For busy practitioners, the lamrim gives a concise and easily graspable picture of the Buddhist path. Best-selling author Thubten Chodron has a unique ability to present these teachings. In this volume, she provides clear explanations of the stages of the path, while an accompanying audio program contains guided meditations on each of the topics covered in the text. The meditation teachings of lamrim, says Chodron, are like ready-made clothes that are easy to wear: they're systematized so that we can wear them right away, so we can learn and practice them in an organized fashion.

Lamrim can be translated in various ways: �stages of the path," "steps on the path," or �gradual path." "Gradual path� reminds us that the process of transforming the mind, unlike so many other things in our hurry-up society, is a slow and thoughtful one. These systematic teachings are the subject of this book and downloadable audio meditations. The lamrim presents a step-by-step method to tame the mind, and each person will find meaning and insight according to his or her level of understanding.

The first section discusses how to establish a daily practice, how to set up an altar, and how to approach the two kinds of meditation--stabilizing and analytical. The second presents the meditations. The third supplies an overview, instructions for working with distractions, antidotes to mental afflictions, advice for newcomers, and suggestions on how to deepen Dharma practice. The accompanying downloadable audio contains more than fourteen hours of guided meditations led by Thubten Chodron.

Guided Buddhist Meditations: Essential Practices on the Stages of the Path, Thubten Chodron, Shambhala Publications, Paperback, 208 Pages

Ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist nun in 1977, Venerable Thubten Chodron is an author, teacher, and the founder and abbess of Sravasti Abbey. Sravasti Abbey is the only Tibetan Buddhist training monastery for Westerners in the US and holds gender equality, social engagement, and care for the environment amongst its core values. Ven. Chodron teaches worldwide and is known for her practical (and humorous!) explanations of how to apply Buddhist teachings in daily life. She is also actively involved in prison outreach and interfaith dialogue. She has published many books on Buddhist philosophy and meditation, and has coauthored a book--Buddhism: One Teacher, Many Traditions�with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, with whom she has studied for nearly forty years.

	Foreword	9
	Introduction	11
Part I	Learning to Meditate
	Introduction to Meditation	19
	Establishing a Daily Practice	27
	Preparing for Meditation	35
	Mindfulness of Breathing	47
	Enjoying the Meditation Practices	53
Part II	The Meditations
	Meditation on the Buddha	63
	Recitations before Meditation Sessions	73
	"The Foundation of All Good Qualities" by Je Tsongkhapa	77
	"The Three Principal Aspects of the Path" by Je Tsongkhapa	79
	Lamrim Meditation Outlines	81
	Additional Dedication Verses	141
Part III	Keeping on Track
	Overview of the Gradual Path to Enlightenment	147
	Working with Distractions	159
	Antidotes to the Mental Afflictions	171
	Advice for Newcomers to the Dharma	185
	Deepening Your Dharma Practice	189
Appendix 1	Contents of Guided Meditations on the CD	205
Appendix 2	Full Outline for the Meditation on the Precious Human Life	209
	Glossary	211
	Suggested Reading	217