A Mindful Nation

This is a hopeful book by Congressman Tim Ryan of Ohio. He practices mindfulness himself and describes how it keeps him cool under pressure and helps him make better decisions and be more present for his constituents. The book starts with a good and thorough survey of the science of how mindfulness helps. Then it shows how effective it is in various areas, including health care, education, helping at risk youth with stress and developing more resilience, and for veterans dealing with post traumatic stress. In all of these areas it is extremely cost effective. Some of the stories of how it has helped are quite moving.

Congressman Ryan is pushing federal funding to help jump start application of mindfulness in these and other areas. He argues convincingly that this is a bipartisan issue and could lead to revitalizing the country.