Meditation. Could somebody recommend a good beginners book about it?

[masmdu]

I have been becoming more and more interested in meditation but I don't know the first thing about it.

Could any DUers recommend a good beginners' book that offers good explanations and instruction?

Thanks

[Trevelyan]

1. I like Hands of Light by Barbara Brennan about healing which we all need

now. She has some meditation exercises and a website. Some of the following Lightworker websites have good information and http://www.CrystalLinks.com has some music and meditation writings on her site.

http://www.tsl.org/violet/violetflame.asp
http://www.hermes-press.com/
http://www.hermes-press.com/covers.htm
http://www.plotinus.com/dreams_in_the_mystical_process.htm
http://www.hermes-press.com/Perennial_Tradition/esoteric_christianity.htm
http://www.paoweb.com/updates.htm
http://www/casbahdance.org
http://www.hermes-press.com/spiritual_kinship.htm
http://www.share-international.org/
http://www.innerfrontier.org/Practices/Introduction.htm
Rumi's poetry
http://wn.rsarchive.org/Books/GA028/TSoML/GA028_index.html
http://www.eclecticenergies.com/chakras/open.php

http://www.healer.ch/Chakras-e.html
http://www.sacredcenters.com/chakras.html
http://auracolors.com/
www.themystica.com/mystic...udolf.html = Re: steiner initiated

In Boethius' Consolation, Philosophy moves from persuasion and rational argument to an inspired use of poetry to bridge the gap between the sense-imprisoned human and the divine

Harmony. Lady Philosophy ends with this statement: "Eternity is the entire and perfect possession of endless life at a single instant."

Wm Blake - To see Eternity in a grain of sand and Heaven in a wild flower.

[TahitiNut]

2. Meditation is best coached.

It's about (I know it's trite) "being here now" ... and beginners have some confusion with it. Dealing with the experience of meditation is a coaching job, not a reading job.

That said, almost anything by Alan Watts is good.

The video "Alan Watts - The Art of Meditation (1994)" might be good. Dunno - I was coached.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/6304077106/104-8310469-7643114?v=glance

This book, by his son, is good as I recall: "Still the Mind: An Introduction to Meditation"
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1577312147/ref=pd_sbs_b_2/104-8310469-7643114?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=283155


I rather doubt book-"learning" will give one enough support to deal with (or attain) "ego death" or sartori. There are some particularly important experiences in meditation that are facilitated by a supportive and experienced 'friend' - perhaps even in becoming aware of the spaces between moments, or encountering the "one with all" unity experience.


Try to remember, meditation isn't primarily a means to an end ... it's a way of being.

[Bosso 63]

3. Zen Mind, Beginners Mind

I don't remember the author but it's good.

[TahitiNut]

4. Shunryu Suzuki

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0834800799/qid=1138664657/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-8310469-7643114?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

In my opinion/experience, this requires a personal place of reference - some way of integrating it into one's own experience and learning process.

Again, though ... meditation is part of the spiritual oral tradition, not the spiritual written tradition ... best conveyed one-on-one.

[gauguin57]

25. That was one of my philosophy class texts.

GREAT book!

[mwb970]

5. Manifest Your Destiny by Wayne Dyer.

It's about more than just meditation. Short and highly readable. Recommended.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061094943/qid=1138664931/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/103-2808495-4962266?n=507846&s=books&v=glance

[TahitiNut]

6. Are you open to Transcendental Meditation?

I would not recommend this to anyone susceptible to cultishness ... or anyone without an internal confidence that would permit them to participate without fleeing to their reactive emotional habits. In other words, it's a very decent program for people who can adhere to their own counsel and not allow themselves to either be swept up or repelled.

There are TM Centers in every state. They have a 'pseudo-science' model that they pursue (and I just let be), but their meditation training is excellent, depending on the quality of the person.

http://www.tm.org/learn/where/index.html

[Beaverhausen]

7. Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=ol7E22xAmM&isbn=1577312295&itm=1

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

8. take a nap

it will do you more good and you don't need any books.

