Despite having and constantly trying to deepen a daily meditation practice for years, I hadn't read this book. Since I'm slowly in the process of trying to reintegrate vipassana into my existing meditation practice—one rooted in the Kundalini yogic tradition—I found this book the be an invaluable resource, not only as a reintroduction of sorts to vipassana (insight meditation), but also perhaps reminding me why I've always preferred vipassana practice to zazen ("just sitting").

For those new to meditation and mindfulness practice, this book is perhaps the best place to start. With short chapters, it would be ideal to work through the ideas here slowly, reading and savoring and reflecting on each as they're presenting as one incorporates them into a daily practice at home. In all of my reading on meditation, yoga, Buddhism, and even some sometimes questionable, esoteric philosophical tracts on the training of the mind, I don't think I've encountered a book that has been so direct, accessible, and admirably put together.

This will help you to see why sitting daily is for everyone, not just Buddhists or those seeking enlightenment (whatever that might be). But, more importantly, this book will articulate how your practice of seated meditation carries over into your daily life, and how the point of meditation—and the most important part of meditation—begins after you have risen from your cushion.

Start or deepen your practice here... or, for those who might have fallen off the meditation bandwagon, and recall all of the positive effects it had on their daily lives (and perhaps bemoan daily something along these lines: "I wish I had more time to meditate again!"), this is the book for you to recommence your journey. ( )

not bad

Good read if it's one of your first mindfulness reads. If you're a bit more seasoned it won't add much. ( )

'This work will be of great value to newcomers...especially people without access to a teacher.'-Larry Rosenberg

'Time and time again, the student is told to...meditate, meditate, meditate. But how? Venerable Gunaratana's book answers how.'-Chris O'Keefe

'Mindfulness in Plain English is just that: a wonderfully clear and straightforward explanation of mindfulness meditation. Venerable Gunaratana has done a valuable service in writing this book. It will be of great help to all who read it.'-Joseph Goldstein

This step-by-step guide to Insight meditation is truly practical and direct. Vernerable Gunaratana's conventional style and use of everyday examples imbue the basic teachings of Vipassana meditaton with unsurpassable clarity and wit. His deeply spiritual yet nondenominational approach invites readers of all backgrounds to experience the fruits of meditative awareness.

Contents

Preface
Introduciton: American Buddhism
1 Meditation: Why bother
2 What meditation isn't
3 What meditation is
4 Attitude
5 The practice
6 What to do with your body
7 What to do with your mind
8 Structuring your meditation
9 Set up exercises
10 Dealing with problems
11 Dealing with distractions I
12 Dealing with distractions II
13 Mindfulnes (Sati)
14 Mindfulness versus concentration
15 Meditation in everyday life
16 What's in it for you

Very good book, and would’ve definitely been a 5-star book had it been my first introduction to meditation. ( )

This book helped me get into a regular meditation routine several years ago. Most meditation books are all saying the same thing, so it's really just a matter of finding one that speaks to you. I like Thich Nhat Hanh's books a lot, too. ( )