The joy of True Meditation: Words of Encouragement for Tired Minds and Wild Hearts

by Jeff Foster

Overview

Jeff Foster, a survivor of suicidal depression and now a popular spiritual teacher, invites us to discover the "life-saving" inner sanctuary of true meditation. He re-envisions meditation as a vast non-dual field of Presence, accessible to all of us in each and every moment of our lives; an effortless place where we can be our authentic selves - imperfections, doubts, fears, exhaustion and all. Meditation does not involve zoning out, numbing ourselves to the pain of living or trying to become spiritually enlightened. It means diving into "the sacred mess of this present moment" with curiosity and child-like wonder, drenching our deepest wounds with a loving Awareness, bringing light to the darkness. In true meditation, we come to discover: We are perfect, exactly as we are.

The Joy of True Meditation gathers together nearly 50 of Jeff Foster's soothing, touching, provocative and encouraging essays and poetic reflections on life, love, our true nature, and the courageous journey towards wild self-acceptance. Plus, in an extended Introduction, Jeff opens up fully for the first time about his battle with chronic shame and depression. He shares movingly how a complete mental and spiritual breakdown eventually led him to the discovery of the present moment, his true home. He explains how true meditation literally saved his life.

This book's themes include:

The joy of slowing down and the miracle of the Now-breath

The sacred shift from "healing ourselves" to "holding ourselves"

How we can stop looking for The One, and find it within

The myth of the silent mind and the lie of ego-transcendence

The sacredness hidden in our exhaustion, depression, loneliness and trauma

The immense beauty of our vulnerability, sensitivity and self-doubt

Why painful feelings are never mistakes or blocks to awakening

Knowing our true nature as the non-dual light of Awareness itself

This messy, ordinary human heart as a portal to the Divine

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781999353537
Publisher:	Non-Duality Press
Publication date:	05/01/2019
Pages:	152
Product dimensions:	5.83(w) x 8.27(h) x 0.35(d)

About the Author

Jeff Foster studied Astrophysics at Cambridge University. In his mid-twenties, a complete mental and spiritual breakdown led him to the discovery of non-duality, "the extraordinary in the ordinary" as he calls it. Jeff has now published several books worldwide, and presently offers meetings, retreats and online classes. His website is www.lifewithoutacentre.com.

Table of Contents

Foreword vii

Introduction: The Discovery of True Meditation xiii



1. The Miracle of Breathing 1

2. How True Healing Happens 3

3. From Depressed to Deep Rest 9

4. Stop Waiting for Abundance 11

5. Stop Trying to Fix Me. Love Me Instead 13

6. If You Are Feeling Sad... 16

7. Relax, You Are Not the Doer 17

8. The Rupture and the Repair 18

9. Your Other Half 20

10. The Silence Between Us 25

11. The Best Self-Help Advice 27

12. On Beauty 28

13. Even When We Cannot Hold Ourselves 29

14. The Grace of Disappointment 33

15. I Breathe With You 35

16. The Beauty of Your Numbness 37

17. Why You Haven’t Healed Yet 39

18. When a Friend Wants to Die 41

19. We All Have Tender Places 43

20. Relationship Yoga 44

21. When We Push Feelings Away 48

22. Your Great Protector 51

23. Stand Strong Like a Rock! 55

24. When Love Cracks You Open 57

25. No Longer a Beggar 59

26. Today, Be Wild 61

27. Deep in the Tantric Mud 63

28. The Doorway of the Sacred 67

29. The Wild Buddha 69

30. Soothe the Fire 71

31. The End of the New Age 74

32. On Being Slow and Empathic in a Fast World 76

33. Walking with Joy 79

34. Love’s Adventure 80

35. The Sweetness of the Heart’s Reopening 84

36. Your Wild Voice 86

37. Love’s Deeper Commitment 88

38. Loneliness Contains its Own Cure 91

39. Letter to Vincent Van Gogh 94

40. The Stillness in the Chaos 97

41. The Path of the Broken Heart 99

42. A Wild Devotion to a Burning World 102

43. How to Meet Fear 104

44. The Beloved 109

45. I Shall Give You More of My Mad Self 113

46. Exodus 114

Editorial Reviews

"Hidden in each of this book's vignettes is a constant reminder of the fierceness and totality of the moment as an invitation to Presence... By being who he is: a poet, lover, and madman in the best sense of the word, Jeff offers words of encouragement whispered into our tired ears and minds, meant for our dazzled, wild hearts to receive."

- From the Foreword by Kelly Boys, author of "The Blind Spot Effect"

From the Publisher