A pragmatic guide, that's been mentioned on HN a few times, is 'The Mind Illuminated' [0]. The subreddit [1] is a great resource as well.

[0] https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Illuminated-Complete-Meditation-...

[1] https://www.reddit.com/r/TheMindIlluminated/

Do you consider this book to be snake oil?

https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Illuminated-Complete-Meditation-...

For anyone put off by the more esoteric stuff written on the topic, I'd recommend Sam Harris (as mentioned here already), Shinzen Young, but above all, Culadasa. He's a professor of Neuroscience and _very_ accomplished meditator. He's written THE definite book on meditation that uses models of the mind originating from both neuroscience and most noble meditation traditions.

https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Illuminated-Complete-Meditation-...

It's suitable both for beginners and advanced practitioners as it describes the progress of the practice in 10 very clearly described stages.

For those that don't yet have enough motivation, I'd second the Headspace app created by a former Thibetan Buddhist monk. It's really well made and contains a number of different meditation techniques provided in a guided meditation format.

Still, I'd switch to the Culadasa book and unassisted practice as soon as you start grasping the benefits you're getting from meditation and your motivation increases.

"The Mind Illuminated" ( https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Illuminated-Complete-Meditation-... ) is very good, and contains all you need for your practice.

The author is both a long term meditator and used to be a neuroscience professor. The book teaches meditation in a stage by stage way which is very easy to follow.

Another excellent book is "Mindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond: A Meditator's Handbook" (https://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Bliss-Beyond-Meditators-H...).

There are actually some wholesome mental states that are conducive to concentration. The most notorious are piti (translated as rapture, joy) and sukha (content, pleasure). Listen to this guy, may be useful http://dharmatreasure.org/piti-joy/ (his superb book: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0990847705 ).