The mind is capable of profound transformation through meditation from "summary" of Waking Up by Sam Harris
Meditation is an ancient practice that has been attracting more and more interest from scientists and the general public in recent years. The reason for this is simple: the mind is capable of profound transformation through meditation. This claim may sound both mysterious and grandiose, but it is simply a fact. Although the details of meditative experience are often difficult to communicate, the general outlines of the path that one can follow through years of dedicated practice have been studied and confirmed by countless practitioners. When we begin to pay attention to our moment-to-moment experience, we soon realize that the feeling of being a self—the feeling that there is a thinker living inside our heads—is an illusion. This insight is the foundation of spiritual life—and the most important thing any human being can understand about his or her own mind. It is also a direct insight into the nature of consciousness. With continued practice, we can learn to view the contents of consciousness more dispassionately, to recognize thoughts and impulses as momentary appearances in the mind, and to identify with them less and less. Meditation is not merely an antidote to the stressors of modern life. It has an ethical and philosophical purpose: to diminish the power of the feeling that we call “I.” This is not to say that one must give up one’s ordinary sense of being a person in the world. It is simply to demonstrate that the feeling of self we all share can be viewed from a different perspective. Meditation is a method of breaking the spell of thought, of recognizing the intrinsic emptiness of the mind. It is also a method of achieving greater happiness and mental peace. Meditation is a truly transformative practice. It is not about merely relaxing or clearing the mind; it is about changing the way we experience ourselves and the world. Through meditation, we can learn to free ourselves from the tyranny of thought and habit and to experience a profound sense of well-being and freedom.
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