Meditation week by week: 52 Meditations to Help You Grow in Peace and Awareness    by David Fontana Order:  USA  Can Blue Heron, 2004 (2004) Softcover      Reviewed by Hilary Williamson Although, this book includes 52 meditations, the author indicates that new ones should not necessarily be attempted weekly, but at your own pace. David Fontana begins with an introduction to meditation, which he tells us 'is for everyone (though too few realize it).' He advises us that the practice helps us to understand that 'the mind is still there even when thoughts are not' and reminds us that 'All the great spiritual traditions have placed major emphasis upon meditation as a path to personal growth.' The author's explanations are clear and simple, but not simplistic, as he leads us through 52 meditations beginning with 'Become Conscious of the Environment'. They're organized into sections on 'Beginning Self-Awareness', 'Concentration and Mindfulness', 'Tranquility', and 'Insight', and interspersed with explanatory text. Fontana recommends keeping a meditation diary, explains how to use a point of focus, and how to concentrate on breath. He discusses the practice of contemplation to unlock the potential of the mind (I like the Gurdjieff quote that 'we each live in a beautiful house, yet most of us never move out of the basement.'). He tells us how to achieve 'mindfulness' in all aspects of life, explains how to visualize, and discusses the use of 'koans' in the insight stage of meditation. Meditation week by week is a lovely little book, perfect as a gift for someone you feel would benefit from building their own meditation program ... and wouldn't we all? Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more NonFiction books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews