Meditation Books

I purchased The Bridge of Stars as a gift for my friend's young son, Harry, for his First Holy Communion. The book is so well written and thought out, and will provide him with inspiration and comfort as he ages and goes on his journey through life.
So impressive is this book, that I will be adding to my own collection.

As a student of theology, a writer of poetry, a mother to three children, and a collector of beautiful books, The Bridge Of Stars is a wonderful addition to my library. In my quest to instill in my children the oneness of all people, I find that prayers, hymns, and poetry from around the world reveal to them the common beliefs, hopes, and dreams we all share.

Apart from being a remarkable collection of writing, this book is probably the most artistically abundant book of its kind. Among the images that adorn each page you will find flowers, waterfalls, landscapes, and even the magical quality of a rain-drenched spider's web.

This masterpiece was well thought out, with the perfect placement of text among the artwork. The words and images combined create a feeling of peace and tranquillity, as well as a connectedness to all of nature. For example, the poem/prayer One Equal Light by John Donne is accompanied by a photo of sunlight flowing through the limbs of trees in a peaceful wood.

For all with an interest in spirituality, this book of art, poetry, and nature is a must-have addition to your shelf!

The selections are beautiful prayers as well as beautifully written poetry. The illustrations are breathtakingly serene. Open to any page and just start reading! The process is refreshingly simple, but relaxing. The book also serves as a great resource for finding the perfect words for expressing your thoughts and feelings. I have found passages appropriate to include on a card to my son's teacher, an admired co-worker, and best friend! The feelings expressed are multi-cultural and timeless. For example, a prayer for forgiveness, written in the 6th century in Persia, is as much relevant today as it was when it was written. You will definately want your own copy, but it would also make an excellent gift for anyone from your mother to a close friend.

In the many dark days which followed the atrocities of September 11th, when the American spirit looked for truth, it became a mantra of the people, "We must try to understand." We may never fathom the actions of fanaticism, and few of us have the preparational groundwork to fully comprehend the religious differences offered as an excuse for war, but one thing is certain: we need to go beyond the differences to build a better future. Marcus Braybrooke affords us the opportunity to take a step towards that goal in his compilation of prayers, blessings and meditations, The Bridge of Stars.

The Bridge of Stars is an invaluable tool in seeking to discover what can bind us together as children of one World, one Creator. Providence certainly played her part in the book's timely creation. Now we simply need to build the bridges. It is amazing how many times, as we build from one end, we encounter a stranger building from the other, and, as two worlds connect, we have a pathway.

Marcus Braybrooke, a parish priest in Oxford, England, has spent over thirty years, and many miles, urging the world toward a greater understanding of the need for Interfaith Dialogue. As reader you will enter that dialogue with voices from many sources, spanning many centuries and treating topics common to all. Each voice, or prayer, visually presented in a creative format which enhances the particular theme, will resonnate with the sense of unity which connects us to the Scource. Call your Creator what you may, in this compilation culled from many different traditions, there is no attempt to draw you into one direction or another, but to speak directly to the heart. The Bridge of Stars is a book which speaks to you, not around you; for you, not in place of you. Where so much inspirational literature these days is emotional disguised as spiritual, Bridge of Stars is spiritual to the core. It will lift you, rejoice with you, comfort and console you, and as you find the Creator, whom you name as you will, in the prayerful words of a Hindu or a Buddhist, a Native American, a Moslem, a Jew or a Christian, you will understand and know that I AM.

To find a voice: Read also Learn To Pray, by the same author/editor, a companion book to The Bridge of Stars.

I bought this for a friend who was having her first baby. She said she wanted something just like it so I think it did the trick.

Tammy Bundy offers what every mother needs: hope, encouragment, sustenance and fuel for the job that lies ahead...the job of raising wonderful people.

In this petite but powerful book, Bundy offers a daily Bible verse and insightful prayer/reflection for each day of the year. The book is pocket sized and perfect for stashing in a purse, diaper bag, desk drawer or corner of a crowded countertop.

