Summary of Andy Puddicombe's The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 The most common misconception about meditation is that it involves achieving a quiet empty mind through meditation, which is a bubble in which there is nothing but space and through which nothing unpleasant can enter. But meditation is actually about stopping thoughts and feelings. #2 When you first sit down to meditate, it can feel like you are caught in the middle of a traffic jam of thoughts. But meditation does not make you think. It simply shines a bright light on your mind so that you can see it more clearly. #3 When we try to control everything, we end up getting caught up in the rush hour traffic of our own minds. When we step back and observe the thoughts and feelings, there is a sense of increased space. It might feel as if we are simply an observer, watching the thoughts and feelings go by. #4 The thoughts that pop into your mind when you sit down to meditate or when you’re walking down the street are autonomous. You didn’t bring them to mind, and yet they came to mind. You can’t control your thoughts, but you can control how you respond to them.