A LITTLE BIT
OF

MINDFULNESS

AN INTRODUCTION
TO BEING PRESENT

Amy Leigh Mercree

STERLING ETHOS and the distinctive Sterling Ethos logo are registered trademarks of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.

Text © 2018 Amy Leigh Mercree

Cover © 2018 Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (including electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without prior written permission from the publisher.

ISBN 978-1-4549-3249-9

For information about custom editions, special sales, and premium and corporate purchases, please contact Sterling Special Sales at 800-805-5489 or specialsales@sterlingpublishing.com.

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Cover design by Elizabeth Mihaltse Lindy

This book is dedicated to the
goddesses of the light who guide me and
challenge me to live a mindful life.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

1 WHAT IS MINDFULNESS?

2 THE HISTORY OF MINDFULNESS

3 THE SCIENCE OF MINDFULNESS

4 QUIETING THE CHEMICAL SYMPHONY

5 MINDFULNESS AND THE BRAIN

6 TYPES OF MINDFULNESS PRACTICE

7 WATCHING THE INNER SHOW

8 MINDFULNESS MEDITATIONS

Walking Mindfully

Drinking and Eating Mindfully

Mindful Emotions

Watching the Breath

Observing Your Thoughts

Mindful Relationships

Mindful Dharma

CONCLUSION

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

REFERENCES

INTRODUCTION

Mindfulness has become a popular buzzword in the last several years. But it’s so much more than a trendy hashtag. It’s an opportunity to deepen your experience of reality and live a life of meaning and fulfillment.

The concept of mindfulness is all about being present, fully in the moment, and becoming aware of yourself and your surroundings. It also means practicing non-reactivity; that is, not becoming overwhelmed by your environment. Celebrities, scientists, athletes, and people from all walks of life tout the amazing physical and mental benefits of mindfulness; and scientific research backs up many of their experiences. Incredibly, studies have shown that daily mindfulness practices can reduce cortisol, the stress hormone in our bodies, by more than 50 percent.

The practice of mindfulness exists in many cultures, but the North American practice of mindfulness was popularized by Jon Kabat-Zinn in the 1960s. While traveling in Asia, he became a master practitioner of mindfulness and meditation. He brought his experiences back to the United States and created Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) which remains popular to this day.

Mindfulness isn’t just for the rich and famous—people all over the world have taken it up in an effort to understand themselves and function better in modern life. Each and every one of us can learn something from the centuries-old meditative practice. If you are among the many who are searching for a way to increase your quality of life, look no farther.