The Meditation Videos Showcase
Ranked #3,514 in Culture & Society, #77,985 overall
The Argument For Meditation
Go on, try it!
Guess what?
I'm not particularly interested in your result. Instead, do the exercise again but this time for 20 seconds.
If you've participated in the experiment, the chances are that at some moments during those 35 seconds or so, you've thought to yourself:
"What an arrogant so-and-so!" (or words to that effect)
"I'm thinking of nothing."
"I know that I'm thinking of nothing."
"I see black."
"Did I leave the stove on?" etc.
Now, I'm not particularly worried about the content of your mind - the phrases, the indignation, our almost scary consensus of thoughts - no, I'm more interested in the process. It's like the picture to your left - thoughts enter our consciousness like those drops of water, which, when they hit the pool, set off waves of reaction. When, those waves return - though diminished - they set off counter-waves and chaos inevitably ensues.
You see, when you try to still your mind - and almost all of us are in the same boat - you attempt the near-impossible. However, with numerous, credible Scientific studies demonstrating that various forms of Meditation can out-perform clinical drugs in relieving the symptoms of Stress, Depression, Anxiety, Insomnia, A.D.D., Blood Pressure etc., the truth is that these "near-impossible" techniques are now being used by millions of people around the world. Obviously, the evidence seems to indicate that even if Meditation appears difficult at the start, it must get easier.
However, Scientific studies about Meditation As A Preventative Health Measure - in a very sick world - is one thing but the Metaphysics of Meditation is another. Nevertheless, even though they may appear diametrically opposed, there now appears to be a significant cross-over and I hope that you will find that the videos that I've chosen for this showcase relay that exciting potential.
Thanks to Vanessa for the Splish Splash image
Categories Of Meditation Videos
navigation via the TABS at the top of the page
- The Argument For Meditation - this is both an argument for and a description - in some detail - of what occurs during Meditation.
If your interest in Meditation is strictly for health, I suggest that you avoid this section, for now, perhaps forever. However, if your interest includes the Metaphysics of Meditation, do check it out, as it takes an unusual - and hopefully interesting - path.
- The Biofeedback Videos: Biofeedback - which was first developed in the 1970s - utilizes increasingly-sophisticated machinery and software through which the user / patient can monitor and deepen their breathing (Stress creates short, sharp breathing) and lower their heart-rate (Stress increases the heart rate). This self-mastery of the body (which results in the decrease of symtoms expressing in numerous diseases) using technology is, in my eyes, a passive form of Meditation and provides very similar health results to those of Meditation styles such as T.M..
N.B.: The Biofeedback section comprises of three sets of videos:
2a The first is devoted to Thought Technology, the largest Biofeedback company, presently providing many products for hospitals throughout the world - in many ways, their history is the story of the Biofeedback industry. These 6 videos are of a 45 minute presentation by Thought Technologies' co-founder, Dr. Sam Myers
2b The second set of Biofeedback videos shows Biofeedback In Action, including a fascinating video of how Biofeedback is being integrated with video game technology to help treat war veterans with P.T.S.D.
2c The third set of Biofeedback videos concerns The Journey To The Wild Divine project, presented by author, Deepak Chopra. Wild Divine is software that uses a New Age-style "computer game" to teach a "player" how to control his / her breath and lower his / her heartbeat. While the "Spiritual" effect of Wild Divine is open to debate, the preventative health (and mental health) potential is astonishing - both for individuals and for nations!
- The Mantra Videos Mantra is meditation using the repetition of sound. Some Indian Yoga schools claim that Mantra is as precise as modern medicine in its capacity to work for specific health problems - and it's drug-free - but those claims have not really been been tested. However, Transcendental Meditation, which has been in the West for over 40 years has worked spectacularly as a general curative.
N.B.: This Mantra section contains:
3a A selection of videos about various mantras & Schools of Mantra &
3b A second section of 10 videos exclusively devoted to
Transcendental Meditation - several of them relate to Scientific Studies about the effects of T.M. on various diseases.
- The Raja Yoga Videos: Raja Yoga - the classic Indian mediation system of trying to still the mind. Because it's "harder" than both Hatha Yoga (which also provides astonishing Health benefits but is beyond the scope of this lens) and Mantra (see above), Raja Yoga is the least known of all the major Yoga systems but its adherents claim that it is the most powerful for Spiritual advancement.
While it would not be correct, it would still not be unfair to say that Raja Yoga is probably the type of meditation that Buddhists should be doing to achieve Liberation, bearing in mind that Tibetan Buddhism - its most high-profile branch - utilizes a great deal of Mantra and ritual practices.
N.B.: This Raja Yoga is the least developed section, presently containing only 2 videos.
- The Zen Meditation Videos: Zen Meditation - is, in my eyes, very similar to Raja Yoga but culturally it is Far Eastern and mostly thought of as Japanese. I consider it the most "difficult" system of Meditation to pursue for Westerners simply because it is generally so very Japanese. That being said, Zen undoubtedly has a beautiful aesthetic which many westerners find very appealing.
N.B.: This Zen section presently contains 10 videos.
How The World Sees Meditation
I set myself a task of Googling "What Is Meditation?" to research this introduction. Little did I realize that Page 1 of Google would end up writing it for me (O.K. - I did have to alter the order of the quotes I found!) but here's what the top websites said:
- Meditation refers to any of a family of techniques that involve the self-induction of a mode of consciousness in order to realize some benefit. wikipedia - Meditation
- More and more doctors are prescribing meditation as a way to lower blood pressure, improve exercise performance in people with Angina, help people with Asthma breathe easier, relieve Insomnia and generally...balance a person's physical, emotional, and mental states. It is simple but can benefit everybody. First Holistic.com
- Meditation is a three step process that leads to a state of consciousness [which] brings serenity, clarity and bliss. Meditation Society.com
- An ordinary person may consider meditation as a worship or prayer but it is not so. Meditation means Awareness. Health & Yoga.com
- Meditation is a means of transforming the mind. FWBO.org
As you can see, Meditation means different things to different people. For some it's a means to regain Health - for others it's a way of Life and for a few, it's a pathway to religious Faith of some kind. However - in my eyes, at least - it does not sit particularly well with the Self-Help industry!
Why The Self-Help Industry Is Far Removed From Meditation
I've selected videos of three globally-famous Self-Help stars to briefly highlight how different that industry is from Meditation.- Louise Hay has endured many traumas in her life and has somehow found remarkable coping systems, most notably through affirmations. As you'll see, she recommends saying to your reflection in the mirror "I love you..."
See also: Parody, Lisa Nova - Affirmation Girl
- We all know and most of us appreciate Oprah Winfrey. The video that I've chosen is a promo for an episode of her show in which 200 adult men come forward and say they were sexually abused as children - as Oprah also claims to have been.
Despite her intelligence, very-visible empathy, infectious optimism, business acumen and genuine enthusiasm for both reading and "Knowledge", I get the impression that the only way that Oprah will ever break out of her well-publicized yo-yo weight / life / romantic traumas is if some guru guest on her show leaves a surprise gift of Fulfillment her under her seat.
- Tony Robbins obviously believes with all his heart that "Emotion is the force of life." and he really wants to know "What's drivin' ya?" He wants to help you carve a "Decision-shaped Destiny" but how could anybody find out who they were with all his histrionics and noise?
See also: Parody, Ben Stiller & David Cassidy - Tony Bobbins
No, meditation has nothing to do with affirmations or catharsis or histrionics and done effectively, not only mystics but also Science is proving that it gets results!
Science Daily: The Latest Research On The Benefits Of Meditation
- Psychological Changes From Meditation Training Linked To Cellular Health
- November 2010: Latest research from the University of California
- Meditation Reduces The Emotional Impact Of Pain
- June 2010: Latest research from the University of Manchester, U.K.
- Meditation Helps Increase The Attention Span
- July 2010: Latest research from the University of California
- Zen Meditation Makes Brain Cortex Thicker, Which Fends Off Pain
- February 2010: Latest research from the University of Montreal, Canada
The Case For Meditation
So, what if you don't have a medical condition and you do have a chronic aversion to anything to do with Religion, New Age beliefs and cranks in general. Why should you investigate Meditation?
In November 2010, John Tierney wrote in the New York Times, When The Mind Wanders, Happiness Also Strays about a Harvard experiment concerning Attention & Happiness that had curiously (perhaps ironically?) been conducted via an Iphone app.
The study found that:
"On average throughout all the quarter-million responses, minds were wandering 47 percent of the time...[but] whatever people were doing, whether it was having sex or reading or shopping, they tended to be happier if they focused on the activity instead of thinking about something else."
Meditation doesn't just "work" while you're meditating - its after-effects help your mind to stop wandering during everyday life.
So, even if you don't believe in God, meditating regularly seems to make people feel "centered" -
and when they're "centered", their minds don't stray -
and when their minds don't stray, they tend to be happier, God or no God!
What Happens In Meditation? Part 1
Think of the water in the martini glass as your "clear" mind and imagine:
the red paint drop to be a pleasant thought that appears out of nowhere e.g. some memory of a first love. Think of the dispersant red as your tangential memories that flood in &
then watch the blue paint drop, which is an unpleasant thought that appears out of nowhere e.g. an argument you had last night with your spouse. Think of the dispersant as further marital resentments that quickly appear...and think of where the red and blue dispersant paints merge as the crush-you-can't-do-anything-about on your sweet co-worker who reminds you of your first love
Now look what happens you try to keep your mind clear:
0.17 red drop hits the surface
0.18 one red mini-drop heads out of the glass, frame left - in terms of psychology, who can estimate what damage that may cause?
0.18 - 0.23 the main drop re-emerges, though some paint has dispersed, frame right
0.24 another red mini-drop heads out of the glass, frame left
0.24 - 0.43 the main red drop disperses its paint slowly but the rest is seeping out in dramatic swirls
0.44 the blue drop hits and explodes apart immediately
0.45 as if using a super-magnet, the blue drop almost completely reforms and comes out of the water
0.44 - 0.46 one blue mini-drop heads out of the glass, frame left
0.47 the main blue drop falls back into the water, then reconstitutes and re-emerges from the water. Also, some of the blue has leaked into the red spread, forming a deep purple
0.47 - 0.53 simultaneously, lava-like mini-drops form and two tiny ones head out of the glass, frame left
0.53 - 1.10 the two main drops sit at the bottom of the glass, leaking their paint-like toxins
Uh-oh and there's even more bad news (see Part 2)
Barbara Biziou's Momentary Meditations
by Barbara Biziou
Barbara Biziou's Momentary Meditations
Amazon Price: $5.77 (as of 06/01/2012)
"Bringing yourself back into balance after a stressful day or a stressful week often requires more than 15 minutes - and with a 45-minute escape, you can tune out the world and enter a paradise of cherry lily blossoms floating in ponds, fantasy waterfalls and towering trees.
Barbara Biziou teaches the techniques necessary for entering a calm, centered state, far from worry loops and noisy distractions. The 5 meditations can be used as short meditation sessions or you can just play the entire DVD for a deeply relaxing experience. "
Top 10 Amazon reviewer Rebecca Johnson
"This DVD includes 5 beautiful meditations.
1: Simple Breath (3:25 min.) Teaches you how to breathe correctly.
2: Beauty of the Heart (3:48 min) Teaches you how to reduce stress while traveling.
3: Sensual Relaxation (11:22 min) How to Relax your whole body.
4: Nurturing Energy (9:35 min) How to eliminate negative thoughts.
5: Revitalizing your Spirit (11:51 min) Brings you to serenity."
Top 1000 Amazon reviewer YogaKat
"What an amazing journey. I had tears in my eyes - an awakening on many different levels. Many new realizations and dreams came to be. Changed my thinking and direction. I would have paid several hundred dollars to experience that journey, just once."
Amazon reviewer SKS
What Happens In Meditation? Part 2
"Piranhas?", you're probably thinking. "Hmm, last I heard, we were talking about paint!"
Yes - and you'd be right. However, the piranhas metaphor was too appropriate to ignore for the development of this argument. So, it's goodbye paint and hello piranhas!
Look at the billboard. Do you see the piranha lurking under her floating sunbed?
Well, in terms of keeping your mind still during meditation, do you remember those blobs of paint siting at the bottom of the martini glass? Well, they don't just fester, they actually transform into something far more dynamic - they turn into thought piranhas.
In fact, this segment from the BBC about how Piranhas Attack (2.28) shows not only the process but the exact sequence - in allegory - of how your mind can get taken over by other thoughts during Meditation and you can be in turmoil, stripped clean of Peace.
Ha-ha, I couldn't end this introductory section without pointing you to: Piranha 3D - The Official Trailer. H-e-l-p!
What Happens In Meditation? Part 3
I's not all bad news, though.The capacity to meditate (especially with simple forms of meditation, like T.M.) is actually like a muscle and many people quickly get the hang of using it.
