Long before people in the West started to study the workings of the human mind, Buddhism was trying to understand body and mind through introspection and meditation. This knowledge has grown to be a very thorough and detailed classification and analysis of mental and physical phenomena. This refined study is known as the Abhidhamma (literally: ‘Higher Teachings’). In Southeast Asia students normally spend more than seven years studying these teachings.  Frits Koster h...

This book provides a straightforward, accessible guide to going on a silent meditation retreat.Written by experienced retreat facilitators, this book presents a mix of Buddhist wisdom, insights from modern psychology and mindfulness research and personal accounts from meditators who have attended retreats with them in the last 30 years. The chapters provide advice on preparing for the retreat, such as booking and what to pack, and offer practical day-to-day guidance about how to si...

A Practical Guide to Mindfulness-Based Compassionate Living: Living with Heart is a step-by-step guide for those who wish to deepen their mindfulness skills with compassion for a healthier, happier life and more fulfilling relationships. It offers a clear structure as well as ample freedom to adjust to individual needs, starting with learning to be kind to yourself and then expanding this to learn how to be kind to others.This guide consists of eight chapters that follow t...

Skilful communication and warm connection are needed today more than ever before. This book explores the potential of mindfulness skills, and how they can be applied to communication in a range of settings.Experienced mindfulness teachers and trainers Frits Koster, Jetty Heynekamp and Victoria Norton provide an outline of the mechanisms underlying mindful communication while a selection of experts presents a concise overview of six communication programs that are becoming well-know...

This book introduces the reader to the psychology of Theravada Buddhism, the cradle of all later Buddhist schools and traditions. In simple and clear language Frits Koster describes the fundamental teachings of Buddhism, including the Four Noble Truths, karma and rebirth. He also introduces various forms of meditation, in particular vipassana or insight meditation. After a practical explanation of the method and practice of insight meditation, he elaborates on the fruits of this practice, ...

This book gives insight into the many aspects of stress, and shows how we can develop skillful ways to deal with stress and prevent burnout and other stress-related complaints. The author examines the various forms of stress we experience at work and in our private lives, giving particular attention to the causes of stress. He also explains the important role that awareness plays in managing and preventing stress, then looks at insight meditation as a practical method of mindfulness traini...

Mindfulness involves learning to be more aware of life as it unfolds moment by moment, even if these moments bring us difficulty, pain or suffering. This is a challenge we will all face at some time in our lives, and which health professionals face every day in their work. The Mindfulness-Based Compassionate Living programme presents a new way of learning how to face the pressures of modern living by providing an antidote which teaches us how to cultivate kindness and compassion – starting...

108 practical teachings for cultivating mindfulness and compassion in the face of fear and uncertainty, from the author of When Things Fall ApartComfortable with Uncertainty offers short, stand-alone readings designed to help us cultivate compassion and awareness amid the challenges of daily living. More than a collection of thoughts for the day, it offers a progressive program of spiritual study, leading the reader through essential conc...

In 1975, Lama Yeshe undertook his most extensive international teaching tour, being on the road for nearly nine months. During this time he gave many and varied teachings, a few of which have already been published in Becoming Your Own Therapist, Make Your Mind an Ocean and The Peaceful Stillness of the Silent Mind.This book contains the teachings and meditations Lama gave at a five-day retreat he led near Melbourne, Australia, which he introduced by saying:"Whether or not ...

The beautiful practicality of her teaching has made Pema Chödrön one of the most beloved of contemporary American spiritual authors among Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. A collection of talks she gave between 1987 and 1994, the book is a treasury of wisdom for going on living when we are overcome by pain and difficulties. Chödrön discusses:· Using painful emotions to cultivate wisdom, compassion, and courage· Communicating so as to encourage others to open up rather than ...

Learn the Art of Meditation!Wherever he goes, Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard is asked to explain what meditation is, how it is done, and what it can achieve.In this elegant, authoritative, and entirely accessible book, he sets out to answer these questions. Although meditation is a lifelong process even for the wisest, Why Meditate? demonstrates that by practicing it on a daily basis we can change our understanding of ourselves and the world around ...

Mindfulness is increasingly being used in educational environments as a way to help students learn more effectively, develop personally, enhance their physical and emotional health, and deal with study and exam-related demands. In Mindful Learning, the authors provide practical insights and exercises on how to apply mindfulness in the educational setting, resulting in a book that clearly sets out how we can manage stress, improve performance and create better communication and relationship...