Mindfulness (In Plain English)- By Bhante Henepola Gunaratana

Mindfulness for those aren’t aware of it yet, refers to being completely in touch with and aware of the present moment, as well as taking a non-evaluative and non-judgmental approach to your inner experience. The Author emphasizes in the book that a state of Mindfulness can be achieved by meditation. The jargon Meditation and its methods of doing has been discussed in numerous books, manuals and articles, which has not only left us in a perplexed state of what exactly it is but also has filled us up with the misconception of it being complicated and challenging.

Mindfulness- In Plain English- as the name of the book suggests simply tells us what meditation is all about. Mediation has been explained here as a way of making us achieve a state of mindfulness in which one pierces through the nature of reality and sees things as they really are.  Gunaratana not only spends a lot of time setting up what meditation is and isn't, but step by step takes us through the myths, realities, and benefits of meditation and the practice of mindfulness. The Author gives practical advice on where to focus your mind, how to sit, how long to sit, how to deal with distractions, how to keep your concentration and so much more.

Some of the astounding quotes in the book are ‘Pain is inevitable, suffering is not’, ‘It is by knowing the existence of our deficiencies that we can improve ourselves’, and  ‘Somewhere in this process, you will come face-to-face with the sudden and shocking realization that you are completely crazy. Your mind is a shrieking, gibbering madhouse on wheels barreling pell-mell down the hill, utterly out of control and hopeless’.

To conclude the book assures us that we already have the foundation we need to live a more productive and peaceful life and simply tells us how to make it work.