However, even as you progress, those intrusive thoughts don't always go away but you can learn how to put them in their place.
Although this final video may seem repetitive, I implore you to watch it, as the final 45 seconds are truly extraordinary. Piranhas As Thoughts: The Shocking Truth! (2.28) - and very accurate as an allegory.
For those interested in the Metaphysics of what a successful Meditation state would be, see: Understanding Chakras and look for "Sheriff Turner"!
If You're Enjoying This Meditation Lens, Why Not Show It Some Love?
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What Do You Think About My Analysis Of Meditation?
This has only been the introduction page, there are plenty of other videos to see but if you'd like to add a comment about what you've seen and read so far, feel free.
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RTGriffin Sep 27, 2011 @ 5:03 am | delete
- Same here, I find it difficult to meditate. However, I do like to image relaxation videos.
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the777group
Jan 1, 2012 @ 6:26 pm | delete
- One good thing about Rock'n'Roll is you quickly discover that everybody's got their own way to dance.
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sorana
Mar 13, 2011 @ 9:45 pm | delete
- Excellent analysis, however I personally find it hard to meditate, I just can't get into that state.
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the777group
Jan 1, 2012 @ 6:25 pm | delete
- Ah, Nature abhors a vacuum, thoughts will rush into a cluttered mind - but once you leave home, only you can clean up your messy room (unless you have home-help!).
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catbehaviors
Dec 2, 2010 @ 5:27 pm | delete
- Great coverage of meditation.
*blessed*
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the777group
Jan 6, 2012 @ 11:31 pm | delete
- I'll take that as a positive "Meow" for Meditation.
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What's On eBay For Meditation Extras
What Blogs Around The World Are Saying About Meditation
- Himalayan Siddha Meditation Master Comes to Los Angeles
- Most yogis who attain the level of samadhi (true enlightenment) only do so through years of rigorous training and meditation. Oftentimes these Siddha Masters isolate themselves from other people, living in some unknown location in the Himalayas.
- 'Curry King' Charan Gill to host meditation event
- One of Scotland's top entrepreneurs is to host an event which aims to highlight the benefits of meditation. Restaurateur Charan Gill, who became known as Glasgow's 'Curry King', will front 'Seeking Silence' at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on 9 June.
- Introductory Presentation on Meditation and Positive Living to be Held at ...
- The inner Light and Sound are the two principles that we focus on during meditation. When these life-giving impulses are awakened, the student begins to experience the source of inner peace and divine love. Sant Mat is a practical spiritual path based ...
- Mindfulness Meditation Leads to Concentration and Objective Self-Thought
- Practicing mindfulness meditation helps people learn to accept their feelings, emotions and states of mind without judgment or resistance. Several studies have shown it has beneficial effects on long-term emotional stability, and both anxiety and ...
Biofeedback
Applied Psycho-physiology and Biofeedback (AAPB)
The Biofeedback Certification Institution of America (BCIA) &
The International Society for Neuro-feedback & Research (ISNR)
finally reached a consensus for a definition of Biofeedback:
"Biofeedback is a process that enables an individual to learn how to change physiological activity for the purposes of improving health and performance. Precise instruments measure physiological activity such as brainwaves, heart function, breathing, muscle activity and skin temperature. These instruments rapidly and accurately 'feed back' information to the user.
The presentation of this information - often in conjunction with changes in thinking, emotions, and behavior - supports desired physiological changes. Over time, these changes can endure without continued use of an instrument." wikipedia - biofeedback
This Biofeedback section of Meditation videos looks at:
- Thought Technology - an unofficial history of the Biofeedback industry
- The Biofeedback industry today
- The Journey To Wild Divine - excellent New Age biofeedback software
Thought Technology
a history of the Biofeedback business
The following 6 videos are a 45-minute presentation by Dr. Hal Myers, Thought Techgnology's co-founder, about Biofeedback, its history, his company, its products and where the Biofeedback Industry is now heading.
Biofeedback Videos
where Biofeedback is and where it's going
Video # 2: This is a segment from the Dr. Phil TV show, featuring the B.A.U.D., the Bio Acoustical Utilization Device. It's a sound device (yes, you need headphones) that uses binaural beats - individually adjusted by the patient to their own preferences - to distract "addicts" when they feel that that they are getting stress / a craving / a fear / a phobia etc.
My Baud.com claims that the B.A.U.D. is effective for treating a wide range of mental disorders, including Food Addiction, Smoking Addiction, Stress, Depression, Phobias etc.The B.A.U.D. has recently been approved by the FDA and is now available for purchase by the public
The questions that I would ask is whether the effectiveness of the B.A.U.D. continues over a long period of time (or whether the "addicts" cravings cease) and / or that whether the beats (start to) function like Aversion Therapy and if that occurs, whether the "addict" eventually starts to hate the B.A.U.D. and rejects it.
Those questions aside, I consider the potential of the B.A.U.D. exciting!
Video # 3: This video appears to be a collection of B.A.U.D. users - although only one of them actually talks - who have been using the device
Video # 4: The press release for a November 18, 2010 tele-seminar claims: Biofeedback Helps Veterans Battling Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury.
Using a system developed by Dr. Carmen Russoniello, which integrates Thought Technology's Biofeedback know-how with virtual reality gaming software, participating returned veterans are enthusiastic about its non-drug potential for healing.
Video # 5: Thought Technology have also recently released Biofun, which comprises of a number of biofeedback games designed to reduce Stress. Frankly, I find Biofun very disappointing - it looks very unsophisticated!, quite like Donkey Kong, actually. Further, as an add-on to Thought Technology's own BioGraph Infiniti System (which presently clocks in at $several thousand!), I consider it an embarrassment.
I have only included Biofun as a comparison and lead-in to the far superior Journey To The Wild Divine in the module below, which is much cheaper, far more ambitious and considerably more exciting.
Biofeedback On Amazon
Journey To The Wild Divine
The bad news is that if you're like me, Journey To The Wild Divine won't be your "thing" - I'm just not a New Age kinda guy.
Fantasy for me is the Jedi [see also: my Taoism & Star Wars essay] - like grumpy, impatient Yoda - not the soothing and encouraging warmth of the asexual Spiritual master narrator & wise teachers that you find on Wild Divine. Because of that, I know that I could never get into Journey To The Wild Divine and that genuinely saddens me.
The good news - and there is rather a lot of good news - is that for many folks, Journey To The Wild Divine will be perfect. Enter the game and you find that you're in a Myst-like world, where you have to perform certain tasks to progress - all of which entail you learning to control your breath and heart-rate. I'm sure that you can imagine, the medical, emotional and possibly even spiritual ramifications from gaining such mental control of your body are endless back in the real world!
You have to check Wild Divine out, it could save your life / marriage / job etc.
Journey To The Wild Divine Videos
Video # 2: Continuing with the same format, this video unfortunately repeats much of what is in the first but in the second half provides a good look at the official Wild Divine extension pack, Wisdom Quest
Video # 3: the third Wild Divine video is for Healing Rhythms which isn't another extension pack but instead contains more than 40 biofeedback exercises provided by three of the highest profile leaders in the field of Health and Wellness - Doctors Deepak Chopra, Dean Ornish & Andrew Weil
Video # 4: is a selection from Healing Rhythms, the Ocean Guided Meditation from Deepak Chopra
Video # 5: Deepak Chopra introduces in a v-e-r-y roundabout way, the (what was then) new Biofeedback software program, Journey To The Wild Divine Part 1 of 6 (1.21)
Video # 6: Deepak Chopra, Part 2 of 6 - "What Is Stress Response?" - Fight or Flight in ancient times = Stress in modern times (1.33)
Video # 7: Deepak Chopra, Part 3 of 6 - "How Can Technology Help With Stress?" - introducing Biofeedback (1.53)
Video # 8: Deepak Chopra, Part 4 of 6 - "Measuring Stress" - contemporary stress-measuring standards (2.57)
Video # 9: Deepak Chopra, Part 5 of 6 - "How Does The Journey To Wild Divine Work?" - seeing the software in action (2.46)
Video # 10: Deepak Chopra, Part 6 of 6 - "The Journey To Wild Divine...[is]...where modern technology and Ancient wisdom are coming together - [It's] making us more than mere technicians [it's] making us real healers." (3.54)
The Journey to Wild Divine Biofeedback Software & Hardware Bundle for PC & Mac
save over $100 on Wild Divine
- the original software, Passage
- the extension pack, Wisdom Quest
- the 40+ Biofeedback exercises, Healing Rhythms &
- the Biofeedback Grapher Expansion download program, which can be used -
to record your Wild Divine biofeedback results for future reference -
or on its own as a Biofeedback training mechanism with any music of your choice -
or for your own personal meditation +
the new, medical-grade IOM finger-sensor unit
The reviews below are selected from those for the original Wild Divine - Passage software.
Wild Divine 4 program bundle: Healing Rhythms, Passage, Wisdom Quest, Grapher Expansion
Amazon Price: $399.00 (as of 06/01/2012)
"I have practiced deep breathing relaxation techniques for many years and thought that I was able to control my heart rate and blood pressure. My last visit to my doctor told me otherwise. Even after deep breathing exercises my diastolic was still a little high.
After using [Wild Divine] for a few days I realized that [the] deep breathing techniques that I had been practicing [before] were all wrong. With [Wild Divine]'s help I am able to truly relax to lower my stress and blood pressure.
If you buy this and treat it like you would a regular computer game...you will be very disappointed. However, if you use [Wild Divine] as a way to achieve true relaxation quicker than you thought was possible, then you will love it, just as I do."
Amazon reviewer W. Doi Jr.
"So you want to learn to relax and monitor how relaxed you have become?
Do you love yoga and have a world inside your mind that is magical and an escape?
This game is one that will be enjoyed by those who want a relaxation challenge or want to focus on mind-body mastery. The more relaxed you are, the faster you get through the game challenges.
By using your mouse, you navigate through the game with a magic wand - you follow "swooshes" of stars [and] by using your breath to deepen your relaxation, you move forward into new worlds and exciting adventures."
Top 10 Amazon reviewer Rebecca Johnson
"I recommend [Wild Divine] emphatically for anyone who has bipolar and A.D.D. or A.D.H.D. children or adults in your family.
This wonderful bio-feedback video game will help everyone learn to control their own body. With that, [they] can start to control their emotional issues by closing their eyes and focusing on the kite or the levitating ball or the magic carpet...
...Sometimes the stress just gets overwhelming at work and 5 minutes of this meditation game - you're back to your old self again - [Wild Divine] is fantastic!"
Amazon reviewer J. Ingram
Journey To The Wild Divine On eBay
What Blogs Around The World Are Saying About Biofeedback
- Video: Using “Belly Biofeedback” App for Diaphragmatic Breathing
- It's called Belly Biofeedback, and yes ? of course I'll demonstrate it for you! You can download the free app and use it on either the iPhone or the iPod Touch. Are you going to try it out? How long did it take for you to master?
- Experts in Biofeedback Launch Breathing Software Geared to Help Golfers ...
- Research shows that breathing helps to balance the autonomic nervous system and, when combined with biofeedback technology, can be a powerful way to improve performance and health. The use of proper breathing techniques is one key to success and ...
- Community Interest Company (CIC) Launches Breathing Software to Raise ...
- Canadian psychologists show how breathing helps to balance the autonomic nervous system and with the latest biofeedback technology can lead to Olympic gold for athletes and improved performance at school for children. One of the simplest biofeedback ...
- The Doctor's Remedy: Biofeedback for Stress
- Physician: Dr. Lawrence D. Rosen, chairman of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Integrative Medicine, and a pediatrician at the Whole Child Center in Oradell, NJ What the Doctor Says:Biofeedback devices typically weigh only a couple of ...
Mantra Meditation
However, to try to provide an exact meaning is impossible. Mantra describes practices ranging from chanting spells to intoning long slabs of liturgy, sometimes thousands of years old, in five major Asian religions, through numerous dialects and in a multitude of countries. It's like trying to define "cooking".
To be fair, Wikipedia has a comprehensive entry for Mantra but it's hard work, even for those reasonably acquainted with the subject and if you're a novice, it will make for difficult reading.
That being said, Mantra isn't difficult to do and - in my experience, gets consistently good results. Ganesha the little fellow to your left is said to personify the primal sound of "Om", the mantra that I use predominantly. He is the Elephant God, seen everywhere in India and is considered to be "the remover of obstacles" - that is how highly "Om" is regarded.
This Mantra section of Meditation Videos looks at:
- My meditation routine
- Mantra &
- Transcendental Meditation
Om: King Of The Mantras
my meditation routine
The symbol that you see above is for Om (or Aum). In the East it is synonymous with "God" and "Good fortune" and in the West, like the Yin & Yang symbol (see my intro to Taoism), it has come to represent "New Age".
However, its "meaning" is irrelevant, because its true meaning is that it is the doorway to an altered consciousness through Mantra. I fully understand how ridiculous that sounds but I can only defend it by saying that the results are entirely experiential - it defies logic that the repetition of one or a few phrases can have such a remarkable beneficial and Scientifically-proven effect upon health (for numerous diseases), well being (for Stress, marital problems, PTSD etc.) and perhaps even Spirituality.
There are many mantras and it stands to reason that that since they have such effects, they should be taught by someone who knows what they're doing as doing the wrong mantras might well cause you problems. For that reason, I implore you to treat them with respect!
I would not, ordinarily, ever consider sharing a mantra with the general public but because Om has been so well-known and respected for several thousands of years (although, it is the butt of much satire about New Age excesses in the West) I see no harm in sharing how I use it.
Over the years, I've settled upon a very simple Meditation routine, combining my take on Raja Yoga + simple Mantra.
Why both and not one?
Well, purists for both schools would probably pour scorn on me but I find that I get a better result that way:
I start with 5 minutes of "sensing" - placing the attention, sequentially, in the limbs of the body and consciously relaxing them - making them feel heavy and then heavier! Occasionally I'll accompany this process with following the breath through the nose into the lungs and then back out if it enhances the relaxation process.
At the end of this "psychic purification", I generally feel ready to "enter the temple".
For the second phase, I do 15 -20 minutes of Mantra, almost always a Tibetan-sounding Ommmmm [which I pronounce as Om, Ohm, Ormme & variations], letting the "mmmmm" part go for as long as possible. I find that I much prefer to do this aloud and to let the sound resonate through my body - the more resonance, the better.
The third phase is silent, following the breath for about 5 minutes. If the meditation has gone well, the silence is - I'm grappling for words, here - profound. If you are of a religious faith - I am not - I would recommend that you offer your prayer about half-way through this phase. My guess is that you will find it most rewarding.
Mantra Videos
Video # 1: Om - predominantly male chanting + females in background + Indian accompanying music
Video # 2: Om - single male fast chanting = not aesthetically pleasant to listen to but probably dynamic to do!
N.B.: I have only ever chanted Om s-l-o-w-l-y and would not recommend anyone to do differently. Obviously, others have different opinions.
Video # 3: Om - male chanting + non-intrusive Indian accompanying music
Video # 4: Om - single male voice, slightly creepy for some but wonderful for me + reverb-like effects
Video # 5: Om Mani Padme Hum - Tibetan Buddhist, male & female
See also: Everything you always wanted to know about Om Mani Padme Hum but were afraid to ask
Video # 6: Claims about the effects of the RAM & RAMA mantra put forward by 95 year old Indian "saint" S. N. Bharadwaj
Video # 7: Raw footage of a Hare Krishna shindig in San Francisco, 1967 - the beginnings of a meteoric worldwide evangelical movement that has mostly died from public knowledge of the sect's acknowledgement of widespread physical, emotional and sexual abuse of children
Video # 8: the Hare Krishna mantra - as produced by then-Beatle George Harrison - which became a Top 20 hit in the U.K. in 1969
Video # 9: The Hare Krisna mantra is a joyous one, as can be seen in this Contact High, shot in Time Square, New York. A few brave Krishna devotees start the mantra and the crowd - mostly consisting of young men - have a ball with it. Are they enjoying the mantra, getting off on the kookiness of it all or just laughing at the devotees? Who knows? Who cares?
Video # 10: Deva Premal is a German New Age artist who uses ancient Sanskrit mantras to create dreamy, quite pleasant New Age music. In my eyes, her work is the best of the mantra-as-song genre but in the process, deviates to becomes nothing much to do with mantra.
Healing Mantras: Using Sound Affirmations for Personal Power, Creativity, and Healing
by Thomas Ashley-Farrand
Healing Mantras: Using Sound Affirmations for Personal Power, Creativity, and Healing
Amazon Price: $6.21 (as of 06/01/2012)
"I have searched long and hard to understand the use of mantras, encountering little more than a brick wall, time and time again, in my search. [Thomas Ashley-Farrand] has taught me not only how to climb the wall but to walk through it.
A commendable book, that I recommend to all with great excitement. "
Amazon reviewer Marina
"A thorough discussion of the background, lore, history and application of sound in healing, together with Vedic cosmology and the views of scientists, as well as pieces on Karma, Astrology and the Chakras.
All the important areas of life are covered and the various relevant mantras provided with phonetic guide to pronunciation and English translation. Throughout, examples are given of healings achieved and problems solved through the use of specific mantras.
[Thomas Ashley-Farrand] has an engaging style and it's hard to put the book down."
Top 50 Amazon reviewer Peiter "toypom"
"Ashley-Farrand has...has given religious and scientific justification of the healing power of sound. For me, personally as a Christian, [this] was very important to learn, that practicing mantras does not require to change my religious belief because it's all about sound vibrations!
In general, I strongly advise you to read it! It's good and hope-giving and calming and energizing!"
Amazon reviewer Tenyo Gogov
+ a brief presentation by author Thomas Ashley-Farrand about Indian traditional religious ceremonies, pujas, and why they use mantras (4.50)
Transcendental Meditation
TIME Magazine, October 1975, T.M. article
It's impossible to talk about Transcendental Meditation without talking about the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (1914 - 2008), its founder. Following in the steps of Kriya Yoga founder, Paramahansa Yogananda (1893 - 1952), the Maharishi was the second* Indian guru to receive an international profile - starting his international tours to promote T.M. in 1958.
However, it was his fortuitous pairing with The Beatles in 1967 The Beatles (1.06 - silent) just after the release of the momentous Sgt. Pepper's album, that brought him star celebrity. By the mid-1970s, the Maharishi was based in the USA and his "university" was a multi-million dollar business, causing (and still causing) resentment from those who think Spirituality should be "free" (try telling that to the churches!).
Personally, I'm completely ambivalent about T.M.'s cost.
If the Scientific studies on T.M. are to believed - and there is no reason to doubt their veracity - then compared to the cost of:
psychiatrists
psychologists
divorce lawyers
doctors
specialists
medicines
medicines for the original medicine's side effects
alcohol
narcotics
social workers
police
prisons etc.
all the services and substances that people use or end up causing to be used when their life is going off the rails - then T.M. is dirt cheap!
By the early 1970s, T.M. was beginning to be recognized in Scientific studies and the corporate world was also beginning to grasp that T.M. could help their profitability, as TIME Magazine reported in October 1975:
Some companies even think that T.M. can improve corporate efficiency. T.M. courses have been given at, among others, AT&T, General Foods, Connecticut General Life Insurance Co., Blue Cross/Blue Shield in Chicago and The Crocker National Bank of San Francisco.
...and the article concludes with the remarkable accolade (considering it was 1975):
"Judged on its own terms and used as a technique and not as a religious panacea, T.M. works - at least for many. It will not necessarily make people better but it may very well make them feel better or, if nothing else, think that they feel better.
And that is about as much as they can expect from 40 minutes a day."
However, if there was a peak for T.M. - as a movement - that was it. Soon a new craze, E.S.T. was on the horizon, which was subsequently replaced by Tony Robbins' rambunctious "personal development" courses in the "Greed is good" Reagan 1980s.
T.M. continued, of course, unfortunately sullying its brand name with:
a expensive courses that they claimed could help you levitate &
b ill-fated capitalistic forays into Ayurvedic Medicine that used creepy "Vedic Agriculture" ads like this for Maharish Vedic Organic Honey - which was somehow supposed to help bring "World Peace".
After a near-death health-scare in 1991, the Maharishi settled in Holland and he eventually passed away in 2008.
See:L.A. Times, Maharishi obituary
Since the Maharishi's passing, the organization has become a lot more "21st Century", promoting T.M.'s benefits primarily through film maker David Lynch's charitable foundation and a steady trickle of impressive Scientific studies (see: the module directly below). With some estimates of T.M.'s wealth to be in the billions, look out, this new stewardship of the organization may well see T.M. (ahem) reincarnated!
* the third notable Indian guru to have an international profile was Swami Prabhupada, who brought the Hare Krishna movement to the world.
Since then, the only Indian "guru" of note has been Deepak Chopra - formerly the Maharishi's right-hand man - who, as a trained physician, takes a mostly secular non-guru-like position. Incidentally, after the Maharishi's death, Chopra provided an informative and touching recollection - Deepak Chopra - My Life With The Maharishi - an extraordinary, slightly controversial and moving read!
See also: Deepak Chopra presenting The Journey To The Wild Divine software in the Biofeedback section
The Latest News On Transcendental Meditation
- Transcendental Meditation To Be Used To Help War Veterans With PTSD
- Ex: Huffington Post, November 2010
- English Film Star & Comedian Russell Brand Talks With DJ Howard (36 years TM) Stern About The Dramatic Effect Of TM On His Life
- Ex: Youtube, May 2010
- Transcendental Meditation Helps Heart Disease Patients Lower Cardiac Disease Risks By 50%
- Ex: Science Daily, November 2009
- Ex-Beatles Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr + Sheryl Crowe + Donovan - Change Begins Concert - TM For At-Risk Youth - Concert Highlights + Interviews
- Ex: David Lynch Foundation, April 2009
- Transcendental Meditation Effective In Reducing High Blood Pressure
- Ex: Science Daily, December 2007
Transcendental Meditation Videos
After the fortuitous (but short) patronage of The Beatles, The Maharishi Mahesh Yogi made his own publicity in the USA. Here, talk show host Merv Griffin interviews the Maharishi, my guess is around 1968. Griffin nervously does most of the talking, mostly about his and fellow-meditator, Clint Eastwood's, experiences with TM (1.39)
Video # 2: An Intro To Transcendental Meditation, narrated by Norman Rosenthal M.D., psychiatrist & author (1.50)
Video # 3: Can I Learn Transcendental Meditation From A Book?
No!
As explained why Bobby Roth, an executive director of the David Lynch Foundation (1.02)
Video # 4: Why Does Transcendental Meditation Cost Money To Learn?
Again answered by Bobby Roth - essentially that TM pays its meditation teachers a living wage and that those costs - and others - need to be met
Video # 5: How Is Transcendental Meditation Different From Other Meditation Techniques?
Once more answered by Bobby Roth - because it's "effortless"
Video # 6: The Effects Of Transcendental Meditation On P.T.S.D.
David George, former U.S. infantryman, tells his post-Iraq story of P.T.S.D. & Alcoholism and how T.M. has now given him relief from constant Anxiety
Video # 7: What Happens When Kids With A.D.H.D. Replace Their Medication With Transcendental Meditation?
Sarina Grosswald, Ed.D., explains her powerful results from tests using T.M. with kids who have been diagnosed with A.D.H.D. + interviews with the kids before & after 3 months of T.M. March 2005 (7.05)
Video # 8: Statistics Of How T.M. Prevents Cardiovascular Disease In Youth
Dr. Robert Schneider M.D. provides a brief presentation on how Transcendental Meditation technique produces a statistically significant reduction in high blood pressure and Stress, which is resulting in lower Cardiovascular Disease in teenagers + Robert Schneider, on T.M. & Stress
Video # 9: Prison inmates from the Oregon State Correctional Facility talk about the positive effect that Transcendental Meditation has had on their daily lives + T.M. now taught in Dominican prisons.
Video # 10: Father Len Dubi: How Transcendental Meditation enriches my religious life. "I'm a better Christian - a better priest, because of [T.M]." + Rabbi Abe Shainberg
Transcendental Meditation On Amazon
Science of Being And Art Of Living: Transcendental Meditation
by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Science of Being and Art of Living: Transcendental Meditation
Amazon Price: $9.65 (as of 06/02/2012)
"[The Science of Being and Art of Living] provides an excellent explanation of what TM is and why it's beneficial and important to us and society."
Amazon reviewer MMc
" I won't get into the cost of learning TM but keep in mind the amount of money we squander on pharmaceuticals, alcohol, psycho-therapy, large screen TV's and other material things - TM is a priceless gift that can help everyone realize their full potential."
Amazon reviewer P. Kalina
"First time in 1973 I read this book through in 2 days. I just started with Transcendental Meditation (TM) and was fascinated by the easy answers to questions...
...I still practice TM and...I find the the same ageless truth as in 1973 but now I have the experience that you really CAN change your life fundamentally. This book is not only theoretical but also very practical."
Amazon reviewer Norbert.Hess
+ The Maharishi Mahesh Yogi talking about Transcendental Meditation in 1968
Mantra On Amazon
Mantra On eBay
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What Blogs Around The World Are Saying About Transcendental Meditation
- Education: The Platform for Change A Conversation with Paul Stokstad
- And the experience of the Transcendental Meditation program allows them to experience a fourth state of consciousness, which is called transcendental consciousness. And this state has certain physiological correlates. You can have someone in the other ...
- Sands of time season Beach Boys
- Transcendental mediation added to the metamorphosis of the Boys. In 1970 they involved themselves with the Maharishi and began a tour with him. Since then Al Jardine and Love have become teachers of transcendental meditation.
