Buy in paperback or on kindle from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com.
Mindfulness is the latest buzzword for anyone seeking to ease the stresses of 21st-century life. Yet, despite what superficial approaches to the practice may lead us to believe, mindfulness is not a cosy strategy for 'glossing over' life's difficulties.
In this book, Ed Halliwell examines how mindfulness can help us recognise and let go of our unhelpful biases and habits, enable us to live more at peace with stress and uncertainty, cultivate cheerfulness and compassion, and lead us towards our life's calling - if we are willing to journey to the heart of the practice.
Having come to mindfulness in a bid to be rid of anxiety and depression, Ed found a path that transformed his life in a way he hadn't expected. A former magazine editor, his way of life has changed, and he now teaches mindfulness.
Into the Heart of Mindfulness offers Ed's experiences as inspiration. With practical advice, taster exercises and a refreshing candour, he explores how working with the realities of our minds, bodies and day-to-day existence - rather than striving for positive results - can, paradoxically, help us rediscover a richly nourishing, deeply textured life.
Buy it in paperback or kindle from Amazon.co.uk and in paperback (from third-party sellers) at Amazon.com (please note: kindle edition not currently available from Amazon.com, however it can be ordered from anywhere in the world at Amazon.co.uk)
(To read the preface and an extract from chapter one, click on 'Look Inside' at the Amazon page)
To read an extract made available by the publishers, click here
Reviews
"Openhearted, honest, and powerfully convincing - Into the Heart of Mindfulness is both a skillful guide to practice and a mirror into the stresses that bring us to seek greater mindfulness. Ed Halliwell's clear voice rises strongly from his own experience, pointing the way to peace of mind. This book is a great contribution to the field of secular contemplative practice. Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness and Real Happiness
"In Into the Heart of Mindfulness Ed Halliwell embodies everything he writes about, he 'walks the talk.' The fruits of this work for his own well-being, his family and the broader societal impact of his work are evident. This is one of the most substantial treatises on the transformative power of mindfulness written to date in contemporary times." Willem Kuyken, Professor and Director, Oxford University Mindfulness Centre
“Searingly honest, tender and wise. If you were to read just a few of the many mindfulness books out there, make sure you read this one. Ed Halliwell has masterfully created a book that shares his own journey through the demons of anxiety and depression and into the heart of mindfulness. It is a brilliant translation of the deeper traditions of Buddhism for the modern reader. One of the best mindfulness books I have read.” Vidyamala Burch, author of Mindfulness For Health, founder of Breathworks
"We love Ed Halliwell's take on finding a 'way of wellbeing' in his new book Into The Heart Of Mindfulness...a good read for anyone seeking peace of mind." Psychologies magazine
"Ed Halliwell’s Into the Heart of Mindfulness stands out in the increasingly crowded field of mindfulness literature. If you are looking for a practical manual with meditation exercises, a lucid account of Buddhist psychology, insights from the cutting-edge of scientific research as well as a moving personal story, this is the mindfulness book for you." Stephen Batchelor, author of After Buddhism: Rethinking the Dharma for a Secular Age.
“Ed shows us in a remarkably moving way how mindfulness worked for him. And then he shows how it can also work for millions of others who seek a calmer, deeper mode of life” Lord Richard Layard, Professor of Economics and Head of Well-Being programme at London School of Economics, author of Happiness and Thrive, co-founder of Action for Happiness.
'With this book Ed Halliwell confirms his place as one of the most insightful and authentic voices in the mindfulness movement. The book is both a riveting personal memoir, and a map of the human mind which we all share. Ed writes vividly and honestly about his own experience of depression, and how mindfulness has helped him to enjoy life again. He interweaves this narrative with an explanation of mindfulness training and how it functions, exploring the workings of the mind and emotions with clarity and depth. This book will surely inspire many readers to look beyond cliches about mindfulness, and perhaps to take the first steps of a lifelong journey.' Tessa Watt, author of Mindful London and Introducing Mindfulness: A Practical Guide
"Ed has written a remarkable book. With great insight, heart and knowledge, he shows us the light at the end of the long dark tunnel of depression. Weaving his personal experience with the scientific evidence, and some thoughtful mindfulness exercises for the reader to try, Ed gives a convincing account of how mindful being in this world changes our relationship with ourselves and others, moving from individual development to becoming a social force. Read his book, put it aside and sit in silence. Breathe the difference!" Dr Florian Ruths, consultant psychiatrist and clinical lead for mindfulness-based therapy, South London and Maudsley NHS Trust
“A fascinating read and inspirational personal story by one of the leading exponents of mindfulness in the UK. Ed Halliwell shares many insights and deep understanding of how mindfulness helped him battle his own demons. Even more, he shares practical guidance and tips that will be invaluable to many of us struggling with the stresses, strains and anxieties of contemporary life” Jenny Edwards CBE, Chief Executive, Mental Health Foundation
"This book is aptly titled, because Ed Halliwell writes with real heart, and with grace. He conveys with stories, with humor, and with poignant feeling that mindfulness is much more than a Jedi mind trick: it is a lifelong journey into the depths of who we are." Barry Boyce, Editor-in-Chief, Mindful magazine and mindful.org
"This new Ed Halliwell book instantly became one of my favourite works on mindfulness, right up there with Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Full Catastrophe Living and Finding Peace In A Frantic World by Mark Williams and Danny Penman. Compared to all other mindfulness books I’ve read, it’s nakedly confessional, taking the reader right into the heart of the emotional maelstrom that brought Ed to crisis point fifteen years ago and led him down the mindfulness path, from which there was no turning back." Jon Wilde, Mindful Pilgrim
"Using his own movingly honest account of his personal struggle with suffering, Ed Halliwell takes us on a journey through the transformative potential of mindfulness practice. Drawing on the Buddhist foundations of mindfulness meditation, and the recent scientific research into its effectiveness, he offers us a mindfulness approach that moves far beyond a quick fix into a grounded and hopeful path towards wholehearted engagement with life." Robert Marx, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Lead for Mindfulness Training and Governance, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Mindfulness: How To Live Well By Paying Attention (2015), (published in a new edition as Mindfulness Made Easy (2019).
