A Complete Guided Mindfulness Meditation Program from Jon Kabat-Zinn

My wife and I frequently use meditation as a tool for general wellness. She has several illnesses that respond to the instructions given on this CD. I would highly recommend this to anyone with a disabling disease as a useful means of gaining some relief.

Just do it! Simple as that. Its the hardest easiest most natural but full of boundaries to cross and discover. Its about being the person you are but somehow that can be very hard. Staying in the moment is about living with every breath. Simple as it is - you may discover more then going around the world in 48 hours or less... Good luck and do the practice.

The reader on the CD seems a bit disorganized. He seems not to have a script but is just talking. I did not find it a smooth flowing meditation. There are a few long pauses in which I thought it had ended. But the meditation seems to get the job done. I did feel less stressful.

I don't like posting negative reviews and I really wanted to like this CD, but the truth needs to be heard when peoples' health and well-being are at stake. With rampant stress and anxiety, I am currently reading Kabat-Zinn's "Full Catastrophe Living" book (which is excellent) and trying to recreate the 8 week MBSR training. After realizing that the iPhone app didn't have the 45 minute body scan, I bought this CD and thought it would be the perfect companion for the program.

Unfortunately the quality of the recording is very poor, and for me that makes it VERY difficult to relax. Why didn't they edit out the swallowing sounds? I don't need that in my ears. Why are there startling cuts in the audio without any "room tone"? When this happens, it seems like the recording is over, but no - it comes back in a few seconds later. There is also some rambling and awkward wording of things. Why does he have to clarify that we might be on a mat or the floor or a bed or whatever like 3 times? This recording sounds like a "draft" version, or perhaps just a re-publish of the recording they used in a research study.

The narration does not hold my attention at all, and since that is essential for this to work, ultimately this is useless for me. I think the content is fine (the MBSR program is great and Kabat-Zinn is obviously a true authority in this area), but it REALLY needs a better recording, perhaps with another voice.

Looking for something better? Check out Roberta Shapiro's "Goodbye Worries" - it is excellent! It might not be 100% MBSR, but the first 3 meditations on there are just about 45 minutes, so make for a good "body scan" replacement. Do yourself a favor and give it a try - it is SO much better than this CD. Or do a Google search for "ucsd mbsr" for better (and free) MBSR recordings from UC San Diego. Sorry JKZ - I hope you create a new version of this.

I was very disappointed with the CDs because the voices are very "nasal" sounding. I have several guided meditation CDs and they are done by people who obviously have taken some form of vocal training.

If I could, I would return the product. These doctors may know their stuff but should have professionals record it.

Jon Kabat-Zinn is such a knowledgeable, inspirational writer, but I wholeheartedly agree with the other reviewers here who said that his voice is not right for guided meditations. It was not soothing at all (to the point of distraction) and I ended up giving away the CDs to the library after just one listen. Very disappointing. I will stick to his books and hope that the publishing company hires a better reader for his words in the future.

Awesome guided Meditations
My favorite is NOWSCAPE
after trying it for 3 months now, i can say with 100% confidence that if you like Jon Kabbat Zinn...you would love this CD
His voice is slow...you would feel calm, centered and focussed
Helps me study better because being mindful is the only way - i can achieve what I have set my mind on
and I am more in the 'now' with my son..
earlier i used to drift away easily...not anymore
But one has to stick to the routine of meditating daily

These guided meditations, relaxations and yoga routines were designed for use in Kabat-Zinn's stress-reduction clinic, and "go along with" his book Full Catastrophe Living. It contains four programs: a guided body scan relaxation (great), a guided sitting meditation (at over 35 minutes, this might be a bit long for beginners), and two gentle guided yoga routines.

My only gripe is that the programs are pretty long (especially the sitting meditation), and they might not appeal to beginners. But the programs are excellent. Do understand that this is not only meditation, as the title suggests; it is also relaxation, and the 45-minute full body scan is probably worth the price of the set.

This CD guides you through meditation even when you think you just can't do it. Kabat-Zin provides both seated and lying meditations, in 5-minute, 10-minute, 20-minute, and longer intervals so that you'll know exactly how long you'll be practicing. No more having your mind wander wondering how long you've been at it! Kabat-Zin comes from a practice perspective, rather than a spiritual perspective, on mindfulness, which makes it palatable for the masses. He provides guided meditations as well as silent ones, for which the time limit is indicated by bells. Everyone needs to quiet the constant chatter in our heads. When we quiet ourselves down, we "hear" more.

This is my favorite guided meditation series. The sitting meditation CD is simple and focused on the breath. He gives just the right amount of guidance to keep a beginner or one who's not, focused on their breath vs on their thoughts, in a gentle calming manner. Although it is 45 min in length one can easily practice for a shorter time.
Whenever my mind is full to the brim, and I can't quiet it, I can always count on this cd, which I keep on my iPhone, to quiet my mind and calm me, especially when I'm away from home.
In The Body Scan CD, he guides you again, using the breath, to be more present and at ease in your body.
I so appreciate his approach because it is focused simply and clearly on breathing, which anyone can follow, and without any added religious tone.
I also love his book " Wherever you go there you are,"

Kabat-Zinn's Mindfulness Meditation CD's correspond to many aspects of his 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program. Thus, this is a great resource to allow you to learn the same mindfulness techniques as you would learn in the formal MBSR program. The CD's are also a great accompanyment to his seminal mindfuless book, Full Catastrophe Living. The CD set includes: 2 Hatha Yoga exercises, a body scan, and a sitting meditation. Kabat-Zinn is definitely a master in his use of language to articulate subtle mindfulness concepts. The body-scan is a great exercise to start with when building a mindfulness practice. It will introduce you to the current state of your body in the present-moment- and for some this is a first time experience! Not only will you become aware of the sensations and state of various body regions, but you will also learn how to experience and observe these regions with a compassionate and non-judging attitude. This is extremely helpful if you are someone that has excessive muscle tension and/or pain.

Mindfulness Meditation and Stress Reduction for Beginners: The Garden of NOW