In a time of social distancing and isolation, a meditation on the beauty of solitude from renowned Buddhist writer Stephen Batchelor A Los Angeles Review of Books "Best of the Year" selection "Whatever a soul is, the author goes a long way toward soothing it. A very welcome instance of philosophy that can help readers live a good life."-Kirkus Reviews "Elegant and formally ingenious."-Geoff Wisner, Wall Street Journal When world renowned Buddhist writer Stephen Batchelor turned sixty, he took a sabbatical from his teaching and turned his attention to solitude, a practice integral to the meditative traditions he has long studied and taught. He aimed to venture more deeply into solitude, discovering its full extent and depth. This beautiful literary collage documents his multifaceted explorations. Spending time in remote places, appreciating and making art, practicing meditation and participating in retreats, drinking peyote and ayahuasca, and training himself to keep an open, questioning mind have all contributed to Batchelor's ability to be simultaneously alone and at ease. Mixed in with his personal narrative are inspiring stories from solitude's devoted practitioners, from the Buddha to Montaigne, from Vermeer to Agnes Martin. In a hyperconnected world that is at the same time plagued by social isolation, this book shows how to enjoy the inescapable solitude that is at the heart of human life.

The scientific study of Buddhist forms of meditation has surged in recent years. Such study has captured the popular imagination, reshaping conceptions of what meditation is and what it can do. Within the lab and now beyond it, people have come to see meditation as a practical matter, a rewiring of the brain or an optimization of consciousness as a means to better health, more fulfilling relationships, and increasing productivity. Often suppressed if not dropped from this pragmatic approach are the beliefs, values, and cosmologies that underpin such practice from the Buddhist point of view. Propelled by the imperatives of empirical practicality, for perhaps the first time in history meditation has shifted from Buddhist monasteries and practice centers to some of the most prominent and powerful modern institutions in the world-hospitals, universities, corporations, and the military-as well as many non-institutional settings. As the contributions to this volume show, as their contexts change, so do the practices, sometimes drastically. New ways of thinking about meditation, ways that profoundly affect millions of lives all over the world, are emerging from its move to these more strictly secular settings. To understand these changes and their effects, the essays in this volume explore the unaddressed complexities in the interrelations between Buddhist history and thought and the scientific study of meditation. The contributors bring philosophical, cultural, historical, and ethnographic perspectives to bear, considering such issues as the philosophical presumptions of practice, the secularization of meditation, the values and goods assumed in clinical approaches, and the sorts of subjects that take shape under the influence of these transformed and transformative practices-all the more powerful for being so often formulated with the authority of scientific discourse.

Every human soul is divine and valuable. An embodied being's ultimate purpose is the enjoyment of Supreme bliss as a free soul (Mukta, salvation, liberation) in the highest heaven. Enjoyment is also the basis of happiness upon earth. It leads to the spiritual enlightenment for happy, healthy, and peaceful life and environment. The knowledge of self is what leads to the knowledge of God and this knowledge is the road to eternal happiness or bliss. Real happiness cannot be found externally, it must be realized within. The soul of a man is in the hidden structure of God. He is inside all of us. All life comes from God. The causes of unhappiness are our ego, our prejudice, our desire, and our impropriety. There must not be any lust and hatred, neither longing for one thing, nor any loathing the opposite. The world is spiraling toward conflict, belligerence, and disharmony and is now going through an unprecedented spiritual crisis, class confrontation, calamity, and nuclear and terrorists' threats. The rise of drug use, the rise of broken families, the rise of the number of single parents, the rise of school and public space mass shootings, the rise of suicides and depression, the rise of sexual scandals among priests and media, rise of overuse of iPad and smartphones by young kids are all threatening our home, society, schools, and the environment with vicious violence, menacing insecurity, wild protests, and rampant immorality.

'This is a book that should be on every meditator's bookshelf' - Dr Jim Lockard An accessible, insightful, user-friendly guide to meditation, perfect for anyone who wants to enjoy sustained and meaningful meditation practice Meditation is an ancient practice that has brought peace and clarity to people from every time, culture and place. Its benefits - a sense of calm, greater knowledge of self, better health - are as appealing to the modern world as they were to the ancient. In this beginner's guide to meditation, author Patrick Harbula provides readers with everything they need to know in order to experience deep meditation. Readers will learn: - The history of meditation, both Eastern and Western - The benefits of meditation for the mind, body, and spirit - Different forms of meditation practice - Supportive practices to enhance the benefits of meditation in daily living. - Simple ways to begin meditation immediately, and more . . . In addition, readers will also find simple techniques to deepen the meditation path for more experienced meditators. Meditation demystifies the often times intimidating world of meditation, providing the perfect starting point for anyone looking to cultivate a sense of peace in their life.

