The fruit of some twenty years’ experience leading Buddhist meditation retreats, this book touches on a wide range of topics raised repeatedly by meditators and includes favorite stories, key Buddhist teachings, and answers to most-asked questions.

Insight Meditation surveys a wide range of topics asked by students, whether they are beginners attending their first weekend course or seasoned practitioners on a three-month retreat. In short sections that can be either read in sequence or browsed through at leisure, leading meditation teacher Joseph Goldstein offers favorite Dharma stories, key teachings, and answers to most-asked questions. He provides an overview of Buddhist practice and its context generally while focusing on vipassana meditation specifically. He covers what the path itself is composed of, how to practice, what freeing the mind is all about, how karma works, the connection between psychology and dharma practice, and a look at what selflessness really is. The concluding chapter is a detailed exploration of how to practice in the world, touching on topics like the art of communication, family relationships, work and livelihood, dying, and how to really be of benefit to others.

Running time: 5 hours, 14 minutes