Practicing meditation probably won’t make you have superpowers, but it can help with anxiety, depression or just feeling constantly rushed. If you’ve considered meditating but need to be convinced about the benefits, pick up Richard Wright’s recent book “Why Buddhism Is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment.” Wright writes with the depth and clarity one would expect from a Princeton professor and Pulitzer finalist, but also is a practitioner of meditation and brings levity to this examination.
Once you’ve decided that you want to give meditation a go, there are a range of options to help you along your path. “Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life,” by Jon Kabat-Zinn, is a classic handbook. First published in 1994, it has remained an important book for mindfulness practice.
If you are a visual learner, try “I Am Here Now: A Creative Mindfulness Guide and Journal.” This book helps you focus with creative prompts for everything from crossword puzzles to drawing to measuring your heart rate. It’s a fun approach to mindfulness.
Perhaps you are easily distracted (like me) and need some structure for your practice. Jack Kornfield is the author of several guided meditations. Guided meditations are used by beginning and advanced practitioners because they force you to still your mind and listen. Of course, if you are fidgety skeptic, you can still manage to have your mind wander, but guided meditations do help you bring your attention back to the present moment.
However, just as thinking about exercising isn’t exercising, reading about meditating isn’t meditating. At some point, you have to put your body on the chair or floor and actually do it. “Just Sit: A Meditation Guidebook for People Who Know They Should but Don’t,” by Sukey Novogratz is targeted at those of us who need a practical guide and a little motivation (I include myself – because writing about meditating also isn’t meditating).
The most immediate way to learn about meditating is to come to the library’s program “Meditation for Every Body” on April 18th from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Friends Room at the Columbia Public Library. Led by Victoria Day, we will explore the fundamental skills of meditation — breathing, mindfulness and embodiment. Wear comfortable clothes and bring a cushion. (I mean, c’mon – anything with comfy clothes and a cushion is worth a try, right?)
Image credit: Spirit-Fire, Young Woman Meditating on the Floor via Flickr (license)
