“Wherever You Go There You Are” Book Review

Wherever You Go There You Are is recognized as an accessible guide to mindfulness practice written by Jon Kabat-Zinn, the founder and director of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts.  “Wherever You Go…” is separated into three subject areas: the present moment, meditation practice, and mindful living.  The writing is direct and uncomplicated with re-assuring compassion for the reader who is beginning a meditation practice (“Non-doing has nothing to do with being indolent or passive. Quite the contrary. It takes great courage and energy to cultivate non-doing, both in stillness and in activity. Nor is it easy to make a special time for
non-doing and to keep at it in the face of everything in our lives which needs to be done.”)

Alongside the forgiving spirit, by the third section of the book, the style does start to feel repetitive. The virtues of attention are extolled by many natural metaphor, many Henry David Thoreau quotes, and many personal anecdotes of recognizing peace in a particular moment.  Fortunately, the book can be read out of order, since each short chapter within the subject areas is self-contained to a particular idea. 

Overall the book is a sincere invitation to readers to gently and incrementally welcome meditation practice and buddhist perspectives into their daily lives. Helpful guides at the end of each chapter offer different meditation exercises as appealing suggestions rather than strict instruction.  The humility of the writing creates a safe-feeling atmosphere for investigating mindfulness and the vulnerability of our minds. “Wherever You Go…” is valuable reading or re-reading for anyone interested in bringing more peace into their lives.