{"product":{"product_id":"1451636024","title":"Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion","price":"14.59","image_url":"https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41mWI6A9zTL._SL500_.jpg","url":"https://www.amazon.com/dp/1451636024"},"comments":[{"body":"\u0026gt;genuine belief that you are say, Napoleon's reincarnation is called \"mental health problems\", but genuine belief in all of the bullshit in the Bible is called \"being religious\"?\r\n\r\nBecause people do experience an undeniable connection to something greater regardless of culture. Belief to something greater can be forced on you, or it can be a very real lived experience that comes about almost like an accident. The culture these experiences come up in just determines what kind of religion is built around it and \"How far people go\". Many religions are largely just harnessing the experience to control the masses rather than teaching them how to achieve spiritual liberation ( as liberated people can't by definition be controlled ), which is very much a real thing though there are people who find liberation through those religions as well. Problem with all this is that it's a subjective thing, completely impossible to measure by anything but self-report. And some weird shit happens for people that pursue spiritual liberation too, which gives rise to fantastical stories that are misunderstood by almost everyone, believers and non-believers alike.\r\n\r\nI recommend reading [Waking Up by Sam Harris](https://www.amazon.com/Waking-Up-Spirituality-Without-Religion/dp/1451636024).","subreddit_name":"nextfuckinglevel","author":"noretus"},{"body":"But how do you know the \"Holy Spirit\" experience you refer to is actually supernatural and not merely a psychological phenomenon that you are just labeling as \"spiritual\". Adding the label \"spiritual\" to anything would be nothing but a label, a mere device of language.\r\n\r\nRegarding your critique of secular ethics and lifestyle, I'm pretty sure many seculars would beg to differ. See for example Sam Harris's book *Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion* (https://www.amazon.com/Waking-Up-Spirituality-Without-Religion/dp/1451636024).\r\n\r\nFinally, regarding the alleged advantage of a more meaningful life that looks to eternity, how does that give Christianity any advantage over other religions? Tons of religions believe in an afterlife. There are people who find meaning in life in other \"spiritual\" practices which include beliefs in the possibility of reincarnation, enlightenment, nirvana, etc.\r\n\r\nWhat advantages does Christianity offer with respect to competing religions?\r\n\r\nHow do Christians know that their experiences are genuinely spiritual and not merely psychological? How do Christians know that people in other religions are not having genuine spiritual experiences also? What if they are all psychological?","subreddit_name":"AskAChristian","author":"SpiritRealmResearch"},{"body":"This. \r\n\r\nHeadspace is a fantastic way to start. Seriously changed my life too. \r\n\r\nIf you like what you’re hearing and learning, this book helps further explain many of the ideas: \r\nhttps://www.amazon.com/Waking-Up-Spirituality-Without-Religion/dp/1451636024","subreddit_name":"Vitards","author":"dominospizza4life"},{"body":"[*Waking Up: A Guide To Spirituality Without Religion*](https://www.amazon.com/Waking-Up-Spirituality-Without-Religion/dp/1451636024) is written by a scientist with extensive experience in Buddhist meditational practices. It's not about \"the meaning of life,\" but it might help him.","subreddit_name":"suggestmeabook","author":"palsh7"},{"body":"Yeah, that app is not cheap. I subscribed at the monthly rate before the price went up, but I’ll likely cancel my subscription as soon as I finish the course (I think I only have a few days left); I much prefer unguided meditation at this point.\r\n\r\nI also recommend the book [Waking Up](https://www.amazon.com/Waking-Up-Spirituality-Without-Religion/dp/1451636024), which precedes the app. While it doesn’t teach meditation technique, it does explore what consciousness is and what meditation is for. It’s what started me on my journey of rational meditation.","subreddit_name":"Meditation","author":"Disagreed"},{"body":"Can I recommend Sam Harris's book *[Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Waking-Up-Spirituality-Without-Religion/dp/1451636024)*? The title makes it pretty self-explanatory, but it might be what you are looking for. ","subreddit_name":"changemyview","author":"SecDue"},{"body":"Not sure about the original source, but the image is also for the cover of his book which shares the name of the podcast, Waking up. \r\nhttps://www.amazon.com/Waking-Up-Spirituality-Without-Religion/dp/1451636024\r\n\r\nThe funny thing is, it makes perfect sense there.  