Dan Harris writes an accessible account of meditation that’s relatable for a complete beginner. At first, he was a sceptic of ‘meditation’ and constantly questioned the toxic positivity trends hyping how life-changing it is. This book shows his journey from the moment he had a panic attack live on the news and realised his lifestyle needed a change, thus his journey towards becoming ‘10% Happier’ began:
I read this book after first discovering ‘The Power of Now’ by Eckhart Tolle. I was blown away by Tolle’s guide to englightenment and living in ‘the now’; he stressed meditation is simply being present and acknowledging the ‘inner critic’ in your head. To become present, we must accept that inner dialogue instead of trying to get rid of it. Sounds easy, right?
Right and wrong.
That’s where ‘10% Happier’ comes into play. Harris documents his own struggles while trying to become a meditator; to simply breathe silently for 5 minutes and acknowledge his passing thoughts without believing them. I found Harris more relatable and human than some self-help book authors who write like they’re preaching the bible with confidence and complete certainty. Harris talks about his personal challenges: drug addiction, relationship conflict, work pressure and societal judgement. He emphasises that he is not perfect and meditation practice isn’t either.
My favorite part of the book was when Harris goes on a silent meditation retreat and hyperfocuses on everyone around him; he believes they appear more experienced and at ease than him. He feels out of place and ridiculous compared to the other meditators. Through these mentally draining thoughts, he soon learns that meditation is simply acknowledging these thoughts but realising they are not the truth. Instead, observe the thinking patterns and let them go.
I recommend reading this book if you are wondering what the meditation fad is all about. If you feel your thoughts are running out of control, I suggest trying meditation in the new year, and start by reading this book. Harris also has a podcast called ‘10% Happier’ if you’re more keen on listening to his experience.
‘Why do you meditate?’ a colleague asked Harris, laughing at the practice.
‘Because it makes me feel 10% Happier,’ he replied.
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