“Reading the book, I can hear Ratnadevi’s voice speaking – warm and precise, inquiring, practical and fresh, awake, and these are some of her own qualities she’s infused into the book itself – like an exquisite cup of tea perfectly grown, prepared, brewed and shared. 

In her writing she connects lots of different modes of perception and activities in an open and uncontrived way, expressing the change and flow of experience and creating a form to hold all the diverse elements; moving between daily life and creative practice, and letting that gentle tenor of mindful, spontaneous, improvisational engagement lead naturally into a space for meditation – where there are no borders, no separation, just being with life and whatever itbrings to our attention.

I always like creating touchstones for myself throughout a new calendar year and this year I’m looking forward to Bringing Mindfulness to Life being my companion, reading it in instalments, reflecting on Ratnadevi’s expertise and insights and applying her provocations to my own practice and inquiries.”

Linda France

“The book so clearly reflects her practice and presence, and what I personally most appreciate as I read.. is this lovely mixture Ratnadevi has – rigour and clarity of boundary in each section AND her playful dissolution and opening to ever wider possibilities.” Max Mackay-James

“It strikes me as intelligent, adding precious new information in the field of mindful practice, well written and very useful.” Verene Nicolas

“Such a distinctive voice, and the story-telling makes it so approachable – like having a wise (but not inhumanly wise) and trusted friend standing next to me saying things she finds useful in my everyday life – ‘exactly what it says on the tin” John Allison

“If you want to take your mindfulness practice deeper, and widen it into new areas, then Ratnadevi is an experienced and engaging guide. In this well-crafted book she is generous with her own experience, along the way sharing the contents of her fridge and her heart, as well as her challenges and successes in living a mindful life. We are given practical tools for addressing a large range of issues, from the everyday to climate change, helping us become more alive to our inner world and more effective, helpful and fulfilled in our interaction with the outer world.”

—Vessantara, author of A Guide to the Buddhas

“Her sensitive way of seeing and being has been honed through decades of mindfulness and compassion practice that spills out from her meditation into all the myriad facets of her life. You will get the chance to glimpse the world anew through her richperspective and you will emerge all the richer for that.”

—Vidyamala Burch, co-founder of ‘Breathworks’; author of Living Well with Pain and Illness

“In a wonderfully warm and inviting voice, Ratnadevi brings mindfulness down to earth and into the heart. A gifted writer, she turns abstract ideas into living words that draw the reader onward and inward. This is a wonderful complement to classics such as Radical Acceptance, and full of value for our too-hectic world.” —Rick Hanson, PhD, psychologist and author of Hardwiring Happiness

“Rich, multi-textured journey through mindfulness practice exploring how it relates to our inner world, how it is expressed through our bodies and how it impacts on our environment and the complex society we live in. An intimately personal and instructive book that draws on a wealth of personal experience and offers a wide array of methods and perspectives.” —Choden (Sean McGovern), co-founder of Mindfulnes Association and co-author of Mindful Compassion

“This is not just another mindfulness manual, but a mindfulness book with heart and soul. It explores connections between mindfulness practice and art and creativity, food and everyday living, communication and relationships, nature and how we live on this planet Earth, as well as many other areas of life.” —Vajragupta, author of Buddhism: Tools for Living Your Life