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46 of 47 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
How to Reap the Benefits of Meditation, July 24, 2002
This review is from: The Science of Enlightenment: Teachings & Meditations for Awakening Through Self-Investigation (Audio Cassette)
I usually like to read when I have quiet time at night, and I usually only listen to tapes when I CAN'T read, like when I'm driving. But I became so enraptured by these tapes, I ended up sitting immobile and transfixed, listening late into the night. Shinzen Young is the most intelligent, articulate teacher of Buddhism I've ever heard. He hasn't written any books yet, but he has recorded several audiotape programs. This twelve-tape set is a recording of 24 talks he gave to a live audience, with one complete talk per side of each tape. He explains what mindfulness meditation is for, exactly how to go about it, and what you can expect for results. Three of the tapes have a guided meditation on each side. Shinzen founded and runs a meditation center, and here he delivers excellent meditation instruction, but he also shows you the big picture. He knows a lot about world religions and gives a great history of Buddhism: what it evolved out of, and how it has evolved since it started. He covers some of the most important principles of Buddhism such as equanimity and the meaning of impermanence. You will learn the difference between the three branches of Buddhism and how they got to be what (and where) they are. Shinzen is well-schooled in several languages, in mathematics, and also in science, adding extra dimensions of sophistication to his explanations and lending more credibility in my Western mind for the things he says. I'm the author of the book, Self-Help Stuff That Works, and I've specialized in distinguishing practical information from ideas that are merely fascinating. All this intellectually interesting information would be pretty worthless, in my view, unless it served a practical purpose and helped to reach a practical end, which in these tapes, it does. Using this program, you can begin fairly quickly gaining the vast benefits of meditation for yourself.
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21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
LIFE ALTERING, October 19, 2006
I hesitated to get this at first. Mainly because I'd never heard of the author, Shinzen Young. But I was sufficiently intrigued by the title; the attainment of enlightenment being a lifelong interest. Several months ago, after listening to the audible sample, I decided to buy it. I'm so glad I did! Science of Enlightenment is an extraordinary, and life altering work.
I listened to Science of Enlightenment twice. Both times, I was delighted by the uplifted feeling I received while listening to it. I've come to understand through this audio book, that seasoned meditators are always in a state of meditation to varying degrees. It seems that the crystalline clarity and sheer power of Science of Enlightenment stems from the fact that the author is in a state of lucid meditation while speaking. Perhaps accounting for the inspired, positive energy I get from listening to it.
From searching on the internet, I discovered that Science of Enlightenment, and many other lectures by Shinzen Young, have never been put into a book form. In fact, the only book I was able to find is a new one on overcoming pain. So the probability of Shinzen Young doing aggressive, national book signing tours, at this point at least, seems unlikely. This non commercial approach makes his work all the more appealing and real.
I've read many books on the topic of meditation and enlightenment, and even practiced at a couple of Zendos in New York and California. Although these experiences were excellent, I still hadn't been able to get on a regular meditation schedule. Listening to Science of Enlightenment, gave me a deep understanding of meditation, enlightenment, religion and related topics. As a result, I've finally been meditating, which has profoundly impacted my life. I look forward to the extraordinary long term effects, which Young describes, after a few years of meditating.
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Demonstrating how enlightenment practices work, November 16, 2003
This review is from: The Science of Enlightenment: Teachings & Meditations for Awakening Through Self-Investigation (Audio Cassette)
American-born meditation teacher and professor Shinzen Young presents The Science Of Enlightenment, a 12-tape audio instructional course embracing traditional teachings, scientific insights, practical instruction, and more. Demonstrating how enlightenment practices work, and ranging from the Zen koan, to guided meditation, to dualist and non-dualist paths, to breathing guidelines, schools of Buddhism, Taoist thought, Jewish mystical practices, the quest to define enlightenment, and so much more, The Science Of Enlightenment is a warmly narrated, superbly presented, flawlessly recorded resource which features six complete and guided meditation sessions, as well as offering listeners a wealth of wisdom on selecting the meditation practice that best suits their own particular temperament.
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