In her introduction, Bundy offers mothers encourgament to pray and to turn to the Bible as a source of inspiration, strenghth and information. She incorporates many holidays, feasts and other important dates into her reflections, offering relevant and helpful prayers for those dates.

Most mothers I know desparately want to increase their time spent in quiet prayer and reflection, but struggle to ritualize this into their busy lives. With this book, Bundy offers us a helpful and inspiring tool. Jump in on any day of the year and help make prayer and devotion a priority in your life - you'll be a better mom for having done so!

This book is a great no guilt, no pressure way to add some prayer and reflection into your busy life. The foreward at the beginning of the book could have been written by almost any mother today, as it relates so well to all of us. The prayers are realistic and helpful as a starting point for more if you so desire or have time for. I love that the author believes that God doesn't care so much about how much we can quote from the bible, rather how honestly we talk to Him.

This is a wonderful book for any Catholic or Christian mother. The format is a daily bible quote, followed by the author's brief reflection. These reflections could resonate with any mother. It's a great little book, and I've really enjoyed it so far.

Lisa Hunt's 'Celestial Goddesses' is an exquiste devotional book to the Great Goddess unlike anything I've ever come across. Llewellyn went all out on this one and produced a beautifully bound hardcover book of the highest quality with wonderful 8 X 10 color prints of each Goddess included within.

Twenty Goddesses were chosen for this "Litany to the Goddess."
1) Amaterasu - Japanese 2) Arianrhod - Welsh 3) Artemis - Greek 4) Chang-O - Chinese 5) Coyolxauhqui - Aztec 6) Hina - Polynesian 7) Inaana - Summerian 8) Isis - Egypt 9) Luonnotar - Finnish 10) Mama Quilla - Peruvian 11) Mawu - Fon (West African) 12) Nut - Egypt 13) Pana - Inuit 14) Saule - Slavic 15) Selene - Greek 16) Tara - Asian 17) Unelanuhi - Cherokee 18) Ushas - Eastern Indian 19) White Shell Woman - Navaho 20) Wuriupranili - Aborigine (Australian).

While some of my favorite Goddesses were left out (Freyja, Pele and Kali) there exclusion is more than made up for by the discovery of lesser known "Energies" that I was totally unfamiliar with until I bought this book.

Simply a must buy for any and all pagans seeking expanded contact with the Divine Feminine or anyone who loves art. Absolutely Magnificent! My Utmost Highest Recommendation!!

The artwork in this book is AMAZING! My wife purchased this, but I felt I had to comment on the art, because it is quite remarkable, that alone makes this worth the price.

(From thedivadigest.com)

It is easy at first glance to dismiss this work as a book for children, so vibrant is the artwork and so simple and concise is the narrative. Although it would be a lovely introduction to Goddess myths for the older child, its worth to the adult world deserves high accolades, both as an informative text and a meditative tool.

Utilizing the wonderful art of talented Lisa Hunt (who has been a bookmark in my browser favorites forever), the book has been given a generous hand by Llewellyn publishers, using beautiful 8x10" color plates of the Celestial Goddess series. The glossy pages also contain, for each of the goddesses explored, a page of mythology, a guided meditation and a full page dedicated to one basic thought regarding that particular Goddess, such as "Life is full of mountains and valleys. The goddess can provide you with the necessary guiding light and energy to help you reach your goals" for Coyolxauhqui. Having the 1-2 sentence thought to synopsize the energy of goddess portrayed written in the center of a plain, white page makes it all the more poignant and evokes a strong, meditative presence. The meditations are brief, but effective and have been carefully selected to effectively convey the energy being depicted for each of the Goddesses.

There are 20 goddesses highlighted, fearlessly ignoring any imaginary boundaries of pantheon and plucking both the famous and obscure from a number of traditions. Each goddess is an experience and the reader will feel complete immersion in the sheer essence of the individual deity that is represented. This book is, quite simply and "quiet, simply" a masterpiece experience.

