My Pocket Meditations for Anxiety

I really enjoyed this collection of meditation techniques. I have anxiety and have recently been diagnosed with hypertension. I was looking for some meditation books when I came across My Pocket Meditations for Anxiety on Netgalley. I have tried lots of different techniques from this book and they really helped me. I particularly liked the mantras and self-affirmations.

This book is broken in 12 chapters, based on what type of meditations you are looking for, and is very easy to navigate. Each meditation is described in an accessible language. It even has a meditation on how to comfortably deliver a presentation! I will definitely be going back to this book to practice more techniques and discover new ways of controlling my breathing and thought patterns.

This book will be amazingly helpful to those of us who have anxiety about returning to the "new normal" after the pandemic. There are concrete examples of techniques to be used on a personal level. I, for one, will use this with my high school students to help ease the transition back to school.

This is the perfect guide for angst-ridden times. As I paged through, I found myself becoming more calm, relaxed and deeply at peace.

There are 150 short exercises for handling all that upsets us. I especially resonated to Practice Mindfulness for 2 Minutes Each Morning, Calm a Raging Storm, Block It All Out, and Let the Future Unfurl Itself. I only wish tranquil illustrations had been included as well to boost serenity. Nonetheless, I highly recommend MY POCKET MEDITATIONS FOR ANXIETY to destress and regain equanimity.

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 08 Sep 2020

Thanks to Adams Media and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#MyPocketMeditationsforAnxiety #NetGalley

This pocket guide is so needed today. As a nurse, a mother, and a fellow human trying to make it through each day with a relatively sound mind ... having this available to quickly reset and recharge has been helpful. It makes each exercise so easy and accessible even while at work, since you don’t have to have someone else audibly walking you through each meditation. I’m definitely going to keep this handy!

This is a very useful pocketbook with many meditations and exercises to ease your tension, stress, and anxiety. Perfect for modern-day people who rush through their lives. This would make a great audiobook!

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this! All opinions are my own.

I read two digital ARCs of upcoming meditation books back to back recently, this one (My Pocket Meditations for Anxiety: Anytime Exercises to Reduce Stress, Ease Worry, and Invite Calm) and Rockridge Press's Mindfulness Meditation for Beginners: 50 Meditations to Practice Awareness, Acceptance, and Peace. This one was by far my favorite.

Here's how they compare. MMFB has a very long introduction to mindfulness, which may be helpful for people who want to know the history, benefits and types, but felt like a textbook to me. This one has a couple of pages of short, basic information and instruction and then you're off to the meditations.

MMFB has 50 meditations. This one has 150. MMFB has them all mixed up so you get a random one in no particular order. This one has them by chapters: Meditations to Move Into Stillness, Meditations to Visualize Natural Calm, Meditations to Understand Stress and Anxiety, Meditations to Relax through Your Breath, Meditations to Find Focus with a Mantra or Phrase, Meditations to Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Senses, Meditations to Challenge Your Thinking Patterns, Meditations to Befriend Your Emotions, Meditations to Counter Fear with Self Love, Meditations to Face Your Fears, Meditations to Be Mindful in the Everyday, and Meditations to Surrender to Open Awareness.

MMFB is a lot more text-heavy. Each meditation starts with a longer paragraph about the meditation and its purpose, then there are about 4 steps, each with multiple lines. The meditations take about two pages (wide spaced) and it's a fair amount of reading. This one is short and to the point. There's also a brief introduction to the point of each meditation and then it's also numbered steps, but these ones seem more succinct.

Both books offer encouragement and a sort of cheerleading element. MMFB is more like the practitioner who talks a lot and guides you through your emotions. This one is more like the behavioral therapist who focuses on the actions. It also offers adjustments to tailor it to your needs at times. I also appreciated the meditations specific to the body in this one (heartbeat, breathing, movement, etc.)

