Jon Kabat-Zinn's book "Wherever You Go, There You Are" was my first introduction to mindfulness meditation. Since then I have taken up yoga and attended courses on mindfulness and stress management. Yet I still find new insights in this book.

Readers looking for a "how-to" guide on meditation may be disappointed, but "Wherever You Go" beautifully introduces the spirit of the practice. Kabat-Zinn chooses to introduce mindfulness not through direct instruction, but rather by sharing his own reflections on mindfulness and its application to daily living.

The chapters are brief, making them ideal as readings to start or end the day. I highly recommend the book to anyone wanting to explore mindfulness for the first time or deepen an established practice.

For those who want basic instructions in mindfulness, try Kabat-Zinn's CD series "Guided Mindfulness Meditation, Series 2." In addition, the author's book "Full Catastrophe Living" offers a scientific look at stress, how it affects our bodies and minds, and how mindfulness can help us manage its effects.