Reviews for Jewish Meditation: A Practical Guide

The average rating for Jewish Meditation: A Practical Guide based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2019-09-08 00:00:00 Norm Weagant In this work, the late Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan explores the Jewish roots of meditation, as well as a practical on how to meditate according to Jewish tradition. He points out how meditation is an ancient part of Jewish religious tradition, contrary to popular belief. How the synagogue was meant originally to be a meditative experience, and how much of Jewish prayer liturgy is meant to be a meditative type connection with the Creator. He marvels at how so many Jews look outside their Judaism for spiritual enlightenment, while it is all available within their own spiritual tradition. As Kaplan takes us on this journey of exploration he deals with such questions as `What is meditation?', `Why meditate' , the various types of meditation available and how to do them as well as a chapter on Musar, self-perfection, an important school in Jewish thought. After reading this excellent work, you will never see Judaism, spirituality or meditation in the same way. It also can serve as a simple and helpful aid to begin your own meditation.

Review # 2 was written on 2008-08-01 00:00:00 Jimmy Bell Jr This book had little practical advice to offer, unless you consider a kabalistic interpretation of Jewish prayer and liturgy to be practical. One strange affect that was repeated was the warning not to do certain meditations alone - implying that one might not be able to return from the land of nothingness or contact with God. As a physician and a sometime meditator and student of Zen, I have never heard of anyone who failed to come back from meditation. For most of us, the problem is getting there and staying there - wherever. Getting back is easy. Anyway, this book did not help me to see the sources of Jewish meditation historically as I hoped. On to The Way of Solomon and One God Clapping.