But its a strange choice to include the picture and that epic music with the podcast.  Its easy to make fun of the pomposity if you don't like Sam. ","subreddit_name":"samharris","author":"Rockletim"},{"body":"Emotions are like thoughts - they arise and pass.\r\n\r\nAs Sam Harris points out in his insightful book, \"[Waking Up](https://www.amazon.com/Waking-Up-Spirituality-Without-Religion/dp/1451636024/ref=sr_1_1?s=books\u0026amp;ie=UTF8\u0026amp;qid=1476358158\u0026amp;sr=1-1\u0026amp;keywords=sam+harris+waking+up),\" it takes effort to make an emotion last more than an instant. They, like thoughts, are temporary phenomena that arise in consciousness. \r\n\r\nThe effort to make them last is our inner narrative, **it's indulging them, which gives them fuel to continue**. Mindfulness and meditation (practiced consistently) teach you to stop indulging.\r\n\r\nedit - link to book","subreddit_name":"Meditation","author":"elphabaloves"},{"body":"I don't associate myself with any particular religion either and i think this is the correct way to proceed. The perennial philosophy was a good book but also kind of repetitive as any book on this subject has to be. There is so much and so little to write at the same time.\r\n \r\n\r\nYou may not be able to decipher Daoist texts on your own especially without any experience in Zen meditation. \r\n\r\nStart with '[Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion](https://www.amazon.com/Waking-Up-Spirituality-Without-Religion/dp/1451636024)' by Sam Harris first. Since Sam is one of the pillar of new-atheism movement he speaks in a language which is understandable, welcoming and reassuring for us. Then you should read some books on mindful meditation. There are tons of books. I picked a scientific one which was closer to my taste. You should also practice meditation so that you become familiar to the various experiences which the monks report. ","subreddit_name":"india","author":"yonhi"},{"body":"If meditation grabs you, Sam Harris is your guru. Read [Waking Up](https://www.amazon.com/Waking-Up-Spirituality-Without-Religion/dp/1451636024/ref=mt_paperback?_encoding=UTF8\u0026amp;me=). Sam has been interested in meditation for decades, and has traveled the world in search of \"experiences\". He's a bit of an expert on the topic. It's his alter-ago.","subreddit_name":"atheism","author":"iHaveAgency"},{"body":"Who said anything about Dogma?\r\n\r\nMindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. When you're mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to experience. (From google)\r\n\r\nThere are tons of different ways to meditate, and whatever works best for you is the right way. I meditate for 10 minutes a day and I find that it's very helpful for calming the running dialogue in my head. But I also walk 5 miles a day, eat right, and do yoga three times a week. \r\n\r\nIt's a practice that you incorporate into your daily life because you want to be a more conscious and loving person. There's no prayer or religious dogma whatsoever. Mindfulness \u0026amp; Meditation /= Buddhism.\r\n\r\n\"Waking Up\" by Sam Harris is a great book. From one atheist to another. http://www.amazon.com/Waking-Up-Spirituality-Without-Religion/dp/1451636024","subreddit_name":"movies","author":"realbutuntrue"},{"body":"Meditation seems to be a popular secular form of \"sprituality,\" though that word carries a lot of theistic connotations that are distasteful. I would recommend checking your local library, or amazon, for Sam Harris' [\"Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion\"](http://www.amazon.com/Waking-Up-Spirituality-Without-Religion/dp/1451636024).","subreddit_name":"exmormon","author":"PhallicMin"},{"body":"It's actually from his book [Waking Up](https://www.amazon.com/Waking-Up-Spirituality-Without-Religion/dp/1451636024/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8\u0026amp;qid=1544555862\u0026amp;sr=8-1\u0026amp;keywords=waking+up+harris)","subreddit_name":"exmormon","author":"FullySmoothandBlue"},{"body":"My impression of enlightenment based on reading [Waking Up by Sam Harris](https://www.amazon.com/Waking-Up-Spirituality-Without-Religion/dp/1451636024) (highly recommended) and [Jeffery Martin's PNSE studies](http://nonsymbolic.org/PNSE-Article.pdf) is that it doesn't necessarily change your personality much and it does not really have much to do with moral behavior one way or the other. Gupta would likely behave in a similar way whether or not he was enlightened.","subreddit_name":"slatestarcodex","author":"lupnra"},{"body":"Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion https://www.amazon.com/dp/1451636024/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_S8KS6P1HV84SXR0T8ES0\r\n\r\nhttps://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Science_of_Meditation/T8uSswEACAAJ?hl=en","subreddit_name":"skeptic","author":"EdSmelly"}]}