Rabbit Hole

Book blurb: “In Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics, Dan Harris and his friend Jeff Warren, a masterful teacher and “Meditation MacGyver,” embark on a cross-country quest to tackle the myths, misconceptions, and self-deceptions that stop people from meditating.” Click to read book’s marketing description, plus my commentary.

A collection of academic essays edited by Alex Kohav that explores personal, theoretical, and historical dimensions of mystical experience. Alex contacted me about including my New York Times piece “The Anxiety of the Long-Distance Meditator” – all about striving to get to “initial enlightenment” via advanced meditation. It didn’t really work.

Does nature have an interior aspect – as we do – and if so, what is the relationship between that “mind” and ours? Do you have to be high to wonder about this?

Finally, one answer to a question that is top of everyone’s mind: what is it like to be a 10-ton echolocating sperm whale with stumpy flippers but excellent aqua-dynamics?

My first book. It took two months and they paid me six grand. Writing the wildlife guide was the highlight.