[Beam Me Up]

9. Not the same thing.

Honest.

Not saying anything bad about naps; I like them A LOT!

But meditation isn't sleep and its function is as important as a good diet and physical exercise. It keeps you mentally alert yet relaxed. It is a form of exercise for the perceptive functions and can actually increase our powers of perceptions and awareness. Sleep is necessary but can not develop these faculties.

[flvegan]

10. "Wherever You Go, There You Are" Jon Kabat-Zinn

Excellent! That's where I started.

[TahitiNut]

11. That's not how I started, but I like that one A LOT.

That's a keeper, imho. I've enjoyed and re-enjoyed that book several times in the last 10 years. Excellent.

I suppose I'm a kinesthetic learner. Even though I'm a voracious reader, my true learning requires a core of first-hand experience. I've sought out coaching from TM trainers, self-actualization coaches, and at Zen Buddhist temples in my life. Somehow I put together the 'right' recipe for me ... but then we're all on our own paths, right?

[flvegan]

15. It was my "awakening" if you will.

It exposed me to...no, expounded upon the vast realm of mindfulness, and honestly...changed my life.

Yes, on our own paths. Very, very true.

[Toucano]

19. Another vote for WYGTYA!

[laylah]

24. Well shoot!

I always thought that was Buckaroo Bonzai's quote :crazy:

Jenn

[A-Schwarzenegger]

12. "The Miracle of Mindfulness" (Thich Nhat Hanh).

Not strictly about meditation, but it'll get you there.
Another clear and wonderful writer on these matters
is Chogyam Trungpa. The first work of his I read was
Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism. Have fun.

[ourbluenation]

13. Jack Daniels. eom

[lonestarnot]

14. Mediation sucks 101

[A-Schwarzenegger]

16. And btw, congrats, cuz lotsa people are terrified of sitting quietly

with their own minds. Bravo!

[TahitiNut]

20. There's no question one can face 'inner demons' ...

... and the trick is to make pets of them, I guess. For some. For me, I'd anticipate something scary and when I 'got there,' 'they' weren't there. Evaporation is the only word that works -- the miracle of 'letting go' I guess.

It was a while before I allowed myself to relax down through 'ego death' - where the 'I' seems to dissipate. The ephemeral sense of an all-inclusive 'I' (sorta) is really quite wonderful. actually.

I think that's why I love scuba diving. :silly:

[alarcojon]

17. Wow, I posted earlier and it got lost

My recommendation was "Meditation in Plain English" by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana. Clear, useful instructions. The style is Vipassana.

I also second the Kabat-Zinn book, and the CD's he has put out are, in my opinion, great for a beginner.

http://www.mindfulnesstapes.com/

[frustrated_lefty]

18. The Secret of the Golden Flower, translated by Thomas Cleary

[TahitiNut]

21. I'm kinda wondering if the contributions in this thread were of use ...?

:shrug:

[Castilleja]

22. They were to me, inadvertently.....

Good recommendations, thanks!

[mdmc]

23. thanks for this thread

I have bookmarked it...

[BrotherBuzz]

26. If the front door is locked try the back door

Tomato Blessings and Radish Teachings: Recipes and Reflections by Ed Brown

http://www.cuke.com/brown/tomato%20blessings/11%20fiascoes.html

http://www.cuke.com/brown/tomato%20blessings/00%20tomato%20excerpts.html

[LoZoccolo]

27. I haven't read it, but...

...The Relaxation Response by Herbert Benson is supposed to be a scientific study and secular approach to meditation. I use a relaxation technique but don't assign any supernatural import to it; it's just a psychological exercise to me that has physiological effects of relaxation.

[Javaman]

28. Funny you ask, I was just looking into it myself and found this...

http://www.how-to-meditate.org/