Wherever You Go, There You Are

Wherever You Go, There You Are – Jon Kabat-Zinn

This isn’t exactly a typical book, so it will not receive my typical review. “Wherever you go, there you are” is more or less an instructional book for practicing mindfulness and meditation. In short chapters no more than 3 or 4 pages long, Kabat-Zinn describes various steps in the process of sitting back, observing, and letting go. Illuminated with “tips for practice” and personal stories from his own experience with mindfulness, this book is understandable, relevant, and not at all intimidating as an introduction to mindfulness practice. When I first began this book, I undertook reading it as I would any other book, which turned out to be a mistake. Because the substance of this book invites reflection and deep thinking, I quickly found myself losing track of what was covered in each section. After that, I decided to read no more than one or two sections at a time so I could fully process what Kabat-Zinn offers in each of his suggestions for practice, and the book made much more sense. I highly recommend this book because it is simple yet profound. And also because I’m neurotic and I find it helpful to incorporate many of his suggested strategies into my life.