The attention revolution
by B. Alan Wallace, Daniel Goleman · first published 2006
5mentions
4recommended by
4HN commenters
2017–2026first – last mentioned
100% recommend
Shamatha meditation is a method for achieving previously inconceivable levels of concentration. Author B. Alan Wallace, an active participant in the much-publicized dialogues between Buddhists and scholars, has more than 20 years’ practice in the discipline, some of it under the guidance of the Dalai Lama. This book is a definitive presentation of his knowledge of shamatha. It is aimed at the contemporary seeker who is distracted and defocused by the dizzying pace of modern life, as well as those suffering from depression and other mental maladies. Beginning by addressing the inherent problems
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
…at any point your attention has drifted to a different sensation - seeing, hearing etc, or thinking, visual imagery etc, then congratulate yourself for noticing, and restart from «1». I recommend «The attention revolution» by Alan B. Wallace
on “Programmers need to start meditating now” ↗…meditation. The śamatha practices that entail mindfulness of breathing are thought to be ideal for those living in modernity. The best introduction to śamatha that I’m aware of is B. Alan Wallace’s “The Attention Revolution: Unlocking the Power of the Focused Mind.”
on “Ask HN: I feel like I've destroyed my attention span. How do I get it back?” ↗…difficult for your body to relax. I'll suggest take deep breaths, (exhale time should be greater than inhale). Just try to relax body with each exhale. If possible, read first two chapters from the book `Attention revolution - by B. Alan Wallace`, and practice it for few days. If nothing works, seek professional help either from doctor or meditation teachers.
on “Ask HN: Can I temporarily combat the brain fog from lack of sleep?” ↗I highly recommend "shamata" meditation for improving attention - https://www.amazon.com/Attention-Revolution-Unlocking-Power-...
on “Ask HN: How do you deal with fragmented attention?” ↗…non-theistic/religious/spiritual perspective. Everything you ever wanted to know about meditation without having to go through books about Buddhism or meditation which are generally very spiritual and can be difficult to read. The Attention Revolution - In-depth guide to how to meditate without too much fluff. It basically directly goes into all the details of meditation practice as a thing you do and how to do it. Also very comprehensive and jumps…
on “Ask HN: Any interesting books you have read lately?” ↗