Awareness. How to find harmony in our crazy world - Danny Penman, Mark Williams

This is a book about mindfulness meditation, which is based on a really working therapy developed by the author and his colleagues at Oxford University. This technique, recommended by the British Ministry of Health, not only helps to cure and prevent depression, but also helps to cope with the challenges of the modern pace of life.

By applying the meditation practices suggested in the book for just 10-20 minutes a day, you will be able to:
- reduce stress, anxiety, irritability and prevent depression;
- develop memory, creativity, reaction, attention and self-control;
- train your mental and physical endurance;
– reduce blood pressure and the risk of hypertension, improve immunity and overall health.

The whole world is talking about the practice of mindfulness lately. And this is wonderful, because right now we are especially lacking in some subtle but important element of our lives. Sometimes we begin to suspect that we lack ourselves - our willingness or ability to be present in our own life and live it as if it really means something, in that one moment that we will ever have, that is, here and now - and that we are worthy and able to live our lives that way.

This is a very bold and extremely important thought, and it could change the world. At the very least, it will change the lives of those who decide to take a step in this direction and help these people appreciate and feel the fullness of life.

At the same time, a conscious approach to life is not just another good idea: “For sure, now I will live more consciously, judge people less, and everything will change for the better. Why didn't I think of this before?" Unfortunately, such ideas are fleeting and almost never stay long in our minds. And while it’s good to be more mindful of your actions and less judgmental of others, this idea alone won’t get you far. Moreover, such thoughts can make you feel more inadequate or powerless.

The practice of mindfulness requires the direct participation of those who want to achieve some benefits with it, only then will it be effective. In other words, mindfulness is really a practice, and this is the opinion of Mark Williams and Danny Penman. It's not just the right idea, a smart technique, or a new fad, it's a way of life. In fact, this practice is several thousand years old, and it is often called the heart, although its essence boils down to mindfulness and awareness and therefore is universal.

The practice of mindfulness has a huge impact on our health, well-being, and happiness, and this book presents the scientific and medical evidence for this in a very accessible way. Because mindfulness is a practice and not just an abstract idea, cultivating it is a process that deepens over time.

In starting the practice, one must first of all make a commitment to oneself, which will require perseverance and discipline, but at the same time flexibility and lightness are necessary, in other words, the manifestation of kindness and compassion for oneself. It is ease, combined with unwavering and sincere involvement, that distinguishes awareness training and further practice in all its diversity.

In addition, it is important to have good mentors in this business, since the stakes are quite high. In the end we are talking about the quality of your life and relationships with others and with the world you live in, not to mention your well-being, mental state, happiness and involvement in your own life.

Therefore, if you trust experienced specialists - Mark Williams and Danny Penman - and take advantage of their recommendations and program, you can be sure that you are in good hands. Their program sets out a clear structure - architecture, if you will - within which you can observe your own body, mind, and the course of life, as well as a proven systematic approach to solving any situations that arise.

The architecture of this program is based solely on the facts and techniques of stress reduction and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, which are combined into a coherent, compelling and common sense eight-week course. It can be used by anyone who values ​​their own health and especially in our constantly accelerating or, according to the authors, crazy world.

I especially like their simple yet radical suggestions for breaking old habits called pattern breaks. They are designed to identify and neutralize the thought processes and behaviors that we most often do not suspect, but they drive us into a narrow framework, making it impossible to live a full life.

Starting the practice, you put yourself in the hands of not only the authors, but also yourself, and this is perhaps the most important thing. You make a promise to yourself to follow their recommendations, formal and informal routines, and pattern-breaking exercises. With their help, you will understand what happens when you focus and show kindness and compassion to yourself and others, even if at first it seems not quite natural. Such a promise is a manifestation of self-confidence and faith in oneself. Combined with the program described in this book, this can be a chance to “befriend” your own life and live it to the fullest, minute by minute, day by day.

