I’ve been meditating for around two years yet feel like I’ve been cheating myself. Not that I’ve been doing it all wrong as I see huge benefits from my daily sessions. I simply mean that there are several techniques I had never even considered, explicitly concerning Buddhist philosophy.
I picked up ‘Meditation For Beginners’ pre-quarantine as a “yeah – I’ll get round to that book,” I’m glad I did. The chapters were short and straightforward; there is no heavy reading. Each of the sections focuses on best practices for a specific aspect of Mediation and the promotion of mindfulness.
“Letting go does not mean not caring about things. It means caring for them in a flexible and wise way. In meditation, we pay attention to our body with care and respect.”
― Jack Kornfield, Meditation for Beginners
The book is accompanied by an excellent CD that covers each of the sections with expert guidance from the author Jack Kornfield. To say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement.
It does what it says on the tin – it teaches you how to meditate, an excellent go-to for beginners and intermediates alike. Some exercises coincided with the chapters and guided mediation.
It took me just over two months to get through it. It was challenging not to take a peek at what was coming up next. I focused on each chapter completed the exercises before I moved on.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in giving mediation ago. If you are not already familiar with Jack Kornfield, this is an excellent jumping-off point.
