Sasu reviewed Mindfulness in Plain English by Henepola Gunaratana
Mindfulness in Plain English was first published in 1994, is one of the bestselling — …
A Classic Meditation Manual, not just for Beginners
5 stars
A common refrain I have heard from several #meditation teachers is that it is good periodically to return to basic instructions for the dual reason that it tends to correct any unskillful patterns which have emerged and that the questions that arise as a result of one's own meditation practice aid in learning and allow the practitioner to absorb more from the same or similar material. This advice has definitely held true as I read this book for the second time (this time with my ears via the recorded voice of Edoardo Ballerini).
I read Mindfulness in Plain English for the first time nearly 20 years ago, and even though the basic contents of the book were familiar to me on this second read-through, nearly the whole book struck me as remarkably fresh. The introduction alone opens with wonderful force, directly addressing the #unsatisfactoriness which is likely familiar to anyone …
A common refrain I have heard from several #meditation teachers is that it is good periodically to return to basic instructions for the dual reason that it tends to correct any unskillful patterns which have emerged and that the questions that arise as a result of one's own meditation practice aid in learning and allow the practitioner to absorb more from the same or similar material. This advice has definitely held true as I read this book for the second time (this time with my ears via the recorded voice of Edoardo Ballerini).
I read Mindfulness in Plain English for the first time nearly 20 years ago, and even though the basic contents of the book were familiar to me on this second read-through, nearly the whole book struck me as remarkably fresh. The introduction alone opens with wonderful force, directly addressing the #unsatisfactoriness which is likely familiar to anyone who comes into contact with the the book, and has the dual ability not only to convince (or at least intrigue) those new to meditation that it might be a worthwhile endeavor, but also to imbue experienced #meditators with a renewed sense of purpose and urgency.
On my way through this book, I found myself wishing that I had returned to it before now, as it addresses many of the challenges I have faced and currently am facing in such a clear and understanding manner that I was able to apply the advice immediately. Indeed, looking back on my years of meditation experience, I realize that the guidance in this book would have been enough to address the majority of the challenges I've faced over the years.
The one possible weakness I could find in this book is the strong emphasis to place the attention on the breath at the nostrils and nowhere else, which I have indeed found to be one excellent place for the attention. However useful following the breath at the nostrils is, it is not the only place the breath can be followed at a relatively small, fixed point, and for some, this may be unhelpfully inflexible, while for others the inflexibility of the suggestion may be a helpful simplification of the abundance of options which are available when beginning a meditation practice. The good news is that this weakness is counterbalanced by Bhante Gunaratana's clarity that these are instructions based on one very specific tradition, and, in this newer addition, the new afterword giving an introduction to loving friendliness or metta, which itself is also an excellent practice and gateway for anyone wishing to start a meditation practice.
Overall, I am pleased that I took the time with this book again and now understand why it has acquired the status of a classic among meditation manuals: it is brief, yet comprehensive and contains everything one needs to start or reinvigorate a practice of insight meditation.
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