot of refinement and use.

Compare this book with "Mindfulness in Plain English" by Bhante H. Gunaratana. There you will find a program that is incredibly simple, and that has a feeling of "tried and true".

I can certainly appreciated what Weiss is trying to do here, and I applaud him for such a sincere and honest effort, but I just think the program needs to be critiqued and refined a bit more.

Summary of Beginning Mindfulness: Learning the Way of Awareness

As a teacher of meditation, Andrew Weiss found that students responded best when he broke down the process of mindfulness into discrete and progressive steps. Knowing that most people had little time to devote to meditation, he also made it his priority to teach the direct application of mindfulness to daily life. Through the years, he developed a series of handouts based on simple steps that form the basis of this book. Intended for laypeople practicing in their work and family lives without the luxury of long meditation retreats, Beginning Mindfulness is deeply rooted in Buddhist practice but remains unbound by one particular Buddhist tradition. Weiss skillfully blends the traditions of his Korean and Vietnamese teachers as well as Hindu yogic methods to create a meditation manual that is both practical and inspiring.

Meditation Books

Book Subjects
Most talked about in Practicing Mindful Self Rule
It's Easier Than You Think: The Buddhist Way to Happiness ImageIt's Easier Than You Think: The Buddhist Way to Happiness
by Sylvia Boorstein
Published: 1997-03-26; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.93
Price in other shops: $13.00
Happiness Is an Inside Job: Practicing for a Joyful Life ImageHappiness Is an Inside Job: Practicing for a Joyful Life
by Sylvia Phd Boorstein
Ballantine Books; Published: 2007-12-04; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $6.99
Price in other shops: $22.95
Warrior of the Light: A Manual ImageWarrior of the Light: A Manual
by Paulo Coelho
Harper Perennial; Published: 2004-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.95
Price in other shops: $11.95
The Disappearance of the Universe: Straight Talk About Illusions, Past Lives, Religion, Sex, Politics, and the Miracles of Forgiveness ImageThe Disappearance of the Universe: Straight Talk About Illusions, Past Lives, Religion, Sex, Politics, and the Miracles of Forgiveness
by Gary R. Renard
Hay House; Published: 2005-01-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.93
Price in other shops: $19.95
Sacred Contracts: Awakening Your Divine Potential ImageSacred Contracts: Awakening Your Divine Potential
by Caroline Myss
Three Rivers Press; Published: 2003-01-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.00
Price in other shops: $16.95
The Seat of the Soul ImageThe Seat of the Soul
by Gary Zukav
Simon & Schuster; Published: 1999-03-17; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $6.50
Price in other shops: $25.00
Care of the Soul : A Guide for Cultivating Depth and Sacredness in Everyday Life ImageCare of the Soul : A Guide for Cultivating Depth and Sacredness in Everyday Life
by Thomas Moore
Harper Paperbacks; Published: 1994-01-26; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.99
Price in other shops: $14.00
Inner Simplicity: 100 Ways to Regain Peace and Nourish Your Soul ImageInner Simplicity: 100 Ways to Regain Peace and Nourish Your Soul
by Elaine St. James
Hyperion; Published: 1995-05-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.32
Price in other shops: $9.95
Cultivating Inner Peace ImageCultivating Inner Peace
by Paul R. Fleischman
Tarcher; Published: 1997-05-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $6.88
Price in other shops: $24.95
Inner Peace for Busy People ImageInner Peace for Busy People
by Joan Z. Borysenko
Hay House; Published: 2003-09-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.50
Price in other shops: $12.95
Similar Books and other products
Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness ImageFull Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness
by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Delta; Published: 1990-06-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.13
Price in other shops: $20.00
Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life ImagePeace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life
by Thich Nhat Hanh
Bantam; Published: 1992-03-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.55
Price in other shops: $15.00
Calming Your Anxious Mind: How Mindfulness & Compassion Can Free You from Anxiety, Fear, & Panic ImageCalming Your Anxious Mind: How Mindfulness & Compassion Can Free You from Anxiety, Fear, & Panic
by Jeffrey, M.D. Brantley
New Harbinger Publications; Published: 2007-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.50
Price in other shops: $16.95
Arriving at Your Own Door: 108 Lessons in Mindfulness ImageArriving at Your Own Door: 108 Lessons in Mindfulness
by Jon Kabat-zinn
Hyperion; Published: 2007-11-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.28
Price in other shops: $12.95
Mindfulness ImageMindfulness
by Ellen J. Langer
Da Capo Press; Published: 1990-01-21; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.00
Price in other shops: $15.95
The Mindful Way through Depression: Freeing Yourself from  Chronic Unhappiness ImageThe Mindful Way through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness
by J. Mark G. Williams, John D. Teasdale, Zindel V. Segal, Jon Kabat-Zinn
The Guilford Press; Published: 2007-06-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.28
Price in other shops: $19.95
Mindfulness in Plain English, Updated and Expanded Edition ImageMindfulness in Plain English, Updated and Expanded Edition
by Bhante H. Gunaratana
Wisdom Publications; Published: 2002-09-25; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.81
Price in other shops: $14.95
Mindfulness for Beginners ImageMindfulness for Beginners
by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Sounds True; Published: 2006-07; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $11.38
Price in other shops: $19.95
Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life ImageWherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life
by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Hyperion Books; Published: 2005-01-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.40
Price in other shops: $14.95
The Miracle of Mindfulness ImageThe Miracle of Mindfulness
by Thich Nhat Hanh
Beacon Press; Published: 1999-05-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.08
Price in other shops: $14.00
Book store. Illustrated catalog of books on different categories