Meditation Books

This beautifully written book is an inspiring way to deepen one's connection with nature and spirit. Sharon Blessum uses poems, vignettes, and illustration, as well as space for journaling, to guide the reader through his/her own discovery of the "language" of nature. Since reading this book, I'm often finding pertinent messages for me in the "simple" things like the song of a bird, or melting snow. I highly recommend Luminous Journeys!

Luminous Journey is a journal for your soul. It will enable you to review your life's events and explore the true meaning hiddden behind them. This book is a must read for anyone who enjoys or needs to review their own inner spirit. Take a Luminous Journey to expand yourself as a person or to use as a healing tool. Read this book to look into the depths of your soul and prepare to feel re-energized. Discover how wherever you are, whatever you are doing, all you need to do is focus and you will find all you need within you.

I can only say that to miss this "read" is to
miss finding something within yourself that you
did NOT know was lost. A very rewarding book that
will enhance the "real you.

I found myself thinking about it while doing the dishes,
taking a walk, driving my car. It added a richness to my
life-----------and I found myself treading new waters,
feeling good about it, and very peaceful within myself.
This book was very good for me. I highly recommend it.
I hope to find more books by this author

Reviewed by Cherie Fisher for Reader Views (8/08)

Are you one of those people who are thinking about living a more spiritual life but do not know how to go about it? Then this book is definitely for you. A person new to the spiritual path as well as a person already well into their journey would benefit from reading this book. The author knows the topic well as she has spent the last thirty years studying the subject.

The author, Chariss K. Walker, truly understands that we are spiritual beings having a human experience. God wants to give us what we want but it is our humanness that often precludes us from asking the right way for something or understanding God s response when it is given. The first section of the book lays the foundation of spirituality by exploring what spiritual laws really are.

The second section of the book delves into the different spiritual laws. These fourteen laws include the laws of oneness, vibration, attraction, action and very importantly the law of forgiveness. It is very important to read and understand all of the laws as they build upon each other.

The third section explores how to put the spiritual laws into practice. This can be done through prayer, meditation, thanksgiving and visualization to name just a few. A combination of these practices will also strengthen what you are looking to accomplish. Chapter Thirty was particularly valuable as it discusses how this information can be beneficial to you.

I really enjoyed every aspect of this book. The author's approach was easy to read and comprehend; it drew me in from the first page to the very end. The quotes and affirmations used were inspiring and relevant to the topic at hand. Make a Joyful Noise" by Chariss K. Walker is an excellent resource for anyone who is on the spiritual path or contemplating it.

Chariss Walker's new book, Make a Joyful Noise , is aptly described in the subtitle: Searching for a Spiritual Path in a Material World: A Book of Hope. Ms. Walker's goal is clearly to help individuals sail a straighter course through today's seas of spiritual confusion and improve their lives. While Make a Joyful Noise has a very strong Deist and Christian focus and relies heavily upon biblical wisdom and direction, Walker does make an effort to be as inclusive as possible within those parameters, and stresses at several points in the text the need to respect the faith of others. As it says on the jacket: "Chariss Walker uses liberal Biblical references to explain Spiritual Laws, their relevance in your life and how to put them into practical use without destroying your present convictions." She is also spiritually eclectic in her selection of fine quotes throughout the book, including for example, snippets of Zen Buddhist wisdom, and a quote from the Bhagavad-Gita.

Distilling the wisdom of the ages into an easy to understand self-help book on spiritual growth is an extraordinarily ambitious task, and that makes it interesting to see how she goes about it. And Ms. Walker does take an interesting approach, marshaling her personal beliefs to shape and buttress the text, but also striving to be inclusive and allow for some imaginative flexibility as she strives to create a book which will appeal to those whose faiths may differ subtly or substantially from her own.

She proceeds toward by this goal by identifying herself and her prospective readers as "seekers," and by laying out a series of Spiritual Laws which each seeker is invited to follow. These laws, each encompassing a mini-chapter, include the laws of Oneness, Vibration, Attraction, Polarity, Action, Rhythm, Cause and Effect, Asking and Receiving, Increase, Compensation, Transmutation, Relativity, Reciprocation, and Forgiveness. These laws, she believes, are anchored in science and natural law as well as God's will. The laws are supplemented with examples from real life and a large number of intriguing quotes. After describing the laws and the principles behind them, she provides seekers with a toolkit for moving forward. The tools include: Prayer, Meditation, Thanksgiving, Praise, Affirmations, Visualization, Dreams, Miracles, Light of The World, and Angels.

