Book Cover

Discover the wisdom of two great teachings of Hindu meditation - in one comprehensive volume.

Yoga and Vedanta ask us to face the problems of life through Knowledge of Reality. The ills of life are not created by God, or by the stars, or by luck, but by our own inability to live in the light of Reality. Good and evil move together; one cannot be separated from the other. There is no absolute definition of good or evil. What is good for one person may be bad for another. The world we live in is in our own mind.

- from the Introduction

Meditation is a subject of universal interest, practiced by spiritual explorers of all traditions on the quest for serenity, peace, and wholeness. Among the many traditions of meditation in Hinduism, Yoga and Vedanta have passed the test of time, proving as vital today as they were throughout the ages in helping us overcome the maladies of life and attain the greatest spiritual fulfillment.
In this inspiring guidebook, Swami Adiswarananda, a senior monk of the Ramakrishna Order of India and Spiritual Leader of the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center in New York City, outlines the subject of meditation and its practices following the methods and teachings of these two traditions. Defining key concepts in clear terms, Swami Adiswarananda covers every aspect of this ancient spiritual practice, including:

• Goals and Benefits of Meditation

• Objects of Meditation

• Methods of Concentration

• Posture, Physical Condition, Eating Habits, and Spiritual Exercises

• Mystical Experiences and Realization

• Obstacles in Meditation and Ways of Overcoming Them

Swami Adiswarananda, a senior monk of the Ramakrishna Order of India, is the Minister and Spiritual Leader of the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York, one of the several centers of the Order in the United States.

"Presents meditation as a universal form of worship - the key to our true well-being and our highest fulfillment. Swami Adiswarananda's personal qualities of vigor, authority, and conviction will inspire readers to pursue the spiritual adventure of meditation with determination and joy."

- Kendra Crossen Burroughs, annotator,
Bhagavad Gita: Annotated & Explained and
Selection from the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna:
Annotated & Explained

The methods of meditation in Yoga and Vedanta do not cater to emotionalism or any form of sentimentalism. They are precise, scientific, and psychological. They do not measure success in meditation by the seeker's dreams or visions, which are personal and private, but by transformation of his or her character. Following these methods of meditation, many have attained direct perception of truth and the fulfillment of life.

- from the Preface

Meditation is a necessity for the soul, a technique for withdrawing the mind so that the spirit can rest and rejuvenate. By practicing meditation, we set in motion a process that leads to the restoration of our well-being - physical, mental, and spiritual.
This comprehensive sourcebook examines the scientific, psychological, and spiritual properties of Yoga and Vedanta, Hinduism's two mainstream meditation practices, and explains how we can put these teachings into practice to enrich our daily lives. Drawing on the sacred texts of yoga and Vedanta -including the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, and the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, among many others - this guidebook illuminates the principles of each of these traditions, the meaning of meditation, and the methods by which we can develop our concentration and self-control.
By exploring the transformative powers of this ancient spiritual practice, the inspiring volume show us time-tested ways to refresh our souls and empower our physical and spiritual selves with innovative ways of meeting the challenges of modern life.

"Fills a long-standing gap in the contemporary literature on meditation. It is a most helpful exposition of the Vedantic perspective on the inward-turning consciousness, which covers all the important and theoretical aspects of the meditative path."

- Georg Feuerstein, Ph.D., president, Yoga Research and Education Center

"This book is one of the finest works on meditation I've ever encountered. Deeply embedded in the Hindu tradition, it is thorough, eminently practical, inspiring, and effective. I highly recommend it."

- Brother Wayne Teasdale, author, Bede Griffiths: An Introduction to
His Interspiritual Thought and A Monk in the World