Breath by Breath: The Liberating Practice of Insight Meditation

This is mostly an analysis of the Anapanasati Sutra by a local teacher from the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center. It's clear, readable and interesting. He does pepper it a bit with personal stories - I had to laugh at the one about a 3 month meditation retreat in Thailand that culminated in a week without sleeping. It made me think that some people will turn just about anything into an extreme sport. His chapter on daily practice for laypeople was more useful and I did like the book. (April 29, 2007)

This book is a summary of the authors lifelong practice of meditation using the core of the anapanasati sutta as a framework. It is eclectic in the sense that it gives room to the views of a variety of different traditions. Sometimes these traditions are somewhat at odds in which case pros and cons for each view are given impartially. Often interesting (and occasionally funny) stories and experiences of the author are included that loosen up the exposition.

While I had the feeling that an honest effort is made to share as much knowledge as possible there were also a lot of things that are only vaguely understandable or outright obscure. For example p. 88 talks about "[...] allow[ing] each breath to follow its own nature". I do not get show more how this is supposed to help me. Some will certainly argue that this vagueness/obscurity is due to the nature of the subject but I have doubts. Many buddhistic platitudes (that I also find vague/obscure) are repeated over and over, e.g., "be in the moment, here, now" or "don't breath, be the breath".

Finally, the author seems to share a certain despise for western technology/science that seems to be commonplace in buddhism. For example, on p. 186 it is asked if knowing that the world is round has made us any happier; that question is then answered "It hasn't, as a matter of fact." Personally, I could not agree less. show less

Covers most of the bases as far as the practice's sanction by the teachings, viewpoints with which the westerner of varying degrees of familiarity with eastern philosophy and buddhism in particular can find values in the practice, and how the western view can impede success (see, I just did it).

Everything needed to practice vipassana is in this book, but all of it must be experienced firsthand through practice in order to be understood 

An excellent introduction to meditation. It is very readable and enjoyable.

It is an extended commentary on the "Anapanasati Sutta" - a classic Theravadan Buddhist (Thailand / Sri Lanka)text.

The author makes the subject very readable and provides a lot of information of use to the meditation practitioner. The book can be used as a guide to spiritual or psychological development for anyone prepared to put in the daily practice. I found it inspiring.

Freedom from suffering is not only possible, but the means for achieving it are immediately within our grasp—literally as close to us as our own breath. This is the 2,500-year-old good news contained in the Anapanasati Sutra , the Buddha's teaching on cultivating both tranquility and deep insight through full awareness of breathing. In this book, Larry Rosenberg brings this timeless meditation method to life. Using the insights gained from his many years of practice and teaching, he makes insight meditation practice accessible to modern practitioners.