Customer Reviews

The Findhorn Book of Meditation (The Findhorn Book Of series)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a good "primer" for meditation, rather than a really intense guide. Still, I would recommend it for someone who is curious about meditation and wants a non-intimidating way to get started.

Darren does speak in very conversational language which makes this (and his other books) very easy to read and learn from.

My favorite book of his is "Yoga and The Path Of The Urban Mystic". Also written in a very conversational style, it is a pretty deep book which gets into the spiritual parts of yoga and how to try to "live your yoga" both on and off the mat (it is not a posture book but rather the "internal part of yoga").

His other book "Spiritual Journeys Along The Yellow Brick Road" is also quite excellent as well. He uses the "Wizard Of Oz" story as a metaphor for the spiritual journey, it's very well written and enjoyable to read as well as insightful.

As for this meditation book, if you are new to meditation it's probably a pretty good place to start. If you've been meditating for a while, you may not get any "technical" info, but he still has some interesting personal insights from his own life and those of his students which I found enjoyable.

I would also highly recommend Jack Kornfield's audio/Video "Meditation For Beginners" (from "Sounds True"), he covers all the basics of meditation and guides you thru the practice. I find this format is much easier to work with than learning from a book. Of course a book such as the one reviewed above can certainly answer many questions and give insights that are valuable.

Perhaps the best book on meditation I have ever read. It is written with honesty and humility. This book unlike many other books on meditation does not expect you to be perfect or criticize you for not making the grade. Instead it teaches how to overcome the pitfalls with humour, integrity and simple tips and lessons. A must for any meditator whether beginner or adept, highly recommended.

I've been a Darren Main fan since reading his second book, "Yoga and the Path of the Urban Mystic." I've now read all three of his books and eagerly look forward to his books on yoga and spirituality. Reading this book is like listening to an old friend. This book is both instructive and informative and takes a deceptively complex topic and logically lays out the way for someone to successfully meditate, by avoiding all the common pitfalls that he or she may encounter while meditating. I would have given this book a higher rating, but I felt that it only skimmed different forms of meditation (Jewish repetitive prayer, Buddhist chanting, "mind blanking" are three that come to mind) at best, rather than investigating them more deeply, and explaining why they work for different people. I also have mixed feelings about the author providing as much personal information as he does. On the one hand, by humanizing the material, it can help the reader relate to the subject matter, but on the other hand by being so autobiographical, it shifts the focus of the book, which detract from the subject matter. This is still a very good book, loaded with good information on how to establish a positive meditative practice, and as mentioned, very readable.

Having started a meditation practice about 20 years ago, I thought why do I need to read this book. But when I was checking out Darren Main's Web site, something inside of me thought that I should purchase this book. And I did.

I had tried various types of meditataion -- one group had me doing "Spiritual Exercises", I took a meditation class, and tried TM, but still had difficulty with the practice. It was something that I thought I should do, but never really enjoyed it. So I was skeptical when I started reading the book.

This book taught me everything that all of my prior experiences failed to give me. The book is broken down into two parts Part One -- Learning How to Meditate and Part two How Meditation Works.

In part one the reader is given the basics such as sitting postures, how to train the mind and the obstacles that one will likely encounter when meditating.

In part two the reader learns about the psychology and physiology of meditaiton -- what actually happens when you start the practice, and what to do when emotions come up during meditation.

I think the most valuable part of the book for me was how Darren weaves his own personal experiences into the book which made me realize that everyone is human, that there will be days when my meditation is great, and days when it is a struggle. But as he emphasized throughout the book, what is most important is that you continue the practice regardless.

I can honestly say that since reading the book, I feel much more centered in my practice.

Thank you Darren for that gift!

I have been meditating on/off for the last 7-8 yrs. Along the way I have accumulated a collection of meditation books on my bookshelf that I never completed. They were so esoterical that I was never able to comprehend what the author was saying. Darren's Findhorn book on Meditation was the only meditation book I finished. Yes, it is simple but that is what the author intended - A step by step guide that readers can grasp, comprehend, and put into practice and continue to practice on a daily basis. The author has achieved his goal and readers can benefit...

I found Darren Main's book perfect for individuals trying to develop a meditation practice. He provided excellent suggestions to help students start a consistent practice. He addressed the frustration that can build when developing a meditation practice. The chapter about "The Obstacles of Stillness" made the purchase of this book worth while. The whole book was filled with helpful guidance that made sense. The author has studied meditation for many years and had helpful stories from his own background and experiences that supported and encouraged a meditation student's growth. The author's positive presentation in this book made it possible to approach this exercise with a new appreciation for sitting down and meditating.

This is a well written, simple and accessible book on meditation. The book serves as a great introduction (with helpful instruction) to beginning one's own meditation practice, as well as providing background on and the benefits of a meditation practice.