The Science of Enlightenment ─ How Meditation Works

Enlightenment—is it a myth or is it real? Across time and culture, inner explorers have discovered that the liberated state is a natural experience, as real as the sensations you are having right now.
 
For decades, one of the most engaging teachers of our time has illuminated the many dimensions of awakening—but solely at live retreats and in audio recordings. Now, for the first time, Shinzen Young makes available his essential insights to readers everywhere. The Science of Enlightenment merges scientific clarity, Shinzen’s grasp of the source-language teachings of many spiritual traditions, and his rare gift for sparking insight upon insight through original analogies and illustrations. The result: An uncommonly lucid “aha, now I get it!” guide to mindfulness meditation—how it works and how to use it to enhance our cognitive capacities, compassion, and experience of happiness independent of conditions.
 
For meditators of all levels and lineages—especially those who think they’ve heard it all—this multifaceted wisdom gem will be sure to surprise, provoke, illuminate, and inspire.
 
‧ Revolutionary insights into the phenomena of suffering, happiness, and the core principles of meditation that lead to enlightenment
 
‧ For both Buddhist practitioners and science-minded readers
 
‧ Includes chapter-by-chapter guided meditations online

Shinzen Young became fascinated with Asian culture while a teenager in Los Angeles. Later he enrolled in a PhD program in Buddhist Studies at the University of Wisconsin. Eventually, he went to Asia and did extensive training in each of the three major Buddhist traditions: Vajrayana, Zen and Vipassana. Upon returning to the United States, his academic interests shifted to the burgeoning dialogue between Eastern meditation and Western science. Shinzen is known for his innovative “interactive, algorithmic approach” to mindfulness, a system specifically designed for use in pain management, recovery support, and as an adjunct to psychotherapy. He leads meditation retreats throughout North America and has helped establish numerous mindfulness centers and programs. He also consults widely on meditation-related research, in both the clinical and the basic science domains. He often says: “My life’s passion lies in exploring what may arise from the cross-fertilization of the best of the East with the best of the West.”