Bøker utgitt av Shambhala Publications Inc

Explore the life-changing practice of ānāpānasati, or breathing mindfulness—one of the most popular and foundational Buddhist meditation practices.Breathing mindfulness meditation is a cornerstone of Buddhist practice, believed to be key to the Buddha's own enlightenment. This powerful technique fosters a harmonious blend of awareness and tranquility, guiding practitioners towards profound meditative states and deeper wisdom. Sarah Shaw guides readers through the history and contemporary interpretations of breathing mindfulness in the Pali or Southern tradition of Buddhism. In this in-depth study, she examines:The Ānāpānasati Sutta, the foundational Buddhist text on breathing mindfulness; The systematization of the practice through the commentarial texts like Vimuttimagga (The Path to Freedom) and Visuddhimagga (The Path of Purification); Intriguing, lesser-known systems of esoteric Theravada breath meditation nearly lost to history; The integration of breath meditation into modern spiritual practices; The importance of breath meditation to the insight meditation (vipassana) movement; And the influence of breathing mindfulness across diverse spiritual paths. Shaw's exploration reveals the enduring legacy of this practice, from its ancient origins to its contemporary resurgence.

Coiled like a snake at the base of the spine, kundalini is the spiritual force that lies dormant in every human being. Once awakened, often through meditation and yoga practices, it rises up the spine and finds expression in the form of spiritual knowledge, mystical vision, psychic powers, and ultimately, enlightenment. This is the classic first-person account of Gopi Krishna, an ordinary Indian householder who, at the age of thirty-four, after years of unsupervised meditation, suddenly experienced the awakening of kundalini during his morning practice. The story of this transformative experience, and the author's struggle to find balance amid a variety of powerful physiological and psychic side effects, forms the core of the book. His detailed descriptions of his dramatic inner experiences and symptoms such as mood swings, eating disorders, and agonizing sensations of heat-and of how, with the help of his wife, he finally stabilized at a higher level of consciousness-make this one of the most valuable classics of spiritual awakening available.

Originally published by Shambhala in 2011.