Rating: 
Summary: Book and Reference Guide
Review: I checked this book out at the library and enjoyed it so much that I had to buy it for reference. It's packed with good information on all aspects of meditation, including myths, history, a wide variety of practicies and excercises for the beginner as well as the more experienced meditator. I recommend it especially for the beginner.
Rating: 
Summary: Okay, I guess...
Review: I'm not sure why I bought this book. After making my way through it, I've come to the conclusion that meditating is as simple as this: sit or lie comfortable, maybe with a candle lit, and empty your mind. That's it! "How?" you may whine, like I did, before I read it.. Well, you just.. breathe. And there are techniques to breathing in the book. There is also the yoga Sun Salute pose, and some odds and ends about brainwaves and suchlike. Overall, a very informational book, but it won't get you out there "Om"-ing unless you (deep down) really want to. It's a nice read, though, and the only one I've read on the subject. Like they say in Program, "It works if you work it"...
Rating:
Summary: Concentrate - Then buy this easy to read, excellent book!
Review: Is your life out of control? Are you stressed to the limit with family, job and social obligations? If your answer is yes... see a therapist immediately! For the rest of us who want to improve upon and take a break from, the everyday hassles of life, THIS IS OUR BOOK! No mumble, jumble, new age pie in the sky theories here, just a down-to-earth book introducing us to the ages old practice of meditation. History, terminology and easy to follow, step by step meditation techniques are explained in simple terms. You'll also be impressed with all the positive medical benefits associated with meditation. So, after thinking long and hard, if you want to improve the quality of your life, or want to get a taste of, or history of, meditation, you can't go wrong with this great book!
Rating:
Summary: Very complete
Review: It is fun, it is complete and it approaches the broad subject of meditation from many many angles. As such it is a very complete overview on the subject. Next step would be a true 'practitioners guide' and this book will certainly get you to that next step since it does provide a good path to finding out your personal preference. Good basic book.
Rating: 
Summary: Yours in peace
Review: Meditation spans cultures and traditions. Co-author Eve Adamson and I, welcome you into this healing journey of meditation. We explore meditation history, specific and various meditation techniques, and numerous health benefits. As we embark on this meditation journey together, we guide you into specific paths to uncovering deeper levels of consciousness. We encourage you to join us on this transformational journey leading to better health, contentment, and self-realization.
Rating:
Summary: Well written meditation book!
Review: No matter what your religious beliefs, anyone can practice meditation and benefit from it!As a Buddhist I found this to be an excellent book for anyone getting started on the path. Without the help of a teacher you can easily learn the basics needed and in a very fun and enjoyable way. All the Complete Idiot's guides have fun real life situations as well as definitions of terms as you read throughout the manual. The book covers various types of meditation techniques as well as things that really don't have anything to do with meditation but are a welcome addition to the book such as planning a trip to various holy places (of many different faiths) as well as what to pack!!! It's a great book and I learned something new for it! Although not designed for someone who already knows how to meditate, it would make a perfect gift for someone who is new to it (with or without a teacher).
Rating:
Summary: Well written meditation book!
Review: No matter what your religious beliefs, anyone can practice meditation and benefit from it! As a Buddhist I found this to be an excellent book for anyone getting started on the path. Without the help of a teacher you can easily learn the basics needed and in a very fun and enjoyable way. All the Complete Idiot's guides have fun real life situations as well as definitions of terms as you read throughout the manual. The book covers various types of meditation techniques as well as things that really don't have anything to do with meditation but are a welcome addition to the book such as planning a trip to various holy places (of many different faiths) as well as what to pack!!! It's a great book and I learned something new for it! Although not designed for someone who already knows how to meditate, it would make a perfect gift for someone who is new to it (with or without a teacher).
Rating:
Summary: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Meditation
Review: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Meditation, by Joan Budilovsky and Eve Adamson, will answer every question you have about meditation, as well as help you find the kind of meditation that is right for you. Budilovsky and Adamson have teamed up before with books on yoga and massage, as well as writing independently about holistic health. They write that "meditation can teach you to live in the now, to know yourself--body, mind, and soul--better, and to find the life you need." They first explain how meditation reduces stress and helps in healing, then discuss how "meditation will lead you to a consideration of life's bigger questions. . ." before getting into the actual techniques for successful meditation. They emphasize throughout the book that meditation does not conflict with any religious or spiritual beliefs. Instructions start with how to prepare your mind and body for meditation, then explain the different seated, walking, and moving meditations. The authors discuss how to use mantras, mandalas, and visualization techniques to enhance meditation. They also review the basics of yoga, T'ai Chi, and QiGong as relaxation techniques. Readers are taught how to adapt religious traditions to "create your own profound meditative exercises." They also learn how to perform "body scans" to determine what their bodies are telling them about their physical health. Definitions of unfamiliar terms are included with the text, making it easy to understand the information presented. "Mindful Minutes," meditation trivia and anecdotes, are scattered throughout the book. Budilovsky and Adamson say that with a "few simple techniques, you can harness the awesome power of your own mind-body." In The Complete Idiot's Guide to Meditation, they show you exactly what those techniques are and how to apply them in your own life.
Rating: 
Summary: I'm soory that I spend my money on it.
Review: There are many books on meditation, and I bought this one and Meditation by Sri Chinmoy. Main reason was that all the reviews were excelent. But Chinmoy's book is superior in every aspect. This book is more a dicitonary on meditation than useful manual.
Rating: 
Summary: Too much extraneous clutter for this beginner
Review: There's something paradoxical about the idea of an "Idiot's Guide to Meditation." Describing the outward forms of meditation is easy but describing the subjective experience is harder, as is actually doing the meditating. There's real discipline involved in developing mental focus through meditation. Somehow, with all the jumping around from one topic to another in this book, that seemed to get lost in the mix. Myabe that's where my problems with this book come from. There is so much information given about so many different methods that the basics get buried. The authors throw in various traditions, terminologies, positions, theories, and a few women's magazine quizzes were thrown in, not to mention frequent "Bliss Bytes" and "From A to Om." The book seemed scattered and a little too New Agey for my tastes. Personally, I found Lawrence LeShan's classic "How to Meditate" to be better grounded, more instructive, and a more helpful guide for this idiot.
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