EBOOK
Secular Meditation
32 Practices for Cultivating Inner Peace, Compassion, and Joy - A Guide from the Humanist Community
Rick Heller(0)
About
Meditation is a form of mental exercise with numerous scientifically verified physical and psychological benefits. As meditation teacher Rick Heller shows, the benefits of the practice extend beyond the personal to enrich relationships with others, with one's community, and with the world. In Secular Meditation, step-by-step instructions, personal stories, and provocative questions teach empathy for others, stress reduction, and the kind of in-the-moment living that fosters appreciation for life and resilience in the face of adversity. Heller simplifies what is often found mysterious, describing and providing detailed instructions for thirty-two different practices, ensuring that anyone can find the right one.
"Grounded in solid research on the brain and physical and mental health - and full of practical ideas and methods - this friendly, down-to-earth guide is a wonderful resource for both beginners and longtime meditators."
- Rick Hanson, PhD, author of Hardwiring Happiness and Buddha's Brain
"Everyone, regardless of views or beliefs, can develop happiness and wisdom. In Secular Meditation, Rick Heller and the Humanist Community at Harvard offer a straightforward way for nonreligious people to connect with their inner capabilities for compassion and clarity."
- Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness and Real Happiness
"An ideal introduction for those new to the practice, as well as a valuable compendium offering fresh perspectives for seasoned meditators."
- Stephen Batchelor, author of Buddhism Without Beliefs and After Buddhism
"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."
- Library Journal (starred review)
"The very short review of Rick Heller's Secular Meditation: If you're curious about secular meditation and mindfulness, there's finally a book for you. And it's a good one."
- The Humanist
"In simple, accessible language, Secular Meditation introduces practices that profoundly transform our hearts and consciousness. Through a rich weave of stories, teachings, meditations, and inquiry, this book offers trustworthy guidance on the journey of awakening."
- Tara Brach, Ph.D., author of Radical Acceptance and True Refuge
"This book - at once simple and profound - is a joy to read. Rick Heller manages to capture the essence of traditional Buddhist practices and translate them into a no-nonsense secular format. His suggestions for practice are straightforward and can be easily incorporated into daily life."
- Kristin Neff, Ph.D., associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin and author of Self-Compassion
"This book has the potential to benefit many people. Rick has a light and yet substantial style that makes his writing lovely and approachable. He is clearly practicing what he is writing about, which makes for an authentic and sincere offering to this world. "
- Narayan Helen Liebenson, guiding teacher at the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center and the Insight Meditation Society
"Secular Meditation is a clear and generous adaptation of Buddhist and other practices for the humanist community. It is a great book for people who believe that the human mind can be trained just as the body can but who are uncomfortable with any supernatural claims. It is simple and accessible, opening doors to generosity, clarity, and joyfulness in this life."
- James Ishmael Ford, author of If You're Lucky, Your Heart Will Break
"Rick Heller combines his secular humanist worldview with his expertise in guiding weekly meditation sessions, producing a unique reference work that's approachable, practical, and based firmly in the natural world. This book fills a gap in the current literature: a workable guide to meditation in theory and practice for a secular audience."
- Ted Meissner, founder of the Secular Budd
"Grounded in solid research on the brain and physical and mental health - and full of practical ideas and methods - this friendly, down-to-earth guide is a wonderful resource for both beginners and longtime meditators."
- Rick Hanson, PhD, author of Hardwiring Happiness and Buddha's Brain
"Everyone, regardless of views or beliefs, can develop happiness and wisdom. In Secular Meditation, Rick Heller and the Humanist Community at Harvard offer a straightforward way for nonreligious people to connect with their inner capabilities for compassion and clarity."
- Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness and Real Happiness
"An ideal introduction for those new to the practice, as well as a valuable compendium offering fresh perspectives for seasoned meditators."
- Stephen Batchelor, author of Buddhism Without Beliefs and After Buddhism
"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."
- Library Journal (starred review)
"The very short review of Rick Heller's Secular Meditation: If you're curious about secular meditation and mindfulness, there's finally a book for you. And it's a good one."
- The Humanist
"In simple, accessible language, Secular Meditation introduces practices that profoundly transform our hearts and consciousness. Through a rich weave of stories, teachings, meditations, and inquiry, this book offers trustworthy guidance on the journey of awakening."
- Tara Brach, Ph.D., author of Radical Acceptance and True Refuge
"This book - at once simple and profound - is a joy to read. Rick Heller manages to capture the essence of traditional Buddhist practices and translate them into a no-nonsense secular format. His suggestions for practice are straightforward and can be easily incorporated into daily life."
- Kristin Neff, Ph.D., associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin and author of Self-Compassion
"This book has the potential to benefit many people. Rick has a light and yet substantial style that makes his writing lovely and approachable. He is clearly practicing what he is writing about, which makes for an authentic and sincere offering to this world. "
- Narayan Helen Liebenson, guiding teacher at the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center and the Insight Meditation Society
"Secular Meditation is a clear and generous adaptation of Buddhist and other practices for the humanist community. It is a great book for people who believe that the human mind can be trained just as the body can but who are uncomfortable with any supernatural claims. It is simple and accessible, opening doors to generosity, clarity, and joyfulness in this life."
- James Ishmael Ford, author of If You're Lucky, Your Heart Will Break
"Rick Heller combines his secular humanist worldview with his expertise in guiding weekly meditation sessions, producing a unique reference work that's approachable, practical, and based firmly in the natural world. This book fills a gap in the current literature: a workable guide to meditation in theory and practice for a secular audience."
- Ted Meissner, founder of the Secular Budd