Customer Reviews

Principles of Meditation

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An elegant and accessible introduction to meditation, perfect for easily intimidated beginners like myself. Principles of Meditation is simply but not simplistically written, and admirably undidactic. 'There are many paths to choose from,' notes the introduction, 'and our intent is not to proselytize any one but rather to look for the common factors of Eastern meditation, and draw out methods that can be applied to everyday life.' The book maps out four meditative traditions--Yoga, Buddhism, Zen Buddhism, and Taoism--and gives useful exercises intended to hone the beginning practitioner's tools of observation, relaxation, and visualization. The last chapter suggests ways to use meditation for pragmatic concerns such as habit control and problem solving. A perfect gift for a stressed-out friend.

The Simpkins draw on their extensive background in studies of the mind and of the martial arts to present a thorough and comprehensive text on this cornerstone of Eastern philosophy, with the needs of the Western thinkier firmly met. The place of meditation as a preeminent element of Taoism, Buddhism, Zen and yoga is established in Part One; in succeeding chapters, the authors explore ways to harness the benefits of meditation as a tool to enhance concentration and quality of life, control habits, and improve sports performance. A variety of exercises are provided, with clear and easy-to-follow directions for making these principles part of your life.

Ideal for the beginner as well as the experienced meditator, 'Principles of Meditation' forges a shining link between contemporary life and ancient wisdom. Bringing together techniques from the world's great traditions--Yoga, Zen, Buddhism, and Taoism--this clearly written guide offers fascinating glimpses into their philosophies and approaches to meditation, then shows how you can incorporate these time honored practices into your everyday life. You'll discover soothing exercises to improve your concentration and visualization abilities, gentle meditations based on breathing and on imagery--skills you can use not merely to relax or relieve stress, but to alter your focus of attention in order to break bad habits, extend your perceptions to solve specific problems, even develop a 'mind first' approach to enhance your sports performance.

This is an excellent book. If you are interested in meditation I reccommend this book as a starting place. I already had a copy, but wanted to give a copy to a friend as a gift. The copy I received was in beautiful condition and arrived quickly.
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Through Yoga, Buddhism, Zen, and Taoism, this book teaches, in accessible language, how to tap into the unconscious mind to better understand it through hands-on exercises.