Joy Within

by Joan Goldstein

From Simon & Schuster, Joy Within and Joan Goldstein explains what meditation is and details its many benefits, including inner peace, stress reduction, relaxation, and, yes, joy.

Carefully avoiding and particular religious or spiritual point of view, Joan Goldstein's The Joy Within offers a practical step-by-step guide to meditation for beginners.

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really simple and short. It has opened up meditation to me in more than a few ways.
Basically, this book reminds you to take a few moments for yourself everyday, get in a quiet space, and to just be calm.
If you find time for meditation, it will give you more free time in your life. I hate when I write hokey-new-agey lines like that previous sentence. But, it's true.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a starter guide for someone who has not tried meditation before and who is looking specifically for a practical manual to help get started, this does a fine job. I'm not happy with the word "Joy" in the title; "The Calm Within" would have better described this non-spiritual technique and its results.

Disclaimer: I'm not the target audience. I've been meditating for many years and read this out of curiosity when a copy found its way to my bedside table. Still, the exercises are a solid framework for centering and finding the still place within.

[Paula Daniel]

A macabre look at the future horrors we were afraid of in the 1950’s. It is a very dark tale of a man struggling through the last days of the human species on earth. The melodramatic 50's style of writing can be a bit difficult to read at times. However, I suspect it was all the rage at the time and it adds a bit of noir to the story.

Although there are many things in the story that dates it, there are definitely some timeless lessons to learn. With the 2012 craze poised to pounce upon us, this is a good reminder that humanity has always been certain that they were living in the last days. One day a generation will be right.

[Gabrielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I journaled often after doing the exercises in this book, and I found that some were more beneficial to me than others. One that I can remember is to try and focus on all outside noise, ignoring inside noise, for 15 minutes. I tend to get caught up in my thoughts, so this exercise helped center me in the present.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting techniqes learned. Helped me be more at peace with myself though some techniqes can described in words none other than corny.