Diamond mind

The friend or colleague who is always right there to help you with computer problems: "Oh, yes, that happened to me once. Here's what you do.... You see, it's because the CPU is bottle-necking while caching the...." That's what Rob Nairn is like in Diamond Mind: A Psychology of Meditation . This isn't a psychoanalytic take on meditation but a roll-up-your-sleeves and get-down-to-basics examination of the average meditator's experiences of training the mind in meditation. Nairn, who began practicing meditation in 1964 in India, and who has attended and led numerous meditation retreats, describes the mental processes that a meditator goes through, the obstacles the meditator encounters, and the practices that lead to advancement--all in the most unencumbered language. In addition to his descriptions, Nairn offers Q&A sessions from a retreat, specific practices with clear, step-by-step instructions and the reasons for doing them, and a guide for group meditation leaders that elucidates practices and anticipates difficulties surrounding them. In other words, here is an experienced friend to turn to when working with that bug-prone computer in your head. --Brian Bruya