Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening Hardcover – November 1, 2013
by Joseph Goldstein (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars 572 ratings
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The mind contains the seeds of its own awakening—seeds that we can cultivate to bring forth the fruits of a life lived consciously. With Mindfulness, Joseph Goldstein shares the wisdom of his four decades of teaching and practice in a book that will serve as a lifelong companion for anyone committed to mindful living and the realization of inner freedom.
Goldstein's source teaching is the Satipatthana Sutta, the Buddha's legendary discourse on the four foundations of mindfulness that became the basis for the many types of Vipassana (or insight meditation) found today. Exquisite in detail yet wholly accessible and relevant for the modern student, Mindfulness takes us through a profound study of:
Ardency, clear knowing, mindfulness, and concentration—how to develop these four qualities of mind essential for walking the path wisely
The Satipatthana refrain—how deeply contemplating the four foundations of mindfulness opens us to bare knowing and continuity of mindfulness
Mindfulness of the body, including the breath, postures, activities, and physical characteristics
Mindfulness of feelings—how the experience of our sense perceptions influences our inner and outer worlds
Mindfulness of mind—learning to recognize skillful and unskillful states of mind and thought
Mindfulness of dhammas (or categories of experience), including the Five Hindrances, the Six Sense Spheres, the Seven Factors of Awakening, and much more
"There is a wealth of meaning and nuance in the experience of mindfulness that can enrich our lives in unimagined ways," writes Goldstein. In Mindfulness you have the tools to mine these riches for yourself.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"Mindfulness seems to be everywhere these days. It's clear the ideas associated with it provide helpful direction for dealing with things like addiction, emotional imbalance, and recovery from abuse. Joseph Goldstein, a leading meditation teacher and retreat leader, has put together a discussion of mindfulness in the context of its Buddhist origins, bringing it back to its relevance as a tool for spiritual awakening. Goldstein offers clearly-written discussions of things like awareness of motivation, sustainable application of effort, wholesome recollection, continuity of mindfulness, contemplating impermanence, personalizing difficulties, doubt disguised as wisdom, and mindful listening. The language of the book is down-to-earth and compassionately supportive. Non-English terms are carefully explained and used sparingly. This is a serious, yet very readable text, rooted in traditional, scholarly Buddhist philosophy without distancing itself from lay readers. Let your customers know that the welcoming tone of the writing creates the experience of opening a window and breathing in fresh air."--Anna Jedrziewski, Retailing Insight
"A major contribution to the clarifying and deepening of our understanding of mindfulness and its traditional Dharma roots."
--Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of Full Catastrophe Living and Mindfulness for Beginners
"Author Joseph Goldstein, one of the most wise, lucid, and experienced teachers of our times, has written a book on mindfulness that calls forth the depth and power of classical Buddhist teachings. If you are drawn to meditation out of a longing to realize spiritual freedom, this book will be a cherished resource on your path."
--Tara Brach, PhD , author of Radical Acceptance and True Refuge
"Joseph Goldstein has written an immensely clear, practical, and accessible guide to living a mindful life. From examining its roots to exploring its manifold expressions, this deeply significant work shows the path for mindfulness to become our closest friend. I feel like I've waited a long time for a book just like this, and here it is!"
--Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness and Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation
"In eloquent and compelling detail by a master of the art, Goldstein's new book shows how mindfulness leads to calm, well-being, and the joy of self-realization. The most complete and understandable book on mindfulness in print."
--Reggie Ray, author of Touching Enlightenment and Mahamudra for the Modern World
"Useful advice that can help any meditator, no matter where they are on the path. Mindfulness should become an instant classic."
--Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence
"Lucid, clear, enormously helpful, a wise and mature vision of Buddhism."
--Jack Kornfield, author of A Path With Heart
"America is damn lucky there is a Joseph. He has shepherded Western Buddhism in his ever-expanding teachings . . ."
--Stephen Levine, author of Turning Toward the Mystery
About the Author
Joseph Goldstein has been leading insight and lovingkindness meditation retreats worldwide since 1974. He is a cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society, the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, and the Forest Refuge. Since 1967, he has studied and practiced different forms of Buddhist meditation under eminent teachers from India, Burma, and Tibet. His books include A Heart Full of Peace, One Dharma, Insight Meditation, and The Experience of Insight.
Product details
Publisher : Sounds True; First Edition (November 1, 2013)
Language : English
Hardcover : 480 pages
ISBN-10 : 162203063X
ISBN-13 : 978-1622030637
Item Weight : 1.7 pounds
Dimensions : 6 x 1 x 9 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #422,045 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
#418 in Buddhist Rituals & Practice (Books)
#4,336 in Meditation (Books)
Customer Reviews:
4.7 out of 5 stars 572 ratings
Joseph Goldstein
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joseph goldstein satipatthana sutta practical guide guide to awakening insight meditation jack kornfield easy to read highly recommend direct path mindfulness practical dan harris well worth sounds true well written buddha teachings teachings of the buddha meditation society satipatthana sutra abiding in mindfulness everyday life
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AJ
5.0 out of 5 stars a comprehensive guide for any meditatorReviewed in the United States on March 8, 2018
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This is THE comprehensive book on mindfulness. I would suggest it to someone who is of intermediate level ( a couple of months) of mindfulness practice to try it out. The reason being that after a couple of months of practice without a teacher you may end up on a plateau and not know what or why you're trying out something.
To give my own example: i started with Headspace app and after finishing all the basic and intermediate levels i knew that mindfulness meditation helps but the app is limited enough and will not help you make the connection between concentration on breathing or bodyscan or visualization and its bearing on meditation and in short you'll be left with insufficient information. Then i looked into books by Dan Harris and even his second book on meditation is comprehensive it may not give you the full gist of why some types of meditation practice helps under certain circumstances e.g. metta and noticing. There always felt a question of 'why am i doing this now?'