This book is worth reading just for the rich treasury of quotes it contains. In addition to many passages from the Bible, Ms. Walker cites diverse religious texts as well as a huge array of quotes from an amazing assortment of individuals, including: Aristotle, James Baldwin, Maya Angelou, Albert Einstein, Muhammad Ali, Billy Graham and Pliny the Elder. Joyful Noise concludes with two appendices: one containing a glossary of terms and one containing a list of recommended reading. Finally a set of endnotes provides a profusion of web links for those who would like to pursue some of these topics on the internet.

Individuals, especially Christians, interested in seeking a clearer path to spiritual growth are sure to enjoy this thoughtful and serious book.

What an inspiration! Chariss Walker illustrates for us The Spiritual Laws and how we can put them into practice. Quotes of wisdom from biblical and other sources support her points and are supremely motivational! This is one book to read over and over again....

"What you desire to receive is the very thing you should give away." ~ pg. 111

"Make a Joyful Noise" is an intriguing book that will be appreciated by seekers looking for ways to live a more spiritual life. Chariss K. Walker has studied sacred texts for over thirty years and she presents biblical references to back up all her wonderful insights. She believes that we are divine beings of light having an earthly experience.

On this earth journey there is much to learn and many spiritual laws to take into consideration. Chariss K. Walker presents laws that deal with oneness, vibration, attraction, polarity, action, rhythm, cause and effect, asking and receiving, increase, compensation, transmutation, relativity, reciprocation and forgiveness.

The last third of the book is even more interesting with topics as diverse as dream interpretation and auras. After reading how to see my aura's color I was able to see a light green aura around my fingertips. This section of the book also explores prayer, meditation, praise, thanksgiving, visualizations, miracles and angels.

What I liked most about this book is the way it is written. While reading it is as if you are having a conversation with a trusted friend or advisor. In each chapter you may also discover something about yourself. What are your motivations when you make a request in prayer? I had never thought about the motivation behind the request but now that I understand how to pray more effectively I will definitely use the new information to see my prayers answered in new ways. There is also a great discussion about how your spoken words and thoughts can powerfully affect your life for the better. Your thoughts literally become your reality. This book will not only put you on a more spiritual path, it will help you realize your dreams.

"Make a Joyful Noise" is also filled with inspirational quotes and affirmations. The affirmations are especially helpful to encourage positive results in your life. I wrote out nine of the affirmation that I thought would help me in my life and I intend to read them often. Here is one example: "I now attract whatever is good, lovely, and peaceful in my life."

I have rarely enjoyed a book so much, this book is truly a comfort to the soul. The only disagreement I have with the author is about the existence of hell. She has chosen to ignore those verses in the bible while relying on many other verses to prove her points.

~The Rebecca Review

Hit harder, kick faster and use martial arts fitness routines to maximum advantage with the use of Martial Arts Athlete, a guide which offers training and conditioning techniques to enhance a martial arts routine. These exercises are especially tailored for the martial arts and black and white photos throughout provide clear instruction on the steps.

The thing I liked most about this book is that everything that Dr. Seabourne demonstrates can be done in the comfort of your own home. There is no fancy equipment that you need nor do you have to go to a gym and find a particular machine to use. Dr. Seabourne also demonstrates a wide array of exercises. I cannot stress the diversity of exercises he offers in this book. The tips that Dr. Seabourne provides are invaluable. He offers imagery tips, relaxation methods, plyometric drills, weight training drills, the whole 9 yards. I am indebted to Dr. Seabourne for the information he has provided through this book. If I had one complaint it would be in the ordering of the photographs, they can be hard to follow from time to time.

The Martial Arts Athlete was one of the best all around fitness books I have ever read. It provides information about how to tighten your abs, stretch correctly, heal low back pain, and improve any sports skill, especially martial arts.

This book using great illustrations tackles much more than the details of martial art training. All info. can be applied to virtually any activity making this book the perfect guide for a novice to an elite athlete. Tom Seabourne is an excellent author and hope to see more in the future.

