Name _______________________________
Date _______
Block ______
“Why Every Mind Needs Mindfulness” by Mary E Williams
Before you read the article, define the following words:
Cacophony
Euphony
Deluge
Barrage
Chafe
Quell
Tangible
Instructions for Reading: Read and highlight points in the article that are meaningful to you, that challenge
you to reconsider your current beliefs or practices, that suggest an approach or perspective that you find
interesting and personally beneficial.
Please respond to the following questions:
1. Throughout the article, Mary Williams uses an array of phrases to describe mindfulness. List, verbatim, 4
of those phrases.
2. Williams also states several benefits of mindfulness. What are they?
3. Williams states that a “side effect[ ]” of practicing mindfulness is that mindfulness “helps calm [her] even
in the midst of [her] most cacophonous moments” (10). What does she mean? What is a cacophonous
moment in your life in which you might be able to apply mindfulness?
4. Choose 3 quotes that you find the most important. Why did those quotes resonate with you? Write a
brief reaction to each of those quotes.
 What is it about what you just wrote down that you feel is important?
 What does it teach you? How does it guide you?
 How does it challenge you or make you re-assess your current beliefs/practices?
 How does it inspire you?
6. Really think about it. How could practicing mindfulness benefit you now and help you to “catch
happiness”? Incorporate language from the article into your response.
7. I know it’s hokey, or maybe not, but take your favorite quotes from the article, type them into the
Mindfulness PPT slide, print it and put it somewhere that will remind you how being mindful might help
you to “catch happiness”! Feel free to change the graphics and make it yours. You are not required to
send me this PPT, but if you’d like to share your slide with me, I’d love to see it, especially if you made it
your own.