Mindfulness
by Andy Puddicombe
Can ten minutes clear your head?
Andy Puddicombe left a sports science degree to train as a Buddhist monk in Asia, then came home to teach meditation to people with jobs and mortgages. His question is whether a busy person with no interest in robes or temples can find headspace in ten minutes a day.
Hear a sample · read by Laura
This is Puddicombe's central image. Your mind is like the sky, and thoughts and feelings are the weather crossing it, from a few wisps to thick storm clouds. Meditation is getting to know the sky behind them instead of chasing each cloud.
It takes a second, and it isn't a judgement. It shows you what's going on, then lets you step back to the breath without scolding yourself for drifting.
The book's last part, the Integration, carries the same attention into ordinary life. Eat a meal without your phone and notice what it tastes like. Walk to the bus feeling each foot land. The ten minutes are the practice, and the rest of the day is where you use it.
Blue sky
A calm mind is like blue sky. It is always there, even when clouds of thought cover it.
No forcing
You can't stop thoughts by fighting them. Give them room and they settle down.
The roadside
Picture your thoughts as cars on a road. Sit by the side and watch them pass.
Ten minutes
Ten minutes a day is enough to begin, ideally at the same time each day.
Be kind
Don't scold yourself when your mind wanders. Noticing that it wandered is the practice.
A story from the book
As a monk, Puddicombe tried to force his mind to be still. A teacher explained how you calm a wild horse. Tie it to a post and it fights. Put it in a wide, open field and it settles by itself. Give the mind room and it does the same.
Hot take · true or myth?
Meditation is religious, so you have to believe in something first.
Myth. Puddicombe trained as a Buddhist monk but teaches meditation as a practical skill. You don't need to believe anything, only to sit down and try it.
One thing to try
Sit on a chair, back straight, and set a timer for ten minutes. Take five deep breaths and close your eyes. Notice the chair and the sounds. Count breaths up to ten, then start again. When you drift, come back. At the end, let your mind do as it likes.
Knotd has the key ideas from 250+ non-fiction books, each in a few minutes, in plain words. The Headspace Guide comes with a Hot Take round to make it stick.
Get the whole book on KnotdOpen in the appCan ten minutes clear your head? Andy Puddicombe left a sports science degree to train as a Buddhist monk in Asia, then came home to teach meditation to people with jobs and mortgages. His question is whether a busy person with no interest in robes or temples can find headspace in ten minutes a day.
The blue sky; Noting; Take it into the day.
Sit on a chair, back straight, and set a timer for ten minutes. Take five deep breaths and close your eyes. Notice the chair and the sounds. Count breaths up to ten, then start again. When you drift, come back. At the end, let your mind do as it likes.
Yes. Knotd has the key ideas from The Headspace Guide in a few minutes, in plain words, plus a Hot Take round to test them. It's one of 250+ non-fiction books in the app.
