Finding the Quiet

May 11, 2009
Sometimes styled the “guru of calm,” meditation teacher, entrepreneur and frequent author Wilson (The Little Book of Calm
) presents simple techniques to help people enter “the Quiet.” Given the volatility of human emotions and experiences, Wilson says, “Meditation is one of the few sustainable ways of ensuring peace and happiness in life.” The book has, unusually, two tables of contents: Book A explains the benefits of meditation and outlines the basic “quiet” practices—deep, directed and aware—as well as ways to maintain inner calm during daily life (“ongoing”). These are standard meditation techniques without spiritual or religious overlay, useful to those of any faith or none. Wilson's instructions are gentle, clear and encouraging, with helpful charts and references to brain functioning. The shorter Book B, marked by a gray bar at the page edge, extends these practices into the spiritual realm for advanced practitioners, suggesting ways to attain transcendence. Readers who don't share Wilson's metaphysics or find him a bit too sanguine about enlightenment can ignore Book B and focus on the core meditation practices in Book A.

June 1, 2009
In his latest book (after "The Calm Technique" and "Instant Calm"), Wilson presents an approach to meditation that combines the traditional teachings of Buddhism, Yoga, and Christianity. In Part 1, Wilson discusses his meditation approachwhich he calls "CenterWidenListen+Observe"explaining that by centering the body, widening peripheral vision, and listening to one's breathing one can calm the chatter and stress of daily life. This simple technique, the author holds, can be done almost anywhere and anytime in as few as 13 minutes. Wilson states that even those who choose to do no more than this will receive meditative benefits. For those who want to go further, Wilson explains in-depth the Quiet practices of Deep, Directed, and Aware, three different methods of focusing. In Part 2, readers learn how to use meditation as a way to find spiritual fulfillment. VERDICT Through his 30-plus years of meditation practice and teaching, Wilson has broken down meditation into easy and practical steps that both newcomers and veterans of the technique will relish. His interfaith approach will strike a chord, particularly among New Age readers.Phyllis Goodman, West Chester Lib., OH

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