“InterSpiritual Meditation: A Seven-Step Process from the World’s Spiritual Traditions” is a universal seven-step process drawn from the world’s spiritual traditions.  It was developed by Ed Bastian in close contemplative collaboration with great teachers of meditation from Christian, Jewish, Sufi (Muslim), Hindu, Taoist, Native American, and Buddhist traditions. It helps us to:

1. create a personal meditation for health, happiness, gratitude, transformation, compassion, mindfulness, wisdom, and service.
2. create supportive contemplative communities of people with diverse beliefs and traditions.
3. partner with people from diverse traditions, beliefs, and insights to lead positive change in the world.

Ed Bastian, holds a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies, was a Fulbright Fellow in India, Smithsonian Program Director, award-winning producer of ten films on religion for BBC and PBS, award-winning author, and President of Spiritual Paths Foundation.

• Click here for a book review.
• Click here to order the paperback.
• Click here for a Kindle version.
• Click here for classes.
• Click here for a summary of the seven steps.

The Seven Steps

Each of the following seven steps open profound opportunities for deepening our meditation and applying it in daily life.   Gradually they nurture the garden of our consciousness, plant seeds for profound transformation, and then ripen into a satisfying and sustainable contemplative experience.  This book and our related educational programs help each individual to develop their own life-long personal meditative practice that is grounded in the contemplative wisdom of many spiritual traditions.

1. Motivation: “May I be Healthy and Happy”
2. Appreciation: “May I be Grateful for Life’s Many Gifts”
3. Transformation: “May I be Transformed into My Highest Ideals”
4. Intention: “May I be Loving and Compassionate”
5. Attention: “May I become Mindful Through My Breathing”
6. Meditation: “May I become Wise Through My Meditation”
7. Dedication: “May I be in Loving Service to All Beings”

Recommendations

“The interfaith world is long on talk and short on practice. While we are eager to learn
each other’s spiritual practices, what we need is a practice that transcends our respective
traditions and engages us in a more inclusive pursuit of awakening. Ed Bastian’s
InterSpiritual Meditation offers us just that.”
— Rabbi Rami Shapiro, author of Open Secrets: The Letters of Reb Yerachmiel ben Yisrael

“Whatever path you are on, InterSpiritual Meditation takes you inside some of the great
traditions and illuminates some of the common elements among these contemplative
disciplines. This book will enrich and deepen your perspective on the spiritual process.”
— Sheikh Kabir Helminski, author of A Knowing Heart: A Sufi Path of Transformation

“While Buddhists may have problems with the concept of God and Christians may have
problems with the concept that it’s okay to pray for one’s personal happiness, all concepts
disappear when one enters the deeper waters of meditation—and that’s just what this
book helps us to do, in an open-hearted and truly universal way. If ever there was a
practice to help us all get spiritually unstuck, this is it.”
— Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault, author of Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening

InterSpiritual Meditation is being taught by Ed Bastian both online and in-person in Santa Barbara and other centers throughout the country.  If you are interested in participating in a program or class, or if you wish to help organize a presentation or class in your locality, please contact us at the email below.

FOR MORE INFORMATION EMAIL ed@spiritualpaths.net