The Best Meditation Books for Beginners

"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few." So begins this most beloved of all American Zen books. Seldom has such a small handful of words provided a teaching as rich as has this famous opening line of Shunryu Suzuki's classic. In a single stroke, the simple sentence cuts through the pervasive tendency students have of getting so close to Zen as to completely miss what it's all about. An instant teaching on the first page. And that's just the beginning.

In the thirty years since its original publication, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind has become one of the great modern Zen classics, much beloved, much re-read, and much recommended as the best first book to read on Zen. Suzuki Roshi presents the basics—from the details of posture and breathing in zazen to the perception of nonduality—in a way that is not only remarkably clear, but that also resonates with the joy of insight from the first to the last page. It's a book to come back to time and time again as an inspiration to practice.

Stressed Out in These Uncertain Times? You Can Adapt. Here’s How.“An insightful and demystifying look at mindfulness practice.” —Kirkus Reviews. 2021 INDIES Gold Winner Body, Mind & Spirit. Breathe in and out through the stressors of life with this accessible meditation guide. Learn the life-changing benefits of mindfulness to navigate these uncertain times. Training exercises that work.

Practical Mindfulness approaches mindfulness and meditation from a hands-on, how-to, irreverent perspective–appealing to all readers curious about meditation, and health care and education professionals looking to learn and teach the fundamentals of meditation to their patients and students. Applying Dr. Sazima’s training routines, we can all learn better coping methods and less burnout, in the midst of all that is happening. An accessible approach to finding “home.” We all search for that safe, comfortable feeling of peace of mind–our inner “home.” When we face challenges–from a tough day at work to a life-threatening health problem–we can realize with blinding clarity there is no sustainable outside solution. Without a more developed interior awareness, we can suffer stress, anxiety, and depression. This guide is the solution to reclaiming your peaceful place in every moment. Meditation training from an expert. Dr. Sazima is a board-certified psychiatrist, an educator of family doctors-in-training at Stanford’s Family Medicine Residency, and an experienced meditator and meditation teacher. He is also a survivor of a rare bone cancer who has used the powerful practice of meditation to navigate his own medical crisis. Now, he is on a “pay it forward” mission to show us why and how meditation works, in an accessible and entertaining way. We can adapt – Practical Mindfulness shows us how. Readers of books such Think Like A Monk, Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, or 10% Happier will love Practical Mindfulness.

Unlock the benefits of a mindfulness practice with simple exercises and meditations. Mindfulness can help us stay present and cultivate greater positivity, compassion, gratitude, and calm. Begin your own mindfulness practice with help from the Mindfulness Workbook for Beginners, filled with specific guidance, step-by-step meditations, and easy activities for newcomers. Explore topics like focusing on the present moment, setting intentions, and spending time with your thoughts and feelings.

Then, dive deeper by learning how to practice gratitude, create space for joy, embrace your emotions, and feel compassion and empathy toward yourself and others. This book about mindfulness for beginners includes:. An intro to mindfulness―Find essential info about what mindfulness is (and isn't), its origins, its benefits, and more.Guidance for getting started―Learn the building blocks of a mindfulness practice: attentional breathing, awareness and insight, taking time to slow down, and connecting with your values.A range of exercises―Foster mindfulness with a wide variety of activities, including meditations, writing and drawing prompts, quizzes, body scans, yoga poses, and more.Discover the path to greater peace, positivity, and presence with this practical workbook about mindfulness for beginners.