Pause, Breathe, Smile: Awakening Mindfulness When Meditation Is Not Enough

Pause, Breathe, Smile by Gary Gach offers a simple, yet highly effective, method for cultivating mindfulness wherever you may be and whatever you may be doing. It’s as simple as the title says, taking time to pause, breathe deep, and smile. This is a beneficial tool alone, and Gach teaches how to turn it into a proper longer meditation that can span twenty to forty minutes. He also teaches about variations of mindfulness meditation such as walking meditation and the use of mindfulness bells.

I loved this book! It’s easy to understand, with no frippery added. Gach has a warm, inviting writing style, interacting directly with the reader. I practice mindfulness meditation myself and found plenty of things to incorporate in my own practice. I started to use a mindfulness bell app on my phone. It had never occurred to me before, but it’s been so useful! I’m also considering doing a meditation retreat. That’s a scary concept for me, but Gach made it sound intriguing enough to seriously look into. This book is a great resource both for those new to mindfulness and meditation and for those with an established practice. Highly recommended!!