Book One

You are about to embark on a journey of discovery. The practices of meditation and mindfulness found in this book ultimately lead to the awakening of wisdom and compassion. You have already started on the path by establishing the interest and motivation to explore these tried-and-true methods for cultivating the mindfulness skills needed to bring you happiness and well-being. Anyone can directly experience the healing benefits of these practices if applied consistently in daily life. This book presents an exploration of the teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni. These teachings are summarized by three aspirations that we practice and uphold: 1) Cultivate excellent virtue in abundance, 2) Avoid wrongdoing and harmful actions, and 3) Completely tame your mind. This is the essence the teaching and the subject of our study. There are only two obstacles in attaining the happiness we seek; first, not starting on the path, and second, not continuing on the path to its destination. You are about to take an important step forward on the path to awakening!