Mindfulness meditation program MBSR, first introduced in Korea more than two decades ago, has been compiled into a single book. 『The Path of Mindfulness, a Walk Through MBSR』 by Ahn Hee-young, the director of the Korea MBSR Research Institute, newly published on March 30 by Hakjisa, is a practical guide that distills the author’s experiences and reflections gathered in classroom settings while promoting MBSR in Korea since 2005.
In the book’s preface, the author recalls her first meditation experience and confesses that, at the time, it was quite unfamiliar to her that meditation could be used as a way to address pain and stress in hospitals. The journey she began, guided naturally by the depth and possibilities of meditation, has now stretched well past 20 years.
Kabat-Zinn’s MBSR: A Meeting of Buddhist Wisdom and Modern Science
MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, stress relief based on mindfulness) is an eight-week meditation program launched by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn of the University of Massachusetts Medical School. It began as a tool for clinically addressing pain and stress by bridging wisdom from traditional Buddhist practice with contemporary medicine. Today, it is used worldwide across the fields of healthcare, education, and business.
The core emphasis the author makes in this book is that MBSR is not just a technique for relaxation, but a path to restoring wholeness and interconnectedness. Beginning with learning that transforms one’s inner world, the flow expands all the way to healing within relationships and communities, and that thread runs throughout the book.
Part 1: Theory, Part 2: Real-World Practice Over 8 Weeks… A Guide for Both Beginners and Teachers
The new book is divided into two main parts.
Part 1: The Source of MBSR Mindfulness
It covers the definition of MBSR, research on its effects on the brain, nervous system, and immune system, as well as the Buddhist philosophical roots called “dharma.” In “Eight Mindfulness Q&A,” it answers beginners’ questions—from the core elements of mindfulness training to what to do when you want to give up practice. It also traces recent trends such as research on neuroplasticity and safe mindfulness (TSM) for a wounded mind.
Part 2: The Reality of MBSR, the Flow of an 8-Week Class
From Week 1, “Reconfirming Inner Resources,” to Week 8, “Reviewing Resources for Sustaining Practice,” the book guides readers through the authentic eight-week program week by week. It includes key themes at every stage—dealing with perception and creative responses, joy in the present moment, handling stress automatic reactions, difficult communication, and integrating practice into daily life—as well as practical instructions for running all-day practice sessions, becoming a resource that is useful for both teachers and trainees.
Key Contents
Part 1: MBSR theory, effectiveness research, dharma, stress science
Part 2: Week-by-week guidance for the eight-week program, all-day practice
Appendix: Eight Mindfulness Q&A, 10 key principles for teachers
A Witness to MBSR in Korea: Author Ahn Hee-young
Author Ahn Hee-young earned a doctorate (major in adult learning and leadership) at Columbia University in the United States, with her focus on an MBSR teacher training program. She is the first Korean person to obtain MBSR teacher certification at the Mindfulness Center (CFM), the U.S. MBSR headquarters, and she currently works as an internationally certified MBSR and MBCT for Life Teacher Trainer.
She has served as Vice President of the Seoul Buddhist Graduate School, a Fulbright exchange professor, Vice Chairman of the Korea Council for Integrated Medicine Education, and Vice Chairman of the Korean Society of Mind-Body Science. She is currently serving as Honorary President of the Korea Mind-Body Healing Education Association and as an adviser to the Korean Society of Mindfulness Medicine, among other roles. She is also a firsthand witness who has translated and introduced many key books in the field of mindfulness to Korea, including 『The 8-Week Mindfulness (MBCT) Workbook』 『Mindfulness Meditation for the First Time by Jon Kabat-Zinn』 『Mindfulness and Mental Health』.
From Personal Healing to the Recovery of a Community
For readers new to mindfulness, this book becomes the most trustworthy first guide, and for mindfulness meditation teachers, it serves as a practical manual for running the eight-week program. It also helps general readers interested in counseling and psychotherapy, as well as in Buddhist meditation, by addressing the philosophical roots of mindfulness and its scientific foundations in a balanced way.
『The Path of Mindfulness, a Walk Through MBSR』 can be found at major online and offline bookstores such as Kyobo Bookstore and YES24. The book has 304 pages, and the list price is 20,000 won.
