Meditation Books to Get You Started

If you’re new to meditation, these books can provide invaluable support. Each is written by instructors or practitioners with experience using mindfulness techniques.

Adyashanti provides clear explanations to dispel common misperceptions about meditation for both beginners and skeptics alike in his book on several techniques presented in an easily understandable format.

The Miracle of Mindfulness

Deepak Chopra, renowned Psychologist and New York Times Bestseller offers this meditation book for those with an existing practice looking to deepen their mindfulness practice. He covers its benefits in relation to science as well as teaching readers its nuances – this book also offers a seven-day course and 52 mantras designed to increase awareness.

Noah Levine offers a more modern take on meditation with his “punk rock Buddhism” book. Drawing upon Buddhist teachings while also appealing to young adults, this guide features guided meditations and tips for living mindfully in the modern world.

Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now is another popular meditation book that takes a spiritual approach. Written with user-friendly language and focused on helping readers become fully present in each moment, it teaches readers to fully be in each present moment.

Chade-Meng Tan of Google wrote the Way of Mindful Living as one of several more unusual meditation books on this list, with its aim being to teach readers how to be mindful in an otherwise hectic lifestyle. The book includes meditation exercises as well as strategies that can be applied across any environment – ideal for cultivating mindfulness in relationships and workplace settings alike.

10% Happier

ABC news anchor Dan Harris embarked on his search for ways to be less controlled by his emotions after experiencing a panic attack live television, eventually turning to meditation as an outlet. In 10% Happier, Harris shares his journey and the techniques he learned along the way – his writing style being concise yet light-hearted, making this book easy and enjoyable reading. Furthermore, Harris hosts a podcast with interviews from meditation experts like His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Brene Brown and Karamo from Queer Eye among many others; making both book and podcast being valuable complements to each other covering everything from mindfulness through relationships to sleep issues!

The Art of Happiness

Spiritual and meditation book written by an author who seeks to help readers overcome depression. He provides an easy-to-understand explanation of insight meditation – a type of mindfulness which enables one to explore and control negative emotions at their source – along with exercises designed to deepen comprehension of this form of mindfulness practice. Furthermore, this book also contains useful exercises to deepen comprehension.

This book presents an holistic view of happiness by integrating Western and Eastern approaches. It teaches its reader to balance material comforts with inner peace, to recognize that external factors don’t hold as much power over our lives as we think, and emphasizes compassion, humility, and kindness as tools to deal with life’s obstacles.

The Dalai Lama, widely revered as spiritual leader of Tibet, views happiness as an objective that people must set goals for and strive to attain. His book also stresses the importance of cultivating and nurturing roots of happiness such as wholesome actions, love, confidence and compassion while avoiding harmful feelings such as anger jealousy or attachment that might hinder our efforts at happiness. Furthermore, his view that external circumstances or others alone can bring unhappiness cannot be blamed; our state of mind relies solely on how we respond to life events; in order to change this and become happier we must change both our thoughts and attitudes about ourselves and those around us if we wish for change to achieve happiness.

Practical Meditation for Beginners

Whether you’re new to meditation or looking for the ideal gift for someone who does, this book provides all of the basics – including different types, sitting techniques and ways to overcome challenges associated with typical challenges – in an accessible and comprehensive fashion.

Sazima uses visuals and charts in an approachable yet playful manner to introduce beginners to meditation. He understands that learning meditation may be intimidating for some individuals, so his humorous asides such as “You’d Better Sit Down for This: A Few Preparatory Words on, um Sitting” are ideal at alleviating stress.

Anyone seeking to gain more knowledge of Zen meditation should start here. Written by a practicing Buddhist, this guide offers readers with ten featured meditation exercises and helpful prompts.

Sakyong Mipham has an extraordinary gift of making Eastern ideals and practices accessible to Western audiences, and this book is no different. Unlike most meditation books, however, this one doesn’t just cover techniques and benefits; instead it addresses common obstacles which might prevent someone from successfully practicing meditation.

Worthy Stokes, an expert trauma survivor and meditation practitioner, created this book as a means of sharing her healing journey with others. Not only is it about relaxing the mind; its aim is also to overcome fears and find compassion within ourselves and toward one another.

The Breathing Book

Breathing is an intimate act that’s fundamental to both physical and mental wellbeing. From Wim Hof’s internet-famous breathwork sessions to ancient eastern practices like Yoga and Tantra, breathing provides us with tools that can enhance both wellbeing and performance.

But the best breathing books focus less on philosophical ideas and more on practical exercises that can be done at home. Dylan Werner draws upon years of yoga practice to provide a breathwork practice designed for modern life – featuring exercises to reduce resting heart rate and blood pressure, target sleep disorders and ease anxiety – making this book an indispensable resource.

This book is ideal for breathing instructors, dentists, doctors, physical therapists, Pilates and yoga teachers, strength and conditioning coaches and anyone interested in improving their health and wellbeing – from everyday wellness to sporting excellence. It includes a wide range of practical exercises that are easy to understand and incorporate.

This book provides a wealth of knowledge that reveals all of the subtle complexities behind how our breath works, using accessible language and illustrations to explain Western and Eastern approaches to breathing, how nasal breathing impacts body systems, why harmonization with one’s surroundings is vital, costal diaphragmatic breathing as well as techniques that can be practiced throughout daily life and much more.

The Big Book of Transcendental Meditation

Transcendental Meditation was pioneered by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1959 as an easy, natural technique that is accessible for people of all ages and cultures. A nonreligious, nonphilosophical practice, Transcendental Meditation promotes greater health and wellness while lowering both blood pressure and stress.

Practitioners also find greater creativity and intelligence with this ancient practice, making it no secret why famous figures like Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Seinfeld and Arianna Huffington have adopted it. This book provides a thorough introduction to TM practice with benefits including latest research findings.

Ann Purcell, an avid meditator, believes anyone can discover the joy and bliss offered by Transcendental Meditation (TM). She disproves any notion that enlightenment is reserved exclusively for rare individuals in her comprehensive book featuring quotes from people from all backgrounds who have tried the technique.

Kapleau, as an avid Zen Buddhist himself, employs his extensive knowledge of various traditions to break down complex ideas into manageable pieces and offer easy-to-read explanations of more abstract concepts. Additionally, this readable book includes tips for effective meditation practices as well as common challenges encountered during practice – making this an excellent introduction for novice Buddhists looking for answers to their burning questions about Buddhism.