Meditation Made Simple, the latest special publication from Lion’s Roar, delivers inspiration and easy-to-follow guidance from the experts, including Sharon Salzberg, Jack Kornfield, Lama Rod Owens, Pema Chödrön, and more. From the very basics of breath and posture to how to do several styles of meditation, you’ll learn all you need to know to develop your meditation habit—and make it stick. It’s a perfect guidebook for people learning to meditate, or for those who want some helpful support and inspiration.
Your meditation practice starts—or, restarts—now!
Meditation Made Simple
1 The Basics
Your Meditation Foundation • Just follow along and you’ll be doing basic breath meditation, also known as “calm abiding,” shamatha, or mindfulness meditation, the foundation of Buddhist meditation practice across traditions.
What Meditation Is—and Isn’t • Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard busts the myths and explains why beginning to meditate is like embarking on a great adventure.
How to Start a Home Meditation Practice • Zen teacher Norman Fischer proposes a two-week trial run to get your meditation practice started and looks at how to deal with some of the obstacles you may encounter.
“There are so many different terms for Buddhist meditation, like shamatha, vipassana, zazen, vipashyana, mindfulness, awareness, calm abiding, insight, just sitting, etc. What’s what?”?
“What should I do with my eyes when I meditate?” ?
“And how about my hands? When I see pictures in the press of people meditating, they usually have their palms up with their index fingers and thumbs making a circle. Is this the right hand position for Buddhist meditation?”?
2 Why Do Buddhist Meditation?
How Meditation Helps Clear the Way for Happiness • Sharon Salzberg on letting joy elbow its way in.
6 Ways Meditation Helps • Kira Newman, Jill Suttie, Hooria Jazaieri, and Jeremy Adam Smith of the Greater Good Science Center assess the current state of the evidence—what we do, don’t, and might know.
“What does it mean to call yourself a Buddhist? Are there specific things one has to do or believe?”
“Spiritual But Not Religious?” 10 Reasons Why Buddhism Can Work for You, Too • However you define your personal path, you can find a lot in Buddhism to help you on your way, and you’re free to take what you wish. Lion’s Roar editor-in-chief Melvin McLeod explains.
3 Meditations for Everybody
Insight Meditation Present, Open & Aware • Emily Horn on how to discover the peace and awakening in every moment.
How to Do Shamatha Meditation • Shamatha—also known as mindfulness meditation—is a foundation of Buddhist practice. Lama Rod Owens teaches us a version from the Vajrayana tradition, expanding upon the basic instructions found on page 8.
How to Do Walking Meditation • It’s good to get up from seated meditation and get moving—and it’s a fine way to keep your meditative mind going, too. Leslie Booker shows you how, step by step.
How to Practice Loving-Kindness • JoAnna Hardy on how to do the classic Buddhist practice of metta. First we learn to offer love to ourselves and then expand that offering to others.
How to Practice Zazen • Jules Shuzen Harris teaches the meditation practice at the heart of Zen Buddhism.
How to Practice Tonglen • Pema Chödrön teaches us an ancient Buddhist practice to awaken compassion. With each in-breath, we take in others’ pain. With each outbreath, we send them relief.
4 Frequently Asked Questions
“How long should I meditate for?” ? • Now that you’ve had some tastes of Buddhist meditation, you might be wondering about how to get a regular practice up and running. We’ve got the answers you need.
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