[the notes from the book were retrieved with kobogarden, with the purpose of aiding to create a map of the ideas the book left me. The full list of book highlights can be found here.]

The book attempts to approach meditation through the habitual Zen avenue, but also as informed by modern neuroscience. The inner workings of meditation are described with clarity, and a clear path towards a better practice is delinated.

Mindfulness is the combination of attention and peripheral awareness.

Directing attention is only part of the work; sustaining attention is actually where most of the struggle lies. A fundamental step to establish a solid meditation practice is to consciously hold intentions. It is helpful to define a meditation object, and the breath is a good candidate.

It is possible to overuse attention, just as it is possible (and common) to have a deficit of peripheral awareness. One goal of the practice is to strengthen both the attention capacity and the peripheral awareness.

The author defines ten stages for one's meditation practice, which reflect the proficiency of the meditator.

The basic meditation practice

Sit down, close your eyes, and go through the Six Point Preparation for Meditation: Motivation, Goals, Expectations, Diligence, Distractions, and Posture.

Then, do the Four-Step Transition, gradually restricting the natural movements of your attention as you move from one Step to the next. The transition needs to be gentle and gradual.

Emphasize relaxation, peacefulness, and pleasure, rather than willpower and effort. When you reach Step Four and you’re focusing on the breath at the nose, stabilize your attention by counting five or ten breaths without interruption.

When you’re finished counting, keep attending to the sensations of the breath at the nose.

mind-wandering and the absence of a controlling self