Customer Reviews

Insight Meditation: A Step-By-Step Course on How to Meditate

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I received this as a birthday gift this year, and let e say it was a great gift indeed. Within this excellent package you will receive an excellent Step Buy Step 124 page Guide, that has to be one of the best-published books on Meditation. The book is excellent for both beginners and advanced. Also in this package one gets two spoken Meditation and breathing exercises cds, as well as a pack of 12 cards, which I laminated and placed them on my refrigerator.

Just to get a quick pick at how excellent this package is, the cards are. The Four Noble Truths. The Six Wholesome and Unwholesome Roots of the Mind. The Noble Eightfold Path. The Five Handrances. The Three Kinds of Sufferings. The Four Brahma Viharas. The Eight Vicissitudes. The Six Sense Doors and Three Feeling Tones. The Four Metta Phrases. The Six Stages of Metta. The Seven Points of Posture, and The Five Precepts. The Set could have done well without the cards, but they are excellent to keep in handy, in a place where you can read them frequently.

The two cds are spoken and very relaxing. You here Sharon Salzburg's calming voice as she guides you through breathing exercises, and meditations.

I have a few books on Meditation, and to be honest, The book in this package, Insight Meditation, has to be my utmost favorite. I love this set, and I recommend it to all that want to relieve stress from their lives, or want to connect with the divine within. Highly Recommended.

There are many things I liked about this guided meditation series. I particularly liked the way the walking meditation was presented. I haven't heard this explained very well on other audio resources, so this was a value add for me.

While I think the whole overall presentation is good and worth owning, especially at the price it is being offered, I do think there are a few shortcomings. For example, while the authors are well versed in their topic, they don't necessarily have the greatest voices for this type of recording. That may sound superficial, but this does make a difference for many people. Some of the volume control at different points in the recording were a bit jarring to me as well.

If you are new to Insight Meditation, you will find this a useful guide. If you are looking for a bit more depth, then consider reading Breath by Breath by Rosenberg. This helps flesh out some of the detail of what is presented in this series.

I gave this a four rather than a five larely because of the icing and not the cake. In other words, I think they could have presented their material better. However, this is solid and I think you can buy it with confidence for an introduction to meditation.

This package of supplies is rich with aid for those struggling in practice. Do you have a long ride in for work in the morning? Toss in one of these CD's provided here for us; you'll find direct relief from whatever emotional hindrances you may be experiencing at the moment. Not by turning away, but by embracing the feeling into our entire scope of vision. The meditation cards Oshuniyi mentioned, are a wonderful way to further your practice. They laminated them onto their refrigerator. I took a card or two to work with me daily for a few months. When I had a rough day or stressful moments, I would simply glance over the cards and be instantly reminded of how wonderful everything potentially is.

The workbook supplied for you here is beyond price, synonymous with the CD's really. Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg have both been longtime standing Vipassana meditation teachers, both with all-embracing training in various traditions of the Buddhist path. While you use these CD's to really get in touch with the truth of your life, the workbook is a nice way to affirm what you are finding in your meditation. To nudge you in the right direction a bit. The cards can also be used to place on your home altar, to remind you of certain truths when the thinking mind wavers. What an all around great box filled with insight here.

You really gotta have a practice you follow to begin to get liberated. Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein are terrific guides to help you along this path of liberation. This Meditation Kit is a great way to start. Heck, even experienced meditators would get a lot out of it. Insight (Vipassana) Meditation is elegant in it's simplicity, yet remarkably adaptable to whatever spiritual tradition you follow. And, Sharon Salzberg has a complete guide here, with an excellent workbook and very helpful CD's. Of course, it is Buddhist in it's language and approach yet it's very understandable. One word of caution, though. Once you begin to practice using this guide you will end up spending more money............ you will go out and buy a few more books by Sharon Salzberg because you will like her that much!

I have really enjoyed this journey so far. I have not finished the book yet but the teachings reitorate much of what I have learned in other forums recently. I love that in the first meditation on the CD, Sharon tells us that getting distracted and coming back IS the practice. We have all struggled with the wandering mind during meditation and I like that she tells us it's OK...

This book has struck a chord with me in many ways. Lesson one talks of being "disconnected" with the world having been "lost in the shadow of our conditioning." How often do we feel like we are just going through the motions or living in a dream instead of actually experiencing life and feeling awake? I also like that they encourage all people to meditate- although it derives from Asia; Christians, Atheists, and Wiccans can get just as much out of this as Buddhists and Hindus.

Stop judging others, stop judging ourselves, just experience the moment and connect with it, be a part of it.

This kit, a book, 2 CDs and 3 "reminder cards" is almost perfect for someone who wants to learn or try meditating. I have bought this for at least 5 different people as a gift. Those who use it have had major changes in their lives from learning meditation. I teach a small meditation class and recommend this to all people who attend. Beginners and experienced alike. I have bought 100 or more "self help" books, programs, tapes, CDs, etc. This is the most effective of them all and incredibly inexpensive. This has been my experience.

If you've always wanted/intended to start your own meditation practice, I would recommend this set. The workbook and CD combine as a tool that will be helpful to beginners and intermediate "meditators" alike. The cards, I found interesting perhaps as a reminder of the lesson subjects in the workbook, but the set would be no less effective without them.

i have a real problem with paying attention. constant thoughts cloud my brain, either day dreams or things i need to get done or do. but through meditation i'm able to focus and payation to whats going on around me with out the constant thoughts.
the cd helps too. it lets you know when you time is up, and helps keep you focused while your doing it. i'd recremed this for any one who has add
it also helps me feel more relaxed. when i get done meditating i feel completly stress free and i'm in iraq so that tells you something

I highly recommend this! Why? The information is first rate and accessible. The packaging is of high quality, great care was made in its presentation. The CDs are a great added feature which can be downloaded into an iPod for easy use. All for $19.00, I bought it at Borders for $30, buy it here and save.

This book / kit is good for people interested in learning about insight meditation. However I found it a bit ironic that some of the Buddhist teachings are around moderation and even in the preface of this book it uses some very strict wording around your lifestyle, postures that you HAVE to do, etc. etc.

Personally, I like the techniques but I wasn't a fan of the "you have to do this exactly this way" parts.