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A breakthrough "how to meditate" guide!
"Jewish meditation is a practice that can sustain you and deepen your connection to the Divine over the course of your lifetime. Seekers throughout history have practiced it and reaped its rewards, and today many people are making it a significant part of their everyday spiritual practice."
—from the Introduction
A supportive and wise guide that is an absolute must for anyone who wants to learn Jewish meditation or improve their practice—now updated and expanded. Nan Fink Gefen teaches you how to meditate on your own, and starts you on the path to a deeper connection with the Divine and to greater insight about your own life. Whatever your level of understanding, she gives you the tools and support you need to discover the transformative power of meditation. This most comprehensive introduction to a time-honored spiritual practice:
- Answers commonly asked questions about the nature and history of Jewish meditation, and examines how it differs from other meditative practices
- Shows beginners how to start their practice, including where and how to do it
- Gives step-by-step instructions for meditations that are at the core of Jewish meditative practice
- Explains the challenges and rewards of a Jewish meditative practice
"Meditation lies at the very core of the Jewish spiritual experience. This book will take you there gently, wisely, helpfully."
—Jonathan Omer-Man, founder, Metivta, A Center for Contemplative Judaism
"A very low threshold introduction and a very rewarding first step into the place of silence in the sacred."
—Lawrence Kushner, author, I'm God; You're Not: Observations on Organized Religion & Other Disguises of the Ego and other books
“Provides, in a sweet and spacious voice, a simple, straightforward guide for beginning a Jewish meditation practice.”
—Sylvia Boorstein, author, It’s Easier Than You Think and other books
“Guides readers wisely, and with great care. This is the guide to Jewish meditation that I have been searching for.”
—Vanessa L. Ochs, author, The Jewish Dream Book: The Key to Opening the Inner Meaning of Your Dreams and other books; Department of Religious Studies, University of Virginia
Introduction to the Second Edition vii
Acknowledgments xiv
Part One: The Practice of Jewish Meditation
1. What Is Jewish Meditation? 3
2. The Promise of Jewish Meditation 17
3. States of Consciousness 29
4. Forms of Jewish Meditation 41
5. Getting Started 57
Part Two: The Core Meditations
6. Focused Meditations 81
- Hineini Meditation 81
- Shalom Meditation 85
- Divine Light Meditation 88
- Chesed Meditation 91
- Thankfulness Meditation 94
- Neshamah Meditation 97
- Sh'ma Meditation 100
- Yod-Hay-Vav-Hay Meditation 103
7. Awareness Meditations 109
- Gam Zeh Kadosh Meditation 109
- Walking Meditation 113
8. Emptiness Meditations 117
- Ayin Breath Meditation 117
- Space-between-the-Letters Meditation 120
- Beyond-the-Self Meditation 123
Part Three: A Meditative Life
9. Challenges of a Meditative Life 129
10. Meditation and Jewish Spiritual Practice 151
11. A Morning Meditative Prayer Practice 169
Jewish Meditation Resource Guide for Beginning Meditators 173