- Transcendental meditation FAQs
- Center director Billie Jean Billman spoke with a group of veterans about how their meditation efforts. A Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who died in 2008, began the TM technique in the mid-1950s in India before spreading it across the globe.
- Dr. Oz Offers Transcendental Meditation to his Production Team
- Dr. Mehmet Oz is offering Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique to his entire NY-based production team, and is already seeing changes, according to The David Lynch Foundation. ?I have been practicing Transcendental Meditation (or ?TM?) for nearly ...
Raja Yoga Meditation
Raja (meaning: King / the best, the ultimate etc.) Yoga was originally named in the 15th century to differentiate it, in particular, from Hatha Yoga, which was then becoming popular.While it had first been formalized as a study by Patanjali 200 years before the birth of Christ, scholars claim that his sutras are much in debt to Buddhism.
However, his work has stood the test of time, simply because the sutras are so well written - clear steps about how to eventually achieve Enlightenment, called in Raja Yoga, Samadhi. Patanjali's approach is v-e-r-y mental and the picture to your left is a pretty accurate depiction of purist Raja Yoga.
The idea is: Concentrate, concentrate and when you're finished concentrating, concentrate some more - until you have your breakthrough.
Interestingly, Raja Yoga was, historically, only one of a number of Yoga systems that a student would have to learn, e.g. Hatha Yoga for the body, work with the poor to develop Humility and Empathy etc.
Unfortunately, in the translation from India to the West, this integration of Yogas - individually chosen by Spiritual masters to "balance" those in their care - seems to have been forgotten.
Raja Yoga In The Real World
From my perspective, Raja Yoga IS Patanjali's sutras - there is nothing else. However, from my experience, I have not found this to be the case. As you will see in the second video in the module below, Raja Yoga tends to be presented, not as training for the clearest, most intense form of Yogic meditation but instead, as an introduction to the cream of Indian Spiritual culture. However, as they used to say on the Seinfeld TV show - "Not that there's anything wrong with that". (see: my look back at Seinfeld)
I hope that this doesn't sound critical of Raja Yoga because that is not my intention at all but the truth is, that if you do get involved, you will probably have to immerse yourself in a different culture, philosophically, intellectually, food-wise, even, sometimes, your clothing etc. It's not to the point of being creepy or CULT-like but there is a line drawn in the sand and your peers will almost certainly expect you to step over it.
Raja Yoga iconography picture 1
Raja Yoga iconography picture 2
Interestingly, I found that people brought up as Roman Catholics seemed to have the least resistance to this process, possibly because Raja Yoga possesses a grandeur and / or a religious certainty somewhat redolent of the Church but others thought that it just felt "right" and almost everybody thought it was their karma!
Raja Yoga Videos
Video # 2: This second video does not mention what type of meditation it presents, it is, nevertheless, an excellent video introduction to Raja Yoga. Note that it is dismissive of Mantra meditation, which is, to me unfortunate. Nevertheless, it's their video, so they can say what they like!
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: Commentary on the Raja Yoga Sutras by Sri Swami Satchidananda
by Swami Satchidananda
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: Commentary on the Raja Yoga Sutras by Sri Swami Satchidananda
Amazon Price: $10.02 (as of 06/01/2012)
"I have been studying the Vedic scriptures since 1996 and, I must say, out of all the different translations; the Bhagavad Gita, the Rig Veda etc., this one by Sri Swami Satchidananda is the best!"
Amazon reviewer G. Iwanski
"Swami Satchidananda's whole style is warm, straightforward and very modern. He never compromises the truth of the teachings but his tone is beautifully supportive and gentle. If your desire is to try to understand the truth of the Yoga Sutras in your current life situation, then I can't imagine a better book."
Amazon reviewer ellerp
"The knowledge in this book is timeless and anyone who is open to its wisdom will receive it's benefits."
Amazon reviewer Dylan Matthews
Raja Yoga On eBay
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Raja Yoga On Amazon
What Blogs Around the World Are Saying About Raja Yoga Meditation
- 'Curry King' Charan Gill to host meditation event
- Mr Gill said meditation had led him to make major changes to his lifestyle. 'Seeking Silence' will outline a range of meditation techniques derived from Raja Yoga. Mr Gill said: "My interest in this technique is linked to the chaos of the modern world.
- A Big Day in the Life: When Sgt. Pepper Blew Our Minds
- George was seeking spiritual truth as well as musical skills, and Shankar facilitated his quest by giving him books to read, among them Swami Vivekananda's Raja Yoga and Paramahansa Yogananda's seminal Autobiography of a Yogi. That's why Yogananda and ...
- What's Happening Around Greenwich This Weekend
- Yoga and Meditation Discussion: 2 pm ? 4 pm Intro to ?Raja Yoga Meditation? with Erik Larson and ?Rejuvenating with Yoga? with Allison Egan Datwani at the Greenwich Library. Free. Men's Group Spring Fling: 7 pm The Men's Group at Round Hill Community ...
- Traditional one-month Yoga teacher training program offered in California and ...
- The Yoga Farm provides a residential setting where spiritual practitioners of all levels can deepen their practice through the study of classical yoga, meditation and vedanta. "This course is meant to be intensive, immersing the students in a day long ...
Zen Meditation
Wikipedia - Zen states that :"Zen is a school of Mahayana Buddhism.
The Japanese word Zen is derived from the Chinese word 'chan', which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word 'dhyana', which means 'meditation' or 'meditative state'" - and in a way, that's all we need to know to establish the history of Zen.
It started in India, where Holy men frequently existed through Charity of the public or the gifts of their students. Over the centuries, as these meditation practices traveled to China, "Chan" became more hierarchical, forming orders and building monasteries - for safety, if nothing else - and became remodeled by Oriental language, practice and ritual.
Further changes occurred as the "Chan" meditation schools moved to Korea, Viet Nam and then finally Japan, where it became Zen and after a thousand years, it was eventually exported to the West.
Zen Explained
I believe that the 10 Zen videos that I've chosen and which you'll find in the module do provide a varied introduction to some of the fundamentals of Zen - given that altogether, they're about an hour in duration. However, I have to say that none of them get as close to the heart of Zen as the following short story.
Frequently Zen stories are frustratingly oblique but this one isn't. Yes, it's got that well-known, quirky Zen humor about it but as with any great religious story or parable, it would work in any time and culture.
The Story Of Nan-in, The Zen Master & The Visiting University Professor
Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor, who came to inquire about Zen. Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor's cup full - and then kept on pouring. The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself:
"It is overfull. No more will go in!"
