Customer Reviews

Mindfulness Meditation and Stress Reduction for Beginners: The Garden of NOW

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is probably one of the best mindfulness training DVDs out there. The exercises are easy to follow and having the video guidance in addition to the audio track proves to be invaluable. Not only are the garden's waterfalls and bonsai arrangements stunning, but using them to illustrate mindfulness concepts make it super easy for beginners. For those that have more mindfulness meditation experience, the DVD also includes the traditional body scan and sitting meditation exercises, which comes with a nifty on-screen tracking tool to assist you in maintaining focus. Overall, this DVD is a must have for anyone looking to start or enhance a mindfulness meditation practice!

The Garden of Now truly simplifies the complexities of mindfulness and meditation. I am an author and lecturer on stress management and this DVD is an ideal fit for my students and readers. The soothing narration and visual effects allowed me to understand what parts of my body were most tense as I truly experienced the present moment. As I followed the guided steps of the exercises I was able to embrace the relaxing effects and better understand what it means to be in the now with my body and mind. Additionally, the guided steps of the various levels of mindfulness and the detailed body scan simultaneously unified my mind and body. I was also able to have a more restful sleep followed by a more productive day!

I have seen other videos on meditation and relaxation, but none of them were as effective as The Garden of Now. I had been looking for a DVD to use with college students and adults --finally, a resourceful tool I can use!! The narrator peacefully makes it easy for anyone to follow regardless of their meditation skill level or age. Thank you, I will use this frequently and often!!!

My Choice - My Life: Realizing Your Ability to Create Balance in Life

Working with this mindfulness dvd has been a LIFE CHANGING experience and I would recommend it anyone! I'm a busy professional who lives the typical stress-stress-stress lifestyle. I knew it was time for a change, so I decided to buy the garden of now dvd to see what mindfulness meditation was all about. I was a skeptic at first, but to my surprise, learning mindfulness has made it a lot easier for me to stay centered in the stillness of the present moment when things get hectic and chaotic in life. I have tried other stress reduction products in the past, but this dvd really does make it MUCH easier to learn a powerful stress management tool!

The product description and the enthusiastic reviews filled me with high expectations. Unfortunately I am disappointed. As an introduction I watched a bonzai tree and a waterfall for a few minutes. Then during the body scan and the breathing meditation I watched a static outline of the human form, not much different to listening to a humble audio cd. I prefer the DVD "Meditation for Everyone" by Mike Harding. It's a more pleasant visual mindfulness meditation.

I teach meditation and practice mediation. I have begun to recommend this to others. It was well done, with a very practical side to it. Great job!

I work in the health care profession as a dentist. The latest discussion in our field is overall systemic health. I understand the importance of the mind body connection and improvements in systemic health such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and even smoking. This dvd has helped me learn mindfulness and recommend it to my patients.

Some of these exercises are so effective, I can't get to end of section. Fall asleep (no, I'm not narcoleptic). Non irritating voice, with great cuing. Absolutely wonderful. Reminds me of my 1967 acting classes, where we'd work on centering...very similar. And just as effective.

I have used several guided mindfulness meditation cd's in the past but decided to try this new dvd version. I'm loving it!! It's really helpful to do some of the exercises with the help of your tv.

I'm not sure what the previous reviewer was thinking, but I completely disagree! I found the DVD's exercises very helpful to learn mindfulness meditation and I use it frequently!

I purchased this DVD hoping that somehow the visual elements would enhance my mindfulness meditation experience. What I found is that the introduction, body scan meditations, and beginner and advanced meditations are almost word-for-word from John Kabat-Zinn's Mindfulness Meditation CD's. Even the narrator's expressions and vocal tone mimic those of Kabat-Zinn. I know because I've been using Kabat-Zinn's CD's for a couple of years. This appears to be a DVD that was created by a married couple in which they pretty much just plagiarized another CD and threw in video of a waterfall and tree. They also included a picture of the producer's wife with yellow circles to tell you where you should be concentrating (as if this is even necessary!). I thought that maybe Kabat-Zinn and his group produced this to go along with their CD's but in the references the only acknowledgment of Kabat-Zinn is one of his books. C'mon. If you are going to copy someone else's work at least be creative enough to describe the possible sensations one might feel in different regions of the body in your own ways. This is highly unethical. If the producer was one of my college students I would have him expelled for this. Save yourself some money and take advantage of the free guided mindfulness meditations available at marc.ucla.edu. I just wasted $10.