Ten Zen Questions

by Susan Blackmore

Overview

Use Zen meditation to unravel the mysteries of consciousness.

Using Zen meditation to unravel the mysteries of consciousness.

The calming and de-stressing benefits of Zen meditation have long been known, but scientists are now considering its huge potential to influence our ability to understand and experience consciousness – though few will say it!

Susan Blackmore is about to change all that: she’s a world expert in brain science who has also been practising Zen meditation for over twenty-five years. In this revolutionary book, she doesn’t push any religious or spiritual agenda but simply presents the methods used in Zen as an aid to help us understand consciousness and identity – concepts which have stumped scientists and philosophers – in an exciting new way. Each chapter takes as its starting point one of Zen’s - and science's - most intriguing questions such as, "Am I conscious now?" and "How does thought arise?"

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781851686421
Publisher:	Oneworld Publications
Publication date:	03/01/2009
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	5.45(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Susan Blackmore is a psychologist and writer whose research on consciousness, memes, and anomalous experiences has been published in over sixty academic papers, as well as book chapters, reviews, and popular articles. She has a regular blog in the Guardian, and often appears on radio and television. Her book The Meme Machine (1999) has been translated into 12 other languages and more recent books include a textbook, Consciousness: An Introduction (2003), and Conversations on Consciousness (2005).

Editorial Reviews

"[Sue Blackmore's] formidable intellect and clarity of approach is complemented by a warm and self-deprecating sense of humour."

The Psychologist

"Susan Blackmore, a pioneer in the emerging field of consciousness studies, shows how to explore consciousness from within. Drawing on years of meditation practice, she shows that it is questions - not answers - that lead to knowledge. A stimulating, humorous, and engaging read."

Jack Petranker - Buddhist teacher

"A remarkable first-person exploration of the nature of conscious human experience that uses traditional Buddhist meditation practices to address some of the most perplexing questions now confronting science. This highly original book will appeal to anyone who has ever asked the question: 'What on earth is going on here?'"

Stephen Batchelor - author of Buddhism without Beliefs

"Should be compulsory reading for anyone in consciousness studies and certainly on every psychology course."

The Scientific and Medical Network

"I do recommend this book both to Susan Blackmore's many admirers and her detractors."

Journal of Consciousness Studies