Meditating Selflessly: Practical Neural Zen

This is not the usual kind of self-help book. Indeed, its major premise heeds a Zenmaster's advice to be less self-centered. Yes, it is "one more book of wordsabout Zen," as the author concedes, yet this book explains meditative practices from the perspectiveof a " neural Zen." The latest findings in brain research inform its suggestions.In Meditating Selflessly, James Austin -- Zen practitioner, neurologist, andauthor of three acclaimed books on Zen and neuroscience -- guides readers toward that open awarenessalready awaiting them on the cushion and in the natural world.
Austin offersconcrete advice -- often in a simplified question-and-answer format -- about different ways tomeditate. He clarifies both the concentrative and receptive styles of meditation. Drawing widelyfrom the exciting new field of contemplative neuroscience, Austin helps resolve an ancient paradox:why both insight wisdom and selflessness arise simultaneously during enlightenedstates of consciousness.