Paramananda’s light style helps to answer the bigger picture of ‘why meditate?’ as well as walk us through the mindfulness of breathing and the lovingkindness meditations. With key reminders on the importance of our body and suggestions on working with it in meditation, he also considers the distractions, how to set up and maintain a regular meditation practice, insight and further levels of consciousness. Born John Wilson in London, Paramananda was curious about Asian ideas but it was not until the death of his father that his interest in Buddhism was aroused. Ordained in the Western Buddhist Order in 1985, he has been teaching meditation, Buddhism and body awareness full-time in San Francisco and London since then.