Commit to Sit

This book brings together a broad range of Buddhist meditative techniques that have appeared in the magazine over the years. Contributors include some of the foremost voices in contemporary Buddhism: Pema Chodron starts our journey with an inspirational Foreword. Lama Surya Das explores the definition of meditation, while Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein lay out a 28-day program for establishing a daily practice. Wherever you are on your search, you will find plenty of guidance in this book. You can learn about insight meditation from Bhante Henepola Gunaratana and Sylvia Boorstein. Or about zazen from Barry Magid and Martine Batchelor. Gil Fronsdal offers instruction in metta (loving kindness) meditation, while Judith Simmer-Brown teaches tonglen, a Tibetan Buddhist practice for cultivating compassion. We also learn about the crucial role the body plays in meditation from S. N. Goenka, Reginald Ray, Wes Nisker, and Cyndi Lee. We receive guidance on managing issues that arise in meditation from Jon Kabat-Zinn, Christina Feldman, Matthieu Ricard, Pat Enkyo O'Hara and others. And there are practices for bringing mindfulness and compassion to daily life from Thubten Chodron, Sayadaw U Tejaniya and Michael Carroll. Though targeted to the reader who would like to begin meditating, this collection also offers support and guidance to the experienced meditator working to sustain a lifelong practice. This is a guide to meditative practice for any seeker wishing to deepen their understanding of themselves and their world. Edited by Joan Duncan Oliver Launched in 1991, "Tricycle: The Buddhist Review" is the most inclusive and widely read vehicle for presenting Buddhist perspectives to a Western audience. By remaining unaffiliated with any one teacher, sect or lineage, "Tricycle" provides an independent forum for exploring Buddhist teachings and practices, bringing Buddhist thinking to Western disciplines, and establishing a dialogue between Buddhism and the broader culture. This approach has enabled the magazine to attract readers from all walks of life who wish to enrich their lives through a deeper knowledge of Buddhist traditions.