How To Meditate: A Step-by-Step Guide to the Art and Science of Meditation [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

~ John Novak (Author) "The first stage in meditation is relaxation..." (more)
Key Phrases: astral spine, double breath, point between the eyebrows, Paramhansa Yogananda (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An indispensible aid that offers clear instructions for meditation" -- The Reverand Jack Gorsuch, MDiv., author of An Invitation to the Spiritual Journey.

Product Description

This bestselling book presents a thorough yet concise step-by-step guide to the art and science of meditation. Complete with photos and illustrations, How to Meditate will help you experience:

• Peace of mind • A release of tension in the body • Deeper concentration • Mental clarity • Increased energy and vitality • The ability to act calmly in all situations

You’ll learn techniques for relaxing the body and mind; how to develop intuition and devotion; secrets of the spinal centers (chakras); energy excercises; and yoga philosophy.

John Jyotish Novak has been teaching meditation for 30 years and is currently the Spiritual Director of Ananda Sangha, one of the largest networks of intentional spiritual communities in the world.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 118 pages
• Publisher: Crystal Clarity Publishers; Revised edition (January 25, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565897161
• ISBN-13: 978-1565897168
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #163,864 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Jewel of a Book!, May 4, 2000

By A Customer

How to Meditate by John Novak was the one of the first meditation books that I ever bought. Nearly 10 years later, thanks to this great introductory volume, I am still meditating and feeling the lasting benefits! Although the title is somewhat basic sounding (there are lots of books called "How to Meditate" out there) this is THE ONE that is the most focused, practical and profound and one of the few of its kind that I could really recomend. I've also bought a couple of the other "How to Meditate" books and was disappointed that they were really just surveys or smorgasbords of a bunch of different techniques. In this one, Novak is careful to present one coherent, well-thought out system that you can really feel his enthusiasm for. I really couldn't recomend a better introductory guide to meditation (and its even one of the least expensive!).

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm a cheeseball, but I like it., November 16, 2000

By	Swankivy "Ivy" (Tampa, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Meditate: A Step by Step Guide to the Art and Science of Meditation (Paperback)

I want to review this book because it kind of had a rather big impact on my life, now that I look back on it. I figured I ought to do something and perhaps the author will at some point know that I appreciated his work. I picked up this book on how to meditate sort of randomly one day because I was trying to find items to take home for some item I was exchanging at a bookstore. I didn't expect it to be much but it was. It was a simple step by step guide to help beginners focus and learn to concentrate, learn to control our bodies and minds, and to be aware of and to control the energy that exists in the universe. Now it's more than a decade later and I still remember this book because without it I wouldn't have had the first clue about how to raise energy in my current magickal studies, unless I'd somehow stumbled across it some other way. The book shows how natural and easy and wonderful meditation and its related arts can be, and I'm eternally grateful.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Introduction I Have Found!, January 28, 2006

By	H. DEHAVEN "Roadhouse Blue" (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is one of several "How to Meditate" books I have purchased and read. Frankly, I wish this had been the first one I read. It is very brief, to the point, and well written. It does not scare the reader away with a lot of discussion of the paranormal as do some other meditation books. This sticks to the simple introduction into meditation and what the author feels that it can do for you. It also provides essentially one simple method that you can use to "get your feet wet."

If you are just beginning to research meditation and just want to decide if it is worth your time to investigate further, THIS IS THE BOOK TO BUY. Should you decide it interests you (as I did), you may find yourself investing in quite a few more books to learn more about this fascinating subject. As you probably already know, meditation is a life-long journey of learning.

RHB