Books
At the Tables of Life
Contemplative Practices for Presence, Reflection, and Letting Go
Coming Summer 2026
At the Tables of Life is the foundational book for my work on presence, reflection, and letting go.
The book begins with 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 less visible 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.
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:
Presence helps us return to what is actually here.
Reflection helps us look more honestly at what we are carrying, how we are reacting, and what may be asking for our attention.
Letting Go helps us release what is not ours to carry, what no longer serves, or what cannot be controlled.
Together, these practices offer a way to move through the tables of ordinary life without becoming hardened, numb, or lost.
The accompanying workbook
A companion workbook will be published alongside At the Tables of Life.
The workbook is designed for readers who want to move slowly through the framework and apply it to their own lives. It will include reflection prompts, contemplative exercises, writing practices, and simple ways to work with presence, reflection, and letting go in daily life.
The workbook can be used individually, in small groups, in practice circles, or as part of retreats, workshops, and professional trainings.
Where the book offers the framework, stories, and contemplative grounding, the workbook gives readers a place to pause, write, practice, and return.
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 more honest and humane way to meet their own life.
Publication updates
At the Tables of Life: Contemplative Practices for Presence, Reflection, and Letting Go and the accompanying workbook are scheduled for publication in Summer 2026.
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
At the Tables of Life is the foundation for a larger body of work.
Future books and field guides will apply the framework of presence, reflection, and letting go to particular tables 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 At the Tables of Life book and workbook be published?At the Tables of Life: Contemplative Practices for Presence, Reflection, and Letting Go is the foundational book, and it is scheduled for publication in Summer 2026, along with an accompanying workbook. The book introduces the foundational framework behind this site 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? Both the At the Tables of Life books will be available in paperback and e-Book formats. The At the Tables of Life foundational book will also be available as an audiobook in the fall, within a few months of publication.