Donald Altman

One-Minute Mindfulness

Donald Altman

Being fully in the moment is harder than it sounds, as anyone who has tried not to think about the past or future while meditating can attest. Yet the rewards of present-moment awareness, or mindfulness, are so great that in Buddhist psychology, it is considered a path to enlightenment.
But what about the mundane thorns in that path, things like difficult coworkers, parenting challenges, and bad habits? Donald Altman brings the benefits of mindfulness down to earth and into everyday life. The fifty exercises and practices here build awareness and center attention in ways that free readers to savor routine pleasures, build fulfillment in work, enhance and heal relationships, reduce stress, change unhealthy behaviors, and connect to peace even in the midst of chaos or uncertainty. Simple yet profound, Altman’s techniques illuminate how to take countless baby steps toward enlightenment on any given day.

Meal by Meal

Donald Altman

Meal by Meal is a book of comfort, guidance, and insight for anyone with an unhealthy relationship with food. Its power is in its approach: each day is a self-contained journey of conscious eating to help people nurture new and sustainable attitudes and practices. Although bad habits cannot be changed overnight, the author – Buddhist devotee Donald Altman – shows how to find peace by focusing on food issues one meal at a time. He shares inspirational daily meditations, including quotes from Zen stories, Native American practices, Hindu scriptures, the Bible, and sages from all major wisdom traditions. He also explores food preparation, rituals, and social attitudes and examines questions like «How can we learn that eating is not a pleasure race, but an area to find grace?» and «How can we stop using food to fill ourselves up, and instead use it to fulfill ourselves?» Through daily reflections, Altman enables people to make wise food choices and create balance in their lives.