The Practicing Mind Paperback – October 7, 2018

I agree with the other reviewers: This book really is great. It provides you with simple tools to help you get more focused on what you do and thus enjoying even seemingly boring activities (honestly, doing dishes -of all things- never felt so great!). It made me more patient (from the book I got the expression quiet perseverance to describe patience, which, together with present moment awareness, is what this book is all about).This little gem together with Getting Things Done by David Allen, really boosted both my productivity and quality of life. It's a quick read, and you can instantly apply the advice. You'll probably get back to it often, because the skills, though simple, take time, patience, and discipline to grow but it's a wonderful trip to inner peace and the book makes for a great companion. After reading it, you can just jump in on chapters 5 to 7 to quickly refresh all of the key concepts.Another bonus for me: even though the book ends on a spiritual note, it is written in a very down to earth style. So you won't find any religious, new age or spiritual hullabaloo, which put me off in many similar books.-----------------------Update: A couple of years later I'm still very grateful for this book. It has introduced me to the world of mindfulness and to the concept of Ego, both are nothing less than life changeing. If after this book (and by all means, read it!) you feel like digging deeper, I suggest you try Mindfulness in Plain English: Revised and Expanded Edition by an author with a very long name. It's a very accessible introduction to a specific and incredibly powerful kind of meditation. And, of course, if you haven't done so already, read Getting Things Done. It helps me every day to juggle the things life throws at you and still to find time for sitting on the cushion.

The author suggests that most people are constantly multitasking (consciously or subconsciously), and as a result, they find it difficult to focus on one specific task for an extended period of time. In other words, most people are not mindful. The author then describes his transformation from mindless to mindful through his practice of music and sports, and through his job as a piano repair expert.Summary points:- Focus on the present moment while practicing, this will make the act of practicing more enjoyable.- Focus on the process rather than the end product.- Do not judge yourself while practicing, just observe your performance and correct it in order to improve.- Avoid trying to reach "perfection" because this leads us to judge ourselves and want to rush the process.- Your experience during an activity is deeply affected by how you pre-judge that activity.- Regularly remind yourself about mindfulness, otherwise you will forget and fall back to your old ways.- Practical advice:- When practicing, keep it Simple, Small, Short, and Slow.- Keep in mind what your goal is and use it as a guide, but again focus on the process.- Keep emotions out of your practice in order to assess your performance objectively.- Meditation helps steady your emotions and allows your to harness the "Observer".- Learn from children, and teach children what you know.Strengths:- For those new to mindfulness this is a very practical and easily understandable introduction to the subject. The ideas are powerful in that they can transform your outlook on your daily activities. Lessons learned here can be applied to mundane tasks such as raking leaves or commuting to work.- The book is short and to the point. It is easy to return to it and refresh the main ideas. The author states that this is his intention and he has achieved it.Criticisms:- The author suggests that we remove all emotions from our practicing. I find that idea unappealing. I would suggest that we focus on positive emotions while practicing, rather than just removing all emotions and observing ourselves.Overall, this book is very good. Although the author does not have the most polished writing style, the content is very personable and I think most readers will find it well worth their time.