The New Meditation Handbook: Meditations to Make Our Life Happy and Meaningful by Kelsang Gyatso

The New Meditation Handbook: Meditations to Make Our Life Happy and Meaningful Reviews

• 
  Greta

  This book is not your typical meditation handbook. While it does clearly explain the necessity for and various methods of meditation, it also delves into more esoteric aspects of Buddhism. Parts of it read like a sort of biblical Ten Commandments of what you have to do in order to avoid going to hell. Or at least being reborn in the hell realms. I must say, all of the rules, regulations, meditations, contemplations, renunciations and dedications were a bit much. Not that we're looking for an easy way out, but somehow it didn't exactly feel like it was going to make our life happy or meaningful. Maybe it would. In any case, it would make life a lot busier trying to work it all in.
• 
  Margie

  Not a general introduction to meditation, but rather a book of meditations in a specific Buddhist tradition.
• 
  James Tyrrell

  Almost nothing on meditating as such and more a very focused view on a particular branch of very supernatural Buddhist thought. While some of it was interesting and I'm sure it meant well, ultimately it was a book that promised happiness while threatening a hellish existence for those who didn't follow it's philosophy.
• 
  Nick Duretta

  These are some basic Buddhist meditations, but it's not a book for someone new to Buddhist teachings. While much of this made sense to me, some of the concepts required deeper understanding.
• 
  Jamie George-holland

  Best book on Buddhism for starting and sustaining a daily mediation practice. The bulk of the book is a set of 21 meditations, each meditation being the essential points of a major aspect of Buddhist meditation (such as meditation on death, compassion, love, boddhichitta, emptiness ect... ). You would take one meditation each day, do the next meditation the next day, and after 21 days start over. Each meditation is both self contained, but also feeds upon the previous meditations. So each round of meditations gets you deeper into the meaning and experience of the 21 meditation presented in this book.
• 
  Kristen

  I loved reading this book. It was a different perspective than I had expected but it was interesting to think in that way. I have a pretty good understanding now of what meditation is, how to meditate, and how analytical and placement meditation can be used to relax and better someones life by reflecting on the values that mean the most.
• 
  Alejandra Garcia

  Sobre el libro: EL Nuevo manual de meditación es una guía práctica para la meditación que nos enseña a ser felices y a hacer felices a los demás cultivando la paz interior, llenando así nuestra vida de significado. Sin paz interior no hay verdadera felicidad. Los problemas, el sufrimiento y la infelicidad no existen fuera de la mente, sino que son sensaciones, por lo que forman parte de ella. Por tanto, la única manera de solucionar nuestros problemas de manera permanente, ser verdaderamente felices y hacer felices a los demás es controlando nuestra mente. Las veintiuna prácticas de meditación budista que se presentan en este libro son verdaderos métodos para controlar la mente y disfrutar de paz interior duradera. Esta guía sumamente práctica es un manual indispensable para aquel que busca la felicidad y dar sentido a su vida.
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  Es un libro que puede cambiar completamente nuestra vida y manera de ver las cosas, y es capaz, casi con cada palabra, de atraer hacia el camino que propone. La perspectiva del amor que me brindó, es totalmente una inspiración, y encontré una manera de hacer que mis meditaciones sean más productivas y me hagan conectar más conmigo misma. Definitivamente me siento más cerca de encontrarme, porque he logrado entender y despertar más cosas a través de las palabras de este texto, y si hay alguien en el mismo proceso, el de encontrarse y que quiera hacerlo de una manera casi espiritual, debo decir que tiene el primer libro.
  Por otra parte, quiero destacar que la visión que da del budismo es un buen abre bocas, y ha logrado, definitivamente que me sienta más atraída al mismo.
  Maneja un lenguaje de fácil comprensión y engancha con pequeñas historias.
  El libro acerca a un crecimiento espiritual verdadero.
• 
  Justin Mulvaney

  The New meditation handbook is an overview of 21 meditations meanr to dive deeper into buddhist principles. I picked this up as a primarily secular read, looking for a series of meditations to cultivate more mindfulness and compassion.
  
  Things that are good about the book: Introduces an overview of the different types of meditation (contemplative vs. awareness) and provides examples for all, adding a lot of depth to meditation beyond the now common breath-awareness. For someone looking to spark some life into a meditation practice, I strongly recommend it.
  
  The cons: Lots of modern buddhist mysticism in this, sometimes hard to work around. This bothered me for a couple of reasons: 1. Buddhism was founded free of mysticism (maybe I'm just a buddhism hipster) and the fact that some camps of modern buddhism are preaching mystic beliefs that are 2) just plan old bizzare (The "realm of hungry ghosts"). I skipped a number of meditations that I couldn't adapt to a secular viewpoint.
  
  All in all I recommend for any meditators looking to add a new layer to their practice, but bring a fair warning that some ares will be strange and/or unusable if you approach meditation from a secular standpoint.
• 
  Aggie Chu

  Good
  
  It's good for a meditation guidelines. I think everyone should start somewhere like here. But this book may not work for everyone. People just have to be open mind and see if this book is calling for them.
• 
  Patrick

  This is a very well structured guide to meditation from the stance of Tibetan Buddhism. Some of the later meditations are very challenging and it is certainly a book that requires reflection and continued study.
• 
  Linseedling

  I've been reading a lot of books on Buddhism and I wasn't a fan of this one. Some points at which I almost stopped reading:
  1) People who are ugly have bad karma
  2) Animals are stupid
  3) If you swat a mosquito you suffer horrible torment in hell
  
  
• 
  Ron

  I continue to use this in my daily practice.
• 
  Randi Taylor-Habib

  This is one you never put down, brief guides to 21 daily meditations which are the stages of the path in Lamrim the path as outlined by Atisha and Je Tsongkhapa, using 1-2 page prompts for meditation on compassion, bodhichitta, emptiness, tranquil abiding, and love.
• 
  Destiny

  It really is a handbook to be used regularly. I haven't technically read it all, but I skimmed through a lot of the meditations. Gyatso has a solid approach to regularly attending to your meditations and moving upward in them. Definitely a reference I will continue to use.
• 
  Estefany Pinzon

  beautiful and very simple to follow, the author gives very simple instructions with clear examples of the techniques and filosophy around meditation, I been following the teachings and I'm starting to see the benefits.
• 
  Michael

  I'm not sure if I am or will ever become a Buddhist, but this is an excellent read on meditation. It provides practical advice and interesting guidance for learning to meditate. More important though, is that it helps one to put "things" in perspective and learn to remove unneeded stress.
• 
  Victoria

  I am re-reading this book - dipping into it and picking bits out. Some good calming techniques and interesting instructions to meditate on.
• 
  Carolyn

  A great introduction to Kadampa Buddhist meditation.
• 
  Jeannine Elliott

  Love it! I use it everyday and after 21 days I start all over.
• 
  Steven Spector

  Very readable and gentle. Open your mind, take plenty of deep breaths, close your eyes...and enjoy.