Practicing Mindfulness
Matthew Sockolov · 2019
Practicing Mindfulness (2019) is a book by Matthew Sockolov on mindfulness & inner peace. A working meditation teacher's field guide to mindfulness as a trainable skill, 75 short, progressive exercises that move from the breath and body to difficult emotions, everyday moments, and moods like anxiety and anger.
A meditation teacher who has taught in recovery and youth settings turns mindfulness from a vague ideal into 75 concrete exercises you can actually do, starting with five minutes today.
Two of the ideas you’ll keep
The Clif summary of Practicing Mindfulness pulls out 7 insights. Here are the first two.
- Mindfulness is a two-part skill, not a mood: being aware of the present moment (thoughts, sensations, surroundings) *and* meeting it without judgment. Both parts can be practiced and strengthened deliberately over time.
- Start with five minutes, not thirty. Sockolov's earliest meditations are intentionally short and accessible, then build, each exercise follows on the last, so a lasting practice grows from small, repeatable wins rather than rare marathon sessions.
The other 5 — and the full 10-minute summary — are in the app.
What’s inside: 8 chapters
The whole summary runs about 10 minutes, read or listened to.
- Mindfulness 101: A Skill, Not a Vibe
- The Breath as Home Base
- Coming Home to the Body
- Thoughts Are Just Mental Events
- Turning Toward Difficult Emotions
- Everyday Mindfulness: Off the Cushion
- Mindful Moods: Anxiety, Anger, and Grief
- Loving-Kindness and a Practice That Lasts
Finish Practicing Mindfulness tonight.
Read or listen to the full summary in about 10 minutes, then keep the ideas with a minute of review a day. Start with the 2-minute quiz — no card required.
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