What do you think?
Rate this book
This. Only This.
International Book Award Winner in the Spiritual: General Category
San Francisco Book Festival Runner Up in the Spiritual Category 2015
Foreword Reviews' 2014 INDIEFAB Book of the Year Award Finalist - Body, Mind & Spirit.
Winner of the Spiritual Category 2015 of the Great Northwestern Book Festival.
Honorable Mention in the Los Angeles Book Festival.
In this practical approach to mindfulness, there are no new belief systems to adopt or special rules to adhere to. Rather, what’s required is a letting go of our set beliefs and acceptance of what simply is. In this moment, this experience, peace is within our grasp.
In This. Only This., veteran workshop teacher Michael H. Brooks presents a unique and humorous approach to mindfulness based on two main concepts: Paying Attention and Just Being. The former explores the many states of mind we engage in daily, highlighting their trends, patterns and causes. In simple language, Brooks shows how to unravel these thorny mindsets, and thus diminish their harmful effects. In Just Being, the author discusses the concept of being present and explains why we struggle so hard against being still, both mentally and physically. The book includes a wealth of exercises to anchor the concepts and help the reader connect them to his or her own circumstances.
San Francisco Book Festival Runner Up in the Spiritual Category 2015
Foreword Reviews' 2014 INDIEFAB Book of the Year Award Finalist - Body, Mind & Spirit.
Winner of the Spiritual Category 2015 of the Great Northwestern Book Festival.
Honorable Mention in the Los Angeles Book Festival.
In this practical approach to mindfulness, there are no new belief systems to adopt or special rules to adhere to. Rather, what’s required is a letting go of our set beliefs and acceptance of what simply is. In this moment, this experience, peace is within our grasp.
In This. Only This., veteran workshop teacher Michael H. Brooks presents a unique and humorous approach to mindfulness based on two main concepts: Paying Attention and Just Being. The former explores the many states of mind we engage in daily, highlighting their trends, patterns and causes. In simple language, Brooks shows how to unravel these thorny mindsets, and thus diminish their harmful effects. In Just Being, the author discusses the concept of being present and explains why we struggle so hard against being still, both mentally and physically. The book includes a wealth of exercises to anchor the concepts and help the reader connect them to his or her own circumstances.
- GenresSelf Help
403 pages, Paperback
First published March 20, 2014
About the author
Michael H. Brooks
2 books4 followersMichael’s attraction to meditation and mindfulness arose out of his own spiritual seeking at a young age. Since 2004 he has been teaching meditation and mindfulness classes and workshops in both Northern and Southern California to a wide-ranging audience—from stressed company executives to enthusiastic soccer moms.
Additionally, Michael has worked for over twenty years in the field of computer technology. During that time he has progressed through every role involved in creating and managing computer software, from programmer to program and portfolio manager. He has worked in diverse environments, from Wall Street financial companies and regulated medical device companies, to small dot.com startups. As a result, he has a strong understanding of what it means to live and work in the world, and what it’s like to cope with stressful office and personal politics.
His writing comes out of his personal experience using mindfulness to navigate his own challenging states of mind, as well as the transformations he has been privileged to observe in others. This book grew out of his deep desire to make the teachings of mindfulness accessible to a wider audience in a logical and approachable format.
Michael is available for speaking engagements and can host workshops for corporate, athletic or any variety of community groups interested in deepening their understanding of mindfulness.
Additionally, Michael has worked for over twenty years in the field of computer technology. During that time he has progressed through every role involved in creating and managing computer software, from programmer to program and portfolio manager. He has worked in diverse environments, from Wall Street financial companies and regulated medical device companies, to small dot.com startups. As a result, he has a strong understanding of what it means to live and work in the world, and what it’s like to cope with stressful office and personal politics.
His writing comes out of his personal experience using mindfulness to navigate his own challenging states of mind, as well as the transformations he has been privileged to observe in others. This book grew out of his deep desire to make the teachings of mindfulness accessible to a wider audience in a logical and approachable format.
Michael is available for speaking engagements and can host workshops for corporate, athletic or any variety of community groups interested in deepening their understanding of mindfulness.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 12, 2014
I highly suggest reading the book: This. Only This. By Michael H. Brooks to anyone who is searching for peace in their life.
If you are looking for answers to the questions that pop into your head every second of the day as to 'WHY is my life not as I thought it would be', if you are looking for a way to a happier life, perhaps a better view of the beauty the world has to offer, or if you are looking for a way to just feel better about yourself, this book is for you.
In the book This. Only this. You are given the tools for self improvement that are actually possible to follow and achieve.You are guided down a spiritual path that you can understand and live by.Most importantly the author uses humor and language that everyone can relate to.
I love love love this book and am currently reading it for the second time!
