title: Meditation, Mind and Body: A 12-Week Meditation Course for Mentored or Self Study
author:  Jivan Amara 
description: Jivan Amara has been meditating for more than 25 years with instruction from a number of highly experienced teachers primarily from Asian traditions. Jivan was born with the name Mathew Douglas Wiggett. Strong willed, and interested in exploring, Mathew began meditating when he was 17 in the tiny town of 2500 where he grew up. His interest in spirituality led him to pursue a minor in comparative religious studies, where he met Professor Robert Gussner (Jina) whose approach focused on the experiential element of spiritual practices in contrast to the intellectual investigation of different religions. This element of experiencing first hand is fundamental to mystical traditions throughout the world and to the book offered here. After graduating from college, Mathew traveled to India for four months, his first of many journeys around the world to learn from various traditions. There he took part in a variation of the Indian tradition of Sanyas (renunciation) in which he was given the name Jivan Amara, meaning immortal spirit or immortal life. On returning to the US he legally took on the new name. Jivan has lived and studied spiritual traditions in a number of places around the world; most recently Beijing & Shanghai where he furthered his study of qigong, San Diego close to Advaita teacher Francis Lucille, and at the time of this publishing is currently residing in Crestone, CO where many traditions, both native and from around the world enjoy the grace of this sacred place. Jivan supports himself financially through software development. In addition to meditation, Jivan enjoys hiking, snowboarding, and playing guitar.
zlib_text: Table of Contents
  PART 1 – MEDITATION
  1 Preparatory
  1.1 The Importance Of Meditation
  1.2 The True Way Of Meditation
  1.3 Levels Of Absorption
  1.4 Fruits, Effects Of Meditation
  1.5 Dangers, And How To Avoid Them
  2 Place And Condition
  2.1 Times For Meditation
  2.2 Places For Meditation
  2.3 Solitary Vs. Group Meditation
  2.4 Postures For Meditation
  2.5 Other Physical Considerations
  2.6 Proper Mental Attitude
  2.7 Regularity Of Practice
  2.8 Ending The Meditation
  3 Fundamentals
  3.1 Stop Wandering Thoughts
  3.2 Blankness Is Not The Goal
  3.3 Practise Concentrated Attention
  3.4 Varieties Of Practice
  4 Meditative Thinking
  4.1 The Path Of Inspired Intellect
  4.2 Self-Examination Exercises
  4.3 Moral Self-Betterment Exercises
  5 Visualizations, Symbols
  
  5.1 Symbols
  5.2 Guru Yoga
  6 Mantrams, Affirmations
  6.1 Mantrams
  6.2 Affirmations
  7 Mindfulness, Mental Quiet
  7.1 Mindfulness
  7.2 Mental Quiet
  PART 2 – THE BODY
  1 Prefatory
  2 The Body
  3 Diet
  3.1 Comments On Customs
  4 Fasting
  5 Exercise
  6 Breathing Exercise