With a new book out this year, Coming to Our Senses: Healing Ourselves and the World Through Mindfulness, a brand-new CD set to complement the book, and a January workshop at Mount Madonna Center through Omega Institute, it’s a wonder mindfulness guru John Kabat-Zinn finds time to watch a single thought drift by.

Got heart disease, fibromyalgia, eczema, or irritable bowel syndrome? Mindfulness could be the next thing your doctor orders. Mindfulness techniques are based around a be-present philosophy that when practiced regularly, can beat stress and prevent illness.

The Chinese characters for mindfulness are “now and “mind” or “heart.” Mindfulness requires bringing attention to the present moment, respect for that which you are doing right now, whether it's brushing your teeth or crossing the street.

It’s far too often, I’d have to admit, that I completely forget to be grateful. Et tu?

When I do remember to count a blessing or two, it's like exercising after a long procrastination––sheer, virtuous relief from self-induced suffering. So I was encouraged to discover––on the cusp of gratitude's big day in the relatively new field of “positive psychology,” researchers are studying the myriad balms of thankfulness.