[cianestro]

I highly suggest "The Tibetan Book of The Dead" and "The Power of Silence." Try to find the TBOTD version translated by W.Y. Evans-Wentz if you're not one for happy meal, watered-down philosophy. Take these texts with a grain of salt at first only because they will be thoroughly alien to your mind; once absorbed use wisely.

"...that which clingth not no fall can come. Where no fall cometh, there is rest, and where rest is, there is no keen desire. Where keen desire is not, naught cometh or goeth; and where naught cometh or goeth there is no death, no birth." -GB, TBOTD

"Cutting our chains is marvelous, but also very undesirable, for nobody wants to be free." -CC, The Power of Silence

EDIT: btw yogic flying is for idiots. Those who've practiced meditation for years and those fewer who've reached Nirvana have accessed and gained control enough to manipulate what they call the dharmakaya which is connected to the right temporal lobe I believe (also referred to as the silent mind). Those with this degree of mastery have OOB experiences with great maneuverability.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmakāya

[justsee]

I had a great experience with a very simple practice called Vipassana. I wrote about it straight after doing a 10-day course of meditation - 9 days of no speaking was an event in itself: http://weblog.squareapple.net/archives/2004/11/26/art_of_liv...

A book I've really appreciated on the practice is called "The Art of Living: Vipassana Meditation" - http://www.amazon.com/Art-Living-Vipassana-Meditation/dp/006...

Both the practice and the book are honest and simple in approach. I used to hunt for complex, cerebral stuff, dismissing anything else, but have slowly realised the error of my ways.

[cianestro]

Your problem is that you thought understanding could guide you in meditation. It can't. But it's still necessary for advanced techniques. Anything worthwhile takes time and discipline--don't give up. Real meditation isn't a weekend retreat. Sorry yuppies. :(

[Confusion]

Why on earth would an old translation in that kind of Biblical language be preferable above a newer translation? That kind of language is perfect for suggesting wisdom, through age, where there isn't any.