Diana WinstonDiana Winston is the director of Mindfulness Education
at UCLA Semel Institute’s Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC)
and the coauthor, with Dr. Susan Smalley, of Fully Present: The
Science, Art, and Practice of Mindfulness (DaCapo, 2010). She is a
well-known teacher and speaker who brings mindful awareness
practices to the general public to promote health and well-being.
Called by the LA Times "one of the nation’s best-known teachers of
mindfulness," she has taught mindfulness since 1993 in a variety of
settings, including hospitals, universities, corporations,
nonprofits, schools in the US and Asia, and online. She developed
the evidence-based Mindful Awareness Practices (MAPS) curriculum
and the Training in Mindfulness Facilitation, which trains
mindfulness teachers worldwide.
Her work has been mentioned or she has been quoted in the New York
Times; O, The Oprah Magazine; Newsweek; the Los Angeles Times;
Allure; Women’s Health; and in a variety of magazines, books, and
journals. She is also the author of Wide Awake: A Buddhist Guide
for Teens (Perigee Books, 2003) and the audio program Mindful
Meditations, and has published numerous articles on mindfulness.
Diana is a member of the Teacher's Council at Spirit Rock
Meditation Center in Northern California. She has been practicing
mindfulness meditation since 1989, including a year as a Buddhist
nun in Burma. Currently, Diana’s most challenging and rewarding
practice involves trying to mindfully parent an eight-year-old. She
lives in Los Angeles.
For more information, visit dianawinston.com and marc.ucla.edu.
"Winston's concise, easy-to-follow examples of how to cultivate a
more self-compassionate meditation practice will appeal to
meditators of all levels." --Publishers Weekly "A slim and simple
guide to slowing down, savoring the simple, and indulging in a
little mindfulness...perfect for both new and seasoned
practitioners of meditation." --Bustle "Winston shows how to
adopt...simple practices that allow one to gradually move from a
more effortful approach to mindfulness to one that doesn't consume
so much energy, that has faith and conviction that we're already
aware and don't need to be fixed." --Mindful "The Little Book of
Being offers new and experienced meditators reliable guidance on
the practice of natural awareness, as well as classical
mindfulness. Helpful, accessible, and humorous, it makes meditation
an inviting adventure while also setting realistic expectations."
--Guy Armstrong, author of Emptiness: A Practical Guide for
Meditators; guiding teacher, Insight Meditation Society "Without
ever becoming precious or dogmatic, Diana Winston shows how
natural, or non-dual, awareness emerges within the continuum of
mindfulness practice and is an antidote to the trap of excessive
striving. The book is a testament to her years of experience and is
a treasure trove of elegant, accessible meditations. Highly
recommended for anyone who wants to free their heart and mind."
--Christopher Germer, PhD, author of The Mindful Path to
Self-Compassion; co-developer of the Mindful Self-Compassion
program "In a clear and encouraging voice, Diana Winston points out
how the shift from noting what is happening to the more spacious
awareness that it is happening relaxes the mind and body into a
state of okay-ness, bringing natural compassion and deep
well-being." --Sylvia Boorstein, PhD, author of Happiness Is an
Inside Job "Breaking new ground, this wise and elegant book, The
Little Book of Being, is a wonderful guide to the important next
stage of mindfulness practice: natural awareness. These
down-to-earth essays and short glimpse practices are wisdom bites
that are just the right size to enjoy a delicious taste of natural
awareness whenever you like. Highly recommended!" --Loch Kelly,
MDiv, LCSW, author of Shift into Freedom "This is a phenomenal book
about mindfulness--and self-acceptance, joy, love, and the natural
wisdom and goodness inside each one of us. . . . Each page is full
of loving wisdom, plus practical suggestions for living with ease
in harmony with oneself and others. Diana Winston combines
tremendous clarity with warm-hearted friendly support. Wow, really
a gem!" --Rick Hanson, PhD, author of Buddha's Brain "Using tools
from across the Buddhist traditions, Diana Winston defines a
'spectrum of awareness' in language that is simple and compelling.
This teaching helps us recognize, generate, and rest in various
states of peace and ease. Diana's insights and clarity provide a
clear path to natural awareness. The book is highly creative and
innovative, and it will be a source of wellness for many." --Bonnie
Duran, DrPH, professor, University of Washington School of Social
Work; leadership team member of the Indigenous Wellness Research
Institute "Diana Winston lives and breathes the clean, clear air of
mindful awareness and brings a great deal of experience and skill
to the table. The practical, accessible, and doable tools and
techniques, meditational tips and pointers, and plain ol' wisdom
here have helped me discover, recognize, and recover who and what I
am--and what we all genuinely are at the level of our very best
selves. I believe this will certainly help you, too, release the
buoyant little buddha within and live the miraculous life you want
and need." --Lama Surya Das, author of Awakening the Buddha Within:
Eight Steps to Enlightenment; founder of the Dzogchen Center and
Dzogchen Retreats "Diana Winston's wonderful new book, The Little
Book of Being, combines the authority of her long and deep practice
with her engaging conversational voice--for everyone from beginners
to long-time meditators." --Susan Kaiser Greenland, author of
Mindful Games and The Mindful Child "A rare combination of deep,
clear, and accessible wisdom, The Little Book of Being is a
gem filled with fantastic reflections, practices, and teachings
that will nourish new and experienced meditators alike. Written
with an engaging freshness, this book reminds us of what we know,
love, and regularly forget--the natural awareness that is our very
essence." --Tara Brach, PhD, author of Radical Acceptance and True
Refuge "The Little Book of Being is a lovely, simple, wise, and
helpful book. It is filled with down-to-earth practical wisdom,
wonderful tools to free the heart, and a perspective of
self-kindness that we all need." --Jack Kornfield, author of A Path
with Heart "The Little Book of Being is more than little, and more
than about simply being. Diana Winston offers us a big idea about .
. . a state of mind we may sometimes call presence--or a 'natural
awareness, ' in her terms--that research suggests boosts our
immunity, reduces inflammation, and can even slow the aging
process. Even more, her wise and accessible teachings offer us
practical tools for becoming more fully aware and cultivating the
clarity and tranquility that arise when the mind accesses this
open, receptive state. Take in these powerful ideas and bring more
well-being, equanimity, and connection into your life!" --Daniel J.
Siegel, MD, clinical professor and founding co-director, UCLA
Mindful Awareness Research Center; executive director, Mindsight
Institute; author of Aware: The Science and Practice of Presence
"Crafted with kindness, The Little Book of Being offers a wonderful
invitation to the realm of natural awareness. Weaving clear,
concise instruction with encouragement and personal anecdotes,
Diana Winston leads us in the direction of a meditation practice
free from judgment and striving. Through exercises that point
toward short glimpses of natural awareness, we can learn to
experience relief from the patterns of our habitual mind." --Sharon
Salzberg, author of Real Happiness and Real Love
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