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We know how vital serenity and self-awareness can be for your well-being in the fast-paced and event-flooded world of today. And we’ve never forgotten how little time you might have to start reading the right books covering these topics.

That’s why we’ve decided to make a list of the 15 best mindfulness books we could find. And, guess what: we’ve already written summaries of most of them! Yes, the best zen books are here. Find your zen with this amazing list.

It’s time to start transforming your life – the calm way.

“BEST MINDFULNESS BOOKS”

#1. “Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation” by Sharon Salzberg

Making bad decisions too often? Stuck in way too many bad habits? And life has become nothing more but a string of disappointments?

Well, “Real Happiness” may be the perfect book for you! In it, Sharon Salzberg explores the concept of insight meditation, an ancient and straightforward Buddhist practice focused on moment-to-moment awareness. By teaching you how to cultivate concentration, mindfulness, love, and kindness, this book will strengthen your attention, and help you achieve more balance in your life.

And it will make you one more favor! Because, before balance, comes recovery. And “Real Happiness” knows this. So, it includes many bits of practical advice on how you can cope with disappointments and distress.

The best part? It’s a 28-day program!

#2. “A New Earth: Awakening to the Purpose of Your Life” by Eckhart Tolle

Crippled by fear, anxiety, and despair? What you need is an internal transformation!

“A New Earth,” by perennial favorite Eckhart Tolle (yes, his other book is in this list as well), will guide you on a wonderful quest to awakening. It will help you forget about your ego and erase the “I” which is bothering you.

The New Earth of the title is the earth of the selfless and the compassionate. It’s the earth inhabited by those who are aware that they are more than the voice in their head. And who can live much more fully because of this?

As Tolle writes: “Awareness is the greatest agent for change.” So, become aware now!

#3. “Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Consciousness in Everyday Life” by Thich Nhat Hanh

Eckhart Tolle is not the only guy with two books on this list! There are two more! And Thich Nhat Hanh is the second one.

His book, “Peace Is Every Step,” is a timeless masterpiece. You know, one of those books which can cultivate some peace in your life wherever and whenever you live. And, some more!

Because applying the Hanh’s principles of meditative mindfulness won’t only benefit you as a person! They will also play a significant part in spreading peace to your family, neighborhood, country, and even the whole world.

Hanh’s teaching revolves around the method of conscious breathing. It suggests cognizance of every move you make in your daily life. Because you can achieve peace and happiness only if you are focused at all times.

And doing away with distractions starts with living in the present moment.

#4. “The Power of Now: An Incredible Masterpiece of Spiritual Enlightenment” by Eckhart Tolle

Feeling a bit stuck in your past? Can’t get out of your head to see the happiness around you?

Eckhart Tolle‘s “The Power of Now” may make all the difference in your life!

It’s a combination of the most relevant ancient philosophies and modern teachings. And it is designed to help you overcome your past pain, anxiety, and stress. So that you can consciously start living your life moment by moment!

Discover numerous meditation approaches which provide profound insights into presence, positive thinking, mindfulness, and acceptance.

And do it… well, now!

#5. “The Miracle of Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to the Practice of Meditation” by Thich Nhat Hanh

Once again Thich Nhat Hanh!

Appealingly written, “The Miracle of Mindfulness” guides readers to attaining the skills of meditation and mindfulness.

Because, being focused on your work, and being ready to deal with any situation which might arise, is the essence of the power of self-awareness.

This book is the ideal introduction to your inner self. The author’s spiritual teachings utilize familiar objects and situations – like dishwashing, and drinking tea – to illustrate how you can maintain mindfulness and live a better life.

Yes: In the unbearably dynamic world of today!

#6. “The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself” by Michael A. Singer

Do you want to gain some freedom from your limitations and rise above your weaknesses? What can you do to achieve happiness and self-realization?

“The Untethered Soul” by Michael A. Singer answers these questions in a profound and appealing manner.

By scrutinizing all aspects of meditation and mindfulness, Singer illustrates how living well is interrelated with the development of consciousness. And how doing the latter is equal to living in the present moment and letting go of past painful thoughts.

After all, they are the only ones which prevent you from excelling.

#7. “Mindfulness in Plain English” by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana

The main idea behind “Mindfulness in Plain English” is helping you see reality just as it is. So no theory, no ideology – just the practice of mindfulness.

Bhante Henepola Gunaratana – god, that’s a difficult name to spell! – dives into mindfulness meditation in an extremely simple, yet pragmatic way.

Most importantly, he provides deep insights into the Buddhist-based practice called vipassana. In plain English, it means insight into the true nature of reality. Into Gunaratana’s even plainer English, it’s a shortcut to overcoming past obstacles and living your life in the present moment.

Noticing a mindfulness pattern?

#8. “Buddha’s Brain: The Neuroscience of Happiness, Compassion, and Wisdom” by Rick Hanson

First of all, let’s get one thing straight: the brain is not the same as the mind. The first is a biological fact, the second a psychological entity. Now, a question: do you know that changing your brain can change your life as well?

