Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life

Kabat-Zinn refers to earlier humans, who would have sat by a fire each night to reflect, meditate, share stories, and relax. We have lost this tradition in the modern world and therefore have lost the practice of sitting in stillness at the close of the day. We are further robbed of the opportunity to live more fully by television, which bombards our senses and leaves us feeling soporific, rather than providing stillness or time for reflection.

Sitting with one’s breath is much like sitting with a fire. It provides a relaxed focal point for the mind and allows us to reconnect with ourselves.

Kabat-Zinn recalls a time watching a flock of Canadian geese flying north. He was struck by their beauty, majesty, and order and humbled by nature’s mystery and sophistication. Kabat-Zinn uses this event to remind readers of the inherent majesty and order of nature, which we should take time to celebrate and appreciate. Furthermore, we should celebrate the use of our senses and our bodies; we shouldn’t need catastrophes or illness to bring these things into focus.

In a “Try” activity, Kabat-Zinn invites his readers to see and appreciate the majesty in all things around them: nature, weather, food, people, or anything else.

The early morning is a time especially ripe for stillness and mindfulness. Furthermore, beginning one’s day with a foundation of mindfulness and meditation increases the chances of having a balanced and calm day. The practice is especially important in times of extreme happiness, sadness, or chaos; one is better positioned to appreciate or manage these days having carved out time for stillness. The intentionality and discipline of waking up early feeds into the effectiveness of meditation practice, as these skills are also required in meditation. Kabat-Zinn recommends conceiving of each new day as a gift or an exciting adventure.

In a “Try” exercise, Kabat-Zinn urges readers to carve out time to get up early. This time, which has been carved out with intention, should be dedicated to mindfulness. He urges readers to avoid living ahead of oneself by going through the tasks of the day.

We usually see a distortion created by our thoughts, rather than seeing what is right in front of us. As a result, we often miss the wonder and beauty that is right in front of us. This leads to spiritual and emotional impoverishment. Examining our life should bring the joy of direct contact that viewing distant stars through a telescope might, as opposed to just seeing photographs of them.

In a “Try” exercise, Kabat-Zinn asks readers to consider their daily life with the same wonder and excitement that one might view stars in the galaxy.

Kabat-Zinn refers to the importance of direct contact in medicine; people should be treated as individuals, rather than as medical puzzles to be solved. Doctors should be trained to take the person seriously, rather than just the disease. Kabat-Zinn teaches medical students to ask the question: “Is there anything else you would like to tell me?” (122). They are encouraged to pause to allow the patient to express their needs or concerns.

Kabat-Zinn avoids wearing his white medical coat in his work as a doctor, as he wishes to dispel the myth that he is all-knowing. He wants individuals to feel empowered that they are their own experts on themselves and their health if they choose to live mindfully and listen to their bodies and their needs. Expert medical care can sometimes feel alienating and intimidating.

Kabat-Zinn states that we tend to exaggerate our flaws and take our great attributes for granted while seeing others around us as better than us. Instead, we should tap into our own positivity and inner strength.

Changing circumstances—lovers, jobs, or cities—often won’t solve inherent problems, as the underlying problem in these situations is often oneself, and one cannot escape oneself. Kabat-Zinn believes that individuals should gain clarity, understanding, and new direction here and now, rather than seeking new beginnings. People can fall into a similar trap in seeking spiritual enlightenment, going from one religion to another or one meditation teacher to another, missing the key element that they must find peace within themselves and that it is only they who can do this inner work. One must be willing to learn from their life.

Kabat-Zinn tries to catch himself when he is hurrying between the levels of his house, to get something or talk to someone, and to instead take this journey slowly and mindfully, reminding himself that there is no real rush.

In a “Try” activity, Kabat-Zinn invites readers to use everyday, mundane tasks at home as opportunities for mindfulness.

Kabat-Zinn mindfully cleans his stove, thoroughly and carefully, getting immersed in the task. Sometimes, while listening to music, it becomes more of a dance.

Kabat-Zinn states that it is good to consider what one’s inherent life purpose is. Buckminster Fuller, a chemist, feeling like a failure in his early thirties, contemplated suicide. He decided not to and additionally decided to live as if he had died, which made him feel freed of the responsibilities and pressures of life. He also made a habit of asking himself, “What is it on this planet that needs doing that I know something about, that probably won’t happen unless I take responsibility for it?” (135). He conceptualized his life as working for humanity as an employee of the universe. He attempted to reflect frequently on this question to shape his path. Similarly, Kabat-Zinn urges readers to find their authentic path through life.

Climbing a mountain is a good analogy for traveling through life toward enlightenment and understanding. Furthermore, Kabat-Zinn conceptualizes a mountain inside of us as well as the mountain outside of us; both need to be mastered.

Teaching involves metaphorically traveling down the mountain to instruct others as to the route one has taken, although it’s not a hard and fast science, as one’s own learning journey is still ongoing. Kabat-Zinn stresses in this metaphor that we need each other to successfully navigate life’s journey.

Kabat-Zinn refers to the fact that all things have antecedents; life is interconnected in a complex web of cause and effect. Everything is related to everything else, and everything is in flux and temporary. A knowledge of these things may help one to appreciate the fleeting beauty of aspects of their life—relationships, places, circumstances, and events. Mindfulness of breathing allows one to stay connected with the fleeting and incredible presence of the now, which will never again be repeated.