Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and other great teachers were born with brains built essentially like anyone else's. Then they used their minds to change their brains in ways that changed history.
Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation: A 28-Day Program
Thousands of years prove it, and Western science backs it: Meditation sharpens focus. Meditation lowers blood pressure, relieves chronic pain, reduces stress. Meditation helps us experience greater calm. Meditation connects us to our inner-most feelings and challenges our habits of self-judgment. Meditation helps protect the brain against aging and improves our capacity for learning new things. Meditation opens the door to real and accessible happiness.
There is no better person to show a beginner how to harness the power of meditation than Sharon Salzberg, one of the world’s foremost meditation teachers and spiritual authors. Cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society, author of Lovingkindness, Faith, and other books, Ms. Salzberg distills 30 years of teaching meditation into a 28-day program that will change lives. It is not about Buddhism, it’s not esoteric—it is closer to an exercise, like running or riding a bike. From the basics of posture, breathing, and the daily schedule to the finer points of calming the mind, distraction, dealing with specific problem areas (pain in the legs? falling asleep?) to the larger issues of compassion and awareness, Real Happiness is a complete guide. It explains how meditation works; why a daily meditation practice results in more resiliency, creativity, peace, clarity, and balance; and gives twelve meditation practices, including mindfulness meditation and walking meditation. An extensive selection of her students’ FAQs cover the most frequent concerns of beginners who meditate—“Is meditation selfish?” “How do I know if I’m doing it right?” “Can I use meditation to manage weight?”
Believing In Myself: Self Esteem Daily Meditations
A solid sense of self-worth is the single most important factor in determining our happiness in life and our success in work and relationships. With it, virtually all things are possible. Without it, even victories can feel like defeats. That's why raising low self-esteem is an essential part of the healing process for those who are recovering from addictions and dependencies — and for anyone who still feels the pain of childhood wounds or other hurts.
This enlightening book presents a meditation for every day of the year, complete with an inspirational quote and a thought-for-the-day. It addresses such subjects as: Why self-esteem seems so fragile; how to define ourselves in terms of our own standards and values; why attitude is so important when we make mistakes; the difference between conceit and self-approval; how self-doubt triggers unattractive behaviors; and how self-esteem blooms when we have a sense of purpose in life.
