I've been passively interested in meditation and Buddhism for a long time. I've done sporadic meditating and reading but nothing consistent. But I recently read the book "Mindfulness in Plain English," and was really blown away and inspired by it. For the last week I've been meditating a couple times per day, and taking the messages in the book to heart throughout the day. It's been an incredible week, and I decided to research some more about Vipassana meditation and Buddhism. I so much liked what I read, and have been benefiting so much from daily practice, that I decided I will visit a Buddhist meditation center on Sunday, partake in group meditation, and start their "Introduction to Buddhism" classes. Here's to serious exploration of spirituality for the first time.
Yeah! The author is very, very articulate and able to express complex states of mind in clear, accessible language. The book also includes a thorough guide to the actual physical practice of meditation, which I found extremely useful. For anyone interested, an online version of the book (It's an older edition, a little different from the one you could buy) can be found here.
There's a ton to take away from Buddhist teachings, and even more from meditation practice. Definitely keep at it. But it's an old and varied religion so remember to take what you read with a grain of salt. That aside though, the best times of my life were spent reading up on buddhism and practicing meditation. Good luck!