Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion
For the millions of Americans who want spirituality without religion, Sam Harris’s latest New York Times bestseller is a guide to meditation as a rational practice informed by neuroscience and psychology.
From Sam Harris, neuroscientist and author of numerous New York Times bestselling books, Waking Up is for the twenty percent of Americans who follow no religion but who suspect that important truths can be found in the experiences of such figures as Jesus, the Buddha, Lao Tzu, Rumi, and the other saints and sages of history. Throughout this book, Harris argues that there is more to understanding reality than science and secular culture generally allow, and that how we pay attention to the present moment largely determines the quality of our lives.
Waking Up is part memoir and part exploration of the scientific underpinnings of spirituality. No other book marries contemplative wisdom and modern science in this way, and no author other than Sam Harris—a scientist, philosopher, and famous skeptic—could write it.
From Sam Harris, neuroscientist and author of numerous New York Times bestselling books, Waking Up is for the twenty percent of Americans who follow no religion but who suspect that important truths can be found in the experiences of such figures as Jesus, the Buddha, Lao Tzu, Rumi, and the other saints and sages of history. Throughout this book, Harris argues that there is more to understanding reality than science and secular culture generally allow, and that how we pay attention to the present moment largely determines the quality of our lives.
Waking Up is part memoir and part exploration of the scientific underpinnings of spirituality. No other book marries contemplative wisdom and modern science in this way, and no author other than Sam Harris—a scientist, philosopher, and famous skeptic—could write it.
BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
As an atheist and novice meditator, I enjoyed his ruthless investigation on how to live a spiritual, secular life. Harris balances a scientific inquiry with personal anecdotes on the benefits of mediation. Now I'm going back to read some of the studies he references and really enjoying this little inquiry of my own. I'd highly recommend the book to someone who is looking for an objective approach into an inherently subjective inquiry of what it means to be awake and aware.
Very much worth reading. Harris has unique interpretations of the science of mindfulness and meditation derived from his longterm study and personal experiences with meditation. He explains the concept of experiencing raw consciousness better than I've seen anywhere else
The only problem I had with it (but I was unwilling to lower my rating because the former is so valuable) is that I think his negative view of religion hurt how broadly available this book will be to others.
The only problem I had with it (but I was unwilling to lower my rating because the former is so valuable) is that I think his negative view of religion hurt how broadly available this book will be to others.
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.