There are many others (Jack Kornfield comes to mind) that are actual authorities on meditation and I recommend anyone with an interest in the experience to learn as much as possible about its health benefits and the psychic powers that some have acquired through the practice.
I have merely attempted to express my lifetime of experience with meditation and to share the joy I get from it.
If you have had success in slowing down your mind and feel comfortable exploring the inner workings of their psyche, your personality, and your “soul”, I recommend an article from the Rose+Croix Journal (volume 15) entitled, Carl Gustav Jung's Active Imagination and H. S. Lewis's Mental Creation: A Brief Comparative Study.
www.rosecroixjournal.org
For those content to sit and escape the horrors of the day, politics, crime, and the dissolution of society, I applaud your efforts.
For those who are interesting in pursuing other directions and potentialities (including telepathy and psychic travel), have fun!
Personally, I can attest that the meditative practices known as the Small Circulation and the Universal Circulation are both captivating and entertaining. Does visualizing the Life Force coursing through the meridians of the body actually open up gates of resistance and allow the free flow of chi through the meridians and Dan Tien centers of the body? I wouldn’t be surprised.
There is an esoteric and little-known chi kung practice called Kong Jing (“empty force”) that I hope to see re-released in DVD form by Roger D. Hagood. I used to have the videotapes and I swear to you that I could actually see electrical energy flowing from one hand to another as I stood and practiced this exercise.
For those of an intellectual bent who want to have an in-depth understanding of Mahayana Buddhism, the school taught by the Dalai Lama, pick up Robert Thurman’s book THE JEWEL TREE OF TIBET. I must admit that, after reading this book through three times, all I can remember is the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum (i.e. May my heart and mind be aimed at the same target). Om Mani Padme Hum, when chanted aloud in a large crowd of Buddhists, is quite a kick.
Some believe that repeating “Nomyo Ren Gekyo” one thousand times per day can bring good luck. I don’t know.
Blah, blah, blah: words, words, words.
I want to end this discourse with some actual wisdom. Even if you are able to isolate your mind from the madness of the world through meditation, even if you have the wisdom of Confucious and the serenity of the Buddha, you will be a failure as a human if you continue to poison your mind with negative thoughts. AS A MAN THINKETH by James Allen is worthwhile reading and so are daily affirmations. If you habitually worry about wars, overpopulation, global warming, disease, or political corruption, you will ruin yourself. Take control of your mind. Don’t worry: Be happy.