Friday, March 16, 2012

Book Review - The Quiet Mind


The Quiet Mind: How to Attain and Maintain Inner Peace in Eleven Seconds

By: Mushtaq H. Jaafri
Publisher: Mushtaq Publishing Company
Publication Date: February 2012
ISBN: 978-1892189127
Reviewed By: Cory Bickel
Reviewed On: March 15, 2012

How do you find peace in a world full of problems and chaos? The answer is surprisingly simple – by stepping out of the incessant stream of thoughts that run through the mind, peace can be found in a quiet space without thought. Many people are so used to the constant activity of their mind that they never think to question its value, or are not even aware of it. But this mind activity is generally negative in content, creating negative circumstances and experiences in our lives and blocking the awareness of peace. By becoming aware of the thought stream in the mind, one can detach from it and live from a more tranquil and positive mindset. In The Quiet Mind, Jaafri teaches techniques for stilling the mind that allow this state of peace to be accessed no matter what is going on in the world outside. By using these techniques and quieting the mind for the eleven seconds or more that Jaafri recommends, as often as possible throughout the day, a new, peaceful state of mind and way of living can be attained.

Jaafri incorporates his own insights with teachings from traditions such as Buddhism and A Course in Miracles. He describes the model of the mind that he has created out of his own studies and meditations, which can be used to visualize the positive and helpful aspects of the mind’s activity and to strengthen these areas. Jaafri explains the benefits of having a quiet mind, such as attracting positive circumstances into one’s life and healing physical problems. He explains that there is a non-physical being that resides within each of us as a friend and guide, and that by quieting the mind we can gain access to its help and wisdom, and find our own spiritual curriculum and purpose in life. He also includes quizzes on the material to emphasize the important points of his teachings.

The Quiet Mind presents Jaafri’s own interesting perspectives on spiritual wisdom and practices. His model of how the mind works makes a nice visual aid for those who find having mental images useful in meditation practices. His method of stilling the mind by counting backwards from eleven is effective in interrupting the mind’s incessant thought stream and becoming present. While the book is sometimes repetitive and disorganized, with some grammatical errors, and may be confusing for people not already familiar with these concepts, Jaafri presents many important truths that can lead to a more peaceful and happy life. This may be a good supplement to other spiritual texts, as having a diverse set of practices can be helpful in preventing any single practice from becoming rote and ineffective. Anyone interested in discovering if Jaafri’s style is for them may want to browse the author interview questions for this book and for his previous book, Original Sin.
 
Quill says: While the presentation could be clearer and more organized, the ideas discussed in The Quiet Mind are useful spiritual principles that can create a more peaceful life. 

To learn more about The Quiet Mind: How to Attain and Maintain Inner Peace in Eleven Seconds, please visit the book's website at: www.thequietmindstory.com

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