RATING: 5 Pentacles

Lisa Hunt is one of the best illustrators working today and this book proves she is a great author as well.

In the book, she paints wonderful images of goddesses from many cultures, and then creates a guided meditations based on each ones strengths and influences. It is a magical journey through the different beliefs of our diverse world.

If you have an interest in the Goddess, meditation just love to look at gorgeous artwork, then I highly recommend picking Celestial Goddesses up!

I'd been to Alan Finger's seminar in NYC years ago and wanted to have that information again to try to recreate the miraculous results I got there. The book in combination with the excellent meditation CD were everything I'd hoped they would be. If you're looking to open up your meditation practice and take it to a new level, I strongly recommend this program. If you've never worked with your chakras, you will find a new discipline you never knew existed.

I have been doing yoga for many years before it became well known and supposedly popular. (Although every other commercial these days has some woman doing yoga in order to attach their product to this symbol of a healthy lifestyle (even a house paint commercial!), I wonder how many folks actually practice for more than a little while...) At any rate, the feature that made this book better than all the rest was the CD which introduced me to the chakra mantras which allowed me to actually feel the chakras in my body on my very first attempt using the mantras! And this author is offering his wisdom at a very reasonable price! Buy this one new!

I found this book to be really helpful in understanding the relationship between yoga and the chakras. It is written so well and I could put it into practice immediately. A must have for those looking to deepen their yoga practice

Alan Finger truly sounds like a yoga guru.

In this book, he provides guidance and direction in performing basic yoga poses and reveals their relation to the human chakras. This, in my opinion, is very important in getting your foundation straight & solid, so it can safely be built upon.

The book is written well, without bogging you down with excess theory or pages of boring information, yet neatly introducing useful concepts. The author goes into great detail in explaining how to correctly do a certain pose, and points out common mistakes. I have found it very helpful. The brief real-life examples of balances and imbalances in chakras are also quite interesting.

Lastly, the spiritual part of the book: meditation. I was quite a novice to the whole practice of meditation prior to reading this book. So no surprise, as I tried, I did not always feel like I was entering "the state of oneness, yoga", and at times I couldn't even let go of restless thoughts. But it improves with time and practice. And Alan Finger emphasizes it - practice consistently, in order to get results. I would probably also play some quiet meditation music while listening to the book's audio, as it comes without background music.

I do recommend this book to all who are seeking another dimension in their lives. It will not only help you become better at your yoga practice, but may as well help you make a shift towards a better life and being a better person.

Every author can learn presentation from this book, this is a workbook worthy of being used in a school atmosphere. Very well organized good to excellent information. A thorough foundation from which to grow, and perfect for Tai Chi Practitioners.

This is a great book for anyone who is new to the practice of qigong. Yu Cheng Huang has developed a great system of teaching qigong in this book. I've seen many books on the subject and none of them takes you by the hand and easily leads you through the different exercises as this book does. The book is designed to teach you a lesson each week. In addition to the physical exercise each lesson comes with a discussion on either the theory/history of qigong, a lesson on the use of food and herbs or a lesson on TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) making it a very balanced approach to the subject.

The illustrations are a bit crude but they convey the appropreate meaning for each lesson. This is easily overlooked because of its workbook format. I would say that you would not find a better book on the subject that will teach both the practice and theory of qigong in such a simple and easy manner as this book does.

"Change the Picture" is the first in the series of Qigong workbooks presented by Master Yu-Cheng Huang. This book gives a step by step system of building a Qigong practice. The book is comprised of levels I and II with each volume containing twelve weekly lessons which are the basic foundations of Xuan Ming Dao Qigong. Each lesson builds on the previous week's lesson and contains a section on theory, method, and practice. Levels I and II teach one how to cleanse,gather, and activate the energy (QI) and how to tonify the body.

