Moving Forward 1 and 2 – The Meditation Blog
Moving Forward 1, Handbook of Acem Meditation
Moving Forward 1, Handbook of Acem Meditation, does what a good handbook should in that it answers all the common questions about Acem Meditation. It provides practical information and advice for practice in different situations, for example, after a break, whilst nursing, during physical illness, etc. It also includes a comprehensive overview of Acem Meditation, its phases and process, detailing opportunities to develop your practice.
Of course, this handbook can be read from start to finish, as I did, but it is really intended for reference, to be dipped into when needed. Its clear, exhaustive contents pages make it easy to navigate quickly to the information you require.
This is a book for anyone, from beginner to experienced practitioner, for use anytime you wish to deepen your understanding and get more from your practice.
Moving Forward 2, Perspectives on Process in Acem Meditation
At a recent deepening retreat, one of the Acem preceptors, already on his second reading of Moving Forward 2, described this volume as ‘the perfect book for advanced Acem meditators’. I agree wholeheartedly. These perspectives are pitched more at long-term meditators interested in developing their understanding of the concepts and process of Acem Meditation.
It contains perspectives and practical suggestions to support you in meeting yourself within Acem meditation in ways that gradually, gently lead you towards becoming more attuned to aspects of the self, thereby reducing inner tensions. Dr Holen has organised the book into clearly themed chapters bringing together what he has spoken about during retreat seminars, and more. He describes clearly how the volitional elements of Acem Meditation bring out spontaneous activity from ever deeper levels of the psyche, explaining how proximity to these spontaneous activities fosters reduced tension and further processing. He covers the ways in which counterforces against change of deeper issues can derail meditation practice.
In this second volume, Dr Holen details the five process milestones faced by most long-term meditators with advice on how to meet them. He writes about sleep and sleep saturation, restlessness, and boredom within meditation, which arose as areas of interest for many of us on the deepening retreat. He ends by describing the potential rewards of long-term practice of Acem Meditation: consolidation and anchoring. Dr Holen talks in new terms about potentially difficult concepts, rendering them clear and accessible.
I gained so much from reading drafts of these volumes that I was itching to get my hands on the hard copies to read again (and again). I am certain that many will gain as much from these books over the years to come as I will.
– Alice Cameron
