Meditation History

Marcus Aurelius, one of the great rulers of the Roman Empire, sets forth a series of self-reflective essays intended as a guide for his own self-improvement. Written during the turning points of his life and divided into twelve books, Meditations ponders life’s greatest questions in the author’s search for a meaningful existence. Remarkably, they are no different from the questions we ask ourselves today - from finding happiness to understanding our place in the cosmos. Centuries after Aurelius’s death, Meditations remains a profound source of inspiration.

Rene Descartes, mathematician, scientist, and first "modern philosopher", wrote Meditations on First Philosophy, a six-part treatise first published in Latin in 1641, to deconstruct "belief" and, using reason and science, discuss the only things we can truly know for sure. Each of the six parts of this book represents six of Descartes’ meditations that occurred on six subsequent days, making it also, in no small part, an autobiographical piece of work.

Unlocking the Mysteries of Life, Death, and Beyond: Exploring the Afterlife, Reincarnation, and Karma. What happens after we die? Are our lives just fleeting moments, or do they carry a deeper, timeless significance? This bundle is your invitation to explore life’s biggest mysteries—what lies beyond death, the truth about reincarnation, and how karma weaves through our lives. Blending scientific research, spiritual insights, and real-life stories, this thought-provoking guide will help you uncover the nature of consciousness, the afterlife, and the karmic patterns that shape our existence.

Navajo myths are among the most poetic in the world, full of dazzling word imagery. For the Navajo, who call themselves the Dine (literally, "the People"), the story of emergence—their creation myth—lies at the heart of their beliefs. In it, all the world is created together, both gods and human beings, embodying the idea that change comes from within rather than without. Poet and author Gerald Hausman collects this and other stories with meditations that together capture the essence of the Navajo people's way of life and their understanding of the world.

As an orphan in the slums of Tsu City, Japan, Kodo Sawaki had to fight his way to adulthood, and became one of the most respected Zen masters of the twentieth century. Though he remained poor by choice, he was rich in spirit. A student of Kosho Uchiyama, Arthur Braverman has compiled an anthology of Sawaki's writings and a garland of sayings gathered from throughout his lifetime. One of a few collections of Sawaki's teachings published in English, his life and work bracket the most intriguing and influential period of modern Zen practice in Japan and America.

Despite its ban more than 70 years ago, caste is thriving. Every 15 minutes, a crime is perpetrated against a Dalit person. The average age of death for Dalit women is just 39. And the wreckages of caste are replicated here in the U.S., too—erupting online with rape and death threats, showing up at work, and forcing countless Dalits to live in fear of being outed. Dalit American activist Thenmozhi Soundararajan puts forth a call to awaken and act, not just for listeners in South Asia, but all around the world.

Meditations is a series of personal writings by Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor from AD 161 to 180, recording his private notes to himself and ideas on Stoic philosophy. Marcus Aurelius wrote the 12 books of the Meditations in Koine, Greece as a source for his own guidance and self-improvement.

Theravada Buddhism, often understood as the school that most carefully preserved the practices taught by the Buddha, has undergone tremendous change over time. Prior to Western colonialism in Asia—which brought Western and modernist intellectual concerns, such as the separation of science and religion, to bear on Buddhism—there existed a tradition of embodied, esoteric, and culturally regional Theravada meditation practices.

We’re all living under circumstances we have never gone through before, so it goes without saying that high levels of stress and anxiety are common factors in everyone's lives right now. You might be getting headaches, fatigue, depression, tight shoulders, bad posture, stiff neck, digestive and heart problems, you name it. But did you know that you can practice yin yoga for stress relief and eliminate all of these unwanted symptoms?

This book (the result of meditation and experience) is not intended as an exhaustive treatise on the much written-upon subject of the power of thought. It is suggestive rather than explanatory, its object being to stimulate men and women to the discovery and perception of the truth that - "They themselves are makers of themselves" - by virtue of the thoughts which they choose and encourage. That mind is the master weaver, both of the inner garment of character and the outer garment of circumstance....

