A friend recently asked me to suggest some books that might help him improve his meditation practice. Operating under the assumption that if the topic is appropriate for the Wall Street Journal ("Doctor's Orders: 20 Minutes Of Meditation Twice
a Day"), then it's good enough for this blog, I thought I'd pass on my suggestions to interested readers. The first 3 make up my personal list of "classics," and the last is a shameless plug for a book of edited dharma talks I wrote based on my year of studying under sensei Ji Sui Craig Horton of the Cleveland
Buddhist Temple. While my suggestions all focus on Buddhist/Zen meditation, there are certainly more "generic" approaches to learning about meditation — for example, one might visit the website for the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society,
which seeks to transform higher education "by supporting and encouraging
the use of contemplative/introspective practices and perspectives to create
active learning and research environments that look deeply into experience and
meaning for all in service of a more just and compassionate society" (I was made aware of this source while attending a panel discussion on "Engagement, Happiness, and Meaning in Legal
Education and Practice"). Regardless, here is my promised recommended reading list:
