Expert: Stuart Resnick - 1/29/2012

Question
Hello Mr Stuart

I’d like to ask you three questions and will appreciate your answer.

1. What is your favourite book (or maybe some course available online) on meditation?

2. What is your favourite meditation technique? How do you usually meditate? What do you focus on? Can you describe it to me?

3. I suppose there are loads of books on meditation out there, but I cannot find anything on the subject of CONTEMPLATION. To me meditation and contemplation are not the same and I’d like to find out more about contemplation. Do you know any good books on contemplation?

Answer
1. A good mini-book with basic instruction on Zen practice can be downloaded in .pdf form for free from http://www.oxherding.com/files/the-path-of-zen.pdf and more teachings and information can be found by surfing around http://www.kwanumzen.org/about-zen/

2. See #1 for instructions on various techniques. I personally keep a big question ("What am I?"). The question points to a big Don't Know, and then a sit or live with that Don't Know as clearly and sincerely as possible.

3. In Zen style, it's OK to read books, but mostly you DON'T look for truth outside of yourself, in words written or spoken by others. Instead, it's most important to sincerely ask "What am I?" and see for yourself what appears.