How to Meditate: A Practical Guide to Making Friends with Your Mind
About this product
“When something is bothering you―a person is bugging you, a situation is irritating you, or physical pain is troubling you―you must work with your mind, and that is done through meditation. Working with our mind is the only means through which we’ll actually begin to feel happy and contented with the world that we live in.” ―Pema Chödrön
Pema Chödrön is treasured around the world for her unique ability to transmit teachings and practices that bring peace, understanding, and compassion into our lives. With How to Meditate, the American-born Tibetan Buddhist nun presents her first book exploring in depth what she considers the essentials for a lifelong practice.
More and more people are beginning to recognize a profound inner longing for authenticity, connection, and aliveness. Meditation, Pema explains, gives us a golden key to address this yearning. This step-by-step guide shows readers how to honestly meet and openly relate with the mind, embrace the fullness of our experience, and live in a wholehearted way as we discover:
• The basics of meditation, from getting settled and the six points of posture to working with your breath and cultivating an attitude of unconditional friendliness
• The Seven Delights―how moments of difficulty can become doorways to awakening and love
• Shamatha (or calm abiding), the art of stabilizing the mind to remain present with whatever arises
• Thoughts and emotions as “sheer delight”―instead of obstacles―in meditation
“I think ultimately why we practice is so that we can become completely loving people, and this is what the world needs,” writes Pema Chödrön. How to Meditate is an essential book from this wise teacher to assist each one of us in this virtuous goal. Read more
Editor's Take
Amazon reviewers and Goodreads readers describe How to Meditate: A Practical Guide to Making Friends with Your Mind as gentle, practical, and especially helpful for beginners. Several readers say the instructions are easy to follow and the book makes meditation feel less intimidating, while a few note that the style is more conversational and spiritual than highly technical.
- Amazon reviewers say the book offers clear, compassionate guidance that helps build a steady meditation habit.
- Goodreads reviewers frequently praise its beginner-friendly approach and Pema Chödrön’s calming tone.
- Some readers on review blogs describe it as a useful companion for people who want meditation advice that is simple and realistic rather than rigid.
- A few reviewers mention that it may feel too light or repetitive if you already have experience with meditation.
Overall, the public feedback points to a well-liked, approachable meditation guide that resonates most with newcomers and readers who prefer a warm, encouraging voice.
Price History
Specifications
| Publisher | St. Martin's Essentials / Sounds True |
| Publication date | October 26, 2021 |
| Language | English |
| Print length | 192 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1683648420 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1683648420 |
| Item Weight | 5.7 ounces |
| Dimensions | 5.25 x 0.5 x 7.95 inches |
| Best Sellers Rank | #28,252 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #44 in Zen Spirituality #315 in Meditation (Books) #4,380 in Self-Help (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (2,230) |
