Heavy but thought provoking read. The practical sessions where not actually very practical after about the second one - rapidly progressing to concepts I suspect lifetime practioners might have trouble with.

The concepts where well researched and quite engaging, and left me with a strong desire to try more introspective research of my own. ( )

I've given this book three stars because I find it difficult to rate. There are two parts to this book: the lesser part on Wallace's discontents with science, and the greater on Buddhism. Wallace also compares Buddhist ideas about meditation to various Christian mystics. Mr. Wallace, who was a monk for fourteen years and has an undergraduate degree in physics and the philosophy of science, as well as a doctorate in religious studies has impressive credentials for both parts of his work.

I recommend knowing the basics of Buddhism before reading this book, because Wallace writes assuming some prior knowledge on the part of the reader and his focus is on meditation and mental states. Wallace spends a great deal of the book discussing meditative techniques alternating with chapters explaining the theory.

As I read through Wallace's rants against science, I began to wish that I could tell him to sit down, try to calm his mind, and take deep breaths. Inhale peace, exhale frustration. Ask yourself: just why are you so angry? Despite his credentials, he seems to be be on a hobby horse about science, ignoring all nuance. Does he get equally upset about other religions that don't believe in reincarnation? This is best demonstrated by the fact that he will rave against science's materialism, and then tell us about experiments in which scientists study Buddhist practitioners. He is outraged by something one scientist said, and rails against all of science, and a couple of pages later be citing a scientist whose views he likes. He is also frequently speaking of psychology, whose credentials as a science, especially in earlier times, are somewhat dubious, often complaining about already discredited or modified ideas, such as behaviorism. In some ways, this is odd for an adherent of a religion whose founder said that one should not trust teachers, traditions, or scriptures, but test his ideas empirically and see if they work. I think that the idea of science studying meditators and other people who enter into altered states of mind is excellent, but I think Wallace would be better off with a more positive attitude toward his prospective partners. ( )

good
note book #823