Recommended Books

Getting started with meditation

  • Wildmind: A Step-by-Step Guide to Meditation by Bodhipaksa
  • Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn
  • Mindfulness for Beginners: Reclaiming the Present Moment–and Your Life by Jon Kabat-Zinn
  • Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World by Mark Williams and Danny Penman

About Mindfulness and MBSR

  • 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works–A True Story by ABC News Correspondent Dan Harris
  • A Mindful Nation: How a Simple Practice Can Help Us Reduce Stress, Improve Performance, and Recapture the American Spirit by Congressman Tim Ryan
  • Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D.
  • A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook by Bob Stahl, Ph.D. and Elisha Goldsten, Ph.D.

Mindfulness in Daily Life

  • How to Train a Wild Elephant: And Other Adventures in Mindfulness by Jan Chozen Bays
  • Just One Thing: Developing a Buddha Brain One Simple Practice at a Time by Rick Hanson

Depression, Anxiety, Mental Health

  • The Mindful Way Through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness by Mark Williams, John Teasdale, Zindel Segal, and Jon Kabat-Zinn
  • The Mindful Way Workbook: An 8-Week Program to Free Yourself from Depression and Emotional Distress by John D. Teasdale, PhD
  • The Mindful Way through Anxiety: Break Free from Chronic Worry and Reclaim Your Life by Susan M. Orsillo, PhD and Lizabeth Roemer, PhD
  • Calming the Rush of Panic: A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Guide to Freeing Yourself from Panic Attacks and Living a Vital Life by Bob Stahl PhD and Wendy Millstine
  • When in Doubt, Make Belief: An OCD-Inspired Approach to Living with Uncertainty by Jeff Bell (Here’s a book review)

Self-Compassion

  • The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion: Freeing Yourself from Destructive Thoughts and Emotions by Christopher K. Germer, Ph.D.
  • Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Kristin Neff
  • Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha by Tara Brach

Mindful Communication and Relationships

  • Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life by Marshall B. Rosenberg
  • How to Be an Adult in Relationships: The Five Keys to Mindful Loving by David Richo

Mindful Work, Mindful Leadership

  • One Second Ahead: Enhance Your Performance at Work with Mindfulness by Rasmus Hougaard, Jacqueline Carter, Gillian Coutts, and Allan Loney
  • Awake at Work: 35 Practical Buddhist Principles for Discovering Clarity and Balance in the Midst of Work’s Chaos by Michael Carroll
  • The Mindful Leader: Awakening Your Natural Management Skills Through Mindfulness Meditation by Michael Carroll
  • The Zen Leader: 10 Ways to Go From Barely Managing to Leading Fearlessly by Ginny Whitelaw

Mindful Eating

  • Mindful Eating: A Guide to Rediscovering a Healthy and Joyful Relationship with Food by Jan Chozen Bays
  • Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life by Thich Nhat Hanh and Lilian Cheung

Addiction Recovery

  • Eight Step Recovery: Using the Buddha’s Teachings to Overcome Addiction by Valerie Mason-John and Paramabandu Groves
  • One Breath at a Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps by Kevin Griffin

Mindful Parenting

  • Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting by Myla Kabat-Zinn and Jon Kabat-Zinn

Pain and Illness

  • Living Well with Pain and Illness: The Mindful Way to Free Yourself from Suffering by Vidyamala Burch (Here’s a podcast with the author)
  • Being Well (Even When You’re Sick): Mindfulness Practices for People with Cancer and Other Serious Illnesses by Elana Rosenbaum
  • How to Be Sick: A Buddhist-Inspired Guide for the Chronically Ill and Their Caregivers by Toni Bernhard

Neuroscience of Mindfulness

  • Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom by Rick Hanson
  • Aware: The Groundbreaking Meditation Practice by Dr. Daniel Siegel M.D