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Wildmind: A Step-by-Step Guide to Meditation
“Of great help to people interested in meditation and an inspiring reminder to those on the path.”Joseph Goldstein, co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society and author of One The Emerging Western Buddhism “Bodhipaksa has written a beautiful and very accessible introduction to meditation. He guides us through all the basics of mindfulness and also loving-kindness meditations with the voice of a wise, kind, and patient friend.”-Dr. Lorne Ladner, author of The Lost Art of Compassion The aim of Buddhist meditation is to clear away the "defilements" so that we can experience ourselvesmore deeply and more trulyin our primordial purity, clarity, and freedom of mind. Meditation helps us to cut through the agonizing clutter of superficial mental turmoil and allows us to experience more spacious and joyful states of mind. It is this pure and luminous state that I call your Wildmind. From how to build your own meditation stool to how a raisin can help you meditate, this illustrated guide explains everything you need to know to start or deepen your meditation practice. This bestseller is in a new handy format and features brand-new illustrations. Bodhipaksa is a Buddhist practitioner, writer, and teacher, and he is the founder of www.wildmind.org, an online meditation resource. He lives in New Hampshire with his family and conducts classes at Aryaloka Buddhist Center in Newmarket, New Hampshire.
240 pages, Paperback
First published May 15, 2005
8 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Bodhipaksa
43 books26 followersI’m a Buddhist teacher and author living in New Hampshire, but originally from Scotland.
I got the Sanskrit name (which means “Wings of Enlightenment,” incidentally) when I joined the Western Buddhist Order in 1993, after 11 years of Buddhist practice. I practice at Aryaloka Buddhist Center, which is just down the road.
I run Wildmind, which has a mission to spread compassion and mindfulness through the practice of Buddhist meditation. We offer an extensive self-paced guide to a variety of meditation techniques and well as a regular stream of articles in our blog. We also publish guided meditation CDs. Wildmind’s where I do the bulk of my writing.
I teach meditation and Buddhism in prison. That’s an incredibly satisfying thing to do.
I like kayaking and photography. I love reading and movies. Sometimes I hike, but I’ve been getting lazier as I’ve been getting older.
In 2006 my wife and I adopted a baby girl from Ethiopia, and that’s been more satisfying than I could have imagined. And then in 2009 we did it again and adopted a baby boy, also from Ethiopia.
[info from Bodhpaksa's about page]
I got the Sanskrit name (which means “Wings of Enlightenment,” incidentally) when I joined the Western Buddhist Order in 1993, after 11 years of Buddhist practice. I practice at Aryaloka Buddhist Center, which is just down the road.
I run Wildmind, which has a mission to spread compassion and mindfulness through the practice of Buddhist meditation. We offer an extensive self-paced guide to a variety of meditation techniques and well as a regular stream of articles in our blog. We also publish guided meditation CDs. Wildmind’s where I do the bulk of my writing.
I teach meditation and Buddhism in prison. That’s an incredibly satisfying thing to do.
I like kayaking and photography. I love reading and movies. Sometimes I hike, but I’ve been getting lazier as I’ve been getting older.
In 2006 my wife and I adopted a baby girl from Ethiopia, and that’s been more satisfying than I could have imagined. And then in 2009 we did it again and adopted a baby boy, also from Ethiopia.
[info from Bodhpaksa's about page]
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 13, 2025
El mejor libro de este estilo que he leído. Con una base muy sólida de teoría y sin embargo realmente práctico (la mayoría de manuales que se venden bajo ese adjetivo no lo son en absoluto) , útil y motivador. Para tener en la mesilla de noche como consulta.
https://www.micaminoblanco.blogspot.c...
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February 14, 2017
Excellent introduction to the two most important forms of meditation: Breath and Metta.
It does not have guidelines for how fast to progress. I did each meditation several times, about a week each.
It does not cover other types of meditation. A beginning mediator should not feel restricted to these two forms. If neither of them clicks, it's discouraging. It's also good to have a large toolbox even if one of these forms does click. More methods means more opportunities to be mindful throughout the day, even if you can't manage a formal sit.
However, it's still a very patient and reassuring introduction, and a good place to start your meditation journy.
It does not have guidelines for how fast to progress. I did each meditation several times, about a week each.
It does not cover other types of meditation. A beginning mediator should not feel restricted to these two forms. If neither of them clicks, it's discouraging. It's also good to have a large toolbox even if one of these forms does click. More methods means more opportunities to be mindful throughout the day, even if you can't manage a formal sit.
However, it's still a very patient and reassuring introduction, and a good place to start your meditation journy.
August 18, 2025
While beginners might benefit from participating in a meditation workshop before diving into this book, it offers a rich collection of practical guidance to improve one’s meditation practice and valuable insights into the nature of meditation itself.
January 26, 2011
This is the best meditation book I know of. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn to meditate.
August 31, 2014
Highly recommended for anyone who wishes to begin meditating.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews