A Beginner’s Guide To Meditation edited by Rod Meade Sperry

A Beginner’s Guide To Meditation: Practical Advice and Inspiration from Contemporary Buddhist Teachers edited by Rod Meade Sperry and the Editors of the Shambhala Sun is a good collection of essays on meditation and Buddhism. It is not quite what I expected from a book titled “A Beginner’s Guide To Meditation” but a book I enjoyed and learned from nonetheless.

The book contains nearly forty different essays of different lengths. They range from two pages long to ten to fifteen pages for some of the longer ones. These were written by a wide range of experts, some such as Thich Nhat Hanh, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Jack Kornfield, and the Fourteenth Dalai Lama being more recognizable than others. I found all of the essays interesting, but some more than others. The writing style varied as well, with some essays more “beginner” level than others.

For the person looking for a beginner’s “how to” meditate book, this collection of essays wouldn’t fit the bill. While some of the selections offer some tips and suggestions on meditation practice, it’s not s simple beginners “how to” book. This is more of a supplemental text of essays to support a meditation practice.

When you look at it as such, a support to your meditation practice, it is a very good book. Very good that is if you have or want a Buddhist perspective to your meditation. Obviously, meditation can be done by non-Buddhists, and if you fall in this category, you might not want a book focusing on Buddhist concepts and philosophies.

As someone who does study Buddhist and Taoist philosophies with my martial art, meditation, and Asian studies and practice, I really enjoyed many of the essays. Some more than others, but I gained something from each and every one of them. I liked the variety of topics and voices, and while some were heavy on philosophy, there were many practical tips to incorporate into your meditation practice, and also a healthy does of motivation to either get you started on your mediation path, or to continue if you have already started. While this wouldn’t be the first book I’d recommend to someone wanting to learn mediation, it is a good book to include with your studies and it definitely contained information to help me with mine.

If you are wondering what Buddhist meditation is all about, this is a good book to give an overview of various concepts, philosophies and practices. If you are already meditating and want a supplemental text to enhance your education and practice, this is a great addition to your meditation resources. If you fall into one of these camps, I’d recommend you read this guide to meditation.

Check out A Beginner’s Guide To Meditation on amazon: