Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness

Jon Kabat-Zinn, the creator of "MBSR" (mindfulness based stress reduction") explains how and why it works. He takes you through a literal MBSR class so through reading this book you can ALMOST have your own, individual MBSR 8-weeks class. The book is full of stories from the stress reduction clinic and how people found relief and healing. At the same time, it is an honest record of the limits of MBSR. Jon quotes lots of evidence from research. This book helped me tremendously to understand the why and how of mindful meditation practice. Ans I love Jon's compassionate and calm way of dealing with pain. Like he says (quoting Alexis Sorbas) in life, we always deal with the "full catastrophe" of it - and it is still possible to laugh and to be centered.

I adore audio books. OK its athe abridged version but all of the main points are there and you can rewind. Mindfulless is a fantastic way to veiw and live life and this book along with the 8 week audio programme i also brought gives you a great grounding in what Mindfulness is about without being prescriptive as to what you should get out of it. I listen to this anytime during the day but find when I get into bed is the best time for me . Its surpising how much you do remember and I think it helps me to undertsand because I can hear the words. I do hope Amazon provide a wider range of audio books, as for me it makes reading so much more enjoyable.

Great experience for a woke up.

I first bought Full Catastrophe Living many years ago during an extremely stressful period in my life while living in Japan. The book came to me at exactly the right time. Some time later, I passed my copy on to a close friend. He read it once, then—years afterward—returned to it again when he was facing a terminal illness. I can only hope the book offered him some comfort, clarity, or acceptance during that incredibly difficult time.

Jon Kabat Zinn offers practical advice, hope, insight and practice to those human travelers suffering pain, depression and worse. This is my third copy, since each is ultimately given away to some friend in need. I cannot recommend this book more highly because it puts you in charge of the investment in your wellness. No magic potions, no pills - just learning to focus, to pay attention. "He had also learned that the sick and unfortunate are far more receptive to traditional magic spells and exorcisms than to sensible advice; that people more readily accept affliction and outward penances than the task of changing themselves, or even examining themselves; that they believe more easily in magic than reason, in formulas than experience. These are matters which in several thousand years since this era have probably not changed as much as many history books claim. But he had also learned that a seeking, thoughtful man dare not forfeit love; that he must meet the wishes and follies of men halfway, not showing arrogance but also not truckling to them; that it is always only a single step from sage to charlatan, from priest to mountebank, from helpful brother to parasitic drone, and that people would far prefer to pay a swindler and be exploited by a quack than accept help given freely and unselfishly. They would rather pay in money and goods than in trust and love. They cheat one another and expect to be cheated themselves..." Herman Hesse - Magister Ludi