Seven Masters, One Path: Meditation Secrets from the World's Greatest Teachers

by John Selby

Seven Masters, One Path brings together the seven primary practices of the world’s most revered spiritual masters—Krishnamurti, Lao-tzu, Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed, Gurdjieff, and Patanjali—in one simple yet complete program. Finally everyone who wants to learn how to meditate, or to deepen their meditation practice, can turn to one comprehensive guidebook that leads readers gently yet surely into experiencing the seven universal dimensions of daily meditation practice.

Seven Masters, One Path guarantees access to deep meditative experience for people seeking relief from emotional and mental stress, and especially for anyone who longs to experience a deeper sense of connection with our spiritual core. No matter how divergent all the theologies, philosophies, rituals, and dogmas of the world’s great meditative traditions might appear, John Selby reveals that the underlying intent of the original masters was remarkably similar—to help people to point their attention toward regular contact with the divine, through opening hearts and souls to direct communion with God by whatever name.

Offering one meditation each from the seven teachers, Seven Masters, One Path emphasizes the commonalities in the diverse traditions, ultimately providing a unique and accessible meditation program that anyone can master.

Genres: Spirituality, Religion, Nonfiction, Meditation, Self Help, Philosophy

236 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 6, 2003

About the author

I was lucky enough to grow up on a cattle ranch in Ojai California, and I still feel deeply grounded in country life. Then at 16 I spent a remarkable exchange-student year living in the bustling city of Durban, South Africa. Ever since, I've felt an integral part of the world community.

Then I went off to Princeton , mostly to satisfy my mother and grandparents. I received a great education, especially in English literature and history - but majored in Psychology, and ended up doing early EEG brain research for NIH studying the cognitive dynamics of meditation and psychedelics. I was my eating club's token cowboy, and fenced on Princeton's varsity team.

Rather than going to Vietnam, an unjust war which I opposed strongly, I went to the San Francisco Theological Seminary and became a Presbyterian minister (my family's faith) and a spiritual therapist. But my driving interest in Buddhist meditation, and my budding friendship with the philosopher Alan Watts, led me away from church work.

Instead I went to L.A. and participated in the American Film Institute's early internship program, studying screenwriting for several years, getting a film agent (Reese Halsey) and working in Hollywood. But there was little interest in my spiritually-grounded screenplays, so I attended the Radix Institute for Integral Therapy, finished my grad work and then worked as a therapist in San Luis Obispo.

All along, I was also developing a cowboy/jazz band with my brother, and working on my fiction and song-writing, A bit bored with the life of a therapist, I headed way down to Guatemala to spend a year at Lago Atitlan, writing songs, researching shamanic practices, and writing my first published book, Powerpoint (Warner). Barely escaping death in Guatemala, I spent almost a year up on my parents' new ranch in Idaho. On a whim I accepted a lecture/seminar tour in Europe - I went for 3 weeks and stayed for 7 remarkable years.

They loved me in West Berlin in the mid-eighties, and I set up a thriving therapy practice, wrote 2 dozen self-help books for the German market - and met my wife Birgitta, who I've been together with ever since. Moving to Switzerland, Birgitta and I developed a new idea (for then) called the self-help cassettebook (100 pages of text leading to an embedded cassette with audio guidance). We sold the concept to a major publisher there, and spent the next 4 years producing 24 cassettebooks. During that time we moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, then Santa Barbara, then over to Kauai - where we raised our two sons. After the hurricane, we hand-built a sugar shack and lived a quiet country life, writing more books, producing self-help audio and video content, and briefly heading an early online therapy company called BrightMind.

But Kauai was a hard place to advance a writing career, even though we made lots of breakthroughs guiding people in meditation and emotional growth via audio/video support.
In 2010 we moved to our current home in Santa Cruz, where we attempted to interject short-form mindfulness meditation into the Microsoft community, then shifted to Plantronics where we co-produced several at-work mindfulness apps. Realizing the need for professional guidance in the rapidly-expanding cannabis community, we then raised capital and developed the Mindfully High program which includes the Cannabis For Couples book and audiobook, and the High Together App.

I've spent most of my adult life developing a fiction style and genre that's only now matured into serious English literature - it's just taken me that long to realize my deeper vision in fiction. I'm blessed with a great film agent who's shopping the miniseries in Hollywood, so I seem to have come full circle. Right now I' m also helping authors to manifest and publish their books, while continuing to develop new audio and video programs to expand the High Together App. I look forward to your perspective on both my fiction and nonfiction writing!

Reviews

[John Kaufmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

The subtitle says more than the title. I thought the book would be about how the messages of seven sages converged on one main theme . However, the book was really about meditation -- to be more precise, it was about seven stages of meditation (or the "seven expansions of consciousness). Each of the seven stages was loosely organized around the teachings of one of the sages. I found the 7 expansions to help shed some light on how the benefits of meditation can develop and deepen. Good, solid book. Brief, easy read.

[David Melbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good. I am going to use this approach to meditation from now on. . .

I am breathing freely.

My mind is quiet.

I accept the world just as it is.

I love myself just as I am.

