Main description:

By establishing a dialogue in which the meditative practices of Buddhism and Christianity speak to the theories of modern philosophy and science, B. Alan Wallace reveals the theoretical similarities underlying these disparate disciplines and their unified approach to making sense of the objective world. Wallace begins by exploring the relationship between Christian and Buddhist meditative practices. He outlines a sequence of meditations the reader can undertake, showing that, though Buddhism and Christianity differ in their belief systems, their methods of cognitive inquiry provide similar insight into the nature and origins of consciousness. From this convergence Wallace then connects the approaches of contemporary cognitive science, quantum mechanics, and the philosophy of the mind. He links Buddhist and Christian views to the provocative philosophical theories of Hilary Putnam, Charles Taylor, and Bas van Fraassen, and he seamlessly incorporates the work of such physicists as Anton Zeilinger, John Wheeler, and Stephen Hawking.
Combining a concrete analysis of conceptions of consciousness with a guide to cultivating mindfulness and profound contemplative practice, Wallace takes the scientific and intellectual mapping of the mind in exciting new directions.

Contents:

Preface Part I: Meditation: Where It Started and How It Got Here 1. Who Am I? 2. The Origins of Contemplation 3. The Scientific Externalization of Meditation 4. Scientific Studies of Meditation Part II: Meditation in Theory and Practice 5. Practice: Attending to the Breath of Life 6. Theory: Coming to Our Senses 7. Practice: The Union of Stillness and Motion 8. Theory: Knowing and Healing the Mind 9. Practice: Behold the Light of Consciousness 10. Theory: Exploring the Nature of Consciousness 11. Practice: Probing the Nature of the Observer 12. Theory: The Ground State of Consciousness 13. Practice: Oscillating Awareness 14. Theory: Consciousness Without Beginning or End 15. Practice: Resting in the Stillness of Awareness 16. Theory: Worlds of Skepticism 17. Practice: The Emptiness of Mind 18. Theory: The Participatory Worlds of Buddhism 19. Practice: The Emptiness of Matter 20. Theory: The Participatory Worlds of Philosophy and Science 21. Practice: Resting in Timeless Consciousness 22. Theory: The Luminous Space of Pristine Awareness 23. Practice: Meditation in Action 24. The Universe as a Whole 25. What Shall We Become? Notes Bibliography Index