Meditation & Its Practices: A Definitive Guide to Techniques and Traditions of Meditation in Yoga and Vedanta

The complete sourcebook for exploring Hinduism's two most time-honored traditions of meditation.

Meditation is a subject of universal interest, practiced by seekers of all traditions on the quest for serenity, peace, and blessedness. Among the many traditions of meditation in Hinduism, Yoga and Vedanta have passed the test of time, proving as vital today as they were throughout the ages in helping seekers overcome the maladies of life and attain the greatest spiritual fulfillment. In one comprehensive volume, Meditation & Its Practices illuminates the principles of the Yoga and Vedanta meditation traditions, the meaning of meditation, its goal of Self-Knowledge, the methods by which concentration is developed and the ways of achieving self-control. Defining key concepts in clear terms, this complete guidebook covers every aspect of this ancient spiritual practice, including:

• Goals and Benefits of Meditation
• Objects of Meditation
• Methods of Concentration
• Posture, Physical Condition, Eating Habits and Spiritual Exercises
• Mystical Experiences and Realizations
• Obstacles in Meditation and Ways of Overcoming Them

Drawing on both classic and contemporary sources, this comprehensive sourcebook outlines the scientific, psychological, and spiritual elements of Yoga and Vedanta meditation, the results of which lead not to the seeker's dreams and visions but to the transformation of his or her character.

Swami Adiswarananda (1925–2007), former senior monk of the Ramakrishna Order of India, was Minister and Spiritual Leader of the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York.