In this manual, you can learn the history, the philosophy, the schools of thought, the principles, the meditation, the yoga and the benefits that led that common mortal to have a more acute, open and pure thought towards the world around us, of his own inner world and in the relationship with others, and apply it yourself in everyday life. By learning these principles, you will be able to manage in the best way what happens to you and be able to reach, with constancy, that serenity that is so lacking in today's society.

The Gettysburg Campaign and its culminating battle have generated more than their share of analysis and published works. In My Gettysburg, Civil War scholar and 26-year Gettysburg resident Mark Snell goes beyond the campaign itself to explore the culture of the battlefield. In this fascinating collection, Snell provides an intriguing interpretation of some neglected military aspects of the battle.

In this audiobook, we will elucidate the spiritual and moral guidelines contained in the cards. We will explain how to use the cards in the areas of divination and personal meditation. We will look at the evolution of the cards and examine the origins of the tarot in parlor games, as an instrument to convey moral and spiritual lessons, as a tool for meditation, and finally, as a window into the future.

Part lyric essay, part prose poetry, Where Things Touch grapples with the manifold meanings and possibilities of beauty. Drawing on her experiences as a physician-in-training, Orang considers clinical encounters and how they relate to the concept and very idea of beauty. Such considerations lead her to questions about intimacy, queerness, home, memory, love, and other aspects of human existence. Throughout, beauty is ultimately imagined as something inextricably tied to care: the care of lovers, of patients, of art and literature, and the various non-human worlds that surround us.

Chakras, the seven energy points of the body, are a fundamental part of ancient Eastern teachings. But so many people have their chakras blocked and unbalanced in the modern world, and are unable to benefit from their spiritual and physical healing powers. Now, this book uncovers the secrets of the seven chakras, and how we can unlock them.

This audiobook will discuss the history and founding of Hinduism, the basics of the four main beliefs of Hinduism, the gods and goddesses which are associated with these beliefs, and how to practice the beliefs of Hinduism in everyday life. Hinduism: A Simple Guide to the Hindu Religion, Gods, Goddesses, Beliefs, History, and Rituals + A Hindu Meditation Guide will also bring up some philosophical questions based on the core beliefs of Hinduism that will help to guide decisions on life’s actions.

What’s the big idea? Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius believed that in a palace or a soldiers’ camp one can live a life free of envy and desire, neither pursuing pleasure nor fearing pain as one performs the duties life has assigned. I have worked to make his Meditations as understandable as possible. By the end of the book, the emperor’s philosophy will be crystal clear. So please travel back almost 2,000 years ago and join Marcus Aurelius as sits in his camp in the evening meditating on life.

You might already know that World War I was the Great War, and be familiar with its images: muddy trenches, poison gas, and a no-man's land of craters and barbed wire. But when it comes to understanding its causes, why it dragged on for four years, and how it set the stage for World War II, you might be lost behind enemy lines. Don't wave the white flag just yet! The Complete Idiot's Guide to World War I audiobook gives you a comprehensive overview of the first global war, from the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand to the Treaty of Versailles.

Among Buddhist traditions, Zen has been remarkably successful in garnering and sustaining interest outside the Buddhist homelands of Asia, and "zen" is now part of the global cultural lexicon. This deeply informed book explores the history of this enduring Japanese tradition - from its beginnings as a form of Buddhist thought and practice imported from China to its reinvention in medieval Japan as a force for religious, political, and cultural change to its role in Japan's embrace of modernity.

Are you ready to expand your health and happiness? To awaken, one must understand the power of the chakras. To heal one’s mind, body, and spirit, one must align them. The wonders of a quiet mind allow anyone to achieve a level of joy and abundance they never knew existed. This journey will change your life. You’ll learn ancient medicine and the use of chakras, secret and powerful healing techniques, and more.