Meditation and Spiritual Life

Senior monks of the Ramakrishna Order discuss various aspects of the practice of meditation in the Vedanta tradition.  Chapters in this book are: Before You Sit in Meditation  by Swami Ashokananda; The Yoga of Concentration by Swami Ghanananda; Lessons in Meditation by Swami Gnaneswarananda; The Science of Mantra or The Sacred Word by Swami Ghanananda; Meditation in Monism by Swami Ghanananda.  Appendix: About the Guru by Swami Yogeshananda; and a guided Meditation compiled by Swami Ghanananda for use in leading group meditation.

Nearly all of the material appeared earlier in print, either in Vedanta for East and West published by the London Center or Voice of India published by Vedanta Society N California.

A practical guide to techniques of controlling the mind with special emphasis on meditation.  The author has mainly relied on Patanjali's monumental word, the Yoga-Sutras.

Chapters in the book are: Why We Should Meditate;  Teacher and Student Relationship;  Steps to Yoga; Yama;  Niyama;  Asana;  Pranayama;  Pratyahara;  Dhahrana;  Dhyana;  Obstacles to Meditation;  Hazards in Meditation;  Kundalini Power and the Six Chakras;  The Sankhya Theory of Creation;  Samadhi;  What Happens After Samadhi;  Japa;  Judging Our Own Spiritual Progress;  and Stress Relief.

Inspiring meditations, translations of Sanskrit hymns and prayers, methods of meditation, showing how they lead to realization of the Supreme goal.

Teachings on meditation, its philosophy and practice, extracted from Swami Vivekananda's Complete Works.  The book has been divided into two sections: "Meditation according to Yoga" and "Meditation according to Vedanta."  The first reflects the practical and mystical approach to meditation.  The second is the philosophical and more transcendental approach. Both paths direct aspirant toward the same goal.  A reference to the volume and page number of the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda is given for each selection.  Compiled and edited by Swami Chetanananda.

A collection of selected essays dealing with different aspects of meditation and life devoted to meditative practices.  The articles have previously been published in Prabuddha Bharata, a journal of the Ramakrishna Order, and some of the articles were originally talks delivered to audiences in the West.

Contents:  Meditation: Its Methods and Utility by Swami Pavitrananda,  The Mood for Meditation by Swami Adiswarananda, Meditation and Spiritual Practice by Swami Yatiswarananda,  Pilgrimage to the Hours of Meditation by Swami Budhananda,  Meditation by Swami Prabhavananda, Spiritual life: Its Conditions and Pitfalls by Swami Shraddhananda, How to Deal with our Minds by Swami Pavitrananda, Science of Meditation by Swami Jnaneswarananda.

A collection of essays on spiritual disciplines according to the exponents of various Indian philosophical schools along with articles on specific spiritual practices, like meditation, papa, prayer, etc.  Most of these articles were published in various journals over the years.

Contents:

Types of Meditation;  Japa or Repetition of Holy Words;  Japa in Different Traditions;  The Divine Name;  Prayer;  Ritual;  Image-worship;  Self-effort in Spiritual Life;  Self-negation or Self-expansion?  Nine Means of Devotion;  The Holy Mother and Simple Faith;  Spiritual Discipline and Shankara;  Spiritual Discipline and Ramanuja;  Spiritual Discipline and Madhva;  Spiritual Discipline and Nimbarka;  Spiritual Discipline and Vallabha;  Spiritual Discipline and Chaitanya;  Spiritual Discipline and Shrikantha; and In the Scriptures.

A remarkably comprehensive manual of spiritual life with special emphasis on the practice of meditation. Chapters include valuable guidance regarding preliminary preparations, techniques of meditation, obstacles to be overcome, and the nature of genuine spiritual experience.

The book is structured as follows:
Spiritual Ideal: The Spiritual Quest,  The Ideal of Superconscious Experience, The Soul and Its destiny,  Different  Conceptions About God,  Worldly Duties and Spiritual Life, Conditions of Spiritual Life.

Spiritual Practice: Preparations: Walking on the Razor's Edge, The Guru and the Spiritual Guidance,  Association with the Wise, Renunciation and Detachment, Purity of Mind - A Fundamental Need in Spiritual Life, The Problem of Sex in Spiritual Life,  Practice of Brahacharya or Continence,  Strength,  Integration of Personality and Inner Poise,  Love of God,  Self-Surrender.  Techniques:  The Path of Yoga-Vedanta Synthesis, Essentials of Meditative Life, Concentration and Meditation,  Some Practical Hints on Meditative Life, Place of Prayer in Spiritual Life, Mystic Worship, The Power of the Divine Name,  Formless Meditation, Practice of the Presence of God.

Spiritual Experience: From the Unreal to the Real, Spiritual Transformation, Reactions to Sadhana, Reality of Spiritual Experience,  Spiritual Unfoldment, The Attainment of Real Freedom in this Life,  Life in Freedom,  Footprints on the Sands of Time.  

Raja Yoga Lectures by Swami Sarvagatananda 1977 - 1981. What distinguishes this book from others on the same subject is its extremely exhaustive treatment of each aphorism and its intensely practical approach.

Most of the chapters in this book are lectures given by Swami Satprakashananda in the late 1950s and 1960s at the Vedanta Center in St. Louis.  The chapters are as follows:  Mind, According to Vedanta;   How to Purify the Mind;  The Mind and the Soul;  The Mind and its Ways;  The Mind and the Senses;  The Mind and its Control;  Waking, Dreaming and Deep Sleep;  Samadhi or Superconscious Experience;  Meditation: Its Purpose and Practice;  Psychiatry and Vedanta.

A classic introduction to Buddhistic meditations and one of the influential books in the burgeoning field of mindfulness.

Contents: Meditation: Why Bother?  What Meditation Isn't;  What Meditation Is;  Attitude;  The Practice;  What to Do with Your Body;  What to Do with Your Mind;  Structuring Your Meditation;  Set-up Exercises;  Dealing with Problems;  Dealing with Distractions - I;  Dealing with Distractions - II;  Mindfulness ('Sati');  Mindfulness versus Concentration;  Meditation in Everyday Life;  What's in it for You.