This is a helpful book for a beginner who wants to have an overview of what is meditation and how to proceed. This is not a book of elaborate theory on meditation. It is just practical orientation to the method and its preparation and the steps to actual practice. The book is complete and speaks to the seeker directly very systematically and clearly with no specific religious orientation. Even for someone who is at meditation for some time, this can be a refresher course and provide clarity of the method. It will be a good book to gift to youngsters.

Here are some clear statements:

Page: ix

"Like the banks of a river, " he said, "meditation channels awareness to be aware of itself. As with other actions you perform, meditation is a systematic process.

When you understand the process, it becomes more reliable and leads to deeper experiences."

Page: 1

"Meditation is a specific technique for resting the mind and attaining a state of consciousness that is totaly different from the normal waking state. In meditation, you are fully awake and alert, but your mind is not focused on the external world or events taking place around you. Neither is your mind asleep,
dreaming, or fantasizing. Instead, it is clear, relaxed, and inwardly focused."

Page: 9

"Meditation is not contemplation or thinking. Contemplation, especialy the contemplation of inspiring concepts or ideas such as truth, peace, and love can be helpful, but it is different than the process of meditation."

"When you engage in meditation, you do not ask the mind to think about any concept, but rather to go beyond this level of mental activity."

Page: 10

" In meditation, you do not make any attempt to give the mind a direct suggestion or to control the mind. You simply observe the mind and let it become quiet and calm, allowing your mantra to lead you deeper within, exploring and experiencing the deeper levels of your being."

Similar clear explanation and guidance is provided on all the steps of meditation, which, I think, is very helpful to resolve any mis-conceptions and make the process of meditation easy and fault-proof.

The chapter on "Questions and Answers on the Practice of Meditation" pretty useful.

The book is very helpful as it clears all doubts and mystery about meditation and sets the seeker on a right footing.

After many years of studying the work of Swami Rama, this book being a great 'one' to lead to inner knowledge-the book has simple methods to find how to meditate and just what is required to develop a good practice... we were shocked to learn of a split in the organization over the past years- that includes now three different groups called Himalayan Institute- each as a seperate non-profit. The scandal developed when the one based as publisher of these books in USA has canvased for funds to send to Indian hospital of same name- and we visited this hospital in the past years to learn that our donated money never arrived in India, they are seperate groups now--yet the book on 3rd to last page still asks for donations to US group for Indian Hospital. So the book is great- the search for knowledge can go on- but send funds directly to India if donations are in order. Namaste

The book gave me some very usefull ways to improve my meditation. I did find a need to simplify some of the longer exercises. I am using many of the concepts in my daily meditation.

This quickly read book gives a good basis to start meditation practice. It emphasizes what meditation IS - getting the mind focussed in a single point, the breath - and what it is not. It teaches meditation as a technique and emphasizes that it is a practice that is not connected with anything religious.

This book has a tranformative quality that i've not found in other books on meditation.Chinmayananda was a journalist before becoming a swami so his explanations of meditation and how to approach it are articulate and insightful.A serious seeker will not be dissappointed

blessings to you on your path

This book is a treasure with full of knowledge based on Vedas, Upanishads and other great spiritual scriptures. The process and purpose of the meditation are superbly explained. This is a great source to learn the spritual essence and to find answers for numerous questions.

In "Meditation & Life" Swami Chinmayananda has shared with us, all the secrets of successful life through Mind conditioning. "As your vision so is the world around you. Mind your Mind & control the World" is his clarion call. A book that cannot be missed by all who want to lead a happy,peaceful & successful life.

This book written by the great spiritual master Swami Chinmayananda is an excellent guide for beginners and people who are already experienced in the art of meditation. The logic behind meditation and reasons why one should meditate are first expounded. Then, detailed instructions are given on how to meditate, how to overcome obstacles while meditating and training the mind for reflection on God. The book is filled with stories and humor to inspire and uplift the reader.

I have meditated for years and teach meditation to people new to it. I use it as a text book due to the variety of meditations. I like that it includes many different spiritual approaches to meditation and it is a resource that can be used as one continues to explore meditation.

"The Meditation Bible" by Madonna Gauding is by far the best meditation book we've come across this year. Packed with 140 individual meditations, the book contains something for everyone. Gauding has gathered some of the best -- and easiest to learn -- meditation techniques in a beautifully designed collection. Beginners and experienced meditators alike will benefit from this handy guide.