Mark Williams has been a colleague, collaborator and friend of mine for many years. He is one of the largest researchers in the field of mindfulness practice all over the world, he stood at the origins of this direction and did a lot to popularize it. Like John Tisdale and Zindel Segal, he is one of the founders of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, which, according to many studies, can have a huge impact on the lives of people suffering from clinical depression, significantly reducing the risk of relapse. In addition, Mark is the founder of the Center for Mindfulness Research and Practice at Bangor University (North Wales) and the Oxford Center for the Study of Mindfulness. Both centers conduct leading research and clinical training based on mindfulness practices.

A book by Mark Williams and journalist Danny Penman is a practical guide to mindfulness and its cultivation. I hope you will greatly benefit from participating in this program and learn how to develop a wiser relationship with your own "free and precious life."

John Kabat-Zinn
Boston, Massachusetts
December 2010

You can download an introductory fragment of the book (~20%) at the link:

Awareness. How to find harmony - Penman, Williams (download)

Read the full version of the book in the best online library of Runet - Litres.

And finally, we offer you to watch an interesting video

I didn't expect it, but I liked it. It's really too early to say if you liked it or not. Because you have to work with the book. I just liked the theory so far. But here's what I want to say. I haven't read anything on popular psychotherapy for a long time. And at times I was very fond of it. It was read maybe not prohibitively much, but enough to get acquainted with the topic, roughly separate the wheat from the chaff, inspire something, and even use something. Yes, yes, I probably never did any long-running programs, but once I got inspired and tried something as simple and even fun as possible, I was able to redo a lot in my life for some time. But at some point she put it all aside, then forgot, then it became uninteresting, and finally, at this time, she began to perceive all such literature en masse with skepticism.
But this book ... Honestly, I have it in paper, but I never opened it - paper. Otherwise, I would have tormented for a long time: I would have got stuck on the first 50-80 pages of scientific calculations, research by psychologists, positive successes ... Well, and everything that may be very attractive to a Western reader, but I was bored, tedious and completely unnecessary. Especially when the idea was repeated over and over again that all our troubles are from the fact that we think wrong, I decided that they would teach me the whole book, or rather, make me think correctly - and I frankly became sad. But the good thing is that I decided to listen to the book in a talking room, and I myself slowly went about my business. Quickly listen to the theory and to the side - it's done.
But when this very theory went - an 8-week course, meditation exercises, comments on them, my attention became more active. Because it turned out to be about me. And sometimes so to the point ... But I thought that with me alone this could not be fixed.
And this is not about how to become successful, earn a lot of money, learn how to communicate with people and all that, undoubtedly necessary, but not about that. If you are full of strength, energy and desires - you are not here. This is not about self-improvement and superpowers, but about how to return what has gone somewhere. This book is a very benevolent, very careful and kind help to those who have suddenly or gradually and imperceptibly suddenly become something wrong. With life, strength, desires, work... When burned out. When you suddenly realized that you don’t want anything, nothing makes you happy and you want to hide from everyone. When did you suddenly realize that you were somehow not good and not kind, but all your life before that it turned out to be wrong? When you suddenly remembered with horror that you once had interesting hobbies, but somewhere along the way you lost them and they are not at all interesting to you now. When you blame yourself for everything and there is no forgiveness for you .... I can probably continue this list for a long time. But this is how stress probably ends and apathy begins, and then depression. The word is already worn out and uninteresting to the point of banality, but who knows, he will understand.
The main thing for me here was that nothing is imposed, no strictness and violence against oneself. Everything is extremely simple, you just need to understand what you need and do it. The book feels like a very benevolent, delicate and empathic offer to help. To teach to understand oneself, one's thoughts and feelings, to return to the present, to realize one's problems, to accept them. Not to solve the problem, but to help you understand what needs to be done. Because something can be fixed. Or a lot.
No, this is not another inspiration. I understand that in order to succeed, something must be done. I'm just curious - I suddenly found understanding of my problem in this book. But I may well not open it again - such is the fate of many good intentions. And I wouldn't want to force the book on anyone, but it's worth reading.

Danny Penman, Mark Williams

Awareness. How to find harmony in our crazy world

MARK WILLIAMS, DANNY PENMAN

MINDFULNESS

A practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world

Scientific editor Nadezhda Nikolskaya

Published with permission from Dr Danny Penman and Professor J. M. G. Williams c/o Curtis Brown Group Limited and Van Lear

© Professor Mark Williams and Dr Danny Penman, 2001

Foreword by Jon Kaabt-Zinn, 2011

This edition is published by arrangement with Curtis Brown UK and The Van Lear Agency LLC.

