SOCIAL SCIENCES

Secular Meditation: 32 Practices for Cultivating Inner Peace, Compassion, and Joy

by Rick Heller
New World Lib. Nov. 2015. 296p. index. ISBN 9781608683697. pap. $15.95. SELF-HELP
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OrangeReviewStarAlthough mindfulness originated in Buddhism, Heller, a facilitator at the Harvard Humanist Community, believes that one can strip the practice of supernatural beliefs and zero in on applying universal love, kindness, or friendliness to all that is happening in the present. Part 1 demonstrates methods that cultivate courtesy and compassion, followed by exercises on "quieting the mind" through breath meditation and body scans. The final chapters offer ways to find joy beyond the present-centered concentration of general mindfulness approaches.
VERDICT This book is an ideal guide for those who want to study meditation and mindfulness but are put off by the focus on Buddhism or religion in general.
Reviewed by Deborah Bigelow , Nov 15, 2015
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