A review by spiralnode
The Mind Illuminated: A Complete Meditation Guide Integrating Buddhist Wisdom and Brain Science for Greater Mindfulness by Matthew Immergut, Jeremy Graves, Culadasa (John Yates)

informative slow-paced

3.0

Everyone approaches meditation differently, and the method that Culadasa advocates is a methodical one, progressing the skill of practice into 10 stages, each offering a more cohesive and long-lasting harmony. For me, this wasn't it, I view meditation as more of a natural, organic type of exercise, that comes from within me rather than as something to be learned with precision. This reads like a set of introductions, like a tutorial, and is much drier than what I seek from the meditation experience.

But even so, I was looking to feel more inspired, and this struck a balance between instructional and new age, neither of which are my jam. For example, the author says that absorbing meditation sessions might make someone poop or vomit. Emm... what?! I find this very difficult to believe. I have never heard of such a reaction before, and I just don't see how that can happen. I understand falling asleep, but this ridiculous. Similarly, he talks about parts of the body coming together to the point that in the face of the utmost distraction your attention will never be shaken. Again, unlikely.

I certainly got some ideas for what I can tweak in my practice to make it more fulfilling and enhance my internal focus, but overall this just wasn't for me beyond a few interesting tips here and there.