Meditation Made Easy

"This is come-as-you-are meditation," writes Lorin Roche in Meditation Made Easy. Roche, a meditation trainer for 30 years, knows how to make the uninitiated feel at ease. He debunks the stereotype that you have to follow monastic rules: you don't have to sit still, or empty your mind, or overcome your ego. "Meditation is about being intimate with your deepest self," so imposing techniques and formalities that don't fit you will just interfere. Meditation should be "a direct response to sensing some need in your body or heart ... a pleasurable indulgence ... a mini-vacation." Roche discusses the basics in a warm, friendly, question-and-answer chapter, and then teaches the stages of "getting in" to a meditation. Varied techniques and exercises let you explore what works for you. "Going Deeper" shows you how to turn details of everyday experience--such as drinking coffee--into a mini-meditation. For fun, check out "How to Make Yourself Miserable in Meditation"--for example, "Use a mantra that grates on your nerves"; "Worry about whether your chakras are balanced"; "Choose a tradition that reminds you of the worst aspects of your childhood." This book not only teaches you how to meditate; it makes the process easy and enjoyable. --Joan Price