Mindfulness as a tool for focus and stress reduction has become widespread, but there's far more to this practice than meets the eye. This profound and transformational set of meditation techniques comes from the heart of Buddhism. To unlock the full potential of mindfulness, it is therefore important to understand the wide variety of ways it has been articulated, emphasized, and employed across Buddhist traditions. This clear, concise guide lays bare for us at last the foundations and breadth of the term mindfulness, from its Buddhist beginnings to its present-day expressions in secular contexts. Drawing upon years of experience through practicing, researching, and teaching mindfulness and its history, Dr. Sarah Shaw offers a complete map that provides readers, whether seasoned practitioners or those generally interested, a more grounded understanding of the world's most popular approach to meditation. Book jacket.