Meditation is a scientifically verified approach for decreasing stress, bettering well being, and making optimistic modifications within the mind. However it’s typically related to faith, or has a “new-age” air (like sitting in an unique place and burning incense). There’s definitely nothing incorrect with religious-based or unique strategies, which work wonderful for many individuals. However some are turned off by it or it makes them skeptical of meditation. For the latter group, Rick Heller has written Secular Meditation, a helpful down-to-earth information.

Rick is related to the humanist neighborhood at Harvard College, the place he teaches meditation. I loved the e-book and would extremely advocate it for anybody who has beforehand been skeptical of meditation. Rick admits that some individuals are important of attempting to give you a secularized model that extracts it from non secular roots. That’s the reason he makes use of the extra generic time period secular meditation as a substitute of one thing like secularized Buddhism. I believe the necessary query is whether or not the secularized model continues to be useful. It’s attainable to lose some worth for those who choose and select solely what you need. For instance, one may apply mindfulness and calming the thoughts diligently however nonetheless not be a really good particular person. However I consider that is averted for those who preserve a minimal important set of elements like meditation, mindfulness, and cultivation of loving-kindness, as I mentioned right here. Loving-kindness or equal compassion trainings are an necessary side that’s generally omitted.

So I used to be glad that Rick’s information begins with loving-kindness practices. He describes these and different useful practices intimately within the e-book. It was additionally good to see him cowl a secularized model of mantra meditation. Whereas many individuals discover breath-based strategies to work nicely for meditation, I personally have had extra success with mantra meditation.