Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life

Many would argue that the demands of parenting make incorporating a daily mindful practice impossible. How does Kabat-Zinn suggest that this time is ripe for the journey of mindfulness? What are other times or areas of life that may lead to mindfulness?

Kabat-Zinn suggests that his application of mindfulness and meditation is secular in nature. Given the spiritual and ethical dimensions of the practice, how does Kabat-Zinn attempt to create a non-religious, universal method of mindfulness?

Kabat-Zinn reflects on the “cat food incident,” noting that letting his feelings and thoughts “slowly cook” in the “pot of mindfulness” helped him to choose a reaction that felt more authentic than his initial anger (160). What are some difficulties with applying this practice? What are the benefits and potential pitfalls or challenges?

Kabat-Zinn celebrates the majesty of the mountain and the lake’s ability to return to stillness. Each of these natural features provides a metaphor for a meditative state. Why do natural features work so well as metaphors, and can you think of other features that can serve as metaphors for meditation?

It is difficult to avoid harm, particularly harm to oneself in one’s thoughts. How does Kabat-Zinn suggest that a meditative practice reduces harm through confronting fears? What fears cause individuals to enact harm within their thoughts?

Kabat-Zinn suggests that we usually view the world through a lens that is distorted by our thoughts. Can you identify a time in your life, maybe an interaction or an event, that was colored and affected by your thoughts, rather than engaged with presently and authentically?

Kabat-Zinn structures his book in three parts. In Part 1, he conveys the importance of mindfulness. Part 2 is focused more specifically on the “how” of meditation, and Part 3 returns to considering the importance of mindfulness in one’s life. How did the organization of the content affect your understanding of Kabat-Zinn’s ideas? Consider how these parts might have been organized differently.

How does Kabat-Zinn, in his explanation of the concept of “selfing,” suggest that antagonizing less over who you are might lead you to understand yourself better? Does his explanation seem contradictory and ironic or intuitive and sensible?