“Buddha’s Brain” elaborates how. It examines the lives and teachings of great leaders, such as Buddha, Mohammed, Moses, Gandhi, and Jesus, and shows how they upgraded their normal brains in ways that transformed the world. Paradoxically, the author, Rick Hanson, Ph.D., draws on modern neuroscientific breakthroughs to give evidence for a more in-depth spiritual life.

And that is the best part of “Buddha’s Brain.” It’s an extraordinary amalgam of meditative practice, neurology, and psychology. Moreover, it is enriched with practical tools which can help you use the unexploited potential of your brain to achieve better well-being, as well as peace of mind.

#9. “The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World” by Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu

“The Book of Joy” is a rare delight of a book!

After all, it’s written by Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu! Nobel Prize Laureates, Misters Holiness themselves!

And, as the title suggests, the book is for anyone who wants to bring greater joy, contentment, and purpose into their lives.

It’s a one-of-a-kind teaching which depicts the nature of the interrelated relationship between painful experiences and deep happiness. The authors explain how prominent spiritual leaders like Abraham demonstrate what it really means to be both ordinary and at the same time outrageously and completely unpredictable!

Like, for example, right ab…

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#10. “Emotional Intelligence: Why it Could Be More Important Than IQ” by Daniel Goleman

Sorry for finishing the previous summary so abruptly! But, can you blame us? We were merely practicing our right to be unpredictable!

“Emotional Intelligence,” however, steers a bit the other way. It tries to show how important harnessing your emotions is and how anything else can hurt your potential.

To prove this point, Daniel Goleman points to the surprisingly malleable circuitry of a person’s brain. And he shows how it changes via the power of emotions from childhood to adulthood.

Goleman believes that temperament isn’t destiny. It’s merely the complex of physical, social, and chemical aspects which shapes your emotional responses.

And which you can hardworkingly change!

#11. “Coming to Our Senses: Healing Ourselves through Meditation and Mindfulness” by Jon Kabat-Zinn

“Coming to Our Senses” is another plea for living in your “now”!

It is a beautifully and profoundly written book, tracing your steps from waking up from your memories to re-discovering the present moments, which actually make up your life.

And when we say beautifully written book – we really mean it!

It’s written with such a poetic voice, that merely reading Jon Kabat-Zinn will calm your spirit and relax your nerves. And, this merely reinforces the knowledge it presents, both ancient and contemporary.

An incredible spiritual primer, “Coming to Our Senses” expounds on the Buddhist-based meditation techniques which are proven over and over again to work wonders!

#12. “Journey of the Heart: Path of Mindful Love” by John Welwood

“Journey of the Heart” by John Welwood is a wonderful little book.

It is meant to inspire those who believe that an intimate relationship can help two individuals to grow and expand their senses. In fact, the book shows how one can use the challenges one experiences in a relationship as perfect opportunities to deepen his or her ability to connect with others.

In a nutshell, “Journey of the Heart” is a guidebook to mindful love.

#13. “Body Calm: The Modern-Day Meditation Approach that Helps You Live Your Life to the Fullest” by Sandy C. Newbigging

Looking for practical self-healing meditation techniques which can help you achieve inner peace?

“Body Calm” is here to help you! It’s a great no-theory all-practice book, which strives to help you stay healthy.

It presents a powerful way to meditate and give your body enough rest to recover, while also helping you to have a calm mind. It utilizes the mind-body connection to promote healing and bring greater harmony to your mind, body, and soul.

So, if you want to lead a healthy life and deliver your best in either sports or business, this book is for you!

It will not disappoint you!

#14. “Anti-Stress Dot-to-Dot: Relaxing and Inspirational Adult Dot-to-Dot Pictures to Calm Yourself” by Emily Wallis

OK, this one’s a wildcard! (Get used to them: there will be few of them in these lists).

A Top 15 Mindfulness book that has practically not one line of text, bar its title! But, believe us: it makes a lot of sense! Because just as mindfulness is about not thinking, reading may be all about drawing!

We’re not joking!

“Anti-Stress Dot-to-Dot” by Emily Wallis is one of the first books of its kind: a complex dot-to-dot drawing book. Featuring elegant buildings, spectacular nature scenes, and majestic animals, Wallis’ book spells peace and calm on basically each and every one of its pages.

And whether you decide on dot-to-dot drawing a beautiful mermaid or a knotty swarm of bees, it really seems that this compact little masterpiece has it all to help you reach serenity trough practice!

#15. “Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness” by Jon Kabat-Zinn

“Full Catastrophe Living” is Kabat-Zinn’s second entry on this list. And it’s prefaced by another of our two-entry authors, Thich Nhat Hanh.

So, need we say more?

Yet, we will.

Because, “Full Catastrophe Living” is a groundbreaking work on healing, mindfulness, and meditation. It’s a book for the beginners, and for the most advanced, for those who are happy, and for those who are in a deep crisis.

Kabat-Zinn presents profound insights into the powerful effects of trained breathing, meditation, body scans, and yoga. And he doesn’t merely investigate some original ideas about the origins of stress and anxiety and their dominant role in our everyday lives.

Oh, no! He offers effective ways to deal with them on a daily basis. And what more can you ask from a book on mindfulness?

Emir Zecovic

Emir is the Head of Marketing at 12min. In his spare time, he loves to meditate and play soccer.