Meditation for Beginners in Six World Religions

About the Book

MEDITATION FOR BEGINNERS IN SIX WORLD RELIGIONS is a step-by-step guide to meditation based on Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, Kabbalah, Christian Mysticism, and Sufism. In Chapter I, I explain the nature of meditation and its various stages—physiological, psychological, and spiritual. Chapter II presents how to become free of negative conditioning, such as anxiety, stress, loneliness, depression; how to free positive qualities, such as love, compassion, generosity, trust; and how to expand moment to moment awareness. Chapter III discusses the process of formal meditation from the beginning all the way to enlightenment. In Chapter IV I set out Ground Rules for Formal Meditation. After discussing the Meaning of Yoga in Chapter IV, in the next chapter I present Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra and the meditation practices it prescribes. Next I consider the Meaning of Mantra and Transcendental Meditation, and then Bhakti Meditation and Jnana Yoga or Yoga of Knowledge. Next three chapters are devoted to Concentration and Insight Meditation to represent Theravada Buddhism; Zen Buddhism; and Tibetan Buddhism and their meditation practices. For Daoism, after discussing its nature, I present meditation exercises culled from various sources. Next, I go on to present Kabbalah and selective Kabbalist meditation practices. From Eastern Christianity, I include how to practice the “Jesus Prayer.” For Western Christianity, I include meditative exercises culled from classical and contemporary sources. For Sufism, I include descriptions of meditative methods derived from various sources. For those who would want to proceed to advanced practices, I include chapters for Choosing a Path; Finding a Qualified Teacher; and the ideal Teacher-Student Relationship as these will be crucial for them to arrive an experience of enlightenment.

About the Author

Born and raised in Bangladesh, Gabriel J. Gomes came to the United States to attend the University of Notre Dame, Indiana, from which he earned BA and MA, and later a PhD from Columbia University, New York. Gomes taught religion, including a course on meditation, and philosophy at Marymount College, New York. Later he taught at Pace University, Western Connecticut State University, and Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY. He has published books on comparative mysticism titled, SONG OF THE SKYLARK I: FOUNDATIONS OF EXPERIENTIAL RELIGION (1991); SONG OF THE SKYLARK II: MEDITATION – TEACHINGS AND PRACTICES (1991); and a textbook on world religion called, DISCOVERING WORLD RELIGIONS (2015). Gomes currently lives in Fishkill, NY