The Doctor Who Sat for a Year

As a psychiatrist, Brendan Kelly is used to doling out prescriptions and advice. This is the story of what happened when he decided to try his own medicine and take up meditation for a year.

Can this busy psychiatrist, dad and Buddhism enthusiast improve his life by meditating for 15 minutes every day? Will it improve his relationships with his family and patients? Will he find inner peace and, if so, how will he know that he has? Will he ever be more mindful than Trixie, the cat that peacefully observes his daily practice, always seeming more zen than the meditating doctor?

This is the journal of a self-confessed ‘Zen failure’ who believes there is much to be said for sitting quietly but soon realises that there are also many distractions. The Doctor Who Sat for a Year is a funny, thoughtful and inspiring book about embracing both mediation and our imperfections.

‘An excellent introduction to the path of meditation … The author describes both how difficult meditation can be in the face of daily distractions and, ultimately, how easy it becomes when simple choices are put in place.’ Michael Harding

'In a world where constantly being busy is seen as a virtue, the book explores the benefits of embracing meditation, set against a wry look at our human imperfections.'  INMO