Book Review :: Holistic Healing

Meditation Bliss
by author HÃ©lÃ¨ne Meurer

by David Fontana

I almost made the mistake of judging a book by its cover when this pretty little gem landed on my desk recently. Meditation Bliss has the appearance of well-marketed fluff targeted at the harried New Ageist seeking solace between two covers. The book is colourful (sparkly even), warm to the touch, and almost pocket-sized. Yet this friendly little package holds much more than expected.

Credit goes to author David Fontana for distilling the principles of meditation into bite-sized, 10-minute practices that are as effective as they are accessible. Open the book randomly to any double-paged spread for simple directions on short and easy daily meditations, such as how to “Greet the new day” and “Learn the inner smile.” The more indulgent weekend meditation pages offer equally motivating instructions for focusing on taste, scent, dreams, and problem solving, among others.

Meditation Bliss is a highly usable tool for those who are timid or new to the idea of meditation. Why? Because Fontana is a teacher of meditation whose earlier best-selling books have been translated into more than 25 languages. His skill for inspiring others to adopt calming practices transfers extremely well to the page. This is a terrific, non-intimidating book to give or receive as a gift.

HÃ©lÃ¨ne Meurer is a reviewer who wishes for more free time to read fresh health books in Victoria, BC.

Source: alive #306, April 2008

Energy Medicine
When we suffer from any kind of pain-physical, emotional, or spiritual, including a painful relationship-our emotions send messages to the body and mind about the need to return to balance. Responding to this call in a positive way can help us find energy and a sense of happiness, vitality, and joy.

Essential Oils for Meditation
Meditation is an ancient art that spans many centuries and cultures. In today's high-tech, busy world, meditation is practised to help turn off the mind, rest the body, and feed the spirit. Breathing is at the very core of meditation and also at the core of aromatherapy.

The Science Behind Meditation
The alarm goes off, and my mind automatically kicks in with its incessant ritual chatter.

Connecting with Your Chakras
"Where'd you get the candles? asked my seven-year-old daughter, Emily, as she eyed my brightly coloured chakra candles on the edge of a tall dresser. I thought I'd hidden them, but they were spotted by a little girl who misses nothing.

Commit to Sit
As modern life becomes increasingly stressful, it seems there is never enough time for all we need to do. So the idea of carving out more time for a commitment to sit-and meditate-may seem absurd.

Secrets of Self-Healing
Author Dr. Maoshing Ni is better known online and elsewhere simply as Dr. Mao. Together with his brother (heirs to a long lineage of Taoist masters in healing), Mao has several books to his credit and currently practises medicine at California's Tao of Wellness.

Awakening Your Intuition
Intuition is knowing something instantly without reasoning. The word "intuition comes from the Latin word intueri, which means to look within. Your own answers are continuously being revealed to you from inside yourself. Are you hearing the wise guidance that is yours to receive?

Tune into Your body's Rhythm
What images come to mind when you hear or see the word meditation? How many of those images include movement? For the average person, not many.