Calm Abiding and Special Insight (Geshe Gedun Lodro)

Full Title: Calm Abiding and Special Insight: Achieving Spiritual Transformation Through Meditation
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(This is a revised edition of the earlier Walking Through Walls). Gedun Lodro’s approach is similar to Jam-yang-shay-ba’s classic Great Exposition of the Concentrations and Formless Absorptions. See also the teachings in Lati Rinbochay’s Meditative States in Tibetan Buddhism. This text presents a methodical path for developing attention and insight. Quite technical and detailed, focus on the spirit of what is being presented. Rather than try to force your experience to conform to these descriptions, use the advice and guidelines to explore your experience in sitting with the breath and letting thoughts, feelings, and emotions resolve themselves.

Aligned, Relaxed, Resilient (Will Johnson)

Full Title: Aligned, Relaxed, Resilient: The Physical Foundations of Mindfulness
Major Topic:
Level:
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Excellent introduction to how to sit and the importance of awareness of body sensations. Most thoughts are reactions to subtle sensations in the body. The thoughts dissipate attention so that we never experience those sensations. Following the instructions in this book, you will learn to sense the body directly, opening up ways to experience the emotional cores of the patterns that pull us out of presence in our lives.

As It Is (Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche)

Full Title: As It Is: Volumes 1 and 2
Major Topic: Using traditional practices and methods to know mind nature directly.
Level: all levels
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Urgyen Tulku, even among Tibetans, had a special gift for leading people into the experience of mind and explaining in simple language how to practice deeply. In these two volumes, he describes traditional vajrayana teachings in terms of mind and mind nature. Read a chapter or a few pages carefully and then do some meditation. Experiment with the methods and find the ones that work for you. (Note: It can be hard to find without the ISBN: for Volume 1 is 9627341355; for Volume 2 it is 9627341398)

Nothing Left Over (Toinette Lippe)

Full Title: Nothing Left Over: A Plain and Simple Life
Major Topic: mindful and simple living
Level: all levels

One woman’s account of how she applies mindfulness and the principles of simplicity and balance in all aspects of life. Read, take what is useful for you.

Mindfulness in Plain English (Bhante Henepola Gunaratana)

Full Title: Mindfulness in Plain English: Updated and Expanded Edition
Major Topic: Mindfulness
Level: all levels

Simple, clear explanation of how to approach meditation and the practice of mindfulness. A good way to clear up misconceptions about mindfulness and meditation and keep your practice on track.

Breath by Breath (Larry Rosenberg)

Full Title: Breath by Breath: The Liberating Practice of Insight Meditation
Major Topic: Using the breath as a basis for mindfulness.
Level: all levels

Contemporary commentary of one of the fundamental sutras of Buddhism–The Full Awareness of Breathing Sutra. This and the Foundations of Mindfulness Sutra are the basic practice texts of both Zen and Theravada Buddhism.. Best to spend some time with each practice as you read it..