Catherine L. Albanese (2006). A Republic of Mind and Spirit: A Cultural History of American Metaphysical Religion. (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 640 p.). Professor and Chair, Department of Religious Studies (University of California, Santa Barbara). United States--Religion. Metaphysical traditions from Renaissance Europe to England and then America; evolving versions of metaphysical religion, including Freemasonry, early Mormonism, Universalism, and Transcendentalism, Spiritualism, Theosophy, New Thought, Christian Science, and reinvented versions of Asian ideas and practices; how the metaphysical mix has broadened to encompass UFO activity, channeling, and chakras in the New Age movement; ability to incorporate differing beliefs and practices.

Herbert Benson with Miriam Z. Klipper (1992). The Relaxation Response. (New York, NY: Wings Books, Originally published in 1975 by Morrow; 222 p.). M.D., on faculty of Harvard Medical School. Relaxation, Meditation, Stress Reduction, Hypertension. Classic book in field of relaxation and physiological response.

Herbert Benson with William Proctor (1984). Beyond the Relaxation Response: How to Harness the Healing Power of Your Personal Beliefs. (New York, NY: Times Books, 180 p.). M.D, on faculty of Harvard Medical School. Relaxation, Meditation, Healing-Mental.

--- (1987). Your Maximum Mind. (New York, NY: Times Books, 254 p.). M.D., on faculty of Harvard Medical School. Relaxation, Mind/Body.

John E. Coleman (1971). The Quiet Mind. (New York, NY: Harper & Row, 239 p.). Meditation; Peace of mind--Religious aspects--Buddhism; Buddhism--Doctrines; Parapsychology.

Edward Fitzpatrick Crangle (1994). The Origin and Development of Early Indian Contemplative Practices. (Wiesbaden, GER: Harrassowitz Verlag, 314 p.). Meditation--Hinduism--History; Meditation--Buddhism--History; Yoga--History; Religious literature, Indic--History and criticism. 

Antonio R. Damasio (1999). The Feeling of What Happens. (New York, NY: Harcourt Brace, 386 p.). Neurologist. Consciousness; Consciousness--Physiological aspects; Emotions--Physiological aspects; Mind and body. 

George Fowler (1996). Learning To Dance Inside: Getting to the Heart of Meditation. (Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Pub., 178 p.). Meditation.

Michael Freeman (2005). Meditative Spaces. (New York, NY: Rizzoli, 224 p.). Architectural Photographer. Mind, Body & Spirit; Home & Garden; Art, Architecture & Photography.  70 retreat rooms at homes and offices in a dozen countries (mostly Asia); veiled windows.

Daniel Goleman (1977). The Varieties of the Meditative Experience. (New York, NY: Irvington Publishers, 130 p.). PhD, former Psychology Reporter (New York Times). Meditation.

Joseph S. Goldsmith (1990). The Art of Meditation. (San Francisco, CA: Harper & Row, 154 p,). New Thought; Meditation.

Daniel Goleman; foreward by Ram Dass (1988). The Meditative Mind: The Varieties of Meditative Experience. (Los Angeles, CA: J.P. Tarcher, 214 p.). Ph.D. Journalist-New York Times. Meditation. Fine overview of types of meditation.

Anne Harrington (2008). The Cure Within: A History of Mind-Body Medicine. (New York, NY: Norton, 354 p.). Professor of the History of Science (Harvard University). Medicine, Psychosomatic--History; Mind and body--History; Psychosomatic Medicine--history; Mental Healing; Mind-Body Relations (Metaphysics); Psychophysiologic Disorders. Different realms of experience - medical and the moral, biological and the biographical, natural and the cultural. From 1) passivity of those healed in response to the suggestions of authority figures, 2) courage of those who face their traumas and confess their sins, 3) good fortune of those who can heal themselves through positive thinking, 4) complexities faced by those who must regulate their energies and minimize stress. For some, love is the best drug; for others the ancient wisdom of the East.

Steven Harrison (1999). Getting to Where You Are: The Life of Meditation. (New York, NY: J. P.Tharcher/Putnam, 207 p.). Meditation.

Howard R. Jarrell (1985). International Meditation Bibliography, 1950-1982. (Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 432 p.). Meditation--Bibliography.

Willard L. Johnson (1986). Riding the Ox Home: A History of Meditation from Shamanism to Science. (Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 261 p. [orig. pub. 1982]). Meditation--Comparative studies; Meditation--History.

