Jewish Meditation: A Practical Guide by Aryeh Kaplan
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Book Reviews of Jewish Meditation: A Practical Guide
Book Review: Fascinating and helpful
Summary: 5 Stars
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.
Book Review: Explains the point of meditation so clearly
Summary: 5 Stars
The first 2 chapters of this book (What is Meditation? and Why Meditate?) offer the most lucid explanation of the basic point of meditation I have ever seen.
For those who have a contemplative practice in any tradition, it is sometimes a struggle to explain or get across to non-practitioners just what it is you are doing (or trying to do) in your practice.
These first 11 pages are a simple, factual description. A breath of fresh air, and without imperative. Not a sales job. Simply an explanation. A useful tool if your family or friends don't get it yet.
The other 150 pages describe a variety of specific meditation techniques that are, each one, a treasure. Savor it slowly, and don't rush through. And especially, don't ignore the author's warning to attempt certain techniques only with a teacher. These techniques were developed in deep community and connection, and are still best used that way.
Book Review: A Great Place to Start on the Jewish Mystical Path
Summary: 5 Stars
Rabbi Kaplan's book is a great and very practical place to start the experience of "walking with God" or devekut while praying or meditating. His book is particularly helpful in understanding that there are multiple techniques available to use in meditation and the spiritual quest. Sometimes we are more familiar with techniques from other cultures, such as Zen chanting, the whirling dervishes of Sufism and the body oriented techniques of Tai Chi.
Rabbi Kaplan points out techniques that have been used by Jews in the past. Not all of the methods are strictly Jewish per se. A particularly invaluable discussion that he begins relates to the portions of the prayer service and how to utilize them in a meditative manner. This definitely helps make prayer a more spiritual experience and reinvigorates the words with the true spiritual intent of their original authors.
Book Review: A Classic Work in Jewish Meditation
Summary: 5 Stars
Rabbi Kaplan, did not live long enough in his short life, to enable all of his knowledge to be shared with us all. But during those short years of his life, he was a most prolific writer. He was an Orthodox Jew who was able to straddle and live in both the secular and Orthodox Jewish worlds with relative ease. He was on the "Who is Who" in Physics, as well as, being a respected Rabbi and teacher for many in the Orthodox Jewish community.
He was the first, who brought the ideas of Kabbalah, which had been "hidden" as secret teachings between specific Rabbis and their pupils over the centuries. to the non-initiated, with a prose and style of writing which made the ideas crystal clear and relevant in our world and in our time.
This short book is a very concise practical guidebook to Jewish Meditation practices. Highly recommended!
Book Review: Judaism
Summary: 5 Stars
This book represents an idea that very few people, including Jews and non-Jews, know about. There are reasons for this, notably, that many in Jewish theological circles regard Jewish meditation and mysticism (Kabbalah and Zohar) outside the realms of the Jewish canon.With regards to Jews, there are a substantial number of whom find their meanings in the teachings of the Eastern religions, unable to find a state of higher consciousness in the religion they were raised in.
This book is one of a number to address the above sentiments, in a gentle, clear, and concise manner. And it shows that there are indeed many levels within Judaism, that have been expounded, for over a thousand years.