"Wherever You Go There You Are" by Jon Kabat-Zinn

Review by Borodutch

I'm surprised that this book was first published in 1994 — even though it was kept up-to-date over the years, the wisdom of it stands even today. "Wherever You Go There You Are" is mostly about mindfulness, including meditation.

Having practiced meditation for at least the last few years, I can relate to many teachings from Jon. Even though I didn't learn anything new, simply reiterating various mindfulness concepts made me rethink some life choices and how I handle some emotions (including negative ones). So even though for an intermediary-advanced mindfulness person, the book might not bring many new things, it can work as a wake-up call in case your mindfulness practice gets stale.

I re-learned the concept of patience that I let go on auto-pilot recently (I should not have). I reiterated the importance of structured meditations instead of simply sitting silently. I'm amazed that such a short title could re-surface the sound of old wisdom I had somehow forgotten.

If you have never tried mindfulness, this book can be a great simple start to the journey. On the other hand, if you're an experienced "inner-looker," the book might help you remember why you sit silently for so long every day!