Mindfulness (the Basics)

Mindfulness: The Basics provides a comprehensive introduction to what mindfulness is, how and why it’s useful, and guidance for practice.

Mindfulness: The Basics provides a comprehensive introduction to what mindfulness is, how and why it’s useful, and guidance for practice.

Mindfulness practice can help reduce anxiety, stress, and low mood, giving way to creativity, happiness, and tranquillity. It also offers us a way in which to acknowledge the limitations and challenges inherent in the human condition. This book covers a brief history of mindfulness, its applications, a review of the current evidence base, as well as some key debates in the field. Divided into three broad sections, this book explores understanding mindfulness, practicing mindfulness, and future directions. Chapters particularly emphasise the role mindfulness can play in addressing the major environmental, social, and political challenges of our time. The book also contains a glossary of key terms, chapter summaries, diagrams, and an e-resource of audio-guided practices. This book is essential for anyone interested in learning more about practising mindfulness.

Students of mindfulness as well as those in healthcare training programmes (such as nursing, medicine, psychology, and psychotherapy) will find this an invaluable guide.

Section I: Background

Chapter 1 What is mindfulness?

Chapter 2 Where does mindfulness come from?

Chapter 3 How does mindfulness work?

Chapter 4 Why practice mindfulness?

Section II: Practice

Chapter 5 Clarifying intention

Chapter 6 Finding your ground: The body scan practice

Chapter 7 Movement and stillness: Taking the practice into life

Chapter 8 Opening to experience: The sitting practice

Chapter 9 Weaving it in: Shorter mindfulness practices

Section III: Application

Chapter 10 Mindfulness in the mainstream

Chapter 11 Meeting the meta-crisis with mindfulness

Chapter 12 Beyond suffering and flourishing: How mindfulness meets the human condition

Sophie Sansom is Co-Director of the Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice (CMRP) at Bangor University where she teaches on the Master’s programme. She sits on the International Panel of Acknowledgement (IPA) for the European Association of Mindfulness-Based Approaches and is chair of the British Association of Mindfulness-Based Approaches (BAMBA).

David Shannon is a Senior Psychologist at St. Luke’s Radiation-Oncology Hospital, Dublin, with a special interest in the application of mindfulness in oncology and palliative care. He previously taught on and led the Master’s programme at the Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice (CMRP) at Bangor University.

Taravajra lives in Sussex and has a master''s degree in mindfulness from Bangor University. He trains teachers in the English and Spanish-speaking worlds, locally with the Sussex Mindfulness Centre and internationally with the Mindfulness Network. He also guides mindfulness retreats. He is currently the UK member of the International Integrity Network (IMI).