Part 1 features a "Before You Begin" section that explains meditation and provides tips for preparation, body positioning, establishing a daily practice, and more. Part 2 features 140 individual meditation techniques described in step-by-step detail. The organization and presentation of the meditation techniques is what makes "The Meditation Bible" so appealing and user-friendly. The techniques are divided into eight categories:

1. Calming and Centering
2. Living Mindfully
3. Healing Body, Mind, & Spirit
4. Get Moving
5. Love and Compassion
6. Problem Solving
7. Manifesting Your Dreams
8. Connecting to the Divine

For each of the 140 techniques found in the book, the author outlines the benefits of the technique, describes the best time to use it, and includes clear and concise instructions for practicing the technique. The majority of the techniques are not oriented toward any specific spiritual path, instead providing practical meditation methods that will appeal to all readers. The techniques found in the section called "Connecting to the Divine" cover a wide variety of spiritual traditions, including Christian, Buddhist, Quaker, Jewish, Native American, Taoist, and many others.

Experienced meditators may recognize some of the techniques -- The Microcosmic Orbit, The Distracted Mind, Watching Your Breath -- but many of the techniques are creative and unique. Gauding's book describes how to turn nearly any act into a meditation, providing readers with the opportunity to incorporate meditation into their day in ways they probably never even imagined. As a fun and spontaneous way to make use of the book, try opening to a random page and using that technique as your meditation method for the day.

We would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning a variety of fun and valuable meditation techniques.

Containing more meditations than I ever knew existed, this book is a fantastic resource for anyone who wants to improve their life. Just recently, I was feeling unsettled and anxious, but I couldn't pin down the cause of the feelings. I sat down with my meditation bible and immediately located several topics that set off those inner bells, telling me to focus on those areas. I followed the instructions, meditated, and could feel my anxiety lessen. Solutions soon presented themselves and the source of my aggitation disappeared.

Madonna Gauding is one of my favorite authors. I love her clear, concise prose, substantive content and insightful revelations. I'm a beginner when it comes to meditation, but with this book in my library, I won't remain so for long.

One of the best books on meditation I've run across. Small, concise, to the point meditations for daily living.

For those new to the subject, this is a thorough orientation to the true purpose and value of meditation. It provides scientific, historical and cultural background to many metaphysical processes; in addition, the author shares enough of his personal experiences to provide credibility but always focuses on practical application of his words to the reader. The written content is complemented by beautiful photographs that demonstrate the author's message from another perspective. The CD that comes with the book is a bonus - and a very good starting point for regular meditation.

I have read a number of publications on meditation and related subjects and feel this one provides the most "value".

Tracey, Canada

What a great find this book and cd was last year. Having read many books over the years explaining meditation techniques, finally I was reading one that just resonated with me so beautifully. I can quite honestly say that my meditation practice just gets better and better and my friends and family have all been lucky recipients of a copy too!

I have read many meditation books over the last 30 years, since I first became interested in the subject. None has been so inspirational as Stephen Austen's book which introduces additional aspects of the subject which other authors tend to leave out. The writing style is straightforward but highly informative and leads the reader thoughtfully through all the subject areas. The fact that a CD is included helps to remove and diminish the mystery of this subject to many and provides one with an immediate and useful tool plus a link with the author. I cannot recommend this book highly enough to both the newcomer to the subject and to the experienced meditator.

This is one of the most inspiring meditation books that I have read. It is so clearly presented, that not only is it a "must" for those who haven't practiced meditation before, but a renewed source of inspiration for those who are already familiar with the benefits which meditation can bring. The step by step guidance allows the reader to progress at his or her own pace, which is particularly helpful. As well as describing the various meditation techniques, the author also explains in detail the positive effects they have on the health of the body. The lovely illustrations and helpful CD make this book excellent value for money.

This book is an excellent collection of quotations on life. Unfortunately, it is totally spoilt by the collector's (Jonathon Lazear) commentary. Makes you feel you were back in school, and the teacher was pontificating on mysteries of Shakespeare.

The format of the book is good - one thought per day. The thought is given on top, in small type. This is followed by the collector's explanations on the same page. The third and the last portion on each page is a politically correct resolution based on the first two.