Thumbs up for Master Huang's "Xuan Ming Dao" Qigong workbook series. Unlike most Qigong books that just teach a basic Qigong or other books that teach advanced methods (which can only be useful to students with higher skills), Master Huang's system is written for the beginner and will have you gradually build your practice step by step. Advanced students will benefit from the added information on subjects such as TCM, Qigong theory, and the "extra thoughts" presented with each lesson. Moreover, all the workbooks are written in a straightforward and easy to understand manner. Master Huang stresses that if one should wish to learn Qigong one should find a good teacher. I would suggest that if you cannot find a good teacher these workbooks are the next best thing to learn from.

"Think the Good Thing" is the second book in the series.

If you are a Taoist Qigong fan, then this is the book for you. No mumbo-jumbo. A practical "how-to" step-by-step Chi Kung for beginners and mature students. Dont have to know obscure Chinese cultural meanings; just start the work and keep at it. The real pity is that I had to acquire this book used as it is out of print. It's ironic that there is so many useless and shallow books on Qigong out there that never, ever go "out of print" and yet the really good ones do. The sooner this series by Yu Cheng Huang is reprinted and made available, the better !!

I highly recommend this book. I'm new to Buddhism and meditation, but have read a number of books on the subject. Paramananda explains meditation in a straightforward manner. More importantly, he clearly illustrates the linkage between meditation, Buddhism, and living a mentally healthy life. I believe that I will return to this book throughout my life.

The Book starts with a personal account as to what meditation can provide. It sounds convinsing very much because it is simple. In deed the Zen like character of the teaching as to how to meditate makes it trully engaging. It is clear to the point, personal and human. There are a lot of books about tecniques and alot of them quite good. But some of them seem too full of the particular brand of Buddhism they come from, so much so that one almost fells as if to meditated one has to become Tibetan or Chinnese.Some others are so much explain in like magical lenguage that the magic of the simple act of meditation goes away. Good books about meditation are few and rare. What must of us need is to get our buts on the cushion and just do it , this books does just that, makes you fell like meditating on that moment.

This compassionate and exceptionally well-written book helped me start a daily Buddhist meditation practice, which I've continued now for several months. This book includes a number of great meditation exercises, an introduction to the mindfulness of breathing and to Metta Bhavani (universal loving kindness). It provided great comfort to me during a stressful time in my life, and I often pick it up and re-read passages of it; it has really changed my life, and I am so thankful that I discovered it.

This book is a wonderful primer for anyone wanting to get started on a meditative practice. I've studied many different forms of meditation over the years, and tried teachers, books, etc... But this book has helped me stick with my practice in a way others haven't. There's no fluff. Every page truly has value.

The book is wonderfully practical, and makes it very easy to learn and work the two starter meditations of Buddhism, and to gain value from them. The meditations it teaches are simple yet powerful, and I believe they can improve how people feel about themselves, and operate in the world.

I bought this book several years ago, and still turn to it regularly to review the principles and practices it describes. If you're at all interested in practicing meditation, I'd strongly recommend it.

As a person revisiting chanting after an absence of 50yrs I found this to be an excellent book on the meaning of psalmody and how we can incorporate it into our lives. Learing to Chant in the vernacular using the 30+ demonstrated methods and very clear written explanations of how to was just what the doctor ordered. Highly recommended for people like myself who grew up with Gregorian in our mouths.

This book is a great follow-on to the author's CD set called Singing the Psalms. Take this book and CD into your heart, follow her wisdom, and combine it with Phyllis Tickle's trilogy of The Divine Hours. These two great teachers are all you need in order to do your own Divine Office every single day - and transform your heart and life in the process.

The book and CD are crystal clear and helpful and persuasive. Of all the ways to God, psalmody is surely one of the most ancient and powerful and is therefore of especial value to those of us who realize that the ancient knowledge of God is to be understood and incorporated right along with our other understandings. That Jesus also did this makes it far more important for those of us who would "follow" Him as He commanded and not just "worship" him. C. de Fontenay

I used this book for a class at church last year, and it actually had so much information that I had to select readings and provide overviews for some sections. The most valuable aspect for my class was that Bourgeault is not a trained singer: her 'normal person's voice' on the CD was what encouraged several of the non-singers in the class to take a chance and sing - something they had previously been afraid to try. The historical information is far-reaching. In my opinion, the last chapters of the book that try to bring in all types of modern chants are less effective than the first half of the book.

