Wherever he goes, Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard is asked to explain what meditation is, how it is done and what it can achieve. In this authoritative and inspiring book, he sets out to answer these questions. Matthieu Ricard shows that practising meditation can change our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. He talks us through its theory, spirituality and practical aspects of deep contemplation and illustrates each stage of his teaching with examples. Through his experience as a monk, his close reading of sacred texts and his deep knowledge of the Buddhist masters, Matthieu Ricard reveals the significant benefits that meditation - based on selfless love and compassion - can bring to each of us

This classic, bestselling introduction to a regular program of daily meditation defines meditation's vital role in spiritual living, and features careful instructions, illustrative examples, and specially written meditations.

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This book is about emptiness and silence—the mind-expanding emptiness of Zen painting, and the reverberating silence of haiku poetry. Through imaginative participation in the visions of painters and poets, its readers are led to the realization that, in the author's words, "emptiness, silence, is not nothingness, but fullness. Your fullness." This cultural tradition has informed many distinguished lives and works of art. The work of painters like Niten, Liang K'ai, and Toba, and of painters like Basho, Buson, and Issa reflects the wholeness, spontaneity, and humanity of the Zen vision. Those who desire a glimpse into the world of intuitive contact with nature offered by Zen meditation will find these paintings, commentaries, and haiku poems especially rewarding. They enable the reader to experience the unique power of Zen art—it's capacity to fuse esthetic appreciation, personal intuition, and knowledge of life into one creative event.

This step-by-step guide on how to meditate touches on all aspects of the philosophy and psychology of the practice. The techniques of contacting one's inner source of energy, power, wisdom, and guidance is explained in clear, employable terms.

Calligraphy as Art and Meditation presents a new approach to calligraphy, one uniquely suited to our time. In it, the making of calligraphic letter forms becomes a way to integrate mind, body, and feeling, to enrich creativity, and enhance well-being. The exercises in Western alphabetic writing, arranged in a guided progression, provide an opportunity to develop awareness, relax the mind, and open the door to artistic expression. The audience for Calligraphy as Art and Meditation includes: adult learners, meditators, teachers, therapists, artists and art students, graphic designers, and children of all ages. The training alphabets, from "Playball" to "Proteus," introduce you to the elements of calligraphy through a framework called the 3 "D"s: DESIGN, DUCTUS, and DYNAMICS. Tool usage is the foundation for calligraphic development. Here, the participant begins with the familiar pencil and progresses in gradual, developmental steps to the sophisticated edged pen. For a culture so deeply rooted in the written word, we have not, surprisingly, woven calligraphy into the general fabric of public life. Nonetheless, our current milieu is ripe for appreciating the values inherent in this art form. It is the mission of Calligraphy as Art and Meditation to conduct a joyful exploration of calligraphy in an attempt to find its untapped essence, and in this effort, to re-envision its role in our cultural life.

Meditation helps us relax, sharpens our minds, and increases our creativity. In The Tibetan Book of Meditation, Lama Christie McNally demonstrates that meditation also provides a much greater gift. It awakens our innate potential to shape our reality, to make moments of joy last forever, and to bring us the peace and contentment that we all ultimately seek. Written in an instructional yet intimate style, the author guides readers through a progression of meditations, from the simple concept of compassion to the transformative concept of emptiness. Teaching technique and content at the same time, this book is unique in its comprehensive approach and will find a special place in the hearts of novice and experienced meditators alike. Christie McNally, a renowned master teacher and lecturer who has studied with some of the greatest Indian, Tibetan, and western Buddhist masters, explains the central tenets of Buddhism and reveals how they apply to everyday life. Combining ancient wisdom and contemporary teachings, she leads readers along the path to a richer, fuller life through resonant examples and eye-opening insights. Her engaging tone and fresh approach to the art of meditation will appeal to followers of Pema Chödrön and to readers of Jack Kornfield, Sharon Salzberg, and Jon Kabat-Zinn. This down-to-earth guide to meditation brings the wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism to a new generation.