Meditation for Life - Softcover

Batchelor, Martine

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0861713028 ISBN 13: 9780861713028

Publisher: Wisdom Publications, 2001

Synopsis

In Meditation for Life, Martine Batchelor's writing -- through a mix of anecdote, humor, and practical instruction -- brings to bear her considerable experience as a meditation teacher as she explains the techniques of three major Buddhist traditions: Theravada, Tibetan, and Zen, while Stephen Batchelor's full-color photographs invite even the most seasoned practitioner to see with new eyes. This vividly photographed book encourages us to bring creative awareness to every aspect of our lives -- from making conversation to making dinner -- and reveals how every moment can be an opportunity to find joy.

About this title

Review:

Meditation is more than staring at your navel. It is a way of transforming life from the inside out. Former Buddhist nun Martine Batchelor knows this from a decade spent in a Zen monastery. Combining theory and practice, Batchelor transforms her own meditation experience into a manual that echoes the simple elegance of Zen. Ten chapters focus on different aspects of meditation, and each is broken down into background, practice, and a final guided meditation. For example, the chapter on daily life first explains the difference between formal and informal meditation, then discusses the many opportunities for informal meditation and how we can learn from those experiences. In the "Practice" section of the chapter, Batchelor offers specific methods for informal meditation, and finally, ends with a page of instructions for how to cook mindfully. Two things that set Meditation for Life apart from other books of its kind are the well-chosen personal anecdotes that Batchelor uses to illustrate her points and the stunningly meditative photographs by her husband, Stephen Batchelor--photographs that could legitimately comprise a collection of their own. --Brian Bruya

About the Author:

Martine Batchelor spent ten years in a Korean monastery studying Zen Buddhism. She works as a lecturer and spiritual advisor, and her books include Principles of Zen, Walking on Lotus Flowers, and Buddhism and Ecology. She lives in the South of France.

Stephen Batchelor has studied in Buddhist monasteries in India, Switzerland, and Korea. An accomplished writer and photographer, he has translated, written, and contributed to many books about Buddhism including Buddhism Without Beliefs, Verses from the Center, and The Tibet Guide. He lives in the South of France.

About this edition

• Publisher: Wisdom Publications
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0861713028
• ISBN 13: 9780861713028
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 168