Books About Mindfulness to Help You Disconnect

As a young adult struggling with her father’s alcoholism, Megan Monahan’s painful unresolved emotions overwhelmed her. That’s when she discovered the power of meditation and an open heart. In this guide to meditation for everyday soul-searchers, Monahan, now a meditation instructor and Lululemon ambassador, shares the simple yet effective ways for people to “meditate their way through the bad shit and into the good shit.”

In this joyful meditation on silence, Erling Kagge, Norwegian explorer and the first person to reach the South Pole alone, explores the silence around us, the silence within us, and the silence we must create. Kagge shows us why silence is integral to our sanity and happiness—and how it can open doors to wonder and gratitude.

Walker tells his students at New York’s School of Visual Arts to “practice paying attention,” to help them become better observers of the world. Through a series of simple exercises, Rob Walker maps out ways to become a clearer thinker, a better listener, a more creative workplace colleague, and finally, to rediscover your sense of passion and to notice what really matters.

ABC News anchor Dan Harris used to be skeptical of meditation. But after he had a panic attack on live television, he went on a journey that ultimately led him to become one of meditation’s most vocal public proponents. Here, Harris and Jeff Warren, a masterful teacher, embark on a cross-country quest to tackle the myths, misconceptions, and self-deceptions that keep people from meditating. It is filled with easy to implement meditation instructions.

For many years, Karen Salmansohn had issues with stress and anxiety that interfered with her life and ability to connect with loved ones. Here, the health and happiness guru shares the technique that saved her—a type of meditation that taps into the five senses. This colorful book of quick meditations and mindfulness tips can help reduce stress and improve focus, clarity, productivity, and sleep.

Breathwork expert Ashley Neese gives practical guidance for channeling the power of your breath to help you tackle common challenges with mindfulness and serenity. The book outlines the research-supported benefits of the practice and explains how the breath relates to emotions and resilience. With transporting photography and modern design, How to Breathe shows how small exercises can have a huge impact on daily health and happiness.

In this remarkable memoir, renowned psychologist Marsha Linehan describes how, when she was eighteen years old, began an abrupt downward spiral from popular teenager to suicidal young woman. As she healed, she vowed that she would find a way to help others and build a life worth living. She went on to develop the lifesaving behavioral therapy DBT, using her own struggle to develop life skills for others.

An in-depth look at the science that underlies meditation’s effectiveness, Aware teaches readers how to harness the power of the principle “Where attention goes, neural firing flows, and neural connection grows.” New York Times bestselling author Daniel Siegel, M.D., reveals a practice to focus attention, open awareness, and cultivate kind intention that can literally help you grow a healthier brain and reduce fear, anxiety, and stress in your life.

Psychiatrist and leading meditation practitioner Christoph Andre shows readers how to achieve mindfulness while looking at the world’s greatest works of art. He presents classic paintings as a visual first step to understanding the benefits of living in the moment, teaching what it means to consider our surroundings, our daily interactions and obligations, and their effect on our inner well-being and mental clarity.

A brisk run can give you a powerful, uplifting feeling. Some call it a runner’s high, others attribute it to endorphins. In this interactive workbook, psychotherapist William Pullen teaches readers how to channel that exhilarating energy of running and use it to make positive change in their lives.