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Title: Experience of Insight by Joseph Goldstein ISBN: 0-87773-226-4 Publisher: Shambhala Pub. Date: 12 June, 1987 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 5 (5 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Nice Companion to Meditation
Comment: This book focuses it's compass point on Vipassana meditation, often coined "insight meditation." Here Joseph Goldstein offers us a very large body of work explainig hindrances during meditation, and essentially the practice of facing what is happening. This meditation is not about contriving any sort of "good feelings" or "happy thoughts", instead, it is the meditation of experiencing what is. And to delve a bit further, through this style of meditation we are able to see the transparent nature of these "hindrances." There are many forms of meditation to practice out there, yet this is so very crucial because it is a way of saying hello to yourself, in the deepest sense.
I would recommend, as Goldstein does suggest, recording some of the exercises he provides here on tape to play during sitting periods. That or read a section or so right before you meditate. "The Experience of Insight" is a good reminder during "rough periods" of practice, where our minds are very restless and we feel as though something is wrong with us because of that.
Anyhow, I think you'll like this book, so please enjoy it.
Rating: 5
Summary: Clear and Understandable Buddhism
Comment: If you've ever been perplexed or baffled by books on Buddhism - especially books on Zen Buddhism - your perplexity will vanish when you read this book. The Experience of Insight is a well-edited transcription of many talks given to participants over the course of a one-month meditation retreat. The teachings are largely coaching for meditation. During the retreat, these short talks were small pockets of coaching between large stretches of silence and meditation. That may be why the information comes across so clearly and so usefully.
You'll learn, probably with more understanding than you've ever had before, the Buddhist fundamentals: The Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, the seven factors of enlightenment, etc. But they are explained in a way that makes their relevance and importance to your practice perfectly clear. I'm the author of the book, Self-Help Stuff That Works, and I've specialized in knowing the difference between information that merely sounds great and instruction that actually helps, and Joseph Goldstein manages to deliver teachings that will really help you in your meditation practice. He will inspire you, encourage you, and teach you good technique. If you meditate and would like support for your practice, The Experience of Insight is the best you will find.
Rating: 5
Summary: A Great Experience
Comment: I picked up this book in hopes of becoming more acclimated with Insight (or Vipassana) meditation. The format is unique in that it is excerpts from speeches given by Mr. Goldstein during a 30 day meditation retreat. Each "chapter" is a different topic, some consisting of a page or two (usually the morning talks) while others span upwards of 10 pages. I liked this format because it felt a little like reading a daily journal. You can follow along, reading a passage in the morning, then one in the evening or whatever pace you choose. One aspect that I really liked was the question and answer section at the end of each evening talk. Many of the questions that I had after reading the passage were brought up and explained in these sections.
The topics chosen by Mr. Goldstein are basic but interesting. The author has a great skill of bringing in outside sources to help clarify and reinforce the ideas that are being expressed. Whether it be Taoism, Japanese Zen, or Tibeten Buddhism, Goldstein shows how closely the hearts of these teachings resemble each other. He also takes time to show that the different schools of Buddhism are just different ways of looking at the same thing or, as he puts it, different fingers pointing to the same moon. To become pre-occupied with the finger is to miss the main point.
As for actual instruction on sitting meditation, this book covers some things lightly but doesn't get into a lot of depth on it. He talks briefly about the common "Mindfulness of Breathing" meditation (along with some small variations on it) and also meta bhavana (lovingkindness) meditation. As far as this aspect of the book goes, I still prefer Pramanada's meditation guide, "Change Your Mind," to this one because of it's detail.
Whether you are new to Buddhism (and it's meditation) or have been practicing it for a while, this book has something to offer you. The journal-like format and easy-reading prose that Goldstein displays allows the reader to focus on the teachings and not the style. I highly recommend you give it a try.
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Title: Seeking the Heart of Wisdom : The Path of Insight Meditation by Joseph Goldstein ISBN: 157062805X Publisher: Shambhala Pub. Date: 06 March, 2001 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: Breath by Breath by Larry Rosenberg ISBN: 1570623503 Publisher: Shambhala Pub. Date: 22 June, 1999 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki, Shunryu Suzuki ISBN: 0834800799 Publisher: Weatherhill Pub. Date: December, 1997 List Price(USD): $9.95 |
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Title: Mindfulness in Plain English by Henepola Gunaratana, Henepola Gunaratana, Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, Henepola ISBN: 0861713214 Publisher: Wisdom Publications Pub. Date: September, 2002 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: A Path with Heart : A Guide Through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual Life by Jack Kornfield ISBN: 0553372114 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 01 June, 1993 List Price(USD): $17.00 |
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