I am in the recovery period from a pretty scary illness that really interfered with my blood pressure, breathing, circulation and heart rate (both from its physical effects and from the fear it caused) and breathing and meditation were tools that I learned over the past few months to help my body recover and manage my emotions as I supported my healing. I wish I'd had this book sooner in my recovery, because it offered meditations that specifically helped with my physical and emotional needs. It also offers meditations specific to a whole range of other needs too, from overcoming fears about things like needing to speak in public to clearing clutter (no, this one isn't a strict meditation but helpful advice to make a practice for 30 days of letting go of one thing a day and making a practice of doing any task that takes less than 5 minutes as it comes up).

One last comparison between the two books is that this one unfortunately won't be released for a couple of months, while MMFB was released this week. This book is due to be published on September 8, 2020. MMFB was published July 21, 2020.

That said, this book is by far my favorite meditation book, not just compared to Mindfulness for Beginners but compared to any other meditation books I've read. This is a really great resource for anyone who'd like to practice mindfulness and meditation to manage stress, worry and anxiety.

I read a digital ARC of this book for review.

I have had a meditation practice for about 25 years and I have never run across a book like My Pocket Meditations before. The book has 150 guided meditations which are both practical and useful in everyday life. There are many other sources out there of guided meditation material videos, YouTube, websites, but I have found this book to be imminently practical in my own practice and I am confident this would be very valuable to those new to meditation or those who have an interest in meditation. It's a great way to get started and to vary a meditation practice.

How to use this book effectively is a different matter. For some exercises in some chapters, I took to recording the instructions as an MP3 that I would play along with a timer (e.g., "Talk to Strangers") so that I didn't have to worry about memorizing the instructions for this guided meditation. The Chapter on Mindfulness practice is very good and for the most part the instructions of these guided exercises don't need to be recorded in advance since there are so few steps. It would be nice if a CD or MP3 files accompanied the book, even with a timer like Medio or even the Mindfulness Coach from the Veterans Administration. In my current practice, I use Centen's guided meditations on mindfulness with Medito as my timer.

I can't help but tie this to the pandemic and all of us trying to find our way to develop healthy, normal routines as we are sheltered in place. A meditation practice, albeit small, is a good place to start, and this reference is an excellent resource to use during these trying times to reduce our anxiety level over the unknown. The book will be published soon, so grab a copy and begin your practice as we may we another resurgence in the winter.

I highly recommend this guide for the novice or experienced alike. In 150 nuggets, you are bound to find a gem that will stick with you. I will continue to use this book to develop a mindfulness practice. Thanks to Carley Centen, Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this advanced reader copy. I am voluntarily leaving this review, very enthusiastically.

This is such a great resource to have handy. There is a nice primer to meditation, and the organization really lets the reader focus on what they'd like to work on in their sitting. For example, the Table of Contents include chapters like "Meditations to Move Into Stillness"; "Meditations to Visualize Natural Calm"; "Meditations to Understand Stress and Anxiety"; and so on. Users of this book will be able to open to any page at random for inspiration, or hone in on exactly what they need in the moment. Great for all levels of meditatiors.

Opinions: There's not much to say except that I have never come across a self-help book so perfect. It is to-the-point, easy to read, and actually helpful! Of course, different methods of calming down help different people, but I think we can all agree that a straightforward activity is better than three pages of the author droning on about their own experiences with anxiety which only make you more stressed out. My Pocket Meditations for Anxiety provides the former, making the book short and 100% beneficial to most readers. The activities and meditations are varied and allow readers to choose their favourites among the 150, meaning you can take your anxiety into your own hands! There's nothing else to say - this is a great guide that I strongly recommend to anybody who struggles with anxiety or stress!

