At the Tables of Life
A Series of Books on Contemplative Practices in Ordinary Life
The first book in the series, Meditation with Mercy, coming October 2026
At the Tables of Life is a series of books based on how I teach meditation and my forty years of practice.
The series uses a four part framework: Settle · See · Soften · Return
And a simple image: the table.
There are the literal tables of our lives: kitchen tables, conference tables, classroom tables, mediation tables, community tables, bedside tables, and folding tables set up wherever people gather.
There are also the metaphorical tables: the table of responsibility, the table of grief, the table of conflict, the table of decision, the table of memory, the table of repair, and the quieter inner table where we return to ourselves.
The overall thesis for the series is how we show up at these tables determines what is possible.
This book explores how contemplative practice can help us meet the real conditions of ordinary life with more steadiness, compassion, and care. It is written for people carrying responsibility, navigating change, working through conflict, moving through grief, entering midlife or later life, or trying to remain human in work and life that ask a great deal of them.
The framework is simple, though not always easy:
Settle helps us give the racing mind an anchor: the breath, the body, the ground beneath us.
See helps us look clearly at what we are carrying, how we are reacting, and what may be asking for our attention.
Soften helps us meet what we find with mercy, gentle and fierce, starting with ourselves.
Return helps us carry that steadiness back to the tables of our lives, set down what is not ours to carry, and begin again as many times as it takes.
Together, these practices offer a way to move through the tables of ordinary life without becoming hardened, numb, or lost.
Learn to meditate with mercy™, using this framework, in the first book in this series, Meditation with Mercy. Coming in October 2026 in print and eBook formats, with recorded guided meditations included.
Who these books are for
These books are for people who are living in the middle of things.
They are for people who sit at many tables: family tables, work tables, conflict tables, grief tables, decision-making tables, and inner tables.
They are for people who want a grounded way to practice in ordinary life.
They are for people who have carried responsibility for a long time and are beginning to ask what it has cost them, what it has taught them, and what they are ready to release.
They are for helping professionals, lawyers, mediators, social workers, caregivers, teachers, leaders, writers, parents, adult children, and anyone moving through a season of change.
They are also for people who may not think of themselves as “spiritual,” but who know they need a kinder, more humane way to meet their own life.
They are for people who may not think of themselves as able to meditate or engage in mindfulness activities on a regular basis.
Publication updates
This page will be updated as publication details become available, including release dates, ordering information, events, study guides, and ways to use the book in groups or trainings.
To receive updates, subscribe to my letters (free).
Future books and field guides
Future books and field guides will apply the framework of Settle · See · Soften · Return to particular tables of life and professions, including professional responsibility, conflict resolution, social work, law, food, aging, life review, and ordinary contemplative practice.
This page will gather those books as they develop. To receive updates on these future books and guides, subscribe to the Letters.
FAQs
When will the first book in the At the Tables of Life series be published?Meditation with Mercy is the foundational book in the series, and it is scheduled for publication in Fall 2026. The book introduces the foundational framework and explores how contemplative practice can help us meet the tables of ordinary life with steadiness, compassion, and care.
Publication updates, ordering information, and related resources will be shared through this site and through Kim Milone’s letters.
Where will I be able to purchase the At the Tables of Life booksYou will be able to purchase the books from Amazon, from the author at book signings and in person events and trainings, and through select local book sellers.
What format will the At the Tables of Life books be offered? Books in the At the Tables of Life series will be available in paperback and e-Book formats. The Meditation with Mercy foundational book will also be available as an audiobook within a few months of publication in print and eBook formats. Recordings of guided meditations will be available to purchasers of the books as well.