"A tour de force. This book elaborates in exquisite detailyet with utter accessibility and claritywhat mindfulness is and where it comes from, as well as its profound ethical foundation, clinical applications, growing evidence base, and potential for healing. The depth of the case studies alone exemplifies the elemental wisdom inherent to the practice of mindfulness, and how it can be applied in trying and challenging life situations to beneficial effect."Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) "Given the widespread appeal of mindfulness training, there is a growing need to understand what mindfulness actually is (and is not!), and to see the ancient roots of its modern applications. Bringing together their own deep practice of meditation with sophisticated psychological expertise and the latest neuroscience research, the authors have created a comprehensive map of the mind. This book illuminates the range and transformative power, both secular and spiritual, of mindfulness practice."Joseph Goldstein, cofounder, Insight Meditation Society, Barre, Massachusetts "This inspiring book builds bridges between Buddhist psychology and contemporary science. This integration is vital in our worldit has the potential to radically transform perspectives and relieve suffering for individuals and communities. Highly renowned in their respective fields, Feldman and Kuyken are professionally and personally invested in discovering what can emerge from bringing ancient and contemporary disciplines together. This resource will be profoundly useful to so many of us."Rebecca Crane, PhD, Director, Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice, Bangor University, United Kingdom "This book provides a much-needed view of the lay of the land for mindfulness in the 21st century. Drawing on their many years of experience in practicing, investigating, and teaching within the Buddhist insight meditation tradition, on the one hand, and contemporary psychological science, on the other, Feldman and Kuyken offer a remarkably elegant and profound demonstration of what they name as the 'mutuality of learning and dialogue' between the two worlds. Their book shows clearly how and why such mutuality has transformative potential, and the conditions under which it may or may not flourish. This book is a 'must read' for students and teachers of mindfulness-based approaches."Mark Williams, DPhil, Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom "You are holding in your hands a profound work that brings much-needed clarity to the synergies and tension between Buddhist psychology and psychological science. The book offers an integrated map of how distress is created and perpetuated, and how mindfulness training can transform suffering into well-being and flourishing. Highly recommended."S. Helen Ma, PhD, Founding Teacher, Hong Kong Center for Mindfulness
"The finest contribution to date to the ever-growing literature on mindfulness and its implications for creating and living a life less hampered by suffering and distress….An invaluable addition to the body of research and therapy-oriented work around the use of mindfulness to enhance life, this volume is a requisite for students and practitioners in psychology, social work, psychiatry, and related disciplines, and for any reader seeking a solid overview of the conceptual and practical terrain of mindfulness. Essential. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; professionals; general readers.
Powerful….Will be a great benefit to the field….Because of the breadth of the topic and intertwining perspectives, this book would be beneficial to a wide range of readers….All readers will be skillfully guided through this book, as it is laid out like a map that any reader can follow. Feldman and Kuyken set out with the intention of building a bridge between the ancient wisdom of Buddhism and the modern science of psychology. This book does precisely that.
The book provides an extremely rich resource for those who teach mindfulness or want to learn more about it in depth, including many practices, helpful illustrations, and scientific discussions and references.
Reviewer: Natasha Lukasiewich, DNP, MSN, RN (Legal Nursing Solutions, LLC)
Description: This book merges historical insights into mindfulness practices with modern psychology principles. It explores what mindfulness is and is not and it clarifies how to improve daily mindfulness. The authors help readers understand how the mind works and how to reframe their thoughts and mindfulness approaches.
Purpose: The purpose is to bridge historical mindfulness principles with modern psychology in order to live well in a contemporary world. These are worthy objectives that enable readers to process and understand more deeply how they can attain better mindfulness practice in their daily life. The author used relatable case scenario examples to explain what may have been complex teachings.
Audience: This book really is for anyone who wants to know more about the art of mindfulness and bridging it with today's psychological theories. The book definitely meets the needs of readers by taking them through scaffolding concepts. The two authors are a great melding of experience and knowledge. Feldman is a senior teacher on mindfulness and mediation retreats, and Kuyken is a professor of mindfulness and psychology.
Features: The book introduces mindfulness - what it is and what it is not. The authors go into more deeply how the mind perceives reality and how each map of the mind varies. The authors explore varying emotions and experiences. They share how to transform one's thoughts and how to embrace self-awareness to improve one's mindfulness. They also discuss the ethics and integrity of mindfulness-based programs.
Assessment: I have a background in integrative medicine, and I think the authors have done a fantastic job of explaining mindfulness. Many times, readers confuse meditation with mindfulness concepts. The authors provide clarity on more challenging concepts.