My Favourite Thing: For years, whenever I spoke to doctors about medical issues or mental health problems, their prescription was yoga. Admittedly, I gave up on this pretty quickly for a few reasons. One, I refused to believe meditating would help my intrusive OCD thoughts. Two, I didn't know how to meditate! The best thing about My Pocket Meditations for Anxiety is how straightforward and simple it is! The step-by-step guide was easy to follow and even easier to repeat your favourite parts. As I mentioned above, you will never get lost in anecdotes, facts, and other silliness - this book is purely meditations. The simplicity of this book not only taught me how to meditate, it proved me wrong that yoga wouldn't help my mental illness!

Total Rating: G
Language: G
Adult Content: G
Violence: G

Recommended For and Similar Reads: My Pocket Meditations for Anxiety is a step-by-step guide to easing your anxiety, meaning it is for people who want help, not for people doing research. Whether yoga helps you de-stress or not, I strongly recommend this book - your mental health deserves it! Similar readers are Anxiety Relief for Teens by Regine Galanti, Goodnight for Teens by Colleen E Carney, Why Am I Feeling Like This? by David P Murray, and Stuff That's Loud by Ben Sedley!

This is amazing. The meditations do work, they are simple and easy to follow and organized by anxiety. I fond this very helpful.

Being comfortable with simple mindfulness and meditation, I was delighted to be able to review this book.

An excellent collection of 150 exercises, something for every one. Easy to read, recommend for anybody needing to self restore in the busy world we currently live in.

My Pocket Meditations for Anxiety by Carley Centen is an easy to read, and embrace yourself guide to taming your inner thoughts and finding peace within yourself. Honestly, the writing is very simple but it read in a soothing, simple manner that it really read like someone was talking me through these exercises. A lot of these things seem pretty simple and easy but we’ll see as I move further into using it more in my own life. For now I feel like it has helped give me a good foundation to build up from and with the way 2020 has been this will probably be thing I need most to work on this year.
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Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I was able to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

My pocket meditations for anxiety is a fantastic pocket-sized book with the sole purpose to help you deal with anxiety attacks and help to keep you grounded when you feel anxious and stressed.

We all need to practice forms of mindfulness at times in our life with all the stresses and strains of the modern lifestyles and this book is a fantastic way to practice this anytime, anywhere.

I tried out a few of these meditations and found them simple and easy to follow and do and found they did help calm me and relax me. Each page has one meditation on it and each is for a specific thing/time.

I loved this book and plan to buy a physical copy to keep in my bag to revisit at stressful times or when my anxiety bubbles.

My Pocket Meditations for Anxiety by Carley Centen is a self-help book designed to reduce anxiety and stress.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Adams Media, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 
My Synopsis and Opinions

This book is designed to help people learn techniques to cope with stress that leads to anxiety.  Now, the title talks about meditation, but really, most of these ideas can be used any time, any where.  You don't have to be sitting cross-legged on the floor in a quiet room.  That is rarely where you are going to be when having a panic attack...  However, that would be a great place to practice some of these techniques.

The book is broken down into easy to understand sections, and then within the sections are ideas the user can implement.  For example, Chapter One teaches you how  to "Move your body to Stillness", and involves different methods of relaxing your muscles.  Chapter Four teaches you different breathing techniques.  Other chapters involve mantras, and working with your senses, and changing your over-thinking,  and being kind to yourself, facing your fears, etc....  This book really covers all the basics, and allows you to try different methods to find what works best for you.  You don't have to read any of it in order, as opening any page will give you something new to try.   There is a great index in the back in case you are looking for something specific.

I really believe this is one of the better self-help books out there for someone who just needs to calm themselves for a while.   If just a couple of these ideas will provide even temporary relief for someone suffering from anxiety, it is worthwhile.

I believe if anxiety continues, more professional help is needed, and finally in this day and age, there is so much help out there. Finally the stigma is being lifted.  We all have to take care of ourselves, and sometimes, asking for help is the first step.

This book is a simple and easy book to use to bring about calmness and reduce anxiety when you need it!!

There are 150 different exercises to use for different types of anxiety. I was able to try several and each helped ease my worries and enabled me to focus only on relaxation.

