As a mindfulness and meditation geek, I have read many books on mindfulness and meditation over many years. This book by Trish Bartley I had missed along the way, and it is only recently, prompted by my own diagnosis, that I bought it. I have had the pleasure of attending one of Trish’s courses and I have worked with Trish at the Mindfulness Network, so it is a bit remiss of me to have overlooked this book.
The book is sensitively written with lots of practical advice. I found the personal stories in the book moving and insightful. The style is warm and inviting. A cancer diagnosis opens you up to vulnerabilities that we usually do not pay attention to. It is quite normal to set out on a meditation or mindfulness practice to fix something (stress, depression, anxiety). When fixing fails, mindfulness invites you to live with your vulnerabilities. Trish expresses this wonderfully well.
I liked the framing of mindfulness, which is valuable in any context: intention, coming back, turning towards, and kindness. Intention is like the compass and direction you are setting out on. Coming back is finding ways of bringing our awareness back into the present moment. Turning towards invites a gentle but intentional approach to life and to our condition. Kindness is very much about befriending oneself and transforming the way we engage with the world. This framing supports my own experience throughout my meditation and mindfulness journey, and certainly is helpful now with my recent diagnosis and treatment plan.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is exploring mindfulness, not just those with a cancer diagnosis.