Nan-in said:
"Like this cup, you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"
Awake Blogger
Zen Videos
Video # 2: Alan Watts - who some consider, almost single-handedly brought Far Eastern religion to the Western world in the 1950s - presents a very different intro to Zen from the first video. This is considerably meatier and provides a lot of excellent info
Video # 3: Alan Watts provides another wonderful audio recording, this time, on why Zen appeals to the West. However, please note, the video maker has created disturbing "lip-moving" visuals and added New Age music which drowns the spoken audio a little. I found the video more rewarding with my eyes closed
Video # 4: The intro to the documentary, The Still Point - provides a simple and precise description of how to approach Zen meditation in relation to posture, breathing etc. by John Daido Loori of the Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, USA
Video # 5: In another excerpt from the Still Point documentary, John Daido Loori tells in exquisite, rich detail, about how he came to Zen via photography - and how Zen presently influences his work
Video # 6: An excerpt from 1999 talk by the eminently sensible, American Zen monk, Claude AnShin Thomas of the Zaltho Foundation, about the "now" rather than the holding on to labels, re: his ordination, Zen Buddhism in general etc. Thomas is an interesting character - a highly decorated Vietnam vet (including) the Purple Heart, who claims to have killed several hundred Vietnamese. He subsequently spent many years with PTSD and drug & alcohol problems Claude AnShin Thomas - wikipedia and ironically found Zen via a Vietnamese Buddhist monk who was running a retreat for Vietnam vets.
Video # 7: A Zen Story - How A Woodcutter Attains Zen. Ian Horner uses primitive computer animation to illustrate an old Zen story, as told by Alan Watts
Video # 8: An excellent - if macabre - hi-tec cartoon animation about a western-looking ninja who is trying to meditate but who lets a fly take him away from his goal
Video # 9: Soothing Japanese-style New Age music set to Zen images
Video # 10: In some ways, I consider this video - comprised of stills taken at the Zen Gardens in Kyoto + music by Lucy Evans + snippets of an un-named voice - to be the most powerful of all the Zen videos that I have selected. This is Zen in action - beautiful, simple and profound
The Still Point
by John Daido Loori
Finding the Still Point (Book and CD): A Beginner's Guide to Zen Meditation (Dharma Communications)
Amazon Price: $7.72 (as of 06/01/2012)
"If you want to try Zen (or want to try it again), I cannot imagine a finer way of doing it than by using this neat little guide."
Amazon reviewer De Luk
"The CD provided with the book and the guided Zazen, are very helpful to my Zazen practice."
Amazon reviewer James A. Baker
"The CD reinforces and extends the teaching and encourages a beginner like me to start sitting regularly."
Amazon reviewer Robert L. Rose
Zen Meditation On eBay
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Zen Meditation On Amazon
What Blogs Around The World Are Saying About Zen Meditation
- Ten Ways to Find Some Zen This Summer
- If you've never tried meditation, this is the season (if there ever was a season to meditate). Meditation can be done by walking (hence the term ?walking meditation"). This is great to try on the beach. Park your chair and take a walk in silence.
- Buddhist mindful eating practices enter the mainstream
- BY SACHI FUJIMORI A group of employees at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood have recently started a weekly lunch date to eat together in silence, drawing on Buddhist meditation practices. Gathering in a wordless conference room on a recent afternoon, ...
- religion briefs
- Ashland Zen Center will offer beginner's meditation instruction at 7 pm Wednesday, June 6, at the center, 740 Tolman Creek Road, Ashland. Participants will learn how to sit zazen for meditation, become familiar with the basic forms of the temple, ...
- A Day of Meditation
- Five separate Buddhist meditation groups invite the pubic to a ?Day of Meditation? on Saturday, June 16 from 2 to 4 at Riverfront Park in Salem. The Thai Buddhist group ?Wat Buddha Oregon? from Turner, the Vietnamese Zen group ?River Sangha,? and the ...
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Richistan: A Journey Through the American Wealth Boom And The Lives Of The New Rich
Robert Frank
Richistan: A Journey Through the American Wealth Boom and the Lives of the New Rich
Amazon Price: $5.00 (as of 06/02/2012)
"The last few decades have seen a tremendous spurt in the number of the truly wealthy. This is not inherited wealth; it's money people have earned through work or investments.
And Frank finds that the funny thing is this: everybody who is very wealthy wants more money, and the money, while it buys freedom from some worries and lots of toys and pleasure, does not seem to have brought the wealthy true happiness."
Top 1000 Amazon reviewer Jeri Nevermind
"Richistan, a well written, most interesting look at the lives of the new rich was a real page turner. For the most part, their over-consumptive lifestyles were gross. Another good title for the book would have been "Grossistan!" e.g. in a study on...Richistan's favorite watches, Rolex barely made the top ten - Franck Muller watches were rated number one...hand made, mostly of stainless and quartz. The Cheapest Franck Muller watch costs $4,800 and the most expensive costs $2,700,000."
Amazon reviewer J. Hagg
"When you finish [Richistan], you may share my view that the richest 1% is incredibly narcissistic, disturbingly out of touch, environmentally and socially wasteful and is corrupting charitable work and politics with their fortunes and rather insular world view."
Amazon reviewer S. Sherman
+ Robert Frank video interview 2007 (9.36)
Some More Of My Lenses On Religion & Spirituality
Deer Hunting with Jesus: Dispatches from America's Class War
by Joe Bageant
Deer Hunting with Jesus: Dispatches from America's Class War
Amazon Price: $7.20 (as of 06/01/2012)
"There are communities in America where working people struggle. They don't train for marathons, and "Pilates" is a word rarely used in conversation. Obesity is rampant, and even physicians throw in the towel when it comes to preventative care. They live paycheck to paycheck, and Budweiser to Budweiser. Marrying a high school sweetheart is more common than going off to college...and deer hunting...is as natural as going to church."
Top 500 Amazon reviewer Robert Schmidt
"[Joe Bageant] helps people like me understand how the friends and loved ones who were once rational - if not very educated - turned into gun-stockpiling crazies [who] destroyed my country.
It helps me to see why I hear them shouting in the streets that no one will force health care upon them - yet the very next minute [they will] ask me for money to help so and so's child who is dying of cancer / car accident etc because they don't have health insurance."
Amazon reviewer name
"Joe Bageant has the best ear for Southern language and class since William Faulkner or maybe even Mark Twain"
Amazon reviewer R. Carpenter
+ Joe Bageant video interview 2008 (7.30)
+ Joe Bageant print interview
