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© 2017 Amy Leigh Mercree

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ISBN 978-1-4549-2690-0

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CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

1 THE HISTORY OF MEDITATION

2 MODERN-DAY RELIGIOUS MEDITATION STYLES

3 THE SCIENCE OF MEDITATION

4 MEDITATION CHANGES BRAIN STRUCTURE

5 MEDITATION IN INDIA, ASIA, AND BEYOND

6 OM: THE UNIVERSAL SOUND

7 THE INNER WITNESS

8 MEDITATIONS TO OPEN YOUR HEART AND MIND

9 GUIDED VISUALIZATION MEDITATIONS

CONCLUSION

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INTRODUCTION

Nowadays in our culture, many roads lead to the art and cultivation of mindfulness. When people seek treatment for anxiety, oftentimes meditation is recommended. When people seek to learn meditation, mindfulness is a result. It is not a new idea that, if we are conscious to and present in the moment we are experiencing at the exclusion of almost everything else, we will be more happy and healthy. Meditation has been used in Eastern religions since ancient times.

The idea of consciousness has been gaining popularity since the 1960s in the Western world. Consciousness is the infinite awareness of being within us all. It is the witnessing part of the self always in the background observing life around you. Meditation, in its many forms, cultivates awareness of consciousness.

In A Little Bit of Meditation, we will explore the history of the practice of meditation and its origins, as well as learn practical applications of how to bring conscious awareness into daily life to improve the quality of our experience on Earth. We will discuss the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual ramifications of meditating in daily life. A wide variety of practical activities and meditations are included in this volume. So dive in and find your center!