The need to reflect, contemplate, and concentrate is an essential counterpoint to the rush of daily life and its surface details. This has been recognized since ancient times, and meditation in one form or another has been practiced through the centuries and across cultures, for reasons both sacred and mundane. In the modern world the motivations are more likely to be personal than religious, but the same dynamics apply in calming and focusing the mind. A prerequisite is the right physical space-somewhere to help set one's frame of mind and to hold back the distractions of the outside. Specifically for the purpose of meditation, the examples are from sources as varied and fascinating as contemporary Japanese tea-ceremony rooms, minimalist Western architecture, idiosyncratic chapels, artists' and writers' workspaces, and portable tented structures. The principles are all applicable to modern living, whether permanent or temporary, at home or in beautiful natural settings.With its crisp photography and inventive design, Meditative Spaces will appeal to a variety of readers, from architecture enthusiasts to those with an interest in Japanese style to anyone looking to find-and celebrate-serenity in today's hectic and rapidly paced world.

Find peace and calm amid the busyness of your life with this mindfulness meditation book by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. Designed to be both inspiration and guidebook for those new to mindfulness practice, Making Space offers easy-to-follow instructions for setting up a breathing room, listening to a bell, sitting, breathing, and walking meditations, and cooking and eating a meal in mindfulness. Whether you live alone or with a family, this beautifully illustrated book can help you create a sense of retreat and sanctuary at home.

Based on a series of lectures that Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan gave to a small group of students in Brooklyn in 1981, this contains transcripts of the series on the Kabbalistic system, and testifies to his wonderful ability to transmit profound ideas in a readily-graspable way. Although this is an introductory text, it contains many perspectives that are expressed in a unique way, so it would be quite valuable even for the more advanced student of Jewish mysticism.

The charismatic form of healing called qigong, which at its core involves meditative breathing exercises, achieved enormous popularity in China during the last two decades. Anthropologist Nancy N. Chen examines the cultural context of medicine and healing practices in the PRC, Taiwan, and the United States, and the pages of her book come alive with the narratives of the numerous practitioners, healers, psychiatric patients, doctors, and bureaucrats she interviewed.

Transform your home into a calm, balanced and harmonious oasis using architect Anjie Cho's helpful advice, drawing on her background in green design and feng shui. You don't have to get rid of all your possessions and become an ascetic to change your space and discover the benefits that living in a considered, organic way can bring. The easy suggestions in Holistic Spaces show you how to implement the principles of feng shui and green design in your home. Written for the way we live today, as we move toward a more mindful approach to health, diet and the way that we choose the objects in our homes, this is the perfect guide to help you to clear and refresh your living environment. Learn how to make every room in your home serve its highest purpose, create eco-friendly spaces, bring nature indoors, choose colours for maximum impact, select a space for meditation practice, and overall, create a peaceful and organic home. From the bedroom to the home office, these intuitive, straightforward tips will teach you to how improve your spaces to boost the flow of energy through your life.

A reminder of the Divine, a space for spiritual encounter, or a focal point for meditation--the altar is a powerful tool for people of all faiths. Sandra Kynes demonstrates how to create personal altars and empower these sacred spaces according to your needs. Discover how to harness energies to manifest change, make decisions, receive wisdom, find balance, explore your soul, and grow spiritually. Kynes's unique approach provides nine overall matrices--each one corresponding to the number of objects placed on the altar--and the numerological significance of each. You'll also find suggested meditations and a wealth of helpful information--spanning chakras, colors, days of the week, elements, gemstones, gods/goddesses, runes, and more--for choosing appropriate symbols and objects that reflect your needs.

While most of us have heard about the mental and physical benefits of meditation, beginning a regular practice can sometimes seem more daunting than training for a marathon. Maybe you're curious about meditation but don't know where or how to start, or perhaps you've tried it but weren't able to stick with it. If this describes you, then How to Meditate Like a Buddhist is the perfect place to begin. In this compact and powerful book, author and certified meditation instructor Cynthia Kane demystifies this ancient practice while gently guiding you through everything you need to know about posture, breathing, mind-set, and more. Informed by her own years of practice, Kane has distilled the most important aspects of Buddhist meditation in one accessible guide. Read this book and start taking advantage of meditation's incredible benefits today