© Translation into Russian, edition in Russian, design. LLC "Mann, Ivanov and Ferber", 2014

All rights reserved. No part of the electronic version of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including posting on the Internet and corporate networks, for private and public use, without the written permission of the copyright owner.

Legal support of the publishing house is provided by the law firm "Vegas-Lex"

© Electronic version of the book prepared by Litres (www.litres.ru)

This book is well complemented by:

How to stay calm and efficient in any situation

How to get rid of stress, internal conflicts and bad habits

Tal Ben Shahar

Foreword

The whole world is talking about the practice of mindfulness lately. And this is wonderful, because right now we are especially lacking in some subtle but important element of our lives. Sometimes we begin to suspect that we are missing ourselves - our willingness or ability to be present in our own life and live it as if it really means something, in that one moment that we will ever have, that is, here and now—and that we are worthy and able to live our lives that way. This is a very bold and extremely important thought, and it could change the world. At the very least, it will change the lives of those who decide to take a step in this direction and help these people appreciate and feel the fullness of life.

At the same time, a conscious approach to life is not just another good idea: “That's right, now I will live more consciously, judge people less, and everything will change for the better. Why didn't I think of this before?" Unfortunately, such ideas are fleeting and almost never stay long in our minds. And while it’s good to be more mindful of your actions and less judgmental of others, this idea alone won’t get you far. Moreover, such thoughts can make you feel more inadequate or powerless. The practice of mindfulness requires the direct participation of those who want to achieve some benefits with it, only then will it be effective. In other words, mindfulness is really a practice, and this is the opinion of Mark Williams and Danny Penman. It's not just the right idea, a smart technique, or a new fad, it's a way of life. In fact, this practice is several thousand years old, and is often called the heart of Buddhist meditation, although its essence boils down to mindfulness and awareness and therefore is universal.

The practice of mindfulness has a huge impact on our health, well-being, and happiness, and this book presents the scientific and medical evidence for this in a very accessible way. Because mindfulness is a practice and not just an abstract idea, cultivating it is a process that deepens over time. In starting the practice, one must first of all make a commitment to oneself, which will require perseverance and discipline, but at the same time flexibility and lightness are necessary, in other words, the manifestation of kindness and compassion for oneself. It is ease, combined with unwavering and sincere involvement, that distinguishes awareness training and further practice in all its diversity.

In addition, it is important to have good mentors in this business, since the stakes are quite high. Ultimately, it's about the quality of your life and relationships with others and with the world you live in, not to mention your well-being, mental state, happiness, and involvement in your own life. Therefore, if you trust experienced specialists - Mark Williams and Danny Penman - and take advantage of their recommendations and program, you can be sure that you are in good hands. Their program sets out a clear structure—architecture, if you will—within which you can observe your own body, mind, and the course of life, as well as a proven systematic approach to dealing with any situation that arises. The architecture of this program is based solely on the facts and techniques of stress reduction and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, which are combined into a coherent, compelling and common sense eight-week course. It can be used by anyone who values ​​their own health and peace of mind, especially in our ever-accelerating or, according to the authors, crazy world. I especially like their simple yet radical suggestions for breaking old habits called pattern breaks. They are designed to identify and neutralize the thought processes and behaviors that we most often do not suspect, but they drive us into a narrow framework, making it impossible to live a full life. Starting the practice, you put yourself in the hands of not only the authors, but also yourself, and this is perhaps the most important thing. You make a promise to yourself to follow their recommendations, formal and informal routines, and pattern-breaking exercises. With their help, you will understand what happens when you focus and show kindness and compassion to yourself and others, even if at first it seems not entirely natural. Such a promise is a manifestation of self-confidence and faith in oneself. Combined with the program described in this book, this can be a chance to “befriend” your own life and live it to the fullest, minute by minute, day by day.

