Reddit reviews How to Practice Shamatha Meditation: The Cultivation of Meditative Quiescence
We found 3 Reddit comments about How to Practice Shamatha Meditation: The Cultivation of Meditative Quiescence. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Alot of The Mind Illuminated is based on the teachings of Asanga and the stages of samatha in the Mahayana tradition. If you look at the Tibetan traditions as one example you'd find stuff similar to that found in Culadasa's book but obviously more within a religious/spiritual context. The stages of samatha and training attention as a means towards stability would be a part of those traditions.
This is similar to the Mind Illuminated in terms of technique but more esoteric. I refer to both of them and others.
How to Practice Shamatha Meditation: The Cultivation of Meditative Quiescene.
http://www.amazon.com/How-Practice-Shamatha-Meditation-Cultivation-ebook/dp/B00652HXTI/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1458405671&sr=1-8&keywords=alan+Wallace
If you want to go even more esoteric and spiritual then there's this aswell.
Stilling the Mind: Shamatha Teachings from Dudjom Lingpa's Vajra Essence
http://www.amazon.com/Stilling-Mind-Shamatha-Teachings-Lingpas-ebook/dp/B005VSIZ8A/ref=pd_sim_351_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=51PnZcsFWxL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_OU01_AC_UL160_SR105%2C160_&refRID=1165CKMQBX5Q4FX1HJN7
Although there's a wealth of evidence-based information available now, the vast majority of studies are conceived and interpreted by people who ascribe to scientism, a narrow materialist view, and who have neither the acute perception nor the sublime mind-state attainments of advanced meditators.
It would be wonderful if more scientists were actually accomplished, high-level meditators.
Two accomplished scientists who are also highly adept meditators are Dr. B. Alan Wallace, PhD. and Dr. John Yates, PhD. (aka Culadasa).
Alan Wallace has authored many books on meditation, including the guides How To Practice Shamatha Meditation and Stilling The Mind, among others.
You might be interested in his talks on science and meditation: https://www.upaya.org/2009/05/science-meets-meditation-part-1-of-7/
Culadasa's The Mind Illuminated is widely lauded as one of the best guides to meditation anywhere, and is the number one best seller in Amazon among books on Buddhism. It is considered to be as complete a guide as you're likely to get in book form.
Direct teaching from a living certified and accomplished teacher is by far the best introduction to meditation, for many reasons beyond getting the right information, in the right order, at the right stage of your practice.
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PS: realize that what gets upvotes and approval is often the popular choice, rather than the higher or more true and effective teaching. The reason it's popular can be because it's the lowest common denominator -- something even those with low intelligence, unclear perception, or emotional attachment can get excited about.
That is great,that's the type of description that helps to gain a certain insight into where you are.I recommend you read A Comprehensive Guide to Daoist Nei Gong by Damo Mitchell and start practicing.Attention,concentrated attention is probably the most useful quality you can develop to feel energy better, for that I recommend https://www.amazon.com/How-Practice-Shamatha-Meditation-Cultivation-ebook/dp/B00652HXTI
If you take the combined effect of these two separate trainings(cultivation of your chi)+developing more refined focus...your energy perception skills will improve immensely.