Review
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Culadasa has given us a clear, detailed, contemporary
of meditation, beautifully attuned to our household lives.
Through his mastery of both the science and art of conscious
living, Culadasa imparts the practices and confidence we need to
walk the path of liberation through all the stages to Awakening.
I love his friendly, encouraging teaching! (Trudy Goodman, PhD,
guiding teacher at InLA)
In a time where meditation and its twin sister, mindfulness, have
become the fads du jour, Culadasa gives us the real deal in this
encyclopedic handbook. If you're serious about meditation, The
Mind Illuminated should be on your bookshelf. (Lama Marut, author
of 'A Spiritual Renegade’s Guide to the Good Life' and 'Be
Nobody')
Essential reading for anyone interested in meditative development
from any tradition. At once comprehensive and also very easy to
read and follow in practice, this is the most thorough,
straightforward, clear, and practical guide to training the mind
that I have ever found. A remarkable achievement. (Daniel Ingram,
MD, author of 'Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha')
The Mind Illuminated is an extraordinary accomplishment. Culadasa
has distilled his many years of meditative practice and teaching,
his deep background in Theravada and Vajrayana traditions, and
his extensive knowledge of cognitive science and neuroscience to
provide a unique and highly practical guidebook to meditation
practice. The granular detail that Culadasa provides regarding
various experiences along the path and his practically grounded
advice for dealing with obstacles and developing specific skills
are unique in the published literature on meditation. Regardless
of the particular tradition in which one practices, or the a
of one's practice experience, there is a cornucopia of wisdom and
detailed guidance here that merits careful study and practice.
This is a true jewel of a book that belongs on the desk or night
table of every meditation practitioner
(Sensei Al Genkai Kaszniak, PhD, guiding teacher at Upaya Zen
Sangha of Tucson; Emeritus Professor of Psychology, University of
Arizona)
With wisdom, clarity, and grace, Culadasa has written an
invaluable manual for awakening. I believe this book will become
one of the Top 10 Must Reads for anyone on the spiritual path for
years to come. Helpful for beginning meditators and valuable for
advanced meditators who are already committed to meditation but
have not yet experienced the fruits of consistent practice.
(Stephanie Nash, mindfulness coach and integrative counselor)
Writing with warmth and clarity, Culadasa brings a lifetime of
investigation into Buddhism and neuroscience to his descriptions
of the tasks and nuances of meditation. Though it is often
encouraged, a meditation practice is not often explained. The
Mind Illuminated provides comprehensive, step-by-step guidance
about how to actually do it, how to handle the many hindrances
that might stop us from practicing, and how the mind benefits
when we do meditate regularly. A masterful and inspiring guide,
Culadasa encourages us to savor the process that leads to
becoming fully conscious. (Susan Suntree, author of 'Sacred
Sites: The Secret History of Southern California' and editor of
'Wisdom of the East: Stories of Compassion, Inspiration, and
Love')
This book does an outstanding job of both constructing a
cognitive theory of how the mind works and presenting a detailed
handbook for learning and mastering meditation. The result is a
beautiful integration of theory and practice, whose parallel
strands lead to experientially, and account for conceptually, the
radical shift in consciousness we call awakening. (Richard P.
Boyle, author of 'Realizing Awakened Consciousness')
The Mind Illuminated provides among the greatest syntheses I've
ever seen of concepts from across the spectrum of psychological
research and theory. The book integrates knowledge from areas as
diverse as and neural systems, psychoanalytic notions
of unconscious processes and catharsis, theories of William
James, and third-wave strategies for emotion regulation. It also
provides a valuable step-by-step instruction manual for mental
training
to focus attention while developing self-in and deep
psychological healing. The secular nature of the instructions
allows for bringing meditation into the therapy relationship
without dogma and without the risk of either supporting or
contradicting clients' religious views.
(Tucker Peck, PhD, clinical psychologist and recipient of the
Varela Award from the Mind and Life Institute)
About the Author
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Culadasa (John Yates PhD) is the director of Dharma
Treasure Buddhist Sangha in Arizona and was a teacher of
physiology and neuroscience. A meditation master with over four
decades of experience in the Tibetan and Theravadin Buddhist
traditions, Culadasa has been ordained as an Upasaka (dedicated
lay-practitioner) and has received ordination in the
International Order of Buddhist ministers in Rosemead,
California. www.culadasa.com