Hurry Up and Meditate: Your Starter Kit for Inner Peace and Better Health

Description

If meditation were available in capsule form, it would be the biggest selling drug of all time. It has been scientifically proven to deliver highly effective stress relief, boost our immune systems, and dramatically slow the aging process. It has also been shown to make us much happier and more effective thinkers. Given all the physical and psychological benefits, why aren't more of us doing it? In this thought-provoking and entertaining book, David Michie explains the nuts and bolts of meditation. As a busy professional and a long-term meditator, he also gives a first-hand account of how to integrate this transformational practice into everyday life. Combining leading-edge science with timeless wisdom, Hurry Up and Meditate provides all the motivation and tools you need to achieve greater balance, better health, and develop a more panoramic perspective on life. The idea of infusing our daily schedule with newfound tranquility may sound appealing, but not everyone is temperamentally suited to sitting around in the lotus position chanting "Om." Not to mention the fact that some of us just have very active minds. We'd like to meditate, but we're just not capable of switching off. The the amazing thing is that it's exactly the people who use the "too busy," "'too hard," and "too hyper" justifications who stand to gain the most from meditation.

David Michie is a corporate communications consultant, published novelist, and Buddhist practitioner. He lives in Perth, Australia.

"Direct, unsentimental, and compelling, this is a book for the skeptics, ditherers, and those many of us who lapse in our meditative practices. If there is someone in your life you'd like to introduce to meditation, Hurry Up and Meditate is an ideal conversation starter."-Amanda Sinclair, author of Leadership for the Disillusioned "This is one of the most accessible and relevant books available on meditation. Hurry up and read it!"-Ian Gawler, author of Peace of Mind and Meditation, Pure and Simple "Michie skillfully takes meditation out of the hippy-trippy, New Age, sentimental, or magical realm and brings it down to the basic practical level that it is. His style is very simple and accessible. This book is for vaguely interested skeptics, a most difficult group to satisfy. That he succeeds in doing so makes this indeed a wonderful, highly commendable book."-The Middle Way "Michie doesn't try to sell a particular belief system but rather focuses on making the case for why meditation is a good thing before giving instruction on simple methods for how to meditate. . . . I recommend this book to any beginning meditator."-Darren Littlejohn, author of The 12-Step Buddhist "This compact, humorous, and informative book demystifies the practice of meditation for the curious and skeptical alike. The author briefly surveys the physical and psychological benefits of meditation and then provides an accessible"Nuts and Bolts" section to begin your amazing journey right away. And like any skilled instructor, Michie even provides helpful advice to measure your progress and avoid some of the most common pitfalls of contemplative practice ... an especially good read for beginners while more experienced meditators will find several compelling arguments for the health benefits of meditation that may reaffirm their decision to begin this truly wonderful practice."-Mandala Magazine "A time to rest and think has numerous health benefits, but really who has the time? Hurry Up and Meditate is a guide to making time for a little peace, quiet, and meditation when one's life doesn't seem to present any opportunity for it. With a blend of scientific logic and poignant wisdom, Michie offers a plan that can improve one's quality of life in ways they didn't think possible."-Library Bookwatch "Well-written. . . . Michie advocates that anyone and everyone can benefit from meditation and has the research to back up his claims. . . . The perfect book for the businessman/woman who really sees the need for more mindfulness in their lives."-Elephant Journal "Attractively, convincingly, and in great detail presents the healing powers of meditation. . . . Enables one to make meditation an integral part of one's daily life."-East and West Series