I was using a digital copy, but I will be buying the physical copy because I think it's perfect to carry with you so you always have it no matter when you need it and no matter what life throws at you!

Thank you NetGalley and Adams Media for the ARC in exchange for my review.

i was so happy to get this book to review from #netgalley. The current covid situation has made my own anxiety a lot worse and i have been looking into meditation.
This book is such a good starting point. Anxiety is different in different situations and this covers all of that and it really has something for everyone. Its a book that everyone needs to own,

This book was received as an ARC from Adams Media in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have read every book published when it comes to the topic of anxiety and they all say the same thing...have a calm, relaxed mindset. In my experience, that is easier said than done. These meditations will be perfect and bring us back to our reality and have a calmer and more positive outlook on life. I actually tried one of the meditation exercises at work today and it helped so much that I felt like I just got back from the oasis and my mind is so calm that nothing can change it. I know many people including our patrons and staff will find some benefits to this book and see everything in a whole new light.

We will consider adding this title to our Self Help collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

Having read many of the other books in the My Pocket Meditations series, I jumped at the chance to read My Pocket Meditations for Anxiety by Carley Centen. The timing on the release of this book could be called nothing other than divine; roughly 6 months after COVID 19 showed its ugly little face to the world causing a sharp increase in the amount of people suffering with anxiety and the level to which they suffer. When the mere act of donning a mask to pick up groceries causes a rise in ones' pulse, any and all interventions should be considered for your personal toolbox.

This book contains 150 different meditations for self help that can be utilized in a multitude of situations. These are 2 minute exercises, folks, they don't require a daily routine and a huge chunk of time that some forms of meditation require.. I particularly liked that the author starts chapter one with simple to follow exercises that help the reader release muscle tension in a gentle way that paves the way for the rest of the book.

In closing, this book is not a long winded lecture on meditation. What it is, however, is a simple, easy to read, and even easier technique guide for effective ways to lower anxiety. Who couldn't benefit from that?

Many thanks to NetGalley and Adams Media for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest and authentic review.

I have to say that over the past year I have seen an increase in the number of people developing anxiety issues. I've had it since childhood but soemtimes it can be hard to manage. This book is great to be able to have on hand.
I have a difficult time meditating and clearing my mind but this book is full of great meditations to try and within the twelve chapters, there is a little something for everyone.

My Pocket Meditations for Anxiety is an excellent book that is full of varied approaches to meditation. This book looked like a helpful, quick read & it was even better than I thought it would be. This book has suggestions that allow the reader to build their skills in medication and to create a useful, meaningful medication practice. Full of different suggestions & approaches, I think that its variety if the key to its usefulness. It was so good, that I bought my own copy after I finished reading my review copy. This is a book I’ll use again & again. It’s great.

Thank you to NetGalley for the complimentary copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Do you know anyone who isn’t feeling a bit anxious today? There are elections, Covid, holidays that will be different this year and more. What better time could there be for a pocket sized book of meditations for anxiety? Here in 176 pages are many suggestions for calming and relaxing.

Each of the many entries is short. Some require a bit of physical moving while others are for reading and visualizing, for example. Just a few of the many entries include, Shrug it Off, Calm a Raging Storm, Allow Yourself to Worry, Learn to Sit with the Panic, and Ground Yourself in the Present. Anything you could use here? If yes, take a look at this title.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This book is a simple, easy to read book consisting of 150 exercises in order to promote mindfulness and decrease anxiety. Each page offers something new to experiment and implement in daily life. This book will assist you in controlling your stress and anxiety in your life through time limited exercises. The exercises range from muscle relaxation, breathing techniques, and controlling your thoughts. This book has something for everyone. It is simple, easy to use, and easy to read. It allows one to try many different forms of anxiety reducing techniques without purchasing different books. I received a digital copy of this book however, I will be purchasing a hard copy to carry with me. I highly recommend this book for an individual looking to investigate multiple ways to curb anxiety and stress.