Annotations by

Mark W. Muesse



Armstrong, Karen. Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2011.
Karen Armstrong is a popular religious writer who has called for greater attention to the study and practice of compassion. This work, strongly influenced by the mindfulness traditions, provides her outline for the development of compassion.



Bacovcin, Helen. The Way of a Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues His Way: a New Translation. Garden City, NY: Image Books, 1978.
I love this book. It's a memoir of a Russian peasant who learns the "Jesus Prayer," part of the mindfulness tradition in Eastern Orthodoxy, and puts it into practice as he wanders through nineteenth century Russia.



Batchelor, Stephen. Buddhism without Beliefs: a Contemporary Guide to Awakening. New York: Riverhead Books, 1998.

A former Tibetan and Zen monk, Batchelor presents a understanding of Buddhism that attempts to make the tradition more accessible to modern sensibilities. Recommended.



Beck, Charlotte Joko., and Steve Smith. Everyday Zen: Love and Work. New York, NY: HarperOne, 2007.
Charlotte Beck was a Zen teacher in San Diego. This is a surprising and lucid collection of her essays on a variety of subjects. Recommended.



Berger, K. T. Zen Driving. New York: Ballantine, 1988.
Tips on how to incorporate mindfulness practice into your experience of driving.



Bernhard, Toni. How to Be Sick: a Buddhist-inspired Guide for the Chronically Ill and Their Caregivers. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2010.
This moving book is a memoir of one woman's coming to terms with chronic illness and pain using the techniques of mindfulness practice. Recommended.



Bodhi. The Noble Eightfold Path: Way to the End of Suffering. Seattle, WA: BPS Pariyatti Editions, 2000.
One of the clearest short presentations of the Buddha's path to awakening. Scholarly, yet very accessible to the lay audience.



Boyce, Barry Campbell. The Mindfulness Revolution: Leading Psychologists, Scientists, Artists, and Meditation Teachers on the Power of Mindfulness in Daily Life. Boston: Shambhala, 2011.

This anthology is a excellent introduction to the concept and practice of mindfulness and the way it informs and transforms every aspect of life. Recommended.



Carroll, Michael. Awake at Work: Facing the Challenges of Life on the Job. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 2004.
Practical advice for incorporating mindfulness practice in the work environment. Helpful for people with jobs!



Chah, Achaan. Food for the Heart: the Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2002.
An insightful collection of essays by a Thai Buddhist monk who was a teacher to many American meditators in the latter part of the twentieth century.



Chödrön, Pema. Start Where You Are: a Guide to Compassionate Living. Boston: Shambhala, 2004.
Pema Chödrön is a nun in the Shambhala Buddhist tradition and one of the most popular writers on mindfulness practices today. Any of her works are worth reading. This one on developing compassion is a good place to start.



Dermond, Susan Usha. Calm and Compassionate Children: a Handbook. Berkeley: Celestial Arts, 2007.
One of the best resources for introducing mindfulness practices to children. Recommended.



Feldman, Christina. Compassion: Listening to the Cries of the World. Berkeley: Rodmell Press, 2005.
A thorough and accessible study of the idea and practice of compassion. Contains useful exercises for developing this virtue.



Fetzer Institute | Home. Accessed August 15, 2011. http://www.fetzer.org.
This website is devoted to encouraging the practice of forgiveness and compassion.



Germer, Christopher K. The Mindful Path to Self-compassion: Freeing Yourself from Destructive Thoughts and Emotions. New York: Guilford Press, 2009.

A comprehensive analysis and practical guidebook for learning to extend compassion to one's self.



Goenka, S.N. Vipassana Meditation Website. Accessed August 16, 2011. http://www.dhamma.org/.
Website for the organization that teaches mindfulness practices in the tradition of S.N. Goenka.



Goldstein, Joseph. The Experience of Insight: a Simple and Direct Guide to Buddhist Meditation. Boston, MA: Shambhala Publications, 1987.
As the subtitle rightly indicates, this guide to mindfulness meditation is "simple and direct."



