Looking at Mindfulness: Twenty-Five Ways to Live in the Moment Through Art

French psychiatrist André (Feelings & Moods) offers a distinctive method for practicing the much-written-about meditation technique of mindfulness: meditating on and exploring 25 aspects of mindfulness practice through observation of classic works of visual art. His exploration is organized across four general areas: how to cultivate a mindful attitude, how to integrate this practice into daily life, how to find calmness during chaotic times, and how to discover the contemplative and sacred dimensions of mindful living. Each aspect (observing thoughts, breathing, accepting mystery) is introduced with a poetic reflection on works such as Caspar David Friedrich’s Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog and Hieronymous Bosch’s The Conjurer, all reproduced in full color. André uses his own reflections as exercises in mindfulness: returning to the breath, paying attention, feeling thoughts and emotions, and remaining present with the response the artwork evokes. André’s work is a poetic, compassionate guide to mindfulness, offering a fresh and thoughtful path. (Mar.)