Meditate: Happiness Lies Within You

by Muktananda

This invaluable source of wisdom and inspiration for both beginning and experienced meditators sparks enthusiasm for pursuing this practice and its highest goal, self-realization.

Genres: Nonfiction, Religion, Spirituality, Philosophy, Hinduism

80 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

Reviews

[Clara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book it's amaizing. With the most simple way, Swami Muktananda share the way to live meditation.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super short book (Only 80 pages of which half is the Forward and Afterword) with some very simple but deeply spiritual suggestions on good meditation practice.

What I particularly like is Swami Muktananda’s focus away from the intense hallucinogenic experiences of mystical meditation and Onto the alignment with the Inner Self and ultimately with God.

The Four basic elements of Meditation were useful to me. I don’t tend to be big on mantras but I will be adding one of them to my practice and see how it goes. See you on the Astral Plane! :-)

[Silvio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good but a bit flat, would've liked it to be deeper

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am more interested in Buddhism than Kashmiri Shaivism, but I was hoping for some gems. I didn't really find them. Shiva is the god(dess?) of destruction and the book shed no light upon the place of meditation in this particular facet of Hindu cosmology. The only real description of higher meditative states were of phenomena that seem supernatural, and strangely mystical, and they were described in the context of sudden awakening via the guru's word, touch or even just a look. Such awakenings are not impossible in my view, but it seems Muktananda has exaggerated them and clouded them in the confusion of mysticism.
Of course as a beginner intermediate in meditation, what would I know? Very little, and Muktananda has dozens of centers all over the world. At least he did have. One in my city, that I think at one stage more than a decade ago, I visited, but it made almost no impression on me and if anything his method triggers some skepticism on my part as to the potency of the awakenings caused simply by chanting this or that mantra.

[Sirpa Grierson · Rating 2 out of 5]

A basic and practical manual for meditation by one of the former "gurus" of Siddha meditation. The book was about the practice of receiving shaktipat from a guru, which connects you more quickly to the universal consciousness. This was published as a SUNY Series in Transpersonal and Humanistic Psychology by the University of New York Press. Scandals surrounded his latter years but I still think the teachings are interesting to ponder. Around the world, in almost all religious traditions, it seems to be about interconnectedness and discovering the love of God and how we are made of light :) I like the connection to our own goodness but wonder at the idea that we should "worship" ourselves. “Meditate on your own Self. Worship your Self. Respect your Self. God dwells within you as you.”

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meditate by Swami Muktananda if a relatively theoretical and super-fast read to get through if your looking for not only suggestions in the best, and most basic, ways to meditate (more towards the end), but also for "answers", theory, and an understanding of exactly what it is, how it behaves, and why one uses is. Make a note to yourself, however, this book is based in Kashmiri Shaivism, but very lightly, so anyone and everyone should be able to fully relate to it.

[Michelle]

I kept putting off reading this book and initially it felt a little out there. I was even caught off guard by the word God. I kept substituting it with Consciousness or Truth or Bliss or Self and was fine. Blue is my favorite color so hopefully one day I will see the blue pearl.

[Abhijeet Parihar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very thin book but has all the essential parts of meditation for a spiritual seeker.

[Chris Stevenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

6 out of 5 stars. A delightful little book that can picked up anytime, and always inspires me to get back on the cushion. I keep a copy on my nightstand.

[Jennifer Kyrnin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good introduction to meditation.

[Patrik Gudlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

It looks good