William Johnston (1997). Silent Music: The Science of Meditation. (New York, NY: Fordham University Press, 190 p. [orig. pub. 1974]). Meditation.

Eds. Jeffrey J. Kripal and Glenn W. Shuck (2005). On the Edge of the Future: Esalen and the Evolution of American Culture. (Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 323 p.). J. Newton Rayzor Profesor of Religious Studies and Chair of the Department of Religious Studies (Rice University); Visiting Professor of Religion (Williams College). Esalen Institute--Congresses; Religion and culture--United States--Congresses; United States--Religion--Congresses. Founded in 1962 as a place "where the body can manifest the glories of the spirit";  the Institute’s roots, the place of its beliefs in American religious history, and its influence.

Jeffrey J. Kripal (2007). Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion. (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 588 p.). J. Newton Rayzor Professor in and chair of the Department of Religious Studies (Rice University). Esalen Institute; Religion and culture--United States; United States--Religion. History of Esalen and its birth in the American counterculture; how two maverick thinkers sought to fuse the spiritual revelations of the East with the scientific revolutions of the West, or to combine the very best elements of Zen Buddhism, Western alchemy, and Indian yoga—particularly in its Tantric forms—into a decidedly utopian vision that rejected the dogmas of conventional religion.  

Kenneth Lamott (1974). Escape from Stress: How To Stop Killing Yourself. (New York, NY: Putnam, 211 p.). Stress (Psychology); Meditation; Hypnotism; Biofeedback training.

Noah Levine (2003). Dharma Punx: A Memoir. (New York, NY: HarperSanFrancisco, 253 p.). Punk culture--United States; Generation X--United States; Social values--United States; United States--Social conditions--1980-. Memoir of turnaround from skate punk-thief-drug addict to Buddhist meditation teacher.

Claudio Naranjo and Robert E. Ornstein (1976). On the Psychology of Meditation. (New York, NY: Penguin Books, 248 p.). Meditation--Psychology.

Marcia Z. Nelson; foreword by Wayne Teasdale (2001). Come and Sit: A Week Inside Meditation Centers. (Wodstock, VT: SkyLight Paths, p.). Meditation. 

V. Walter Odajnyk (1993). Gathering the Light: A Psychology of Meditation. (Boston, MA: Shambhala, 243 p.). Jung, C. G. (Carl Gustav), 1875-1961 --Contributions in psychology of meditation; Meditation--Psychological aspects; Meditation--Zen Buddhism--Psychological aspects; Meditation--Cross-cultural studies.

Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh; edited by Ma Satya Bharti (1976). Meditation: The Art of Ecstasy. (New York, NY: Harper & Row, 248 p.). Meditation; Kundalini; Yoga. 

Ron Rathburn (2007). The Silent Miracle: Awakening Your True Spiritual Nature by Stilling Your Mind. ( Oceanside, CA: Quiescence Publishing, 280 p. [2nd ed.]). Meditation; Quietude.

John Selby (2003). Seven Masters, One Path: Meditation Secrets from the World’s Greatest Teachers. (San Francisco, CA: HarperSanFranciso, 207 p.). Meditation; Meditation--Therapeutic use. Seven primary practices of world’s most revered spiritual masters: 1) Krishnamurti, 2) Lao-tzu, 3) Buddha, 4) Jesus, 5) Mohammed, 6) Gurdjieff, and 7) Patanjali; commonalities in the diverse traditions.

Bradford Smith (1963). Meditation: The Inward Art. (Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, 224 p.). Meditation.

Justin F. Stone (2002). The Joy of Meditation: An Introduction to Meditation Techniques. (Garden City Park, NY: Square One Publishers, 111 p.). Meditation. 

Ardis Whitman (1976). Meditation: Journey to the Self. (New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 189 p.). Meditation; Introspection.

Paramahansa Yogananda; with a preface by W.Y. Evans-Wentz (2005). Autobiography of a Yogi. (Nevada City, CA: Crystal Clarity Publishers, 516 p. [orig. pub. 1946]). Yogananda, Paramahansa, 1893-1952; Yogis--India--Biography. First yoga master of India to permanently live and teach in the West.

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LINKS:

Association for Mindfulness in Education http://www.mindfuleducation.org/                                                         The Mindfulness in Education lecture series and 2007 conference is organized by the Association for Mindfulness in Education. AME is a collaborative association of organizations and individuals working together to provide support for the growing interest in including mindfulness training as a component of K-12 education. We are committed to furthering training and research in this field.

