Best book on meditation?

Hey there,

'I Am That - Talks With Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj,' discusses the practice of Nisarga Yoga, which I have been doing for nearly four years. Here's a tiny excerpt:

"The Nisarga Yoga, the 'natural' Yoga of Maharaj, is disconcertingly simple - the mind, which is all-becoming, must recognize and penetrate its own being, not as being this or that, here or there, then or now, but just timeless being."

Niz taught me to always return to the sense of being - the 'I Am.' It prompted me to ask, "What or who am I?" And I discovered exactly what I was supposed to discover: I am not the person I thought I was. That one sentence is much deeper than it appears here. Read it over again. It contains pretty much the entire philosophy behind advaita.

Any questions?

So, for me, the best book about meditation's true purpose is this.

Your friend,
Rob Nyte

P.S. I love Osho. Thank You, Vishal, for opening this topic. It will be an interesting thread to follow.

P.S.S. Sorry I didn't stick to the topic. I know it's supposed to be about meditation. But I don't know of any specific technique for meditation other than the one I mentioned above - which really isn't a technique at all. It's more of a way of being.

 

Hi Vishal,

Osho has some good stuff.

I like to separate practical meditation into two separate approaches: going within and moving meditation.

The first, in my opinion, is the most important. However, the second is both helpful to the first and can also be augmented by the first.

Then there is the ethical living and self improvement, which in my opinion can augment both approaches, yet can be entirely separate.

Since I was raised in an exceptionally ethical environment - aside from some rebellion in my teens and early 20's - ethical living has been quite natural for me since day one.

However, I did learn a few things on my own: vegetarianism, environmental concerns, and Eastern Philosophy - including meditation.

Bottom line is books are good for everything except going within. In that particular case, books and things that encourage thoughts create barriers.

To me, going within is simple: sit or lay, clear your mind, and remain awake. Just wait and create a focused silence. That creates true peace and allows a person to eventually penetrate deeply within.

Otherwise, developing a keen awareness of thought patterns and working on weeding out bad habits go a long ways in improving yourself. A concerted effort in being aware of and living in the present moment is a quest worthy of all.

Athletes call it the zone. It can be done while working on projects. I do it daily for many things and have been doing so for years.

There isn't much else to know unless a person feels the need to munch on some mind candy. Books on meditation are good for that. Most who are curious about meditation at least read a few books or listen to gurus talk (some call it Satsang).

I've read many books and listened to a few gurus. Most of them say the same thing. Sit and wait. Improve yourself. Help others, animals, the environment, stand up for just causes.

That's it in a nutshell.

~Newbie Shield~

 

Hi Vishal and Shield,

I agree with your discussion regarding the (limited) value of books.
It's confirmation that: "The proof of the pudding is in the eating."

Or, to quote Confucius: The essence of knowledge is, having it,
to apply it; not having it, to confess your ignorance.

I like to say: "Experiential knowledge is the truest source of wisdom."

Hermas

 

Oh, my Amazon wish list is long!
The books by Robert Monroe are next.


I used some wonderful downloads to get going with my meditations.

Bring an active thinker, like everyone else, in the beginning to quiet the mind took some work, and this was probably a shortcut for me.
Once accomplished, I prefer silence. Nothing else.

When I move home to the mountains, a walk in the woods will be the best part of the day!

Victoria

 

Some may disagree with this as a book on meditation, but this book has contributed to more juicy meditation sessions for me than anything else. The book is called "Touch of Life" by Dr. Robert Fulford. He was an Osteopathic doctor, a real healer and simply wanted to share his wisdom before he died. He wrote the book in his 90's. The book is essentially about his experiences healing and his beliefs related to what he simply calls the "life force". It is very down to earth and straightforward, not hard at all to grasp his ideas. At the end of the book there are 7 stretches that I have done nearly every day for the last 12 years and are the perfect lead into a meditation sit. Reading this book was a pivotal point in my life. I am sure it can be found on amazon or ebay.

 

I would love to practice yoga.

Does anyone here do so?
Victoria

 

This is interesting, considering I just started to so some inquiring about meditation.

You know what book I got?

Meditation for Dummies by Stephan Bodian

How simple I am.... Although, if you are just getting into meditation or want a practical guide to get you started this is a good read. I'll use it as a reference for a long time.

 

Great discussion here - I'm on the way to find the book by Robert Fulford. I like original works and people that come from the experiential.

I began meditating in the 70's when Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's group were giving orientations full force - I have to tell you, learning the silent mantra technique they taught saved my life and took me very far into the meaning of life. Then later I met an incredible teacher from India by the name of Sri Sri Sri Shiva Balayogi Maharaj. I feel so fortunate to have met him. He introduced me to dhyana meditation technique.

It's simply sitting and focusing on silence. I attended an initiation event and he assisted us to move into the silence. Very powerful. I can sit for up to 3 hours at a time whereas before I would meditate 2 times daily for 20 minutes.

He passed on in 1994 but there are groups all over the world that teach his form. He also had a very interesting beginning story.

The same year I met him, I met a yoga teacher by the name of Swami Radha in British Columbia. I visited her ashram for 10 days and learned contemplative yoga. While in the postures, you are aware and may ask yourself questions. You also write your impressions between poses.

Helps you to know yourself. A steady diet of awareness is good for keeping on track with your life and values.

I am reading I Am That and have for several years - slowly - It answers many questions to the bone. There is no fluff at all.

I used to enjoy reading and have always maintained a large collection of books - but, today - and for the past 8 or so years, not so much - too much marketing out there - in the spiritual realm.

I'm LOL as I write this - I am a marketer - and I'm fussy about spiritual information - I know too much

I don't mean to seem arrogant - hope you don't take it that way - it's just that I know too much for myself at this point to enjoy some of the things that are being written about or taught regarding the spiritual life.

Patricia

 

You are most welcome Vishal - I was concerned about the length - I don't usually say so much

 

The entire "book" of meditation is within.

Go there and spend some time.

Eventually you'll see what I mean.

You can talk about it and read about it until you're blue in the face but it won't get you any where. It's like talking about weight lifting instead of lifting weights.

Like with anything else, it's the doing that gets the results and seeing is believing.

~Newbie Shield~

 

Over the years I've read several books on meditation, but there's one I've just started to read again titled The Miracle of Mindfulnes by Thich Nhat Hanh.

Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk living in exile in France. He studied at Princeton, lectured at Cornell and Columbia universities and in 1967 was nominated for The Nobel Peace Prize.

The book is an interesting read that focuses on Meditation, Concentration and Relaxation. It uses anecdotes and practical exercises to show the numerous opportunities we have in our daily lives to be mindful: washing the dishes, answering the telephone, drinking tea, and so on.

His approach to meditation is not specific to any particular religious orientation and uses "everyday" life as a playground to experience joy, peace and wonder, and arrive at greater self-understanding.

Hermas

 

Hi Vishal,

Walking meditation is fine too.

Whether it be inner or outer the important part is the quality of the focus or getting in the zone.

You can do it with sports, reading, working, video games, and everything else - thus giving the mind its needed variety.

What say you?

~Newbie Shield~