The Meditative Mind as an essential Baedeker--a traveler's guide to the topography of the spirit--for every spiritual seeker.  For the beginning meditator, the book provides  a comprehensive, accessible overview of the different kinds of meditation, from Hindu, Buddhist, Sufi, Jewish, and Christian to Transcendental, Tantric, Kundalini, Tibetan Buddhist, Zen, and those developed by Gurdjieff and Krishnamurti, and introduces the reader to the basic elements of their practice.  For the experienced meditator, Goleman explores the distinct levels of consciousness developed as a result of long-term application.