Meditation: Man-Perfection in God-Satisfaction is a brief guide to the basics of learning to meditate. Divided into different chapters, Meditation covers both basic and advanced aspects of meditation. For example, Sri Chinmoy explains how breathing and concentration exercises can be used to calm the mind. There are also sections on Samadhi and the highest experiences of meditation.

Throughout the book there are question and answer sections. These include questions, common to all beginners of meditation. For example, a very common problem that people experience when learning to meditate is; “How to silence the mind?”. Sri Chinmoy advises that the best place to meditate is the spiritual heart. It is in the heart where a seeker can distance himself from the critical thinking mind. If one can enter the heart, it is possible to experience the silence and expansion of real meditation.

“If you meditate on the heart, you are meditating where the soul is… If you want enlightenment, you have to get it from the soul, which is within the heart.”

Meditation is an invaluable reference book; there is no need to read it cover to cover and try to absorb all the information at once. It’s a book you can dip into from time to time. To get the most out of the meditation book, it is also essential to try and practice the various exercises on offer. ‘Meditation’ is not so much concerned with the theory of meditation as with how it can be of practical use in assisting seekers in their own meditation.

In addition to offering clear advice on the basics of meditation, reading this book “Meditation” will give you encouragement and inspiration to start and continue meditating. A short chapter is titled “Don’t Give Up”. Sri Chinmoy encourages the reader to persevere in meditation even if difficulties arise.

There are also numerous aphorisms that offer poetic inspiration for meditation. For example write in the Spiritual heart.

“Do you need happiness? Then just do three things: Meditate regularly. Smile with feeling, Love tirelessly.”

These short aphorisms are an attractive addition to the text and guidelines for meditation.

Sri Chinmoy writes with a clarity that comes from his own inner experiences of meditation. ‘Meditation’ helps to clear the obstacles that a newcomer may experience. It offers a simple and practical approach to improve your meditation. It is invaluable for beginners, but it also serves as a reference even for those who have been meditating for a long time. Sri Chinmoy’s meditation is an important reminder of the fundamentals of meditation and its inherent simplicity.