Links
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Beliefnet
is an extensive source of information about spirituality of all varieties.
It is a commercial site, but independent of any particular religion or organization.
They say: “Our only agenda is to help you meet your spiritual needs.”
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The Guest House
is a brief poem by Jelaluddin Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks. Potentially transformative wisdom
for anyone struggling with difficult emotions.
- The
Cambridge Insight Meditation Center
is a non-residential urban center for the practice of insight meditation. They have a full schedule
of programs, including three different formats for beginners.
- The Boston
Shambhala Meditation Center
in Brookline has a Tibetan Buddhist approach that emphasizes engagement with the world.
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The Insight Meditation Society
has a retreat center and a forest refuge in Barre, Massachusetts.
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Women's Well
offers a range of courses in women's spirituality at their center in West Concord Massachusetts.
Their purpose is to inspire and empower women.
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Meditation in Action
provides information about the practice of vipassana meditation, also known as mindfulness or
insight meditation. There are some interesting links and a Q & A section.
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Alan Watts
wrote many books and recorded hundreds of lectures interpreting Eastern philosophies and religions
for the West. He is an astonishingly learned, engaging, funny speaker. You can download many
short audio clips from the web site or from iTunes.
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For an extensive archive of podcasts on spirituality,
Shrink Rap Radio
is a source of many hours of fascinating conversations. There are other categories in the archive,
including mind/body, personal growth, and dreams.
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Buddhist Geeks:
“Seriously Buddhist, Seriously Geeky,” is a podcast with interviews and discussions on
Buddhist themes from a Gen-Y perspective.
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Inquiring Mind
is a twice-yearly large format magazine focused on the philosophy and ideas of many different
traditions of Buddhism. It is supported by donations. You can request a sample copy.
- The
Skillful Means Wiki
is a comprehensive collection of techniques for people interested in personal growth and expanding
consciousness.
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Meditation and PTSD
offers instructions (and cautions) on how to use meditation to cope with the difficulties
prevalent in the lives of so many trauma survivors.
Books
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Wherever You Go, There You Are:
Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life. Jon Kabat-Zinn, (1994), Hyperion.
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The Miracle of Mindfulness:
A Manual on Meditation.
Thich Nhat Hanh,
(1975), Beacon Press.
The Vietnamese Zen master has lived in exile in France for decades.
He has written numerous books in simple, clear language often focused on how everyday
life can be a spiritual path.
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A Path With Heart:
A Guide Through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual Life.
Jack Kornfield,
(1993), Bantam.
A book filled with practical techniques, guided
meditations, and stories. Kornfield is a fine writer.
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Seeking the Heart of Wisdom:
The Path of Insight Meditation. Joseph Goldstein and Jack Kornfield, (2001, 1987), Shambhala.
A classic introduction to the American form of insight
meditation by the co-founders of the Insight Meditation Center in Barre, Massachusetts.
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After the Ecstasy, the Laundry:
How the Heart Grows Wise on the Spiritual Path. Jack Kornfield, (2001), Bantam.
After we become enlightened, then what?
We still have to do the laundry! Kornfield draws on the insights of practitioners of
Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism and Sufism to explore the modern spiritual
journey from many perspectives.
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Buddha's
Little Instruction Book.
Jack Kornfield, (1996), Random House.
A gem of a book, with Buddhist teachings distilled into one or two sentences on each page (examples: “Learn to let go. That is the key to happiness.” “To meditate is to listen with a receptive heart.”). There is a section on the Art of Meditation that includes instructions on six simple techniques.
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The
Power of Now:
A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment.
Eckhart Tolle,
(2004), Namaste Publishing & New World Library.
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Who Dies?:
An Investigation of Conscious Living and Conscious Dying.
Steven Levine,
(1989), Anchor Press.
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Iron John:
A Book About Men.
Robert Bly,
(1990, 2004), Da Capo Press.
A seminal work by the poet and progenitor of the
expressive men's movement.
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He: Understanding Masculine Psychology
Robert A. Johnson, (1989), Harper & Row.
A Jungian analyst explores what it really means to be a
man through the wisdom encoded in myth.
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Women Who Run With the Wolves:
Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype. Carissa Pinkola Estes, (1996), Ballantine Books.
A Jungian analyst draws on myths, legends and fairy tales
to make a case that modern women should return to the sources of her repressed instinctual nature.