Gunaratana, Henepola. Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English: an Introductory Guide to Deeper States of Meditation. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2009.
For those who have gained experience in the basic practices of mindfulness and are interested in taking the practice to the next level.



Gunaratana, Henepola. Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness: Walking the Path of the Buddha. Boston, MA: Wisdom Publications, 2001.
A comprehensive and understandable account of the Buddha's path to awakening. Helps to explain the relationships among the many components of the path.



Gunaratana, Henepola. Mindfulness in Plain English. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2002.
In my opinion, this book is by far the best written guide on how to practice mindfulness meditation. Highly recommended.



Hanson, Rick, and Richard Mendius. Buddha's Brain: the Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love & Wisdom. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, 2009.
An accessible overview of the neuroscience of mindfulness practice.



Hart, William. The Art of Living: Vipassana Meditation as Taught by S.N. Goenka. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1987.
S.N. Goekna is a highly regarded Indian teacher of vipassana (insight) meditation. He learned his practice in Burma and has taught it throughout the world. This book explains his approach.



Home | Mindful. Accessed August 12, 2011. http://mindful.org.
Accessible website devoted to the practice of mindfulness in a wide range of areas.



Kabat-Zinn, Jon. Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness. New York, NY: Delacorte Press, 1990.
Jon Kabat-Zinn is a popular American physician, writer, and meditation instructor. This is one of his best books. It focuses on his specialty: using mindfulness to ease physical pain and suffering.



Kaza, Stephanie. Hooked!: Buddhist Writings on Greed, Desire, and the Urge to Consume. Boston, MA: Shambhala, 2005.
An informative anthology containing essays written from a variety of Buddhist perspectives on consumerism and greed in the modern world. Recommended.



Khema, Ayya. Who Is My Self?: a Guide to Buddhist Meditation : the Poṭṭhapāda Sutta, the Buddha's Words on Self and Consciousness. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1997.
Ayya Khema was a German who ordained as a Buddhist nun in the twentieth century. Her writings on meditation and mindfulness practices are very lucid.



Kornfield, Jack. A Path with Heart: a Guide through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual Life. New York, NY: Bantam Books, 1993.
Jack Kornfield is a highly respected American meditation teacher and an engaging storyteller. This is a good book for getting acquainted with mindfulness practices. Recommended.



Leloup, Jean-Yves, and M. S. Laird. Being Still: Reflections on an Ancient Mystical Tradition. Leominster, Herefordshire: Gracewing, 2003.
A fascinating book on mindfulness practice in the Eastern Orthodox tradition of Christianity.



Michele McDonald. Awake at the Wheel: Mindful Driving. More Than Sound Productions, 2011, CD.
This is an excellent audio CD for driving practice.



Muesse, Mark W. "Cultivating a Quiet Mind." Explorefaith.org -. Accessed August 15, 2011. http://www.explorefaith.org/prayer/meditation/questions_and_answers_about_meditation.php?ht=.
This is one of my own articles about the basics of meditation practice and its relationship to other contemplative practices in the world's religions.



Nhát, Hạnh, and Mai Vo-Dinh. The Miracle of Mindfulness: a Manual on Meditation. Boston: Beacon Press, 1987.
Probably the most accessible introduction to the concept and practice of mindfulness meditation. Recommended.



Nhát, Hạnh. Guide to Walking Meditation. Parallax Press, 2005.

One of the few books dedicated solely to the practice of walking meditation. Like all of Thich Nhat Hanh's works, this book is highly accessible and easy to understand.



Nhát, Hạnh. Peace Is Every Step The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life. Shambhala Pubns, 2009.
Another highly readable book by Thich Nhat Hanh.



Nyanaponika. Satipatthāna: the Heart of Buddhist Meditation: a Handbook of Mental Training Based on the Buddha's Way of Mindfulness; with an Anthology of Relevant Texts. San Francisco [u.a.: Weiser Books, 2007.
Well-informed and erudite explanation of mindfulness meditation based on the earliest Buddhist texts. Recommended for those with an academic interest in the practice.



