Simply Mindful
a Daily Practice to reclaim your life
"Simply Mindful is effortless and compelling reading... a trusty guide for anyone interested in beginning or deepening the practice of mindful meditation."
- Cat Greenstreet, Courage & Renewal facilitator, writer, retired Waldorf educator
"This book is indeed simple, but beautifully so, with accessible, memorable practices that make sense for most of us living in a busy and sometimes intense and distracting world. I appreciate the uncluttered style and absolute lack of jargon - it feels like wise, gentle yet authoritative guidance. I ahve used several of the exercises with groups, and always with good effect."
- Nick Ross, Director, A Different Drum
"Dr. Bellg has done it again. He has put his considerable gifts of writing in a personal, readable and concise manner toward creating a practical mindfulness guidebook for everyone and anyone. I will gladly recommend it to my own patients as a starting place for learning one of the great skills for wellness."
- Bruce Rybarczyk, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Cat Greenstreet, Courage & Renewal facilitator, writer, retired Waldorf educator
"This book is indeed simple, but beautifully so, with accessible, memorable practices that make sense for most of us living in a busy and sometimes intense and distracting world. I appreciate the uncluttered style and absolute lack of jargon - it feels like wise, gentle yet authoritative guidance. I ahve used several of the exercises with groups, and always with good effect."
- Nick Ross, Director, A Different Drum
"Dr. Bellg has done it again. He has put his considerable gifts of writing in a personal, readable and concise manner toward creating a practical mindfulness guidebook for everyone and anyone. I will gladly recommend it to my own patients as a starting place for learning one of the great skills for wellness."
- Bruce Rybarczyk, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University
"Mindful practice opens the door to seeing clearly and accepting what’s happened to us. It lets us do that with compassion for our imperfect humanity, just as we might offer caring and understanding to others in a similar situation. Far from being “self-indulgent” or “weak,” research shows that mindful, genuine compassion for our own humanity actually allows us to be more resilient in dealing with ongoing difficulties.
"I am deeply appreciative of how mindful practice can help us clarify what matters. It helps us create the undistracted attention we need to cultivate the relationships, activities, and ways of being that most deeply express our values, joys and sense of purpose. Whatever we may be dealing with, mindful practice can help us reconnect with who we are and what we truly care about. "I have learned a lot from people facing life-changing difficulties with courage. It has been humbling to work with people whose medical problems or life circumstances force them to live on the edge, yet who still offer care and compassion for themselves and others. I’ve included many stories from such remarkable people in this book." |
Many things in this world can’t be changed. But sometimes, we can change. Surprisingly, we can often change our response to adversity in a way that not only enables us to handle it better, but also lets us see our situation with greater perspective and clarity. We might also see ourselves more clearly and be better able to act on what matters to us.
As a health psychologist for over two decades, I worked with medical patients, professionals, family caregivers, and others dealing with medical and personal problems that completely changed their lives. As impossible as it might have seemed initially, many of them found a way to live successfully despite their challenges. Mindful practice was often an important part of what they did to live with difficulties in their lives. In the face of daunting circumstances, mindful practice helped them – and can help anyone – see and respond to situations more realistically, making them neither too large nor too small. It can help us defuse some of the powerful feelings and negative thoughts we have about what’s happening to us. Being mindful also helps us to stay real and face what’s happened without trying to manipulate ourselves into thinking “happy thoughts” that feel like lies. Perhaps most importantly, it lets us choose how much of our life is involved with our problems, and how much we focus on who and what we love. |
About the author
Albert Bellg, Ph.D. is a writer, retreat facilitator, and retired health psychologist. He received his doctorate from the University of Rochester in New York, and is a former President of the Wisconsin Psychological Association. He did clinical work and NIH-funded research with heart patients at the Rush Heart Institute in Chicago and at the Appleton Heart Institute. He has practiced and taught various forms of meditation and mindful practice for over 40 years. |