Seeking the Heart of Wisdom: The Path of Insight Meditation (Shambhala Classics) (Paperback)

by Joseph Goldstein (Author), Jack Kornfield (Author), Dalai Lama (Foreword), Robert K. Hall M.D. (Foreword) "IT IS SAID that soon after his enlightenment, the Buddha passed a man on the road who was struck by the extraordinary radiance and peacefulness..." (more)
Key Phrases: conscious conduct, wanting mind, training precepts, Achaan Chaa, Integrating Practice, Don Juan (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
This seminal work by Goldstein and Kornfield, cofounders of the Insight Meditation Center in Barre, MA, discusses the development of Theravada in its unique American form.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
"A thorough, illuminating, and practical overview of insight meditation. . . . This classic text is a rich source of Buddhist wisdom and practice."—Spirituality & Health



"For those who are already treading the path as well as those who are just setting out, Seeking the Heart of Wisdom will be a welcome companion along the way."—The Middle Way



"It succeeds excellently. Brilliantly, one would say, were it not that the simplicity and total unpretentiousness of the authors are so far removed from any striving for brilliance or effect. Goldstein and Kornfield are totally concerned with one thing only: to convey as straightforwardly as possible the essence of the Buddha's message."—Buddhist Studies Review

"A skillful blend of pragmatic instruction, psychological insight, and perennial wisdom."—Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Shambhala (March 6, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157062805X
• ISBN-13: 978-1570628054
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #33,182 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learning to untangle life., May 14, 2001

By	G. Merritt (Boulder, CO) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

"Our life has been spent in sleep and sleepwalking," Jack Kornfield writes in this guide to insight meditation; "meditation means waking up" (p. 52). Coauthors Kornfield and Goldstein are also the cofounders of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts. This book is based on "talks given at several intensive meditation retreats" there, and focuses "on the deepening of the inner meditative process, the hindrances one encounters, skillful means of mastering them, and the understanding and wisdom that can arise while in meditative silence" (p. 215). "To understand ourselves and our life is the point of insight meditation: to understand and be free" (p. 7), Kornfield writes. Goldstein tells us that "we practice to open, to balance, and to explore" (p. 18).

Practicing insight meditation is about "clearing or emptying" the mind and heart so that we can listen in a deep and new way" (p. 57). This introductory guide not only contains valuable exercises, but also offers trusted advice about working through the "difficulties and hindrances" that may arise while practicing--desire, aversion, torpor, restlessness, and doubt. "Through practice," we're told, "it is possible to train the heart and mind, to make them concentrated, to make them steady and luminous and free" (p. 39).

The book concludes with a discussion of "the seven factors of enlightenment," mindfulness, effort and energy, investigation, rapture, concentration, tranquility, and equanimity, also offering advice for integrating meditation practice into "our everday lives" (p. 215) so that we may live "a mindful life in the world" (p. 228). Like a finger pointing at "a bright, round moon" from this "floating world" (pp. 129-30), this book is sure to become a trusted resource for anyone interested in living a deeper, more meaningful life through the practice of insight meditation. For those interested in venturing further down "the path of insight meditation," I also highly recommend Goldstein and Salzburg's 12-cassette INSIGHT MEDITATION course.

G. Merritt

33 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply True, August 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Seeking the Heart of Wisdom: The Path of Insight Meditation (Shambhala Dragon Editions) (Paperback)

I picked up the pocket version of this book one day and happened to open to the page which talks about the accumulation of material items and the transitory happiness it brings -- how once the novelty of the item has worn off we go about buying more things-- all in the hopes of stimulating that "happiness" response. Boy did that hit the nail on the head!! I had to get the full length version and it has been very enlightening. A definte must for anyone who is at a point in their life where they are questioning their purpose, their "path" and want to know what to do to effect change. I loved it!!!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A clear guide from people who truly understand the reality of meditation, June 11, 2007

By	Kora "Nothing is to be feared. It is only to... (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Seeking the Heart of Wisdom: The Path of Insight Meditation (Shambhala Dragon Editions) (Paperback)

I was very impressed with the authors' ability to address concerns that I have had with meditation in the past: specifically, that meditation often sounds like an escape from reality, or a numbing mechanism that shields one from reality. The authors speak from a depth of experience when they explain that meditation is like "learning to surf": there will always be waves in life, and insight meditation provides a method of learning to "surf" those waves and remain standing. The authors admit that a successful meditation practice doesn't get rid of the problems inherent in day-to-day living. It simply equips us with the means to deal with problems as they arise in the moment.

Kora
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