Some favourite meditation books

I am often asked about my favourite meditation books .. those that have moved or inspired my practice.  

Fact is, I have a collection accumulated over 30+ years!  A mass of meditation books .. two bookcases that are FULL of books .. from traditional Buddhist texts, to modern day teachers, to fictional books on meditation journeys to retreat and research based texts.

Favourites continually change of course .. depending on where you are on your meditation journey, but each time I return and pick up an old favourite .. a new learnings is always waiting for me.

Today there was a lovely discussion on one of my FB groups about inspiring mindfulness books.  I loved reading what other people found wonderful, and I shared two of my 'favourites' .. which reminded me of a list I had started last year but never went back to (no excuse .. just didn't) .. and I note that I still have this hideously long Amazon Wish List that maybe I will gift myself this Christmas.  So I am going to try and review one book per week and eventually I hope to be through my over loaded bookcase!

FAVOURITE BOOKS

My Favourite Reading List starts with:

How to Train a Wild Elephant by Jan Chosen Bays

Soul-Centered: Transform Your Life in 8 Weeks with Meditation by Sarah McLean

Search Inside Yourself: The Unexpected Path to Achieving Success, Happiness (and World Peace) by Chade Men Tan

Admission: I recently became an Amazon Affiliate which means that if you read my book posts (listed above) there will be an Amazon Link provided, and if you click on that link then I receive a small credit to go towards my future book purchases.  It costs absolutely nothing to you .. it might just help me get my Wish List.

I would love to hear your recommendations

Everlasting Present Moment

One of my favourite quotes from Sarah McLean with whom I had had a long distance email/blog relationship, and finally met up in Australia a couple of years ago.

Sarah is currently writing her second book .. but her first book was wonderful and what made it extra special (and I think unique at the time) was being able to participate in a Facebook BOOK GROUP (137 members from across the world) sharing one chapter per week!  

so. much. fun.

Tonight .. I just wanted to share this quote about meditation - and grace.

"When time dissolves into an everlasting present moment"

This is the first book in my Favourite Reading List.  In the lead up to Christmas (and here in Australia it will be Summer) when most of us have some leisure hours for reading .. this book is one I would recommend.

Soul-Centered: Transform Your Life in 8 Weeks with Meditation

More .. Favourite Meditation Reading

Last Summer I devoured this book  .. How to Train a Wild Elephant: And Other Adventures in Mindfulness ..  by Jan Chozen Bays .. so of course I have to include this one in my absolute favourite book list.

I started writing my  Monday Meditation Musings newsletter many years ago with the SAME INTENTION as this book .. seeking to promote mindfulness in our daily life practices. 

The wonder of this book is that it provides a very clear, wise and simple guide to building your mindfulness 'muscle' through a series of 53 exercises.  The suggestion is that you take one exercise as your dedicated practice for a full week .. before trying another .. then another .. slowly bringing mindfulness into your daily life.

Jan Chozen Bays, MD, is a Zen master in the White Plum lineage of the late master Taizan Maezumi Roshi. She serves as a priest and teacher at the Jizo Mountain–Great Vow Zen Monastery in Clatskanie, Oregon, and she is also a pediatrician.

Each chapter in the book presents a new exercise, such as: taking three deep breaths before answering the phone, noticing and adjusting your posture throughout the day, eating mindfully, and using your non-dominant hand (which I wrote further about HERE) .. providing a short description for each exercise along with some of the philosophical background, observations from others who have practiced the exercise, and a deeper interpretation .. what does the exercise really mean?

While the presentation and text are simple to understand .. as with all meditation, it is remembering the practice and doing the practice that is more complex, so there are even some suggestions on how to remember the exercise each day.. alas then its up to you 'to do'.  *This is the intention of the Monday Meditation Musing, to arrive each Monday morning as a reminder (a gentle whisper) to continue to explore and 'practice' your meditation.

FAVOURITE BOOKS

My favourite reads can be found on the Favourite Reading List which includes:

Soul-Centered: Transform Your Life in 8 Weeks with Meditation

Search Inside Yourself: The Unexpected Path to Achieving Success, Happiness (and World Peace)

Search Inside Yourself

I have recently been re-reading the book Search Inside Yourself by Chade-Meng Tan.  The book is based on the meditation course that Meng designed and introduced to Google (very successfully!). 

It is a really interesting book that gives a different perspective on meditation - from an engineers point of view (think .. analytical, proven and process driven) and focuses on the benefits of meditation for developing and strengthening emotional intelligence which can lead to improved work performance and leadership.

In the chapter titled Riding Your Emotions Like a Horse, Meng introduces us to a practice called the Siberian North Railroad for dealing with those times when our 'buttons are being pushed'. The practice has five steps:

1.STOP: once you notice that you have been triggered just stop. Pausing at the onset is a powerful and important skill, a momentary pause in life before acting or reacting.

2.BREATHE: by focusing our mind on our breath we reinforce that pause, and by taking a conscious breath, especially a deep slow one, we have the power to calm the body and mind.

3.NOTICE: notice where you feel the tensions and bring your awareness back into your body. What do you feel? Where do you feel it? We are learning to apply mindfulness by experiencing it moment-to-moment without judgement. If you are angry be interested in where you experience anger in your body.

4.REFLECT: where is the emotion coming from? Is there a story behind it? Trying not to judge whether the emotion is right or wrong, just noticing what may be 'behind' the reaction you are experiencing.

5.RESPOND: Consider a positive outcome driven response. You may not actually have to do it - but image what the kindest, most positive action could be to take. Visualising what would be the best and most positive response can be empowering and change the way you feel about the whole event.

In our seated meditation practice we might also take some of these steps onto the cushion. 

If you find a particularly 'loud' thought or emotion keeps distracting you or calling for your attention, you may choose to just 'sit' with that thought or emotion for a moment - just stop, breathe, notice and reflect - and then return to your practice.

SiBerian North RailRoad

Stop + Breathe + Notice + Reflect +  Respond

FAVOURITE BOOKS

I have recently started a list of my favourite meditation books .. all of which are available on Amazon (which is where I buy my books) .. you can find my Favourite Reading List HERE.

Search Inside Yourself: The Unexpected Path to Achieving Success, Happiness (and World Peace)

books to nourish and inspire

Way back in 2011, I was lucky enough to finally meet up with Sarah McLean with whom I had had a long distance email/blog relationship.  Sarah lives in startlingly beautiful Arizona, and is the Founder of the McLean Meditation Institute and when she told me she was planning a trip to Australia, I was thrilled to help in organising a special Everyday Meditation Workshop one evening at the Langham Hotel (Melbourne).

The workshop was a huge success

Sarah talked about her journey and experiences .. her work with Deepak Chopra and her time cooking in a Zen centre, she also guided us through the practice of Primordial Sound Meditation which utilises both breath awareness and silent mantra.  She also shared a big secret with us .. that she was working on her first book.

That book Soul-Centered: Transform Your Life in 8 Weeks with Meditation  .. was released in 2012 and earlier this year I participated in a fantastic Facebook GROUP called The Soul Centered Group that had 137 members sharing a 'Chapter per week' journey through the book. 

Soul-Centered: Transform Your Life in 8 Weeks with Meditation

*I am recommending the books that I love, not just any book. And to help you find these books and read additional online reviews I have become an Affiliate with Amazon - so you can find the exact book at the click of a button. I have been a member of Amazon for about ten years and purchase all of my books through them, having them shipped to Australia at very little cost (sometimes no cost) and I have never had any problem with delivery.  I am confident in recommending this service.*