Jon Kabat-Zinn is familiar to many from his appearance on the Bill Moyers 1993 PBS series "Healing and the Mind." As founder and Director of the Stress Reduction Clinic at Massachusetts Medical Center, Kabat-Zinn teaches hundreds of people to reduce their stress and chronic pain through mindfulness meditation. In this book he teaches the technique to a general audience.

Mindfulness meditation consists simply of being aware of the present moment. The title, Wherever You Go There You Are, emphasizes this in a lightly humorous way. The book is very easy to read, with short chapters some as short as a single paragraph. Each chapter presents a single idea related to mindfulness. The book can be used as a guide to beginning the practice of mindfulness meditation, or it can be used as a book of daily meditations.

The author's writing style is straightforward and accessible. His simple sentences can often express profound ideas in ways that make the reader stop and think. The Buddhist origins of mindfulness meditation are evident at times, but Kabat-Zinn presents these ideas in ways that are understandable to a western audience. He draws from both East and West to present a thoughtful and practical approach to help those who are suffering from the stress of modern life.

By teaching us how to be more fully present in our lives, Kabat-Zinn's approach to mindfulness can assist those who are suffering from a chronic illness as well as those who are just stressed-out. I frequently recommend this book to patients with chronic pain, and to patients who add to their own stress by worrying unnecessarily. Your life will be enriched if you read this book and apply the concepts.