Diamond Mind: A Psychology of Meditation

Read it three times, excellent book.

I already read other Rob Nairn's other two books. I positively recommend them.

The best book I know on Meditation

One of the best books out there for those who want to start and sustain a meditation practice; it is among the top 3 or 4 that I recommend for beginners. I first read it about 12 years ago and just recently picked it up out of my bookshelves to re-read. I was again struck by how well the writer understands the practice of meditation (and the pitfalls and barriers). The author comes from a Tibetan (Vajrayana) perspective, but this manual is broadly applicable to those from other schools of thought or branches of Buddhism, as well as those of a firmly secular orientation.Note: as usual, I highly recommend that the reader actually do the exercises within each chapter. It's like sports/fitness -- reading about it does one no good at all. Only by practicing it does one attain any benefit.

This was the second book on Buddhist meditation that I ever read, thirteen years ago.I will never forget my smirk and misplaced confidence when, with the book as my guide, I sat down for my first five minute meditation session, where all I had to do was notice my mind and not get distracted. How difficult could that be. Right, how impossible that was then.A rich, generous book, written for the beginner without dumbing it down, by a truly beautiful human being.

All my students must read this short primer on psychological benefits of meditation presented from an easy to digest western perspective. Includes truly helpful diagrams and visualizations of thought processes. I've purchased more than 12 copies of this book over the year, and frequently give it as a gift to those in emotional need.

This is the best book on meditation I've read in quite a while. Nairn is very good at getting at the heart of why we find meditation so difficult: we set up ambitions and goals for what's "supposed" to happen, and strive to attain them. We have a big agenda for our meditation, and expect perfection in this, as in many areas of our lives. This switches on our critical mind, he explains, and we create stress, self-torment, striving, and "no meditation." Nairn is also very clear on the nature of thought, how to work with thoughts in meditation, and how to stabilize the mind. Very highly recommended!

Diamond Mind is an incredible primer on meditation. Nairn dispenses with jargon and mystique, writing unpretentiously about the mechanics of the mind and the common problems encountered in this practice. With clarity and simplicity, he supplements his very readable prose with straightforward exercises and Q&A sections. Amazingly enough, the book is able to articulate the facets of meditation practice without religious or denominational references, embracing the terminology of western psychology to enrich the material.If you have always had questions about meditation or you seek to understand your practice better, this book is truly a diamond in the rough.

a book that does help explain what Buddhist meditation is about, and uses short practical breathing and reflection mindfulness moments to centre the self. I like it as part of my widening book collection on the subject

Amazing book! This is exactly what I needed to help me with some of the barriers I was experiencing with my meditation practice. Would recommend it to anyone getting into meditation or more experienced meditators.

Helpful simple user friendly book that has helped me greatly

I have a much clearer idea about the value and principles of meditation, having read this lucid manual. I recommend it highly!

Amazing. Rob is def one of the best teachers out there in the Western world. Worth every penny! U don't need lots of meditation books, this little gem is all u need.