Mindfulness: Living Through Challenges and Enriching Your Life In This Moment

We live in a fast–paced world with amazing technology that allows us to connect with others and get things done as never before. Yet why do so many of us still feel increasingly distracted and overwhelmed? Prolonged stress not only puts us at risk for serious mental and physical problems, it also robs us of our ability to fully engage in our lives and relationships. The ancient practice of mindfulness can help.   Extensive empirical research shows that mindfulness has the ability to transform the nature of even our most serious challenges—while adding richness to our lives and individual moments. In Mindfulness: Living Through Challenges and Enriching Your Life In This Moment , Richard Sears translates the scientific principles of mindfulness into practical ways to respond to stress, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, addictions, and many other problems, in a healthier way. Seamlessly weaving anecdotes from his clinical work, ninja training, and Zen teaching, Sears reveals the secrets of proven mindfulness techniques and shares the practical tools for reawakening your own values to live a more fulfilling life in each moment. Illuminating and timely, Mindfulness: Living Through Challenges and Enriching Your Life In This Moment unlocks the potential of an ancient practice to put us on a modern path of learning, growth, and leading a more enriching life each day.

About the Author viii Acknowledgments x 1 The Need for Mindfulness 1 2 What Is Mindfulness? 15 3 What Mindfulness Is Not 60 4 When Things Go Wrong: Responding to Challenges 95 5 When Things Go Terribly Wrong 131 6 Enriching Your Life 169 7 Building Your Mindfulness Muscles 203 8 Beyond Mindfulness: More Ways to Train Your Mind 223 Afterword 240 Mindfulness Exercises 241 References 242 Photo Credits 246 Index 249

Richard Sears, Director of the Center for Clinical Mindfulness and Meditation, is a board–certified clinical psychologist, an authorized Zen teacher, and also has a 5th degree black belt in the ninja art of To Shin Do. He has practiced and taught mindfulness for 30 years. He is author of Mindfulness in Clinical Practice, Consultation Skills for Mental Health Professionals , and Building Competence in Mindfulness–Based Cognitive Therapy .