Books for Meditation & Internal Training

The Mind Illuminated

Culadasa blends neuroscience with traditional Buddhist techniques to guide the reader through ten distinct stages on the path of developing concentration and awareness. You’re provided with stage-specific instructions for your sits, and tools to overcome the obstacles you’ll experience along the way. In-between each stage are chapters that explore various aspects of how the mind functions, helping you better understand your experience in meditation and in daily life.

Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha

Daniel Ingram clearly lays out the core Buddhist teachings, the techniques required for deep practice, and the stages a meditator may pass through on the path of awakening. His work has inspired a new generation of practitioners, myself included, who appreciate the transparency that he presents this information with. He speaks openly about the highs and lows of this journey, the transformative power of these practices, and all the strange territory in between.

Seeing that Frees

This book is packed with insight exercises that help deconstruct the many ways we grasp at experience and create suffering throughout the day. Whether you’re seated on a meditation cushion, out for a walk, or sitting on a bus, he offers a wide range of practices that you can bring into your daily life.

The End of Your World

This book was invaluable in helping myself and many others make sense of the early stages of the awakening process. Adyashanti speaks in clear and direct language about what’s happening during an awakening and its implications. His books and talks have a real ability to bring the reader or viewer into a place of stillness, and you can explore more of his teachings on his YouTube channel below.

Right Concentration

This book is great for anyone who is serious about developing very high levels of concentration. Leigh goes in-depth into the eight Jhanas, states of mental absorption that can be accessed once the mind remains steady and peaceful for long periods of time. He outlines the experience of them and provides instructions for entering into and shifting between each one.

A Comprehensive Guide to Daoist Nei Gong

This is the only book here that isn’t focused on meditation, but rather on Qi Gong and energy work. Using a clear and pragmatic approach, Damo takes the reader through a systematic process of developing the body’s energetic system. This journey moves from awakening our lower energy centre, to building and moving Qi to nourish our body and open various energetic pathways.

You can find more about this work on the Qi Gong page.