Books on simple meditation?
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Canada
Posts: 315
Books on simple meditation?
Hi, everyone. I am plagued by anxiety every time I quit drinking and because I've drank for my entire adult life, I have no coping skills to deal with it. Does anyone know of a book on meditation that is simple and commonsensical? I am not interested in spirituality. I just need some exercises to get to sleep, to make it through anxious moments at work, and to use as a quick morning routine. Thank you in advance!
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: pa
Posts: 297
this is a good one - a simple, straightforward read with lots of easy to follow tips and tricks, and not too 'spiritual'
Still the Mind: An Introduction to Meditation: Alan Watts, Mark Watts: 9781577312147: Amazon.com: Books
Still the Mind: An Introduction to Meditation: Alan Watts, Mark Watts: 9781577312147: Amazon.com: Books
Sobriety is Traditional
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Orcas Island, Washington
Posts: 9,066
Not a book, but a CD or DVD--
Practicing Mindfulness: An Introduction to Meditation, by The Great Courses
"24 detailed lectures filled with guided exercises..." Look it up--just the titles of the lectures is educational.
My wife wants this for her birthday. The name of our local agnostic AA meeting is "Mindfulness."
Practicing Mindfulness: An Introduction to Meditation, by The Great Courses
"24 detailed lectures filled with guided exercises..." Look it up--just the titles of the lectures is educational.
My wife wants this for her birthday. The name of our local agnostic AA meeting is "Mindfulness."
Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: California
Posts: 13,040
Since life can often be crazy for me I found a little book called Daily Meditations for Busy Moms I can always manage to squeeze in a few minutes to clear my head. I also find my mind clears during yoga. 
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,452
I learned that we mostly breathe from our mouth in shallow breaths.
I learned that if we can breathe through our nose and out of our mouth that the breath comes from deep in the diaphragm.
I learned to breathe in through nose and out through the mouth, counting one, two, three, four.
In/1, Out/2, In/3, Out/4...slowly. I repeat the word "calm". It works!
Sometimes self talk, like "I'm okay"...it's ok. All is well. It's ok....helps.
I learned that if we can breathe through our nose and out of our mouth that the breath comes from deep in the diaphragm.
I learned to breathe in through nose and out through the mouth, counting one, two, three, four.
In/1, Out/2, In/3, Out/4...slowly. I repeat the word "calm". It works!
Sometimes self talk, like "I'm okay"...it's ok. All is well. It's ok....helps.
Self recovered Self discovered
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Toronto Canada
Posts: 5,148
My introduction to mindfulness was just as Xune described, simply being aware of my breath. The air feels cool as I inhale, and then warmer as I breathe out. Cool and fresh as I breathe in, and warm and soft as I exhale. I can also feel my clothing against my belly move as I breathe, my diaphragm dropping on the inbreath and then relaxing as I exhale.
OK that's easy, but in a breath or two, some noisy thought comes screaming into my brain, either about what I need to get done about tomorrow and my worries about how it is going to turn out, or about what happened yesterday and how I could have done it better. Arrrrrgh!
The practice of meditation is not in keeping your mind on that one thing, the breath, but in returning your mind back to it. Those noisy thoughts get observed as they come in, but I don't get all anxious about them. Just return my focus back to my breath. I accept these worries or nigglers for what they are, just thoughts, then I go back to the breath again.
Here are some audio files about this stuff, guided meditation.
Mindfulness - Meditation Audio Tracks
Kabat-Zinn is a good writer on this, and so is Tolle. Funny thing, I find I have to be mindful to read about mindfulness. Go figger.
Mindfulness is a frequent topic here. Another thread for you to look at about mindfulness is here.http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...covery-me.html
OK that's easy, but in a breath or two, some noisy thought comes screaming into my brain, either about what I need to get done about tomorrow and my worries about how it is going to turn out, or about what happened yesterday and how I could have done it better. Arrrrrgh!
The practice of meditation is not in keeping your mind on that one thing, the breath, but in returning your mind back to it. Those noisy thoughts get observed as they come in, but I don't get all anxious about them. Just return my focus back to my breath. I accept these worries or nigglers for what they are, just thoughts, then I go back to the breath again.
Here are some audio files about this stuff, guided meditation.
Mindfulness - Meditation Audio Tracks
Kabat-Zinn is a good writer on this, and so is Tolle. Funny thing, I find I have to be mindful to read about mindfulness. Go figger.
Mindfulness is a frequent topic here. Another thread for you to look at about mindfulness is here.http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...covery-me.html
Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: New England
Posts: 67
Hi there,
One of my more recent fav's is Dr. Rick Hanson's "Just One Thing". In it, he outlines 52 simple meditations. I've been giving this book out like candy to my friends because I enjoy it so much. Also, google him and subscribe to his newsletter.
One of my more recent fav's is Dr. Rick Hanson's "Just One Thing". In it, he outlines 52 simple meditations. I've been giving this book out like candy to my friends because I enjoy it so much. Also, google him and subscribe to his newsletter.
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