Center for Contemplative Mind in Society http://www.contemplativemind.org/                                                   Non-profit organization which works to integrate contemplative awareness into contemporary life in order to help create a more just, compassionate and reflective society. Contemplative awareness, or contemplative intelligence, is characterized by mindfulness of the present moment, empathy and compassion for others, and insightful wisdom.

Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Healthcare, and Society http://www.umassmed.edu/cfm/index.aspx                                       The Center for Mindfulness, founded in 1985, is dedicated to furthering the practice and integration of mindfulness in the lives of individuals, institutions, and society through a wide range of clinical, research, education, and outreach initiatives in the public and private sector. These initiatives include the renowned Stress Reduction Program - the oldest and largest academic medical center-based stress reduction program in the country - as well as a range of professional training programs and corporate workshops, courses, and retreats. During the past twenty-two years, we have worked with groups as diverse as health care professionals, corporate employees, CEOs, educators, attorneys, judges, correctional staff, prison inmates, members of the clergy, and Olympic and professional athletes. The CFM is part of the Department of Medicine, Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine, at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

Insight Meditation Society                                 http://www.dharma.org                                                                  Founded in 1975 as a nonprofit organization to provide an environment conducive to the practice of vipassana (insight) and metta (loving kindness) meditation, and to preserve the essential Buddhist teachings of liberation.

The Mind Body Awareness Project               http://www.mbaproject.org/                                                           Dedicated to the health and well-being of at-risk and incarcerated youth. We provide instruction in awareness-based techniques, including nonsectarian meditation and yoga, to facilitate mental health, stress reduction, anger management and self-discovery. Non-profit organization dedicated to teaching essential life skills to at-risk youth through the practices of meditation and yoga.

Mind & Life Institute                                   http://www.mindandlife.org                                                       Dedicated to fostering dialogue and research at the highest possible level between modern science and the great living contemplative traditions, especially Buddhism. It builds on a deep commitment to the power and value of both of these ways of advancing knowledge and their potential to alleviate suffering.

Mind Body Medical Institute       http://www.mbmi.org/Default.asp                                                        The world leader in the research and clinical practice of mind/body medicine (Dr. Herbert Benson, President).

Mindful Awareness Research Center              http://www.marc.ucla.edu/                                                                   The Jane and Terry Semel Institute at UCLA is dedicated to research and education of neuroscience and human behavior. MARC is a new center in the Semel Institute. Our mission is to foster mindful awareness through education and research to promote well-being and a more compassionate society. Mindful awareness is a practice that comes to us from a variety of contemplative traditions throughout history. It invites us to stop, breathe, observe, and connect with one’s inner experience. There are many ways to bring mindfulness into one’s life, such as meditation, yoga, art, or time in nature. Mindfulness can be trained systematically, and can be implemented in daily life, by people of any age, profession or background. In the last ten years, significant research has shown mindfulness to address health issues such as lower blood pressure and boost the immune system; increase attention and focus, including aid those suffering from ADHD; help with difficult mental states such as anxiety and depression, fostering well-being and less emotional reactivity; and thicken the brain in areas in charge of decision making, emotional flexibility, and empathy. MARC was created to bring to a renowned mental health research institution the ancient art of mindful awareness in a scientifically supported and rigorous form.

Shambhala Mountain Center    http://www.shambhalamountain.org/                                               Since 1971 - hundreds of programs on Buddhist meditation, yoga and other contemplative disciplines. Tamed by thirty years of use as a contemplative retreat, Shambhala Mountain Center is a place where one of the basic truths of Buddhism—that people can be profoundly open to the wisdom of the present moment—is always readily available.

Sounds True                                              http://www.soundstrue.com/                                                                  An audio, video and music publishing company - offers more than 500 titles about spiritual traditions, meditation, psychology, creativity, health and healing, self-discovery, relationships, and more. Favorite meditation practices from the spoken word audio library.

The Transcendental Meditation Program            http://www.tm.org/                                                                              Single most effective technique available for gaining deep relaxation, eliminating stress, promoting health, increasing creativity and intelligence, and attaining inner happiness and fulfillment - practiced by 5 million people worldwide and validated by over 500 scientific studies at more than 200 independent research institutions in 30 countries. A simple, natural, effortless technique, requires no belief or lifestyle change, is non-religious, is not time-consuming, and can be learned by anyone regardless of age or level of education.