Very few books have been written like this about an particular Yidam deity. Many American Tibetan Buddhists love to receive "advanced" practices but neglect bodhichitta - the essence of Buddha's teachings. Since Chenrezig is the Yidam deity that is the representation of bodhichitta, how can anyone go wrong by learning more about about the Chenrezig Yidam practice?

This is an excellent and authorative text on the practice of the Yidam Chenrezig. While it is not a substitute for oral instructions, it is a wonderful and useful addendum written by an eminent teacher in the Karma Kagyu and Shangpa Kagyu traditions. Readable and clear for beginners and experienced practitioners alike.

This is a very good explanation of the Chenrezig Sadhana
and an excellent supplement to Dilgo Khyentse's
"The Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones."

This text provides clear and concise instruction for deity meditation. It includes instruction for beginners on visualisation. It also has pictorial help for visualisation of HRI and for disolution of the HRI which I found very helpful.

I have had this book and gave it to a friend and now I have to replace it. I depended on the daily mediations to give me a positive or clear thought to start my day. It parallels the daily mediations of christianity so closely it makes you realize there truely is only one "Great Spirit". This book has enhanced my life. Until I found this book I only had my christian beliefs of mediations. Now I have something that I can relate to through heritage. I have shared the passages in this book with many friends and it has touched their hearts as deeply as mine. Thank you Joyce Sequichie Hifler.

Inspirational books always failed to inspire me until "A Cherokee Feast of Days." Joyce Sequitchie Hifler delves into my soul and finds the very best, strongest parts of ME. By including the wisdom of native elders, she gives us a perspective of "time," of each day, as a healer and as an opportunity to, simply put, "do good." Hifler is like the sunflower: her roots run deep in the red clay earth and her face smiles up to God reflecting the blessings which he has bestowed upon her and upon all of us. I have given this book to many of my friends. Prepare to have your outlook on life uplifted forever! Hifler makes me even more proud to be blessed with my grandmother's Tsalagi blood.

Certainly one of the most elegant daily devotional books available today. Hifler is both poet and spiritual guide. This book is a real treat!

A friend gave me this book as a gift in 1993. I have read a meditation almost every day since. I find it to be uplifting and thought provoking and at the same time centering on things that really matter. The meditations remind me that family and earth matter so much more than materialistics. My daughter also reads daily and has been searching for one as a gift.

Ah-hem, despite the title I, a manly-man, thougth it a great read too.

I cam across this book in my store and was going to list it on Amazon. Then I noticed that it had five stars. OK, that got me curious. Started to read it and loved each story (each story is only about 3 pages). Must be my touchy-feely side.

So now I'm bringing it home to my better half along with a Symphony bar. Not a bad idea if I say so myself!

I am a fan of Chicken Soup type books, so I figured that this book would be along those lines and not disappoint. I was not wrong, and was delighted to find that I, a single woman never married, was actually inspired to consider looking for love again. The stories are honest and down to earth, and I like how the women are profiled along with information for contacting them at the end of the book. Potential readers should know that many of the writers appeared to have a new age bent in their beliefs, that didn't put me off necessarily, but might bother those with a more traditional way of thinking. I was able to take like I liked along those lines, and leave the rest, focusing instead, on the hopefulness of this book. I will say, that having read this, I want to read all the books in this series, so this was a good book to start with.

What a great way to spend the day, reading stories from other women on life and experiences. Makes the world seem like a better place. If lifts your spirits and sweetens your soul and heart!!

This book to me can sometimes seem to be my best friend. I know it sounds weird, but when I'm really feeling down I just read a couple of these short stories and my HEART is filled with warmth. It makes you feel happy inside, knowing that miracles can come true. It makes you forget about your problems for a while, just enough to get you threw life.