Meditation For Dummies (Book and CD edition)

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 384 pages
• Published by: For Dummies
• Edition: 2nd Edition February 6, 2006
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0471777749
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0471777748
• Book Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
• Weighs: 1.3 pounds

Product Review
"To tell you the truth, you can learn the basics of meditation in five minutes," asserts Stephan Bodian, meditation instructor, psychotherapist, and former editor-in-chief of Yoga Journal. You can also study meditation for years, exploring its subtleties. Meditation for Dummies is a simple, clear introduction to the basics of meditation, including an overview of dozens of techniques, practices, and specific meditations, plus direction for going deeper. You get step-by-step instructions for a variety of meditations, including body position, mental concentration, where to put your attention, what to contemplate or notice, physical movements, and breathing. A nice touch is the recurring "traditional wisdom": ancient stories or anecdotes that make a point. This book is useful whether you want the nuts and bolts for getting started in the next minute or you want to dip your mind into different practices and philosophies. Nothing is too elementary to explain: "how to sit up straight--and live to tell about it," what to wear, dealing with fear and self-judgment, and what to do when you get "stuck." You also get plenty of information about the benefits and varieties of meditation. You're bound find and develop a practice that feels right for you. --Joan Price --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal
Absurd as it may seem, the publishers of the immense "for Dummies" series have now produced a beginner's guide to meditation written by the former editor-in-chief of Yoga Journal, and this entry is as clearly written, carefully organized, sensible, and un-self-serious as all the others. Bodian's years of experience as a writer and teacher have served him well here, as have the presentation skills of the publisher. This handy manual will be consulted and re-read in secret as much as its more technical predecessors. Highly recommended.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Reader Reviews
This review is from: Meditation for Dummies (Paperback) This eloquent, insightful book thoroughly explores the simple yet subtle art of meditation. While user-friendly like all of the titles in the For Dummies series, it's also written with a wisdom born of the author's many years of direct experience as a meditator and teacher. Meditation For Dummies covers a range of subjects with humor and grace, from basic instructions to the discovery of our most profound spiritual depths. In Part 1 Bodian clariifes what meditation is (and isn't) and offers a number of compelling reasons to adopt this "advanced technology for the mind and heart." He also traces the historical roots of meditation and describes the important foundations of motivation, attitude, and beginner's mind, which ensure a fruitful practice. "Ultimately, the great meditation teachers advise that the best attitude to take toward meditation is an open mind, completely free from all preconceptions and expectations," Bodian explains. "One of my first meditation teachers, Zen master Shunryu Suzuki, calls this beginner's mind -- and he counsels that the goal of meditation is not to accumulate knowledge, learn something new, or achieve some special state of mind, but simply to maintain this fresh, uncluttered perspective." In Part 2, the author covers the basics of meditation practice, including pointers on posture and preparing for meditation, as well as a chapter on opening the heart and cultivating compassion. In Part 3, entitled "Trouble-shooting and Fine-tuning," he offer sage advice on developing the right relationship with troubling thoughts, feelings and sensations. The highlight of this section is a chapter on cultivating spirituality that explores the nature of self (or no-self), traditional paths of awakening, and the sensitive subject of finding a teacher (inner and outer), which the author recommends if one wishes to go more deeply into the practice. The book concludes with chapters on how to nurture self-awareness while engaged in daily life and on how to use meditation for healing and performance enhancement, followed by answers to ten commonly asked questions about meditation. Despite its one-size-fits-all title, Meditation For Dummies is the best book on meditation I've read -- at once subtle and comprehensive, spiritually sensitive yet pragmatic. Be prepared for an easy-to-read, good-humored, and discerning guide on the journey of discovering your true nature through the ancient but timely art of meditation.