Meditation ? The Complete Guide Techniques from East and West to Calm the Mind, Heal the Body, and Enrich the Spirit

by Monaghan, Patricia; Viereck, Eleanor G.

• ISBN13: 9781608680474
• ISBN10: 1608680479
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-11-01
• Publisher: New World Library

Summary

Revised with 10 new chapters and updates throughout, this book provides detailed, comprehensive information on a world-encompassing range of meditation practices. Helpful for novices and longtime practitioners alike, including a self-test that indicates which techniques may be best for particular goals and lifestyles.

Author Biography

Patricia Monaghan lectures frequently on connections between mythology, spirituality, women’s studies, and science. She lives in Chicago. Eleanor G. Viereck is the author of Alaska’s Wilderness Medicine and Yoga: Skillful Means. She lives in Fairbanks, AK.

Table of Contents

Introduction: What Is Meditation?
Why Practice Meditation?	p. 2
What Meditation Is Not	p. 3
How Can I Choose the Best Meditation Technique for Me?	p. 4
Frequently Asked Questions	p. 4
What Kind of Meditator Are You?	p. 6
Prerequisites and Obstacles	p. 11
What to Do in an Emergency	p. 12
Resources	p. 14
Indigenous Traditions
Introduction	p. 17
Trance Dancing	p. 25
Drumming	p. 31
Ritual Body Postures	p. 39
Yoga
Introduction	p. 47
Yoga Asanas	p. 49
Yoga Breathing	p. 61
Yoga Meditation	p. 69
Mantra	p. 75
Yantra, or Mandala	p. 81
Buddhism
Introduction	p. 87
Vipassana, or Insight Meditation	p. 93
Loving-Kindness	p. 97
Zazen	p. 103
Zen in Action	p. 111
Haiku and Other Meditative Poetry	p. 117
Brush Painting	p. 125
Taoism
Introduction	p. 131
Tai Chi	p. 137
Qigong	p. 143
Judaism
Introduction	p. 153
The Mussar Movement, or Ethical Introspection	p. 159
Hitbodedut, or Conversations with God	p. 163
Christianity
Introduction	p. 169
Contemplative Prayer	p. 173
Hesychasm, or the Jesus Prayer	p. 179
Taize Singing	p. 183
Quaker Worship	p. 187
Islam
Introduction	p. 197
Sufi Breathing	p. 203
Sufi Dancing	p. 209
Mixed and Modern Forms
Introduction	p. 217
Candle Meditation	p. 219
Inspirational Reading	p. 225
Free-Form Meditation Groups	p. 231
Labyrinth Walking	p. 237
Prayer Beads	p. 243
Biofeedback	p. 247
The Body Scan	p. 251
Creative Meditations
Introduction	p. 261
Sketching from Nature	p. 269
Needle Crafts	p. 275
Journaling	p. 283
Dialogues with Self	p. 289
Visualization	p. 295
Active Meditations
Introduction	p. 305
Sports as Meditation	p. 307
Gardening	p. 313
Pilgrimage	p. 319
Nature	p. 327
Meditations for Pain and Grief	p. 335
Listening	p. 343
Kinesthetic Meditations	p. 347
Conclusion: A Meditation on Meditation	p. 353
Index	p. 355
About the Authors	p. 371
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