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Martin’s latest books and recommended reading
MARTIN’S BOOKS
Awake Where You Are
November 2021
Wisdom Publications
The body is of course integral to meditation, but there are only a few books that focus this specifically on the body and the meditative experience. Awake Where You Are addresses that need, and additionally integrates psychological concepts, which provides a more familiar entry point for people less familiar with Buddhism.
Tout le monde peut méditer
Co-authored with Elena Zahariev
May 2021
Les bénéfices de la méditation de pleine conscience sont maintenant reconnus et intégrés à la psychologie, à la médecine et à l’éducation. Si vous êtes à la recherche d’outils pour faire face au stress et rester sereins, ce livre est pour vous. Il contient des exercices, des conseils et des pratiques, explorant les bases de la méditation.
Ne te quitte pas:
Le corps au coeur de la méditation
April 2019
Nous cherchons toutes sortes de distractions pour échapper à ce que nous vivons : écrans, consommation, divertissements. Dans un monde obsédé par les objectifs et la performance, nous finissons par être déconnectés de nous-mêmes. Ce livre nous invite au contraire à aller vers l intérieur et à descendre dans notre corps. Il nous apprend à habiter attentionnellement notre expérience sensorielle. Il nous ramène littéralement dans notre peau.
RECOMMENDED READING
I can recommend the books below by various Dharma friends and colleagues.
They are divided into categories: Meditation manuals, Buddhist Teachings,
and Daily Life and Other Dharma.
Meditation Manuals
A Path with Heart
Jack Kornfield
This has become a classic of the Vipassana/Insight meditation scene, covering many areas of dharma teachings from an experiential, meditator’s point of view.
Breath by Breath
Larry Rosenberg
A wonderful manual of breath-based awareness meditation, and commentary on the Anapanasati Sutta, one of the Buddha’s key meditation teachings.
Seeking the Heart of Wisdom
Joseph Goldstein &
Jack Kornfield
Joseph is the grand patriarch of western meditation teachers, and writes profoundly and clearly in these books, exploring the main tenets of the Buddha’s teachings on Dharma practice.
Seeing That Frees
Rob Burbea
An in-depth exploration of Sunyata (emptiness) and Paticca Samupada (conditioned arising), offering both a pragmatic and profound look at the core insights and implications of deep meditation practice for the serious meditator.
The Miracle of Mindfulness
Thich Naht Hanh
Distillation of Thich Naht Hanh’s teachings, with emphasis on developing and sustaining mindfulness, peace and joy. Beautifully and simply written.
A Gradual Awakening
Stephen Levine
Clearly written exploration of the inner life, written with the deep care and compassion that Stephen Levine is well known for.
Loving Kindness – The Revolutionary Art of Happiness
Sharon Salzberg
This has become the definitive western book on metta. Inspiringly and honestly written, it looks both at metta as a meditation practice, and as a quality to cultivate throughout our lives, caring deeply for ourselves and others.
Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind
Shunryu Suzuki Roshi
The Zen classic, giving profound and humorous teachings in true zen style.
Small Boat, Great Mountain
Amaro Bhikkhu
Excellent reflections of the non-dual teachings of Dzogchen, compared with and seen through the lens of Theravadan view.
Natural Great Perfection
Nyoshul Khen Rimpoché
Excellent guide to Dzogchen teachings and practice, by one of the great modern Dzogchen masters.
Buddhist Teachings
Mindfulness
Joseph Goldstein
Joseph goes through the Satipatthana Sutta, the Buddha’s most central teaching on the 4 areas of experience for meditative awareness and investigation, and in doing so, covers many of the central tenets of Buddha’s teachings.
Heartwood of the Bodhi Tree
Buddhadasa Bhikkhu
Profound teachings on emptiness, a distillation of the teachings of one of the great Theravadan masters of recent times.
A Still Forest Pool
Ajahn Chah
A deeply clear, uncluttered and pragmatic book of teachings from Thailand’s other great master of the 20th Century.
Light on Enlightenment
Christopher Titmuss
A clear overview of basic Buddhist teachings, in an accessible style and making clear the various ‘lists’ and groupings of which the Buddha was so fond.
Buddhism without Beliefs
Stephen Batchelor
Wonderfully written books point to a vision and practice of Buddhism, free of dogmas and blind belief.
The Faith to Doubt
Stephen Batchelor
Stephen is one of the most original and erudite of contemporary Buddhist writers.
One Dharma: The Emerging Western Buddhism
Joseph Goldstein
Brings together and contrasts teachings from various Buddhist traditions, in exploring the commonality of wisdom and compassion they share in both ideal and practice.
What the Buddha Taught
Walpola Rahula
Covers the life and teachings of the Buddha with much reference to original texts. Gives a good flavour of the culture and style in which the Buddha lived, practised and taught.
Awakening The Buddha Within
Lama Surya Das
A contemporary guide to the Buddha’s eightfold noble path, drawing on several Buddhist traditions, by a western teacher in the Tibetan Dzogchen tradition.
Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience
Sharon Salzberg
A beautiful exploration of deepening our trust and confidence in ourselves and life
Daily Life Dharma
Ordinary Magic: Every Day Life as Spiritual Practice
Edited by John Welwood
An anthology of essays by various writers from the Buddhist and other traditions.
Pay attention, for Goodness’ Sake
Sylvia Boorstein
Humorous, simple and heart- warming teachings from the Jewish grandmother of the Dharma scene.
Full Catastrophe Living
Jon Kabat-Zin
A classic on working with pain and illness, written out of Jon’s experience forming the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program in U.S hospitals.
When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times
Pema Chodron
Based on Tibetan Dharma teachings, this book looks compassionately and deeply at dealing with times of emotional difficulty and pain.
Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism
Chogyam Trungpa Rimpoché
A classic from the controversial, unorthodox and brilliant Tibetan teacher.
Every Day Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting
Jon and Myla Kabat-Zinn
Down-to-earth guide to bringing Buddhist wisdom and practice into the busy and complex arena of family life.
Mindful of Race: Understanding and Transforming Habits of Harm
Ruth King
How to grow our inner capacity to face racial ignorance and suffering with a wise and caring heart
Ecodharma: Buddhist Teaching for the Precipice
David R. Loy
How can we respond urgently and effectively to the ecological crisis–and stay sane doing it?
Other Dharma
I Am That
Nisargadatta Maharaj
Non-dual teachings from the Indian Advaita tradition, in a series of questions and dialogues.
Who Dies?
Stephen Levine
Working with death and dying, both in its actuality and in its contemplation as a spiritual practice.
Freedom from the Known
J. Krishnamurti
Non-dogmatic, direct and uncompromising teachings on the Nature of life and the reality of human liberation.
The Way of Tenderness: Awakening through Race, Sexuality and Gender
Zenju Earthlyn Manuel
An important book exploring the painful and divisive history of social injustices through the lens of dharma practice. This book is not only about the author’s transformation, but serves as an essential exploration of these themes for any and every practitioner, regardless of your gender, race, orientation.
