8 Minutes of meditation

Neither the publisher nor the author is engaged in rendering professional advice or services to the individual reader. The ideas, procedures, and suggestions contained in this book are not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician. Meditation should only be done in a safe, comfortable environment, and should not be done while operating a vehicle, device or equipment of anynature. Neither the author nor the publisher shall be liable or responsible tor any loss or damage allegedly arising from any information or suggestion in this book. A Perigee Book Published by The Berkley Publishing Group A division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. 375 Hudson Street New York, New York 10014 Copyright 2004 by Victor Davich Author photo by R. Bonham Cover design and art by Lisa Mays Textdesign by Julie Rogers All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission. The scanning. uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronicpiracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author's rights is appreciated. Perigee trade paperback edition: July 2004 First electronic edition: November 2005 Visit our website at www.penguin.com MSR ISBN 0 7865 6489 X AEB ISBN 0 786564903 Making or distributing electronic copies of this book constitutes copyright infringement and could subject the infringer to criminal and civil liability.www.penguin.com

CONTENTS

Preface Beginnings

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PART I. MEDITATION 101 PART I I . THE 8 WEEK MEDITATION PROGRAM WEEK ONE: Just One Breath WEEK TWO: Naked Sound WEEK THREE: Noting Body Sensations WEEK FOUR: This Magic Moment WEEK FIVE: Gracious Declining WEEK SIX: Private Screening WEEK SEVEN: Lovingkindness Meditation WEEK EIGHT: Combination Plate PART III. THE UPGRADE Beyond 8Minutes The Meditation in Action Template Lovingkindness: Going Further

17 61 65 77 89 101 109 117 127 135 149 154 159 166

Resources: My Personal A-List In Closing Thank You About the Author

175 187 189 193

PREFACE

IF Y O U ARE reading these words, there's something drawing you to meditation. Maybe you've heard that meditation can help you become more peaceful and feel safer in acomplex, uncertain, and often harsh w o r l d . Perhaps there's another reason. Maybe you don't even k n o w why. But you do k n o w you'd like to learn to meditate. Only problem is, meditation sounds really complicated and ex-

tremely time-consuming. If only you could find a simple way to meditate that w o u l d suit your lifestyle yet provide the benefits you long for . . . Well, here's goodnews:You've found it! And all it takes is 8 minutes a day.

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PREFACE

8 Minute Meditation is the revolutionary new program that will change your life as easily as it fits into it. In just 8 minutes a day—the space between t w o television commercials—you can build a lifetime meditation practice. Time magazine calls it " t h e most American f o r m of meditation yet."

BEGINNINGS

IF YO U HAVE ever thought, I'd love to meditate, but it's too hard and takes too long, it might be because the meditation books a n d programs y o u ' v e come across a r e overly complicated, confusing, a n d time-demanding. Until now. 8 Minute Meditation is a modern approach to meditation, bringing you Eastern tools for Western results. W h e t h e r you have never tried meditation before or triedit and stopped, 8 Minute Meditation will w o r k for you. It's designed for who you are and the way you live today N o t only does the 8 Minute Meditation program w o r k , it does something most other meditation books don't: It makes meditation practice enjoyable, pleasant—even f u n — t o learn. N o t

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8 MINUTE MEDITATION

only will this meditation program t u r n you into a real...