Sam Harris has a new book coming out called Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion, and he has just posted the first chapter of the book on his blog, in both text and audio formats. I read Harris’s blog religiously, so to speak, because his mind is razor sharp and he is very generous in providing high quality content free of charge. I’m trying to hold off on reading this Chapter One freebie because I want to wait for the hardcover to arrive before delving in, but I’ll probably break down by the end of the day. I just listened to Harris being interviewed on the GSPodcast regarding the book and various other topics, and it piqued my interest even more. It’s not everyday that one of the most well known critics of religion puts out a book on the virtues of spiritual experience and practice, and anyone who considers themselves “spiritual but not religious” will likely benefit a great deal from Harris’s perspective on these matters. Just hearing/reading his brief commentaries on the subject has already helped clarify my own thinking. After I read the book in its entirety I’m sure I’ll have more to say about it.
Reflections on attention, self-knowledge, and the mental health profession.