Synopses & Reviews
Meditation can seem a mystery. Where do you begin? Where will you end up? What might you find along the way?
You'll find the answers in The Meditator's Atlas, a comprehensive and trustworthy "roadmap of the inner world" for anyone who meditates. Respected teacher Matthew Flickstein is your friendly guide, explaining what meditation is, how to do it, and how to make the skills and benefits that it engenders your own, including:
- finding work that supports your priorities
- overcoming doubt
- cultivating helpful attitudes
- incorporating mindfulness into every aspect of your life
- and how all of this adds up to a happier life.
What makes this book unique is the way Flickstein uses two classic Buddhist texts--the Path of Purification, and the Four Foundations of Mindfulness--to help readers make clear sense out of the new, fascinating, and sometimes even frightening states that one may encounter on the long journey to enlightenment. Readers will come away from this book with their own insights clarified and with a helpful sense of what lies ahead.
Review
"A monumental synthesis from the standpoint of one who has walked the path. A simple fact shouts from these pages over and over again-that nirvana is possible."
Review
"A fresh, contemporary presentation of a venerable and ancient teaching. Readers of this book will find that it profoundly deepens their practice."
Review
"Flickstein writes with sharp clarity and contagious enthusiasm which draws one back to the sitting cushion again and again."
Review
"Never have I read a book on spiritual practice more practical or lucid. It belongs in the library of every serious student of the teachings of the Buddha."
Review
"Flickstein's valuable instructions on the posture, place, and time dedicated to sitting meditation will motivate both the beginning and experienced meditator to a more dedicated practice."
Review
"Flickstein's commentary on The Path of Purification, one of the most penetrating yet practical teachings of the Buddha, brings an immediacy and insight that are valuable aids to its study."
Review
"A brilliant resource."
Review
"Flickstein has managed to select what is essential and clarify this dense and complex material, but without watering it down. The heart of it is all there. I know how valuable this will be to serious practitioners of dhamma."
Synopsis
Meditation can benefit everyone, and that’s the intent of Matt Flickstein’s book. Written in delightfully down-to-earth English that’s accessible to all readers, this insightful guide is a concise, contemporary take on the Buddha’s most basic teachings. Based on the ancient text known as the Path to Purification, it offers a modern-day approach to essential subjects such as how to have a happy life; how to meditate; cultivating helpful attitudes; finding work that supports or doesn't conflict with practice and priorities; overcoming doubt; and incorporating mindfulness in all aspects of daily life. Tracing step-by-step the processes and stages of Buddhist meditation, The Meditator’s Atlas is an inspiring roadmap for those just embarking on the path as well as for those already on it.
Synopsis
The Meditators Atlas truly is a comprehensive and trustworthy "roadmap of the inner world" for anyone who meditates. What makes this book unique is the way Flickstein uses two classic Buddhist texts the Path of Purification, and the Four Foundations of Mindfulnessto help readers make clear sense out of the new, fascinating, and often challenging states that one may encounter on the long journey to enlightenment. Readers will come away from this book with their own insights clarified and with a helpful sense of what lies ahead. The Meditators Atlas will also appeal to "spiritual sightseers" those who just want to enjoy a guided tour of the compelling inner territory of meditation.
About the Author
Matthew Flickstein is a psychotherapist, meditation teacher, and the founder of The Forest Way Insight Meditation Center in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. In more than twenty years of leading personal development workshops, he has trained almost 15,000 people across the US, including other teachers.Bhante Gunaratana was ordained at the age of twelve as a Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka, earned his PhD in philosophy from The American University, and has led meditation retreats, taught Buddhism, and lectured widely throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. Bhante Henepola Gunaratana is the president of the Bhavana Society in High View, West Virginia, where he lives. He is the author of the bestselling Mindfulness in Plain English, as well as Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness, The Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English, Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English, and Journey to Mindfulness.