Meditation for the Love of It: Enjoying Your Own Deepest Experience — Mysticism

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Meditation for the Love of It: Enjoying Your Own Deepest Experience

Name: Meditation for the Love of It: Enjoying Your Own Deepest Experience
Price: 22.00 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781604070811

✍️ Sally Kempton, Elizabeth Gilbert

Reader Score

4.6

(1 review)

$22.00

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

Sally Kempton, a seasoned guide in the contemplative arts, unveils a revolutionary approach to meditation, framing it not as a chore but as an ecstatic exploration of one's deepest self. Drawing from four decades of personal practice and teaching, she offers practical wisdom for cultivating an unconditional embrace of all experience, both on and off the cushion. This work encourages tapping into innate creative 'shakti' energy and inner longings, transforming meditation into a joyful voyage of self-discovery. Kempton emphasizes that true tranquility isn't found in suppressing the mind, but in a playful, devoted engagement with our rich inner landscape, including the powerful current of Kundalini.

🌌

Mysticism

Praise for this book

“This is the classic wisdom of the East, cast in a very personal and accessible form. It is authoritative and inspiring and will make you want to meditate for the highest reasons and in the most effective ways.”

— Andrew Weil, MD, author of Spontaneous Healing and Meditation for Optimum Health

“Sally Kempton is one of the great realized teachers on the meditation path, whose Integral understanding of life merges seamlessly with her mastery of meditation. She is a guide for our time.”

— Ken Wilber

“Love this book! I'm grateful to Sally for this how-to guide to the soul and am excited to deepen my own experience of meditation through her inspiration and guidance.”

— Seane Corne, international yoga teacher and activist, cofounder of Off the Mat, Into the World

🏛 St. Martin's Essentials / Sounds True 📅 2011 📖 392 pages 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781604070811

Fun Fact

Sally Kempton's "Meditation for the Love of It" is a truly transformative guide, skillfully reframing meditation from a chore into an intimate, joyful journey. It excels at demystifying profound spiritual concepts like Shakti and Kundalini, making them accessible without dilution. While it might disappoint those seeking a purely secular or quick-fix approach, it offers a rich, heart-centered path for anyone yearning for deeper connection. This book stands as a luminous beacon, offering a refreshing and deeply spiritual counterpoint to much of the contemporary mindfulness literature.

📝 Description: Meditation for the Love of It: Enjoying Your Own Deepest Experience

Meditation is like a love affair with your innermost self. At times it can be ecstatic and entrancing, other times simple and still--and sometimes you might not even feel its profound effects until later. Now with Meditation for the Love of It, Sally Kempton shares practical secrets to help us turn meditation into an unconditional embrace of the fullness of our experience--on and off the meditation cushion. With the gentle wisdom and compassion of one who understands the nuances of practice, she opens us to the joy of exploring the deep and mysterious inner landscape of the heart, mind, and body. Drawing on her 40 years as a teacher and a fellow meditator, Sally teaches us how we can connect to our inner longings and creative shakti energy to allow the transformative gifts and blessings of meditation to unfold. With playfulness and devotion--two key attitudes in sustaining a daily practice--she shares indispensable guidance for this voyage of self-discovery, including: How to tune in to your own "meditation channel," a bandwidth of tranquillity, energy, and joy - Why you don't need a quiet mind to meditate - How the force known as Kundalini can fuel your practice - Connecting to your ever-present Inner Beloved to let go of conditioned ideas about yourself and make space for the True Self to come forth - Ripening your practice beyond technique into the "sweet mysterious expanse of spontaneous meditation" - More than 20 practices for bringing the peace and insight of meditation into your daily life "Remember: what you seek in meditation is your own Beloved, your own inner intelligence, your own Awareness, and your own Truth," teaches Sally. Meditation for the Love of It points us back to our own intimate heart of hearts, our own deepest experience, and the bliss of existence itself.

📑 What's inside

Acknowledgments
Foreword / Elizabeth Gilbert
Preface
Introduction: Awakening to Meditation
Chapter 1. The Lure of Meditation
Chapter 2. How Do We Experience the Inner Self?
Chapter 3. Preparing for Practice
Chapter 4. Choosing the Right Doorway
Chapter 5. Moving Inward: The Practice of Oneness
Chapter 6. Working with the Mind, Part I: Navigating the Thought-Stream
Chapter 7. Working with the Mind, Part II: Liberating your Thoughts
Chapter 8. Letting the Shakti Lead
Chapter 9. Where Do You Find Yourself? A Road Map of the Meditation Journey
Chapter 10. Coming Out of Meditation: Contemplation, Recollection, and Journal Writing
Chapter 11. The Daily Life of a Meditator: Holding Inner Attention
Chapter 12. The Three-Week Breakthrough Program
Chapter 13. The Process of Ripening
Epilogue: Let the Inner Dance Unfold
Appendix 1. Kundalini
Appendix 2. Troubleshooting Guide
Notes
Glossary
Some Further Reading
Permissions Credits
Index
About the Author