Joseph's book is comprehensive enough to cover almost all questions that an intermediate meditator might face; note that this is not a book about religion or buddhism but a book strictly on mindfulness. Things like metta and noticing finally cleared up and i finally got to know the answer on why a meditator should do them and under what circumstances. The source of this book is through his talks on 'Satipatthana sutta' and available on dharmaseed.org I would suggest hearing those talks because he gives examples (some of which have not been sourced into the book) and Joseph makes even hearing about meditation fun. And use this book as a reference when you're done with almost 46 hours of talk on Mindfulness.
Happy meditating!
72 people found this helpful
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Reader in Seattle
3.0 out of 5 stars Possibly Not "Practical" for EveryoneReviewed in the United States on May 6, 2019
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As an advanced novice at meditation, I looked forward to learning from Joseph Goldstein, and the term "practical" suggested a step-by-step introduction to mindfulness. The book is, in many ways, step-by-step, but now 100 pages in, i find myself overwhelmed by the detail and nomenclature. If I were to characterize the book, I would use the work "comprehensive" rather than practical. I haven't given up on the book, but will put it aside for now and possibly come back to it when I'm further along the path. And BTW, my 3-star rating is for me at this point. I'm sure more advanced practitioners would rate it higher.
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E. Collangelo
5.0 out of 5 stars Some suggestions on how to approach this bookReviewed in the United States on November 22, 2019
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It took me two years and several tries to get into this one. Now I’m deeply grateful for it, it’s become a constant companion for months. (I totally agree with the positive reviews)
Here are some suggestions on how to approach it:
-The book follows the Sattipathana Sutta which is included in the book and can be easily found online for free, too. The author sometimes seems to assume you know it already (at least I sometimes felt as though I had missed some reference). Since it's a very brief text it helps to read it in parallel or before the respective chapters in the book. The structure and context will then be very clear.
-The book is also very dense and actually full of instructions. Just stay with a practice for a while and see what happens. For instance wtith the first instructions on mindful breathing.
-There's an accompanying audiobook which condenses the book to 2.5h of short guided meditations, which can help as a” backbone” to the book.
Mindfulness: Six Guided Practices for Awakening
-It would definitely help having a regular meditation practice. The audiobook or an app like 10 percent happier can help. And then of course some intensive retreat(s).
It may well be that this is not the best beginners book. However once you get into it its endlessly rewarding.
9 people found this helpful
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SadieLove
5.0 out of 5 stars SO GOOD. (Even for novices like me!)Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2018
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I’m a fairly novice Buddhist and (while only one section into the book thus far) am completely in love with this book. CONSICE. Fast paced, broken down into smaller segments so it reads quickly and doesn’t feel like he goes on about anything in particular, well written, thought provoking, introspective, uses lots of source material and quotes. Fairly unbiased thus far between different Buddhist denominations (which is what I wanted). Aspects I haven’t completely agreed with were still relevant when viewed through my own ideas (not very Buddhist but whatever 😝). Excellent book! This is my first real book on Buddhism, so if I can understand and learn from it odds are so can you (;
6 people found this helpful
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Zen Elder
4.0 out of 5 stars Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening, by Joseph GoldsteinReviewed in the United States on October 21, 2017
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Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening, by Joseph Goldstein: Our sangha is studying the Satipatthana Sutta, and I was looking for a book to augment another translation and commentary. Goldstein's commentary is practical and breaks down the various aspects of mindfulness practice into short sections, which I find easier to study and absorb. This one's a keeper and a book I'll recommend to others.
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Frits Hoen
5.0 out of 5 stars When you want to go deeper than just being mindfulReviewed in the United Kingdom on July 21, 2019
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This is a serious book, written by someome who knows his stuff. If you want to go all the way and really attempt enlightenment then this book will be your trusty companion. I would recommend reading something a little lighter about Mindfullness first if you are new to this. If you want to dive in and explore then this is a lovely book to read and also use as a reference. Mr. Goldstein's wisdom and experience will help save you a lot of time in your quest. It is a pragmatic approach and, in my view, a successful one
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Reviewer1000
5.0 out of 5 stars Cannot recommend highly enough if you want to understand the Satipatthana ...Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2018
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Cannot recommend highly enough if you want to understand the Satipatthana Sutta. However I still struggle with the belief that there is no self, but you do not have to agree with everything and he does encourage you to investigate it all and to try it - for me it all rings true, apart from giving up the 'self', I am still struggling to let go of it and am still hanging onto mine, but then I am a layman after all!
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Jotter
5.0 out of 5 stars Purchased this together with Meditation Kit by Goldstein. Both ...Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 21, 2015
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Purchased this together with Meditation Kit by Goldstein. Both books are very clear and helpful will keep as a reference book to dip into as and when. Each reading brings up different aspects and I shall return to this again. The theme is in vogue now, but before the market was swamped I wanted some information to compliment the unabridged Dhammapada and I have found it beneficial.
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SB
5.0 out of 5 stars my ultimate guide to the practice of secular Buddhism and Joseph the ultimate teacherReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 21, 2021
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I came upon Joseph Goldstein in my First Lockdown meditation project! He and his fellow meditator Sharon Salzburg ran their first online retreat - we were all doing something new together. I have ranged far and wide in the year or so since then and I find myself again back at the feet of Jospeh. I can hear the Buddha speak through Joseph as his catalyst.
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Patrick Cahill
4.0 out of 5 stars Clear and cogent.Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 19, 2018
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Goldstein goes that step further than Analayo in describing the Satipatthana Sutta. Filled with anecdotes and quotes from other sources. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to explore Mindfulness and Buddhism in more detail.
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