Awareness. How to find harmony in our crazy world Mark Williams, Danny Penman

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Title: Awareness. How to find harmony in our crazy world
Author: Mark Williams, Danny Penman
Year: 2011
Genre: Foreign psychology, Psychotherapy and counseling

About the book Consciousness. How to find harmony in our crazy world" Mark Williams, Danny Penman

Here is a book about mindfulness meditation, on which the therapy developed by the author and his colleagues at Oxford University is based. This technique not only helps to cure and prevent depression, but also helps to cope with the challenges of the modern rhythm of life. By spending 10-20 minutes a day in mindful meditation, you will learn to stop the flow of thoughts and emotions in order to focus on what is really happening in your life.

Published in Russian for the first time.

On our site about books lifeinbooks.net you can download for free without registration or read online the book “Mindfulness. How to find harmony in our crazy world” by Mark Williams, Danny Penman in epub, fb2, txt, rtf, pdf formats for iPad, iPhone, Android and Kindle. The book will give you a lot of pleasant moments and a real pleasure to read. You can buy the full version from our partner. Also, here you will find the latest news from the literary world, learn the biography of your favorite authors. For novice writers, there is a separate section with useful tips and tricks, interesting articles, thanks to which you can try your hand at writing.

I didn't expect it, but I liked it. It's really too early to say if you liked it or not. Because you have to work with the book. I just liked the theory so far. But here's what I want to say. I haven't read anything on popular psychotherapy for a long time. And at times I was very fond of it. It was read maybe not prohibitively much, but enough to get acquainted with the topic, roughly separate the wheat from the chaff, inspire something, and even use something. Yes, yes, I probably never did any long-running programs, but once I got inspired and tried something as simple and even fun as possible, I was able to redo a lot in my life for some time. But at some point she put it all aside, then forgot, then it became uninteresting, and finally, at this time, she began to perceive all such literature en masse with skepticism.
But this book ... Honestly, I have it in paper, but I never opened it - paper. Otherwise, I would have tormented for a long time: I would have got stuck on the first 50-80 pages of scientific calculations, research by psychologists, positive successes ... Well, and everything that may be very attractive to a Western reader, but I was bored, tedious and completely unnecessary. Especially when the idea was repeated over and over again that all our troubles are from the fact that we think wrong, I decided that they would teach me the whole book, or rather, make me think correctly - and I frankly became sad. But the good thing is that I decided to listen to the book in a talking room, and I myself slowly went about my business. Quickly listen to the theory and to the side - it's done.
But when this very theory went - an 8-week course, meditation exercises, comments on them, my attention became more active. Because it turned out to be about me. And sometimes so to the point ... But I thought that with me alone this could not be fixed.
And this is not about how to become successful, earn a lot of money, learn how to communicate with people and all that, undoubtedly necessary, but not about that. If you are full of strength, energy and desires - you are not here. This is not about self-improvement and superpowers, but about how to return what has gone somewhere. This book is a very benevolent, very careful and kind help to those who have suddenly or gradually and imperceptibly suddenly become something wrong. With life, strength, desires, work... When burned out. When you suddenly realized that you don’t want anything, nothing makes you happy and you want to hide from everyone. When did you suddenly realize that you were somehow not good and not kind, but all your life before that it turned out to be wrong? When you suddenly remembered with horror that you once had interesting hobbies, but somewhere along the way you lost them and they are not at all interesting to you now. When you blame yourself for everything and there is no forgiveness for you .... I can probably continue this list for a long time. But this is how stress probably ends and apathy begins, and then depression. The word is already worn out and uninteresting to the point of banality, but who knows, he will understand.
The main thing for me here was that nothing is imposed, no strictness and violence against oneself. Everything is extremely simple, you just need to understand what you need and do it. The book feels like a very benevolent, delicate and empathic offer to help. To teach to understand oneself, one's thoughts and feelings, to return to the present, to realize one's problems, to accept them. Not to solve the problem, but to help you understand what needs to be done. Because something can be fixed. Or a lot.
No, this is not another inspiration. I understand that in order to succeed, something must be done. I'm just curious - I suddenly found understanding of my problem in this book. But I may well not open it again - such is the fate of many good intentions. And I wouldn't want to force the book on anyone, but it's worth reading.