Unfortunately, Mr. Lazear, a literary agent by profession, intrudes endlessly on our thoughts and meditations. Page after page. All 366 of them (a leap year). He has excellent taste in collecting quotations. One wishes he had had the good sense to stop at that.

If you do want to buy (or have already bought it), consider ignoring the commentary. This will allow you to meditate on the thoughts contained in the book, instead of reading some one else's interpretation.

I've owned this book for maybe 4 years and have used it on and off--open to any date, and there's always some interesting quotation and thoughtful commentary. A great book!

I've owned this book for maybe 4 years and have used it on and off--open to any date, and there's always some interesting quotation and thoughtful commentary. A great book!

I have had 4 copies of this book and have passed all of them on to other friends whose lives are out of control or appear to be(probably the same thing). We(men) all resemble the statements in this book. Not all of the statements but enough that we all could get some insight and serenity from reading this book on a daily basis. It does not get old or repetitious and I continually find new insights. I would recommend this book as a must for any type "A" personality and necessary for anyone else.

I've read several of her books and decided to try the CD. I have a severe to profound Hearing loss and use a neck loop for my music. I decided if I wanted to relax I was going to try with out any aide. I could hear the music but not her speaking but it must have been just the touch because I woke up 3 hours later. Her voice is very soothing. Well worth buying if you have problems with stress. Put it on and stretch out after a long hard day!

I highly recommend this audio tape to people who are trying to incorporate meditation into their lives. Dr. Borysenko has a very soothing voice and the exercises are effective. I think this tape may be especially appealing to women; there is some content that I know some men may find corny. However, I found the both the breathing exercises and the stretching to be relaxing and very beneficial.

I've found the 30-minute body relaxation exercise to be a great stress relief on my way to work or when lying in bed. Having listened to the CD regularly for the past few weeks, I am finding that it is making a profound difference in my ability to relax. I am so happy to discover that the "relaxation response", the brain's response to quiet meditation, is real, and actually reverses the effects of stress. It's making a bigger difference than I would have imagined. Having experienced increasing stress over the past year, I am so grateful and relieved to find something that helps. Many thanks to the author for her peaceful voice and healing images.

This tape has helped me relax on many, many occasions. I have almost worn out my tape. Joan's voice and the music are exceptionally soothing. You don't even have to pay attention to it, in order to get benefit from the tape. I just wish it came in CD.

This book helped me and quite a few of my friends to quit smoking. I finally gave my dog-eared copy to my father - on father's day. I am a non/smoker (ahm, healthy breather) and I love it. Hard to imagine I guess when you smoke, but reading this little book helps you certainly to cross to the "other side"!

I really hope this title gets back up soon! Everyday of the 365 days written in there, it tells you a little story: moral, true, or a list of very interesting -and surprising- facts. When you first start out and are having a bad patch, you can flip through and find a random page. It almost always works it's magic on you. If you find a copy of this little magic maker ANYWHERE then GET IT!

This book really helped me to quit smoking. This September, it will be seven years. Each time a friend tells me they are thinking of quitting I try to buy them this book. It is a one day at a time, practical, every-day guide to quitting. It gives the straight, no-nonsense facts about smoking, what it does to you, and what its ultimate effects are on you and those who love you.

I used it to get through my toughest minutes, hours and days. The book is filled with quotes, statistics, abbreviated case histories from smokers, ex-smokers, physicians and people who have died of smoking-related illnesses. When you get the urge to smoke, just pick up this book and start reading. Don't stop until the craving has passed. Works like a charm. I read the book from cover to cover before I even attempted to quit and I got more out of it each time I picked it up.

Wish they would bring this one back to print. They would be doing a great service to all those who have yet to conquer this terrible addiction.

Bring this book back into print! It is the best thing ever written on quitting. I quit smoking using this book after 23 years as a hard core, two pack a day smoker. Highly recommended for those who can get their hands on a copy.

I smoked for 15 years. Three of my grandparents died from cancer, one from heart disease. When my aunt got cancer, I got scared. I quit cold turkey, but if it weren't for this book, I know I would have started again. It offers not only encouragment, but the terrifying facts about smoking. I really hope this book goes back into print. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to quit smoking.