THE MEDITATION BOOK

Table of contents and excerpts

Chapter 1 INNER PEACE AND JOY

The benefits of meditation

• Why do we meditate?
• What can be gained from meditation?
• Can meditation improve our creativity?
• Can meditation increase a person’s I.Q.?

Excerpts Chapter 1 »

Chapter 2 THE ULTIMATE AIM OF MEDITATION

Oneness with God

• God-realisation: becoming one with infinite Peace, Light and Bliss.
• The experience of God.
• What is enlightenment?
• What is Nirvana?

Excerpts Chapter 2 »

Chapter 3 BREATHING AND RELAXATION

First steps on the path of meditation

• Proper breathing: essential to good concentration and deep meditation.
• Exercises: The most effective spiritual method of breathing.
• Finding peace when stressed.
• Pranayama: simple breathing exercises.

Excerpts Chapter 3 »

Chapter 4 CONCENTRATION

Paving the way for meditation

• Finding your object for concentration.
• Concentrating from the heart centre.
• Various concentration techniques.

Excerpts Chapter 4 »

Chapter 5 MEDITATION

How do I start?

• How do you find the best meditation technique for yourself?
• Preparing to meditate.
• Open or closed eyes in meditation?
• Creating a place to meditate.
• Meditation exercises for beginners.

Excerpts Chapter 5 »

Chapter 6 MEDITATING ON THE SPIRITUAL HEART

Illumination from the soul

• Why meditate on the spiritual heart?
• The heart chakra: the seat of the soul.
• Exercises: Meditating on the heart.
• Pitfalls.

Excerpts Chapter 6 »

Chapter 7 SILENCING THE MIND

The root of all spiritual progress

• Quieting the wandering mind.
• The transformation of the mind
• Positive thoughts and creative ideas during meditation.
• Exercises: Practical ways to silence the mind.

Excerpts Chapter 7 »

Chapter 8 THE HOUR OF MEDITATION

Daily food for the soul

• When is the best hour for meditation?
• How long and how often should I meditate?
• The role of regularity and punctuality.
• Overcoming sleepiness before meditation.

Excerpts chapter 8 »

Chapter 9 ASSIMILATION – RETAINING THE EXPERIENCE OF MEDITATION

Charging your inner battery

• Keeping your joy and peace after meditation.
• Methods to assimilate what you have received.

Excerpts Chapter 9 »

Chapter 10 DIET AND LIFESTYLE

Removing obstacles in the spiritual life

• Is a vegetarian diet helpful for meditation?
• Fasting and losing weight – support for the soul?
• The benefits of physical fitness.
• In which case and how to combine yoga exercises and meditation?

Excerpts Chapter 10 »

Chapter 11 MANTRA AND JAPA

Dynamic power in the form of a vibrant sound

• Chanting mantras to purify our being and still the mind.
• Choosing the most beneficial mantra for your practice.
• Why is spiritual purity so important?
• Doing Japa in the right way.
• The significance of AUM.

Excerpts Chapter 11 »

Chapter 12 SOULFUL MUSIC

Elevating your consciousness

• Is it beneficial to play spiritual music during meditation?
• Singing and meditation.
• The impact of vital and soulful music.
• Which songs to select for attaining God-realisation?

Excerpts Chapter 12 »

Chapter 13 INCREASING RECEPTIVITY

How can I always meditate well?

• Exercises to increase receptivity for peace and delight.
• Gratitude: the key to progress.
• How to maintain a positive consciousness consistently?

Excerpts Chapter 13 »

Chapter 14 PRAYER AND MEDITATION

Talking and listening to God

• The difference between prayer and meditation.
• The best ways to pray.
• Let Thy Will be done.

Excerpts Chapter 14 »

Chapter 15 LISTENING TO THE INNER VOICE

Knowing God’s Will through meditation

• Answering your own questions through your daily meditation.
• How do you know if something is God’s Will?
• True peace of mind through the acceptance of God’s Will.
• The difference between the voice of the mind and the inner voice.

Excerpts Chapter 15 »

Chapter 16 SERVING HUMANITY

Meditation in action

• How prayer and meditation serve the world.
• The proper attitude while serving.
• Inner peace and outer peace.
• What is Karma Yoga?

Excerpts Chapter 16 »

Chapter 17 DIVINE LOVE

How to love oneself and others

• How to develop divine love for oneself and for humanity?
• Loving with wisdom.
• Love for people with bad qualities.

Excerpts Chapter 17 »

Chapter 18 UNDERSTANDING SUFFERING

Can meditation heal our human sufferings?

• Is meditation able to cure physical ailments?
• What causes suffering?
• Ordinary healers and healing done by a God-realised soul.
• What is karma?
• The best way to get rid of bad karma.

Excerpts Chapter 18 »

Chapter 19 CONQUERING NEGATIVE EMOTIONS AND THOUGHTS

Cultivating peace of mind and joy

• How to conquer fear, depression, anger, jealousy, insecurity, doubt and pride?
• The cause of fear and depression.
• The power of humility.
• Exercises to conquer bad feelings and thoughts.

Excerpts Chapter 19 »

Chapter 20 SOLVING PRACTICAL PROBLEMS WITH MEDITATION

Daily benefits of meditation

• The best cure for human frustration.
• Protect yourself with inner peace.
• Dealing with people in a bad mood.
• How to break bad habits.
• The soul’s will-power.

Excerpts Chapter 20 »

Chapter 21 PERSEVERANCE AND PATIENCE

Failures are the pillars of success

• Overcoming difficulties while practising meditation.
• Dealing with ups and downs.
• Methods to escape from dry periods.

Excerpts Chapter 21 »

Chapter 22 COLLECTIVE MEDITATION

Is it good to meditate with others?

• Group meditation: mutual inspiration and help.
• How to receive the maximum benefit during collective meditation in a group?
• Whom should I choose to meditate with?

Excerpts Chapter 22 »

Chapter 23 INNER EXPERIENCES

The fruits of meditation

• Am I meditating well?
• Inspiration from inner experiences.
• Inner light: the significance of colours.
• Seeing the future.
• How to receive increasingly higher inner experiences.

Excerpts Chapter 23 »

Chapter 24 DEVELOPING INTUITION

Guidance from within

• The easiest and safest way to develop one’s intuition.
• Different levels of intuition.
• The relation between the heart centre and intuition.

Excerpts Chapter 24 »

Chapter 25 SAMADHI

Exalted states of consciousness

• What is samadhi?
• The three stages of samadhi: savikalpa samadhi, nirvikalpa samadhi and sahaja samadhi.
• Nirvana: an escape from the world?

Excerpts Chapter 25 »

Chapter 26 THE SPIRITUAL MASTER

Your private tutor

• What is a Guru?
• Reaching the Goal the fastest way.
• How can one recognise a true spiritual Master?
• Choosing your Master.

Excerpts Chapter 26 »

Chapter 27 MEDITATING ON SRI CHINMOY’S PATH

The path of the heart

• Sri Chinmoy’s support.
• Inner guidance.
• Help to find your best form of meditation.
• Meditating and concentrating on Sri Chinmoy’s picture.
• Love, devotion and surrender.

Excerpts Chapter 27 »