Phra, Thēpwisutthimēthī, and Santikaro. Mindfulness with Breathing: a Manual for Serious Beginners. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1997.
Buddhadasa Bhikkhu (Phra Thēpwisutthimēthī) was a highly regarded Thai Buddhist monk. This text is a very clearly written and well translated meditation manual. Recommended.



Rosenberg, Larry, and David Guy. Breath by Breath: the Liberating Practice of Insight Liberation. Boston, MA: Shambhala, 1998.
Rosenberg's clear explanation of the Anapanasati Sutta, one of the classic ancient texts on meditating on the breath. Recommended.



Rosenberg, Larry, and David Guy. Living in the Light of Death: on the Art of Being Truly Alive. Boston: Shambhala, 2001.
Larry Rosenberg is an excellent meditation teacher. This book focuses on his engagement with death awareness practices.



Salzberg, Sharon. Lovingkindness: the Revolutionary Art of Happiness. Boston: Shambhala, 1995.
An easy to read guide to the basic lovingkindness meditation for the development of compassion.



Shaw, Sarah. Introduction to Buddhist Meditation. London: Routledge, 2009.
More of scholarly study of meditation in the Buddhist tradition focused on the ancient texts and manuals.



Siegel, Daniel J. Mindsight: the New Science of Personal Transformation. New York: Bantam Books, 2010.
An integrative study of neuroscientific research on mindfulness and its application in psychotherapy.



Snyder, Stephen, and Tina Rasmussen. Practicing the Jhānas: Traditional Concentration Meditation as Presented by the Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw. Boston: Shambhala, 2009.
This work is for those who are ready to begin more advanced mindfulness practices.



Sogyal, Patrick Gaffney, and Andrew Harvey. The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. San Francisco, Calif.: HarperSanFrancisco, 2002.
This work has become a modern classic on the Tibetan Buddhist understanding of mindful living. Recommended.



Somov, Pavel G. Eating the Moment: 141 Mindful Practices to Overcome Overeating One Meal at a Time. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, 2008.
Very practical guide for learning to eat mindfully. Highly recommended.



Sumedho. The Mind and the Way: Buddhist Reflections on Life. Boston, MA: Wisdom Publications, 1995.
Ajahn Sumedho is one of my favorite Buddhist writers. This is a clear and highly insightful collection of his essays. Recommended.



Sumedho. The Sound of Silence: the Selected Teachings of Ajahn Sumedho. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2007.
Another excellent collection of Sumedho's essays.



Suzuki, Shunryu. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind. Shambhala Pubns, 2011.
A classic modern Zen text. Highly recommended.



Thubten, Chodron. Working with Anger. Ithaca, NY: Snow Lion Publication, 2001.
A good work for learning how to cope with anger.



Tonkinson, Carole. Wake up and Cook: Kitchen Buddhism in Words and Recipes. New York: Riverhead Books, 1997.
This is both an anthology on mindful eating and a cookbook. Recommended.



U, Sīlānanda, and Ruth-Inge Heinze. The Four Foundations of Mindfulness. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2002.
The scripture on the four foundations of mindfulness are believed to represent the Buddha's basic teaching on meditation. This book by a Burmese monk is an effort to explain those teachings for a modern audience. The writing style can be difficult at times.



Wallis, Glenn. The Dhammapada: Verses on the Way : a New Translation of the Teachings of the Buddha, with a Guide to Reading the Text. New York: Modern Library, 2004.
The Dhammapada is a classic wisdom text of Buddhism. It is written in an accessible, aphoristic form. Wallis' translation is one of the best. Highly recommended.



Walpola, Rāhula. What the Buddha Taught. New York: Grove Press, 1987.
A classic in the field, this book remains one of the best introductions to the basic teachings of the Buddha over fifty years after its publication. Highly recommended.



Young, Shinzen.  The Science of Meditation in Action. Accessed August 16, 2011. http://www.shinzen.org/.
Website for Shinzen Young, a popular mindfulness teacher.