Mindfulness without the Bells and Beads

Chapter 8Introducing the Course

First, let me congratulate you for taking this initial step on the journey of planting and nurturing the seed of mindfulness that's now in your hand. It is a courageous act to turn the spotlight of attention inwardly because during this process it is highly likely we will come across some things that might be difficult to accept, but accept them we must, lest we wish to remain shackled by our past.

Part II of this book is designed to guide you through the process of developing a consistent, diligent, and sustained mindfulness meditation practice through which you can reap the scientifically validated benefits of mindfulness. Throughout the remaining chapters, I will introduce various practices, exercises, and activities intended to bring about a transformational shift in how you navigate, interact with, and experience your world in a way that leads to unlocking and enhancing your own latent talents. The core themes of each chapter will not only encompass mindfulness but also, where appropriate, weave in useful philosophical, performance enhancement, and leadership principles. Don't worry, I will clearly call this out so as to avoid diluting or misrepresenting core tenets of mindfulness.

The next chapters will follow a structured flow designed to enable you to pick up the concepts quickly, practice effectively, and apply learnings in real-life situations. I'll first discuss the key concept(s) of the chapter and why they are important. Then we ...