Wherever he goes, Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard is asked to explain what meditation is, how it is done and what it can achieve. In this authoritative and inspiring book, he sets out to answer these questions. Matthieu Ricard shows that practising meditation can change our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. He talks us through its theory, spirituality and practical aspects of deep contemplation and illustrates each stage of his teaching with examples. Through his experience as a monk, his close reading of sacred texts and his deep knowledge of the Buddhist masters, Matthieu Ricard reveals the significant benefits that meditation - based on selfless love and compassion - can bring to each of us

This classic, bestselling introduction to a regular program of daily meditation defines meditation's vital role in spiritual living, and features careful instructions, illustrative examples, and specially written meditations.

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This book is about emptiness and silence—the mind-expanding emptiness of Zen painting, and the reverberating silence of haiku poetry. Through imaginative participation in the visions of painters and poets, its readers are led to the realization that, in the author's words, "emptiness, silence, is not nothingness, but fullness. Your fullness." This cultural tradition has informed many distinguished lives and works of art. The work of painters like Niten, Liang K'ai, and Toba, and of painters like Basho, Buson, and Issa reflects the wholeness, spontaneity, and humanity of the Zen vision. Those who desire a glimpse into the world of intuitive contact with nature offered by Zen meditation will find these paintings, commentaries, and haiku poems especially rewarding. They enable the reader to experience the unique power of Zen art—it's capacity to fuse esthetic appreciation, personal intuition, and knowledge of life into one creative event.

This step-by-step guide on how to meditate touches on all aspects of the philosophy and psychology of the practice. The techniques of contacting one's inner source of energy, power, wisdom, and guidance is explained in clear, employable terms.

A refreshing and inspiring book to help readers deepen their prayer life and, through it, their relationship with God. This book deals with the objection that meditation is either eastern or new age and therefore dangerous and shows that biblical, Christian meditation can take you closer to God. The eight chapters cover various different approaches to meditative prayer, including creative communication, meditation on the move, and when words won't do. This is the first in a series of in-depth Closer to God books to complement our "Closer to God" Bible reading guides.

Calligraphy as Art and Meditation presents a new approach to calligraphy, one uniquely suited to our time. In it, the making of calligraphic letter forms becomes a way to integrate mind, body, and feeling, to enrich creativity, and enhance well-being. The exercises in Western alphabetic writing, arranged in a guided progression, provide an opportunity to develop awareness, relax the mind, and open the door to artistic expression. The audience for Calligraphy as Art and Meditation includes: adult learners, meditators, teachers, therapists, artists and art students, graphic designers, and children of all ages. The training alphabets, from "Playball" to "Proteus," introduce you to the elements of calligraphy through a framework called the 3 "D"s: DESIGN, DUCTUS, and DYNAMICS. Tool usage is the foundation for calligraphic development. Here, the participant begins with the familiar pencil and progresses in gradual, developmental steps to the sophisticated edged pen. For a culture so deeply rooted in the written word, we have not, surprisingly, woven calligraphy into the general fabric of public life. Nonetheless, our current milieu is ripe for appreciating the values inherent in this art form. It is the mission of Calligraphy as Art and Meditation to conduct a joyful exploration of calligraphy in an attempt to find its untapped essence, and in this effort, to re-envision its role in our cultural life.

"Sitting" is a handbook for deepening your experience of the ancient posture of sitting meditation. Drawing on research in somatic education and experiential anatomy, many guided exercises offer you imagery you can use to release tension and stress, contemplations to increase your body awareness, tips for making gravity work for you rather than against you, physical and energetic methods for relating with the systems in your body, and much more-including ways to bring your new awareness into daily life.

Learn how to bring the power of stillness into your running practice with meditations, guidance, and inspiration from a long-time runner and Zen practitioner. Running is more than just exercise. Running is a practice, a moving meditation, that brings the power of stillness to all the activities in our lives. Vanessa Zuisei Goddard combines her experience leading running retreats with her two-decade practice of Zen to offer insight, humor, and practical guidance for grounding our running, or any physical practice, in meditation. When we see running solely as exercise and focus on improving our times, covering a certain number of miles, or losing weight, we miss the deeper implications of this art. Whether you are a new or experienced runner, you will learn how to be more embodied through thirteen running practices to help improve your focus and running form. Using mantras and visualizations, as well as a range of other exercises, Goddard offers ways to practice running as a moving meditation with an eye toward bringing the power of stillness to all the activities in your life. Ultimately, Still Running is a book about freedom, ease, and the joy of movement; it's about the power of stillness and learning how to use that power to live wholeheartedly.

Discover the restorative power of mandala meditation Relax your body, calm your mind, and promote overall well-being with The Art of Mandala Meditation. This gorgeous collection features inspirational instruction and more than eighty colorful mandala illustrations that will help you find the comfort, healing, or inspiration you've been seeking. With these mesmerizing designs, you'll finally be able to ease your mind and free yourself from the obstacles that keep you from achieving inner peace. This book also includes customizable blank mandalas to further your meditation and guide you even deeper into tranquility. This beautiful volume is a must-have for anyone looking to live a more balanced life.