Kathirasan K - Mindfulness in 8 Days: How to find inner peace in a world of stress and anxiety

2017 K. Kathirasan and Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Pte Ltd

Published in 2017 by Marshall Cavendish Editions

An imprint of Marshall Cavendish International

1 New Industrial Road, Singapore 536196

All rights reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Requests for permission should be addressed to the Publisher, Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited, 1 New Industrial Road, Singapore 536196. Tel: (65)6213 9300, Fax: (65)6285 4871. Email:

The publisher makes no representation or warranties with respect to the contents of this book, and specifically disclaims any implied warranties or merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose, and shall in no event be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

Other Marshall Cavendish Offices:

Marshall Cavendish Corporation. 99 White Plains Road, Tarrytown NY 105919001, USA Marshall Cavendish International (Thailand) Co Ltd. 253 Asoke, 12th Flr, Sukhumvit 21 Road, Klongtoey Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand Marshall Cavendish (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Times Subang, Lot 46, Subang Hi-Tech Industrial Park, Batu Tiga, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.

Marshall Cavendish is a registered trademark of Times Publishing Limited

National Library Board, Singapore Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

Name(s): Kathirasan, K.

Title: Mindfulness in 8 Days : How to find inner peace in a world of stress and anxiety / Kathirasan K.

Description: Singapore : Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2017.

Identifier(s): OCN 966653728 | eISBN 978 981 47 7913 5

Subject(s): LCSH: Mindfulness (Psychology) | Stress management. | Meditation. | Well-being.

Classification: DDC 158.12--dc23

Printed in Singapore by Fabulous Printers Pte Ltd

Mindfulness is about cultivating awareness of the present moment, so that we can meet ourselves and others with kindness and compassion.

Compassion is the key to a happier, more meaningful and peaceful life. Without being present, you cant hope to cultivate this quality.

In this book, Kathirasan guides you on a journey of mindfulness and compassion over eight transformative days. Eight days may seem like a short time, but ultimately you dont even need eight days. You just need this moment.

Right now, and in every waking moment, you have the choice to be consciously aware of the outer world and your inner landscape, or to go back to thinking down those well-worn neural highways of your mind. Thoughts about what you have to do, or what you should have done. How good you are or how bad you are. And all the time, in front of your very eyes, a unique miracle is unfolding.

With well-chosen quotes, wise words of encouragement, and easy-to-do daily activities, this book will awaken your senses, calm your mind and open your heart to a more nourishing and sustainable way of living.

Youre in for a treat!

Shamash Alidina

Author of The Mindful Way Through Stress
and Mindfulness for Dummies

This book is probably one of the shortest manuals you will find on understanding and practising mindfulness.

Mindfulness is the art of living in the present moment without losing focus on the future. It allows us to be self-aware while we go about the affairs of our lives.

The rewards of mindfulness practices are twofold:

1. Research has shown that mindfulness can greatly reduce stress levels and help regulate negative emotions.

2. By cultivating self-awareness, mindfulness practices can enhance our performance, both personal and professional.

I was first introduced to mindfulness and meditation in the late 1990s by a Himalayan teacher. It had a tremendous impact on me, transforming my worldview and my perceptions of success and failure, stress and joy.

I was at that time a very unhappy person. In trying to cope with lifes challenges, I had ended up in a state of constantly wanting more in terms of everything I experienced.

I wanted people to love me, I wanted success and to be recognised for it, I wanted to be rich.

Pursuing these goals left me stressed and eventually depressed. I was demanding so much from myself and demanding so much from the world.

And all that time, I did not know who, or what, I was. Everything I knew of myself was defined through the eyes of others.

After learning mindfulness, all this changed. I became more self-aware, and with that came the ability to confront difficult situations with poise, and to treat myself and others with more compassion.

Where I once demanded so much of the world, I now discovered joy within. In fact, I started discovering aspects of myself which I never knew existed.

These changes positively influenced my career, my emotional health, and the relationships I had with other people.

I gained a new clarity of purpose and an understanding of the different roles I played in life. With mindfulness, I also found a renewed appreciation for everything the world had to offer.

These changes led me to start teaching mindfulness practices, long before they entered mainstream media.

Most of the people who came to my courses looked weary, dissatisfied, conflicted, or lost. By the time they were midway through the programme, almost everyone said that their life had taken a noticeable positive turn.

Some started appreciating their spouse more. Some started to notice behaviours that were contrary to values they held close to their hearts. More than a few told me that they finally knew who they were.

And all that I taught them was not to change, but to just notice the change. By merely noticing and observing, change happened for them.

Hence, I decided to write this book as an offering to the world, to encourage you to experience mindfulness in your everyday life.

I have met people who are skeptical about mindfulness, assuming it to be another New Age fad. I resonate strongly with them, as it is better to approach any practice with skepticism until it is proven to be valuable to you.

Mindfulness has been one of the most researched contemplative sciences of the last two decades. With increasing evidence of its effectiveness, you may be more inclined to try out some mindfulness practices.

Or perhaps you wish to know what mindfulness is before embarking on a full-fledged intensive programme.

I have written this book for those of you who seek:

a glimpse into the world of mindfulness before taking the journey

a structured and self-paced mindfulness experience

a private journey in mindfulness

This book takes the form of eight experiments with yourself over eight days.

Just as there is no one solution that can solve all of the worlds problems, there is no one path for everyone to take. You have to find your own path. This book will help you along the way.

Here is an opportunity for you to enter into the world of mindfulness in the privacy of your own home, your office or even on your daily commute.