In this comprehensive guide, originally published in January 2015, Ed Halli
well makes this increasingly popular subject accessible to beginners. Learn basic practices for becoming more mindful, and discover how to take this approach into your everyday life. This book explores the practice and science of mindful attention, seeing with awareness and observing patterns, attitudinal qualities of mindfulness, staying embodied, shifting towards difficulties, and the nature of being human, as well as bringing mindfulness into action.
Read a sample chapter here.
Read a short extract on 'Mindfulness And The Brain' here.
Buy it from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
Reviews:
"This is an inspiring book. Ed Halliwell shows how an ancient wisdom, carefully tested by the best methods of modern clinical science, can become a trusted resource for the 21st century." Mark Williams, Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Oxford, author of Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in A Frantic World
“Mindfulness involves an honest and courageous openness to the experience of being human in the present moment. Ed Halliwell knows the theory and practice of this curiously unfamiliar terrain inside out. The result is a practical and helpful guidebook, charmingly punctuated with luminous psychological and philosophical insight.” Dr Jonathan Rowson, Director, RSA Social Brain Centre
“Want to discover how to be peaceful? Ed has given us pragmatic, clear and compassionate guidance which we can apply in our everyday life. The practical guidance on mindfulness is interwoven throughout with reference to the scientific underpinning, and is brought to life by following the experiences of four people who’ve journeyed through the programme.” Rebecca Crane, Director, Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice, Bangor University
"There's little doubt that mindfulness is one of the most powerful remedies for the stresses of life in our distracted, hyper-busy, individualistic era. But it's surprisingly hard to find truly practical, research-backed advice on how to do it. Ed Halliwell's 'Mindfulness' is an unprecedentedly clear guide to the topic, cutting through the myths and magical thinking to the essence of this ancient yet urgently relevant practice. To learn the art of living well and happily by paying attention, start by paying attention to this book." Oliver Burkeman, author of The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking, and The Guardian’s This Column Will Change Your Life
"This wonderfully accessible guide to mindfulness is written with a clarity, openness, and gentle kindness that are some of the hallmarks of mindfulness practice itself. Drawing on many of the key elements of the MBSR/MBCT course, the book also offers an introductory bridge into the rich philosophical foundations that underpin and complete mindfulness-based approaches." Robert Marx, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Lead for Mindfulness Training and Governance, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
"The key to lasting happiness is the ability to live in wise relation to our thoughts, feelings and surroundings. Mindfulness is a life-changing tool which helps us do this and is perhaps the ultimate life skill for living well. This book is a fabulous, insightful and accessible introduction to mindfulness from one of its leading practitioners. Highly recommended." Dr Mark Williamson, Director of Action for Happiness.
"With so much being written on mindfulness over recent times you could be forgiven for thinking that there is nothing new to learn. This book effectively puts paid to that assumption! Ed's writing is clear and comprehensible but it is not just for beginners - it is for anyone who wants to be reminded why these ancient practices continue to be so relevant to our lives today. By interweaving case studies with a week-by-week chapter structure Ed has provided a practical, accessible guide which is equally applicable to the newcomer or those of us who still struggle to incorporate mindfulness practice into our everyday lives." Dr Jonty Heaversedge, co-author of The Mindful Manifesto, and chair of NHS Southwark Clinical Commissioning Group.
“Mindfulness is an age-old practice that has proven - over millennia and across cultures - to be an effective tool for managing the stresses of everyday life and for cultivating a greater sense of presence and wellbeing. As a gifted and valued member of our teaching faculty, Ed Halliwell's Mindfulness courses are an essential component of our core curriculum. His latest guide offers clear, practical insight and instruction for anyone interested in developing this skill.” Morgwn Rimel, Director, The School of Life, London
"For anyone looking for a practical introduction to the field, there can be no better place to start." Network Review
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The Mindful Manifesto integrates the latest scientific research on mindfulness with its historical context, and explores how practising meditation can help us cultivate well-being. It also examines how encouraging governments and other powerful institutions to take a mindful approach could bring more health and happiness.
Buy it from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk.
Visit The Mindful Manifesto website.
Reviews:
“A wonderful overview of mindfulness meditation—comprehensive, honest, and compassionate.” Sharon Salzberg, author of LovingKindness and Real Happiness
“The Mindful Manifesto helps us to “be” more and to “do” less. It’s old wisdom backed by modern science, beautifully described.” Richard Layard, Well-being Programme Director, London School of Economics
"This book is really important. Mindfulness is the way forward for dealing with depression and anxiety, and for general well-being.” Ruby Wax
"Absolutely my favourite book of 2010...lovely and essential reading." Sarah Stacey, health columnist, Mail On Sunday
"Mindfulness, or ancient wisdom meets modern science, is the new buzzword in stress management. There are plenty of books written about it...this one is a goody." Sally Brampton, The Sunday Times
"Mercifully gibberish-free instructions." Oliver Burkeman, The Guardian
"Written in a warmhearted and peaceful voice, this book is clear, direct, down-to-earth, and profound.” Rick Hanson, author of Buddha’s Brain