💎 Expert review

“

💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

Kempton’s approach is invigorating, successfully dismantling the notion that meditation requires suppressing the mind to achieve peace. Her emphasis on playful engagement offers a welcome alternative to austere ascetic traditions. However, readers expecting strict technical instructions or traditional yogic manuals may find the focus on emotional intimacy and 'shakti' energy too abstract or vague. It is not suited for those who prefer analytical, step-by-step cognitive frameworks over experiential, feeling-based guidance. The text assumes a readiness to explore deep inner currents, which might overwhelm beginners seeking simple stress relief without confronting their complex inner worlds.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers seeking to transform meditation from a rigid discipline into a joyful, ecstatic exploration will find profound value in this guide. Sally Kempton invites you to embrace your deepest experiences with unconditional love, turning the inward journey into a sacred act of self-discovery. If you feel stuck in dry or mechanical practice, this book offers practical wisdom for engaging your inner landscape playfully. It is ideal for those longing to connect with their innate creative energy and resolve inner longings through devotion rather than suppression. By reframing tranquility as a result of engaged embrace rather than mental quietude, it provides a refreshing path for anyone desiring deeper intimacy with their own soul and a more vibrant spiritual life.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

If you seek to transform your meditation from a duty into a passionate exploration, or if previous attempts have left you feeling disconnected, this book is for you. It's an invitation to experience profound joy and self-discovery by embracing your inner landscape with genuine curiosity and…

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

Kempton’s approach is invigorating, successfully dismantling the notion that meditation requires suppressing the mind to achieve peace. Her emphasis on playful engagement offers a welcome alternative to austere ascetic traditions. However, readers expecting strict technical instructions or traditional yogic manuals may find the focus on emotional intimacy and 'shakti' energy too abstract or vague. It is not suited for those who prefer analytical, step-by-step cognitive frameworks over experiential, feeling-based guidance. The text assumes a readiness to explore deep inner currents, which might overwhelm beginners seeking simple stress relief without confronting their complex inner worlds.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Absolutely not. Kempton challenges the common misconception that a quiet mind is a prerequisite for meditation, teaching you how to engage with your inner experience as it is, rather than trying to suppress it.

Kempton introduces Kundalini as a powerful, transformative energy that can significantly invigorate and deepen your meditative journey, providing a dynamic force for inner awakening and expanded consciousness.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Embracing Inner Fullness

Kempton redefines meditation as an expansive act of acceptance, encouraging practitioners to welcome every facet of their inner world without judgment. This isn't about escaping reality, but rather about diving deeper into its richness, fostering a profound connection with all aspects of consciousness, including those often overlooked or resisted.

Activating Shakti Energy

The book delves into the concept of 'shakti,' the inherent creative and transformative energy residing within. Kempton provides guidance on how to consciously connect with and channel this vital force, often linked to Kundalini, to deepen one's practice and catalyze profound personal awakening and spiritual growth beyond mere relaxation.

Playful Devotion & Discovery

Kempton advocates for a blend of lightheartedness and sincere dedication in one's meditative journey. She emphasizes that an authentic practice thrives on joyful exploration rather than rigid discipline, guiding readers to uncover their unique "meditation channel" — a personal pathway to inner peace and insight that feels both natural and deeply fulfilling.

📜 Historical context

Kempton's insights are deeply rooted in the rich traditions of Hindu contemplative practice, particularly the wisdom of Kashmir Shaivism and Tantra, which emphasize the immanence of the divine and the sacredness of all experience. Her work bridges ancient teachings with contemporary life, offering a path that honors both intellectual understanding and direct, embodied spiritual realization, resonating with perennial philosophy.

📚 Glossary

Shakti
Kundalini
Meditation Cushion

📔 Questions to reflect on

How can I cultivate a more unconditional acceptance of my inner experiences, both pleasant and challenging, during my meditation practice and daily life?
Where do I feel my innate creative or vital 'shakti' energy most strongly, and how might I consciously invite it into my contemplative practice?
In what ways can I infuse my meditation with more playfulness and devotion, transforming it from a discipline into a joyful act of self-discovery?