Run of the mill mindfulness book. I was hoping for more, especially with a modern twist, but this felt like most every other mindfulness book I've read. This is definitely a book for a new to mindfulness person.

I was unable to read this book before it archived.

This book was certainly meant for me! I looked longingly at the title when I added it to my to-be-read list as I said to myself, “If only there were enough hours in the day to read this book and add yet another thing to my day that I need to do.” Years ago, during a brief period as the stay-at-home mom to a toddler, I added meditation to my day while my young son napped. With the addition of a second child and going back to work, I gave up the practice because I didn’t have the time anymore. That’s been years ago, and I remember fondly those moments of quiet. I also remember how much easier it was not to lie awake late at night stressing over things, how I handled every problem better.

Much to my surprise, this book offers suggestions that can be added to even the busiest schedules. Instead of taking the time to find a quiet place and sit with closed eyes, the author, Rohan, says that any activity we are engaged in can be used as the basis for developing awareness, calmness and kindness. One thing I really like about this book is that it is set up so the entire book can be read straight through, or I can go to a chapter that has practices for where I currently need help. The chapters are: Relaxation, Focus, Being Present, Coping , Connection, Going Deeper, Mobile Mindfulness and How to Design Your Own Meditations. Each of the chapters with meditations contains 10 to try.

For me, some of these were like old friends that I have been happy to be reunited with. I have added some deep breathing exercises, followed by a full body scan at bedtime, so I can be fully relaxed and fall asleep faster. I also like how the author suggests we look for areas in our body that we tend to tense up when we are feeling stressed. I’ve noticed that I tense my face around my lips, and I am really working hard to stop doing that! The chapter on connection seems to me to especially needed in our country right now. There is so much arguing! A little compassion for others is a wonderful thing.

I highly recommend this book. I think it would benefit everyone.

Mindfulness for our busy, technology driven lives. I have used some of the techniques and really found it easy to follow and easy to implement.

MODERN MINDFULNESS by Rohan Gunatillake is another engaging read on this subject. He begins by noting that people tend not to pursue mindfulness for three reasons: time problem, hippy [his spelling; referring to spiritual and religious concerns] problem and/or digital problem of being too connected. Gunatillake employs a somewhat snarky tone in addressing those concerns, offering advice about staying centered and even incorporating technology. In fact, the subtitle is "How to Be More Relaxed, Focused, and Kind While Living in a Fast, Digital, Always-On World." I particularly liked the chapter about "How to Design Your Own Meditations" where Gunatillake describes an 8 step process for creating a mindfulness practice that fits with the reader's life. Throughout MODERN MINDFULNESS, he also suggests over 50 other exercises.

For recent postings related to the topic of mindfulness, see
http://treviansbookit.blogspot.com/2016/12/stress-management.html
http://treviansbookit.blogspot.com/2017/01/look-for-these-new-non-fiction-titles.html

My job can be stressful so my friend recommended a meditation app, something I could do during stolen moments that would help me gain a little peace. I sat down in the hospital coffee shop and... I tried. I really did. But I had to crank up the sound to drown out a crying baby, people were looking at me funny, and I kept opening one eye to make sure my purse was still there. Still lots of stress, not so much peace.

Gunatillake outlines a method that doesn't require quiet or closed eyes or even stillness. There are exercises you can do while walking, commuting, and sitting at your computer. Modern life feels hectic but there are many moments we can leverage to get back in touch with our body and mind.

There are six core techniques that start with simpler, easier to grasp topics (relaxation, focus, being present) and move through more complex ideas (coping, connection, going deeper). Each has a guided meditation which, to be honest, I was skeptical of, but ended up liking them more than any audio meditations I've tried. Here's part of one I read while commuting by train:

."..there is no need to judge our posture as to whether it is slovenly or sublime, just pay attention to it as it is.

Pay attention in as simple and direct a way as possible right now.

Take as long as you need."

I was standing and that was okay. I was slouching, and that was okay. I could look out the window while taking stock of my body for as long as I needed without anyone mumbling in my ear about the next thing. All okay, all relaxing and peaceful.

After each core meditation there are ten related mobile exercises and they are my favorite part of the book. Many are linked with some kind of trigger that act as reminders throughout your day to check in and be mindful. For example, now and then eat breakfast with no distractions, concentrating on the experience of eating. When you pick up your phone note why you reached for it - boredom? loneliness? - and try sitting with that emotion instead of checking twitter. When you see someone on the street who's happy let that feeling resonate with you and celebrate with them.

I now have ways to be mindful when I step out the door, when I have a minute between patients, and when my mind is racing on the bus ride home. It's exactly what I wanted and needed.

Some more of the good - Gunatillake keeps mindfulness and religion in separate boxes, which this agnostic appreciates. And he points out that some techniques won't work, and that's okay:

"Sometimes we can look the difficult directly in the face and other times we need to play the relaxation card, moving our attention somewhere more tolerable. This is not a failure; it is wisdom."

In the introduction he says that formal practice (sitting and concentrating on the breath) is secondary to the mobile exercises. This made me very happy... until chapter eight or so, when the story changes to 'but really, formal practice is important and the base of mindfulness, so make sure you do it'. I may have been more receptive to this switch if I were working through the books and techniques slowly, but it was a frustrating change when reading the book in one go.

My other critique is that Gunatillake's scope is narrow, with meditations centered on experiences of white collar workers commuting via public transportation. He assumes that everyone works at an office and is surrounded by concrete which is distancing if, like me, you don't. "I don't know if you've noticed yet but meetings at work are really boring," he says, so clearly he's never met with a bunch of interpreters! (Seriously, it's our job to a) talk, b) care, and c) do what needs doing. It makes for great meetings.)

Anywho... people who live in the country will laugh at the idea of "spend[ing] a short time experiencing a park or a green space", and there's a lack of techniques tailored to service jobs or manual labor or even driving. It doesn't take away from the exercises but it feels like a missed opportunity.

That being said I really like Modern Mindfulness. I'm looking forward to going back through it slowly and spending a week or two on each core technique while building up my mindfulness muscle. If you've been meditating for a while you may not squeeze as much out of the pages but it was just what this neophyte needed.

This book has plenty of useful tips and ideas on how to incorporate more mindfulness ideas by overcoming many of the things that make some people hesitate about it. How to find time, use technology and avoid the religious tendencies that sometimes overwhelm the movement today. I liked some of the ideas, and I liked the scenarios that were presented at times, however, at times I felt overwhelmed with all the writing, and tended to start to skim after awhile. I wish there would have been more subtitles to break up the large text, and less on descriptive analysis of the history on a lot of this was not needed either. More specific on ways and benefits on how to use mindfulness would have made a much more useful book to me. Would still recommend, but could have been trimmed a bit.