My heart is open to receive.

I know who I am.

I am . . . here . . . now . . . in bliss.

--From A Reader's Journal, by d r melbie.

[Austin the Yogi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did what he suggests: stopped every time he says "pause and experience". It was a beautiful way to practice numerous styles of meditation and mindfulness without judgement. It had a marvelous impact on my daily serenity.

[Lucretia Robison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meditations with timeless teachings

I 've had a daily meditation practice for a few years. This book provides diverse teachings of seven spiritual teachers that all come down to practicing presence and ultimate awareness. I was aware of the power of presence, but this book deepened my understanding of it, and the history was interesting. I found the chapter on witnessing, or observing the observer, to be most the most challenging. I don't know if I was doing it right, but I'm going to keep practicing. I feel like it will click eventually. I appreciate the meditation scripts so I can incorporate them into my practice.

[Roberto Celada · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, John Shelby opens your mind in a way that most probably nobody has done it. Apart from being a meditation guide of the Seven Masters, what the book also very importantly resembles is how people
In the past have taken certain ideas and managed to change them on their will, therefore misguiding millions of others. In my opinion these people are responsible for all the wars that had been due to religion differences. This book shows how the seven masters who have reached full consciousness; Patanjali, Lao-tzu, Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed, Gurdjieff, and Krishnamurti, all have had the same goal. What I take from this book something short but meaningful. The power is within.

[Steve Kruppa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I currently meditate every day as part of my religious practice. This book was a interesting look at how different spiritual teachers and philosophers have used the practice to meditate to deepen their own practices. The practices of these teachers is outlined in seven different chapters building on one another.

I found it very interesting to to hear the views meditations from these spiritual leaders and see how they can intertwine with each other. I haven’t yet implemented any of these, but plan to in the future.

[Mori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quotes from Osho from Book of Secrets
all the technique of meditation are to reveal the knower. dont forget yourself and get lost in the object. remember the subject and then a miracle will happen. as you become aware of both the known and the knowner, suddenly you be-aware of both known and knower. a witnessing self comes into being. the knower is your mind and the known is the world, and you become a third point, a consciousness, a witnessing self.
I close my eyes and see clearly..., I stop listening and hear truth..., I am silent and heart sings..., I seek no contact and find union..., I am still and move forward..., I am gentle and need no strength..., I am humble and remain whole...
Meditation steps:
Breath watch:experience breath sensation in nose..., experience movement in chest and belly...
I am berating freely.
Quiet mind: Observe breathing and heartbeat together..., also expand to hear sounds...My mind is quiet
Accepting truth: Are you at peace or suffering...stop judging...embrace the present situation...I accept the world just as it is...
Heart awakening: are you judging yourself? open to inflow of unconditional love... I love myself just as I am.
Emotional healing: observe and accept emotions...have faith...let the feelings heal... My heart is open...to receive...god's healing help.
Self remembering: listen to sounds..see everything at once....look to your inner source of awareness.. I know who I am
Experiencing bliss: give yourself permission...open up to insight and passion...I am here ...now....in bliss.

[Banafsheh Serov · Rating 4 out of 5]

My yoga teacher recommended this book at a particular unsettled time in my life.
I was a little sceptical at first, but the seven paths and using my breath to quite my mind has helped me immeasurably. I am so much more at ease with my life and all its twists and turns

[Danea Mobley-krist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book if your struggling to learn how to meditate. Being someone with an over active mind, I found it very difficult to clear my mind of thoughts. This is the only book that helped. Very grateful to have found it when I did.

[Christy ofthewoods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great addition to any level of meditation.

[Leanna Manuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book expanded my understanding of meditation. It appealed to me in a way that other books about meditation have not. The author's ability to integrate the teachings of spiritual masters from a variety of traditions into a cohesive meditation practice was both intriguing and stimulating. The repetitive nature, with each section building upon the previous one, was exactly what I needed in order to feel comfortable and begin to internalize the process.

[Camilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. Applicable whatever culture you identify yourself with, it brings together the teachings of krishnamurti, Mohammed, Gurdjieff, Lao Tsu, Jesus, Patanjali and Budha. An easily readable book it's not to heavy. It's inspiring.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although technically I have read it, this is a permanent bedside book. The chapters are meant to build on each other to create an ever deepening meditation practice, but I enjoy reading through the book willy nilly for daily reminders on how to be present.

[Liz]

It was given to me as a gift. I like parts, but ultimately found other resources I connected with better.

If you're exploring different religions, philosophies or traditions, this has a lot of great insights and starting places for understanding the spiritual interconnection all have.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent!

[Synthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok. I suggest reading the last chapter and skimming through the rest. The audio is no longer available online.

[Dion]

Beautiful practical guidance into the nature and actual practice of meditation.

[Connie Kronlokken]

I liked this treatment of the seven masters Selby chooses to describe in his meditation process. He describes their messages with quite clear and simple English. A good start.

[Candi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not what I expected. I didn't finish the book, but what I did read went over basic mediation practices.

[Lauren Tivnan]

I need some enlightenment in my life...we'll see if I get it here....