If you are looking for answers to the questions that pop into your head every second of the day as to 'WHY is my life not as I thought it would be', if you are looking for a way to a happier life, perhaps a better view of the beauty the world has to offer, or if you are looking for a way to just feel better about yourself, this book is for you.
In the book This. Only this. You are given the tools for self improvement that are actually possible to follow and achieve.You are guided down a spiritual path that you can understand and live by.Most importantly the author uses humor and language that everyone can relate to.
I love love love this book and am currently reading it for the second time!
July 14, 2014
I have problems reading self-help books or books on meditation. Conceptualizing texts like that is hard for me. That being said, Brooks delivers an approachable prose with a hilarious, charming tone. Even if mindfulness is not something you want to practice, this book provides a good reflection on awareness and emotional states of mind.
November 12, 2014
In summary, "This. Only This." is pragmatic and directly speaks to people living and working in the West. I'm an Engineer and already have used concepts from it in my day-to-day work life. Also, "This. Only This." has encouraged me to look deeper at principles I had previously skimmed over in my mindfulness practice. It's is also a fun read.
Now for the full review:
I really enjoyed this book, and I suspect I will be referring to it, from time to time, possibly for the rest of my life. Why?
1) I've read so many books in the self-help psychology genre. "This. Only This." is the most comprehensive of them all when it comes to setting forth a path toward clearer, more free states of mind. Because mindfulness is not the easiest of endeavors (yet so worth the effort), I especially appreciate that Brooks points to the essence of the subject from many angles. If you don't grasp it from one angle, you'll surely grasp it from several others.
2) I've also read several books in the Eastern Philosophy genre. I truly appreciate these great works for what they are; however, they cannot speak directly to my everyday experience as a person living and working in the West. "This. Only This." is written in a style that is simple to grasp, and it is directly relevant to my everyday life.
3) I've practiced mindfulness for several years now, and this book served as the clear pond into which I needed to take a closer look at myself. As far as I've come, "This. Only This." reminded me of several principles that I had learned of, but had not fully iterated on in my daily practice. "This. Only This." also gave me the inspiration to keep at the more challenging items until they become second nature.
Lastly, I appreciate that this book was written with a great sense of humor. I even laughed out loud a few times. It's so easy to get stuffy and boring about topics like mindfulness, but that would miss the entire point of the practice: joy.
Happy reading! And if you didn't love it as much as I did on the first read, that is okay; I'd just encourage you to read it once more. Books like this tend to open up the second time around. That has been my experience with similar books anyway. In fact, I have already noticed this with 'This. Only This." as I go back and reread a chapter here and there.
Now for the full review:
I really enjoyed this book, and I suspect I will be referring to it, from time to time, possibly for the rest of my life. Why?
1) I've read so many books in the self-help psychology genre. "This. Only This." is the most comprehensive of them all when it comes to setting forth a path toward clearer, more free states of mind. Because mindfulness is not the easiest of endeavors (yet so worth the effort), I especially appreciate that Brooks points to the essence of the subject from many angles. If you don't grasp it from one angle, you'll surely grasp it from several others.
2) I've also read several books in the Eastern Philosophy genre. I truly appreciate these great works for what they are; however, they cannot speak directly to my everyday experience as a person living and working in the West. "This. Only This." is written in a style that is simple to grasp, and it is directly relevant to my everyday life.
3) I've practiced mindfulness for several years now, and this book served as the clear pond into which I needed to take a closer look at myself. As far as I've come, "This. Only This." reminded me of several principles that I had learned of, but had not fully iterated on in my daily practice. "This. Only This." also gave me the inspiration to keep at the more challenging items until they become second nature.
Lastly, I appreciate that this book was written with a great sense of humor. I even laughed out loud a few times. It's so easy to get stuffy and boring about topics like mindfulness, but that would miss the entire point of the practice: joy.
Happy reading! And if you didn't love it as much as I did on the first read, that is okay; I'd just encourage you to read it once more. Books like this tend to open up the second time around. That has been my experience with similar books anyway. In fact, I have already noticed this with 'This. Only This." as I go back and reread a chapter here and there.
June 30, 2014
Insightful and uplifting. Wonderful and just hoping I can apply this wisdom to my life.
August 7, 2014
Nourishment for the soul without unwanted calories, encouragement from a warm and witty teacher. I gave this book 5 stars not only for content, but for the author's great sense of humor. Brooks anticipates readers' questions and offers answers; anticipates problems and offers solutions. With a solid definition of mindfulness and the nitty-gritty of practice, this book is a welcome guide for beginners and a refresher course for those already on the journey.
June 11, 2014
A book that teaches you mindfulness based on Paying Attention and Just Being. Interesting.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews