Published in the USA & Canada by: Barron's of New York
Price: US $19.95
CAN $27.95
ISBN: US/Canada: 0-7641-7551-3 
See review at www.barronseduc.com

Published in the Czech Republic by: Talpress Publishers one of Czechoslovakia's leading publishing companies

(Format, Extent and Colour Photographs are identical to UK edition for all other copies in other countries).

Availability: UK, USA, Canada, Czechoslovakia.

Outlets: Most leading bookstores in US and Canada such as Indigo/Chapters. In the UK you can order the book through WH Smith or Waterstones or any of the leading bookstores. Search the Internet for my book by title, but particularly look at www.amazon.com which has an excellent review of the book.

The reviews indicated on the websites above should give you an excellent idea regarding the content of my book. But I would like to say something about this work myself. I wrote the manuscript for this book under the original title Meditation: Key to the Soul in the year 2000. I sent this off to various publishers and Godsfield Press chose to publish it under the current title to fit with their 'Everyday Living' series, hence the title Meditation for Everyday Living. It was first published in 2002 and Barron's of New York bought the rights to the book and distributed it throughout North America. The publishers were so taken with this book that they did not need to change anything from the original text save only for minor sentencing structures, which is an enormous compliment to my skills as a writer. Their input was in the incredible beauty of the stunning colour photography that fills its 128 pages and the intelligent use of text layout and format. Every photograph wonderfully matches my text and makes the book a visual feast. I cannot fault the exquisite workmanship that went into this book in every way, so complementing my written work that it makes for an ease of flow in the manner of reading and of comprehending the techniques outlined.

I was asked by the publishers to suggest a musician who might compose suitable music for the CD which accompanies the book; my immediate and only recommendation was Medwyn Goodall, whose music I had been listening to for about 15 years prior to writing this book. Medwyn's website at www.mgmusic.ltd.uk will give you all the information you need about this formidable and extremely talented world-renowned musician. He was consequently commissioned to write the piece Dolphin Bay for my CD and the result was a truly magical and deeply meditative composition.

As you will see from this website, my involvement in meditation has been virtually a life long pursuit since the age of 16. Meditation for Everyday Living is a concise and precise volume of the best methods that I have learned down these many years that suit the average meditator. These techniques are all proven to be safe and effective and are suitable for the complete beginner through to the advanced and highly experienced meditator. I have explained and demonstrated in this book the physiological reasons for the techniques involved, something which most meditation books omit. I think that it is vital that anyone embarking on any kind of practice should know how and why certain techniques work as they do so that there is sound reasoning and understanding behind the techniques which acts as a sure foundation upon which to base your trust in the instructions given.

I have explained what the word 'meditation' actually means; I lead the reader into understanding how to utilise specialised breathing techniques and to comprehend the importance of developing concentration. I show you dynamically how thoughts can be controlled and stilled to the point of eliminating unwanted thought altogether. I expound upon the correct method for utilising the AUM mantra. The chakras are explained, virtues encouraged, illusions dispelled. I lead you slowly, bit by bit, step by step and safely to the portal of enlightenment if you will have it. This book was definitely inspired through me, and I merely clothed it in words that people can understand. If you sincerely wish to learn how to meditate or to enlarge upon your experience of meditation, this book will provide the in-depth guidance that you need.

Meditation for Everyday Living

I recently received the above book through Cygnus Books and, having read the relevant sections, began my usual meditation this morning by saying Aum for 10 or so repetitions as you suggest. I have been meditating regularly since 1977, mainly with TM and Buddhist breathing techniques and have experienced many periods of considerable depth during my sessions.

However, the effect immediately after starting my session this way was far beyond anything I have ever experienced before. I was treated to my very own 'Aurora Borealis' display and at some points the feeling of expansion and space was so extreme that I was quite fearful for a few moments.

I am certain that something quite important has occurred in my meditative progress after all this time through trying this technique. Thank you very much for writing this excellent book and for sharing this particular form of meditation.

David Greer, Scotland, UK

This is a portion of a review written by Christina Ince for "Issues" magazine, for August/September 2004. 'Issues' circulates throughout British Columbia, Canada.

"We were deeply impressed by Steve Austen's Meditation for Everyday Living, which succeeds in providing an excellent introduction to the art of meditation at the same time as offering much in-depth background information that would interest even the most experienced meditator. The choice of photographs, too, is a work of genius..."

This is a portion of a review by Cygnus Books UK which has a regular magazine called 'Cygnus Review' for all kinds of spiritual, metaphysical and self development books. They can be contacted at www.cygnus-books.co.uk and you can read the full review of Meditation for Everyday Living by typing in the title, plus you can find there an excerpt from the book itself.

"Hi Stephen,

I thought I’d drop you a note thanking you for this wonderful book you wrote: Meditation for Everyday Living. It is just what I was looking for: clear and simple – wonderful! And a joy for the eye with those illustrations!

Many thanks,
Sonja”  Sonja Ruzicka, UK

Price:
From within Canada : $19.95 + $3.49 postage = CAN $23.44
From the USA : $19.95 + $6.98 postage = CAN $26.93
From the UK : $19.95 + $12.98 postage = CAN $32.93

Format: Paperback. 215 x 140mm / 8 ½ x 5 ½ 
Extent: 208 pages
Illustrations: 60 ink line-drawings
ISBN: 0-9732993-2-0

This is my second book, self-published in August 2004. You may purchase Nature’s Wisdom directly from me. Prices for purchasing one copy of this book in Canada, the USA and UK are all listed above including postage. If you wish to order more than one copy of the book, please email me stating the number of copies required so that I may send you a separate price adjustment according to the number of copies ordered including additional post & packing. All orders must include your full postal address with post/zip code.

Donna Hollman,
Nelson,
BC
Canada. 

When I immigrated to Calgary, Canada, I continued with this comforting and highly consoling manuscript and completed it there. The end result was a bountiful supply of inspired thought which not only taught me so much as the ideas flowed, but it taught and deeply touched my wife Carla and many others who read samples of the manuscript. This book had evolved by itself, taking on its own life, for I had no definite mental concept of what the end result might finally be.

Nature's Wisdom began with my deep love and respect for Nature, for the animals, the forests, woodlands and untamed wilderness to the delicate flowers and busy insects underfoot. I wrote it because I wanted to, for the pleasure of it, whether it became published or not. It did become, by and by, a powerful teaching book and an excellent tool for meditation. Through my own personal observations and insights I recognised the lessons contained in the Natural World around us, and when others read the analogies in the manuscript they also recognised these valuable lessons and became inspired to look at Nature with deepening insights of their own. I was encouraged by my wife Carla and others, to try and get this book into print, and I felt myself that this would be the kind of book that would appeal to a wide range of people. It makes for very easy reading as each of the 60 analogies can be read in less than five minutes. The reader may read one per day and meditate on that lesson for the day, going slowly through the book over a two month period. Or the book can just be dipped into at random and see what message lies in the pages for that particular day from Nature to you.

When Carla and I moved to Peachland, BC, and discovered the local Kelowna based publishers Michael and Celestra Cassidyne of Professional Image Design, we asked them to peruse the manuscript of Nature's Wisdom. Their reaction was a tremendously positive one and they told us that it was the best quality writing that they had seen out of all the many manuscripts that they had received and had subsequently rejected. By choosing to publish any book, either self-published - as in this case - or through main-stream publishing, the publishing house always puts their professional reputation at stake, but Michael and Celestra had no doubts about the validity of this work and the positive public response to such a book and so they agreed to publish it. Having reviewed the original manuscript they complimented me by telling me that they found it so easy to work with as they didn't need to correct the content or quality of the writing!

As the manuscript evolved, Michael and Celestra produced a stunning cover design for the book and I added 60 illustrations to match each of the 60 analogies using my artistic skills to portray ink line-drawings of mountains, fruits, trees, insects, animals, heavenly bodies, birds, minerals, reptiles and the elements in action which dramatically and beautifully bring the analogies to life.

Nature's Wisdom is a book which is designed to inspire all of us to work upon the essential nature of our character; each analogy is used as a tool for developing the higher qualities or 'virtues' which is a word rarely spoken of these days. Characteristics such as Calmness, Endurance, Fortitude, Faith, Patience, Flexibility, Grace, Modesty, Serenity, Courage, Confidence, Generosity, Responsibility and many others are encouraged through reading the outstanding examples of these very characteristics as witnessed in Nature around us.

I offer this book as a token of my own deep love and appreciation of Nature and hope that it will encourage your own insights and personal transformation through reading its many profoundly inspiring and moving lessons.

In bold defiance of the culture of mediocrity and the moral vacuity that has been dominant in Western civilization, and which has scorned human virtue and nobility, Stephen Austen's Nature's Wisdom makes it compelling to strive for spiritual excellence, goodness of the soul, and human nobility. By highlighting the subtle yet profound lessons inherent in the pervasive wonders of nature, Stephen Austen shows, through the use of unusual but exemplary examples, how the natural world can be our true guide to the development of our full human potential.

Rather than extolling the depredations of a tiger, the strike of the cobra, or the powerful, debilitating thrust of the grizzly, the author concentrates our attention on other animals who survive every bit as well by more peaceful means. Personal virtues, says Austen, can be developed by observing and emulating the positive qualities in other natural entities also, such as "plants and trees, birds, insects, or elemental forces that play upon and shape the earth."

Encouraging deep reflection upon the behavioral responses of natural entities to challenges or threats in non-violent, non-confrontational, and even noble ways, Nature's Wisdom teaches humanity how it too can learn to coexist in harmony, synchronicity, and peace.

About the Author:
Stephen Austen was born in England in 1960 and immigrated to Canada in 2001. He lives in Peachland in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia with his Canadian wife Carla. Using his many spiritual abilities, Stephen serves the public as a Clairvoyant Medium, Healer, and Metaphysical Lecturer. He also offers services involving Meditation Instruction, Dream Interpretation, Spiritual Astrology and Past-Life Regression. His first book, Meditation for Everyday Living comes complete with a CD of guided meditations by the author. You may find out more about Stephen Austen's work through his website at www.stephenausten.com and can contact him directly through the site for information and his services to you.

Recently my nephew and I read two passages from Stephen's book together. After each passage we interpreted the theme into our own words and talked about what it meant to us. At eight years old my nephew was able to read, interpret and relate to Stephen's book. It was an amazing evening for me, spending this special time with my nephew and communicating at this level thanks to Stephen’s book on Nature’s Wisdom.

Shauna Paynter, Kelowna BC, Canada