thelerner Posted August 16, 2012 (edited) I was thinking of guided meditations and went to a site that had many, predominantly Buddhist meditations - http://diydharma.org/. I grabbed a few new ones from Shinzen Young and Sharon Salzberg. Shinzen has a good book on using meditation to deal with pain. The dyidhara site includes one of them. The best thing I found on the site today was a gentleman who gives dharma talks. Â Looking at the most popular speakers on the site I found Ajahn Brahmavamso http://diydharma.org/audio/by/artist/ajahn_brahmavamso. An Australian bloke (& Monk I believe) who is very wise and quite funny. The site has dozens of his lectures. Ones like '6 Months of Bliss' his first talk after coming back from a 6 month silent meditation retreat. Or Mental Energy Equals Happiness where he talks about the brothel by the temple and similarities between them. Â Its nice to find someone who knows his stuff, and teaches from a humorous and personal level while not having any agenda. He's so interesting and entertaining you forget how much you're learning. Edited August 16, 2012 by thelerner 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tibetan_Ice Posted August 16, 2012 Hi Probably one of the best books you will find on the anapanasati is his book called "Mindfulness, Bliss and beyond". Not only does it explain the stages of anapanasati (breath meditation) and when to switch to meditating on the nimitta (mental signs or mirror of the still mind) but he also explains the jhanas and the stages on the way to enlightenment. I highly recommend this book to the serious meditator. It is such a good book that I have read it four times. It's definitely one of the best... TI 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
konchog uma Posted August 16, 2012 thanks TI, never seen that book before, it looks great. I found it on www.abebooks.com new for $9. I look forward to reading it! Thanks for your recommendation Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thelerner Posted August 18, 2012 thanks TI, never seen that book before, it looks great. I found it on www.abebooks.com new for $9. I look forward to reading it! Thanks for your recommendation ditto, though I think I'll start working through a dozen or so of his audio's first. Why read, when I can walk and listen.. If I was any lazier I'd forget to breathe. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aetherous Posted August 21, 2012 Probably one of the best books you will find on the anapanasati is his book called "Mindfulness, Bliss and beyond". Â Really loving it so far...thanks Tibetan Ice! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johndoe2012 Posted December 10, 2012 (edited) . Edited August 18, 2013 by chris d Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thelerner Posted December 10, 2012 (edited) Thank you Chris d, great site. Guess I got another 20 or 30 miles of dharma talking & walking to listen to. Beyond all the great audio dharma talks, there's a free download of a book made in honor of his 60th birthday that looks really good. I'm downloading it now and its headed for my Kindle app.  a small excerpt from the book: Peace of mind is not found by searching for a deep cave, in a perfect monastery, in a wonderful place high in the Himalayan Mountains. If you’re looking for peace that way, you are looking for what Ajahn Chah called a tortoise with a moustache. People look for the impossible and of course they can’t find it. There is no such thing as a tortoise with a moustache. You find real peace of mind by accepting your life as you have it now, even in the midst of great tragedy. What a wonderful thing that is. How do you find this peace? Let go of all the past and all guilt, by forgiving; don’t worry about the future, and learn to appreciate the moment. Do your duty and put fun into whatever you have to do. Peace of mind is as free as the air. Drink it, enjoy it, and take it with you. It’s always there if you only look in the right place Edited December 10, 2012 by thelerner Share this post Link to post Share on other sites