Why Mindfulness is Better Than Chocolate
by David Michie
Allen & Unwin
I’m not sure that anything is better than chocolate but Subiaco resident David Michie puts forward a convincing argument that mindfulness can certainly enhance the enjoyment of eating chocolate … and life. Michie draws on Buddhist teachings that mindfulness is the secret to happiness and getting into the habit of meditating is the start of a mindfulness journey. As each day rushes past in a blur, destructive self-chatter inhibits our potential, but by using our infinite resources we can bring things into sharp focus and “free ourselves from the mad monkey of the mind”. Listing the benefits of meditation and mindfulness, Michie maintains that if the personal and professional positives of exercising the mind were in a capsule, everyone would want one.
Michie uses the insights that he has personally gained and explains how meditation and mindfulness have transformed his “typically busy 21st century life”. He gives tips for getting into the meditation habit and taking a closer look at what actually makes us happy. Having already shared his journey in his previous books – Buddhism for Busy People, Hurry Up And Meditate and Enlightenment To Go, he knows that meditation and mindfulness is easy to explain but difficult to maintain practise. Like eating a piece of chocolate for the first time, Michie reminds us that you need to actually experience deep meditative concentration to know what it is like and to explore some of the positive life-changing possibilities. His book is a good start in exploring the delights of meditation and chocolate.
Lezly Herbert