A pocket-sized book of thoughtful quotes curated to help you take a step back, relax your mind, and recharge your psyche. "The most valuable thing we can do for the psyche is to let it rest, wander, live in the changing light..." --Mary Sarton In today's high-speed world of overstimulation and overachievement, our personal batteries have never felt more drained. In an age that requires immediacy and productivity in a minute's notice, how can we step away from the constant demands of our lives and allow ourselves to simply rest? Recharge mini book aims to reduce our everyday stress and encourages us to mindfully relax into the present moment with poignant words from writers, thinkers, and seekers that guide us toward making meaningful changes in our lives to optimize our energy, self-care, and mental health. 150 QUOTES: Open to any page for inspiration from writers and thinkers including Oprah Winfrey, Maya Angelou, Deepak Chopra, Thich Nh't H?nh, and Sharon Salzberg POCKET SIZE: This compact mini book fits easily in a pocket or purse for easy access to wisdom and inspiration whenever it's needed CREATE COMFORT AND CALM: Each quote is an invitation for self-reflection that can help us move toward clarity, presence, and a mindful being BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED: Lovely hand-drawn illustrations add a layer of beauty and joy to each quote COMPLETE THE SERIES COLLECTION: Deepen your mindfulness practice with Recharge: A Day and Night Reflection Journal

Start living with more confidence, composure, and peace every day with these 150 easy guided meditations to shut down stress, worry, and anxiety. Stress and anxiety can weigh heavily on our minds. Practicing mindfulness and meditation can help you understand your stress, release your fears and tension, and shift your thoughts and emotions into a more grounded and peaceful pattern. In My Pocket Meditations for Anxiety, you will learn to manage your stress levels by cultivating mindfulness through 150 guided meditations. Now you can find your calm, control your thoughts, manage your fears, and release your worries-no matter where you are!

The pandemic exposed pervasive societal fractures that have long been destabilizing our educational system. These imbalances and injustices that have compromised teachers, children, families, and communities have been enabled for decades. This watershed moment in our human story requires us to respond to these inhumane conditions with unprecedented commitment and action. At the heart of this book are questions and talking points that will spur us to reimagine schools as healthy, safe, sustainable, vibrant places.

As the foremost researcher in the area of correlating mindset with a variety of organizational learning factors, having performed a survey validation study of the Mindset Works, Inc. What's My School Mindset? Survey and the Project for Educational Research That Scales (PERTS) academic mindset survey, the author has discovered links between the philosophical positions one holds and the theory of mind that describes what makes humans different from animals. This book proposes that the ability to recognize and respond to the differences between what we "see" and others "see" is the key reason for individuals, groups, and organizations to succeed or to fail. How we perceive differences and respond to them changes the way our brain develops and how our systems are designed. This book provides strategies for supporting continuous development and growth in individuals, in group dynamics, and in system/organizational development using the most current understanding and propositions of theories of mind. Our theories of physics are expanding through Newtonian, Classical, on to Quantum. Our technologies are expanding from simple tools, to industrialization, to digital information systems, and on to holographic imagery and virtual realities. Biological understandings have grown from magical beliefs about life, through static views of fixed DNA, to cloning, and the potential to regenerate organs and extend life. Our world is in need of an update on the social transformations occurring in human understanding that apply to addressing key issues of our day. This book revisits the concepts discussed in mindset theory and reframes it with a larger, more inclusive potential for understanding our world that empowers our ability for personal choice to improve our lives.

The Chakra Experience is a complete chakra workshop in one book. Interactive and practical, the step-by-step learning programme will guide you towards greater understanding and wisdom. - Exercises help you to tailor the book to your own specific needs - Journaling sections allow you to write your experiences directly into the book - Includes revision work and more advanced exercises With practical downloadable digital tracks featuring meditations and inspirational music to bring you into a receptive state for deeper work.

"I wrote these articles over a period of 12 months. Part of the motivation for writing them was that I found the act of writing helpful for my own spiritual life. Of course, writing and reading about what you should be doing is the easy part, actually living them and putting them into practise is the real test. Many of the quotes in this book are from my spiritual teacher, Sri Chinmoy.As a student of Sri Chinmoy I have learnt a great deal about meditation and how to live a more peaceful life. Included are also a few stories by Sri Chinmoy on the theme of self-improvement, from his wonderful book, "The Mind-Jungles and The Heart-Gardens of Life." I hope you get some inspiration from this book and it might help you to make some practical changes which help make life less stressful and more peaceful. It certainly is possible."