The Beginner's Guide to Meditation

Leave it to Sounds True to find leaders in the fields of spirituality and health to explain the elements of some of the essential areas. Each original guide in their series is about 70 minutes long and provides the kind of information and instruction one would expect in a good primer. Although the liner notes are meager, limited to information about the narrator, each CD includes a "table of contents" that makes each part of the program easy to locate. THE BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO MEDITATION is narrated by Shinzen Young, who has been working with Western meditation centers for over 30 years. After an explanation of what meditation is, he discusses four keys to meditation: concentration and mindfulness; relaxation, equanimity, and purification; energy; and unconditional love. He also leads three guided meditations, which feature observing the breath, relaxation skills, and loving kindness. Young's voice--well-paced and patient, without being patronizing to the beginner--conveys a sense of wisdom and trust. He is a skillful guide on the journey of meditation. P.B.J. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine