One gift, endless possibilities
Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals and award-winning movies and TV shows.
Buy new:
£16.99
FREE delivery Wednesday, 29 October
Dispatches from: Amazon
Sold by: Amazon
£16.99
FREE Returns
FREE delivery Wednesday, 29 October. Details
Or fastest delivery Tomorrow, 27 October. Order within 7 hrs 38 mins. Details
In stock
££16.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
££16.99
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Delivery cost, delivery date and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Dispatches from
Amazon
Amazon
Dispatches from
Amazon
Sold by
Amazon
Amazon
Sold by
Amazon
Returns
Returnable within 30 days of receipt
Returnable within 30 days of receipt
Item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund within 30 days of receipt
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
£13.59
A few small stains Buy from the UK's book specialist with confidence. Now with Royal Mail two day tracking on all UK orders! Enjoy same or next-day dispatch from a top-rated and trusted Amazon seller. A few small stains Buy from the UK's book specialist with confidence. Now with Royal Mail two day tracking on all UK orders! Enjoy same or next-day dispatch from a top-rated and trusted Amazon seller. See less
FREE delivery 29 - 31 October. Order within 19 hrs 38 mins. Details
Or fastest delivery Tuesday, 28 October. Details
Only 1 left in stock.
££16.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
££16.99
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Delivery cost, delivery date and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Dispatched from and sold by WeBuyBooks.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer – no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the authors

See all
Jeremy Graves
Follow
John Yates
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Mind Illuminated: A Complete Meditation Guide Integrating Buddhist Wisdom and Brain Science for Greater Mindfulness Paperback – 3 Jan. 2017

4.7 out of 5 stars 2,106 ratings
on any 4 Qualifying items | Terms
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"£16.99","priceAmount":16.99,"currencySymbol":"£","integerValue":"16","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"99","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"Wtdr7Mb9lTju7R5rGko09%2Brf9S4sNv71mxe%2BiaC3XfIN%2BckNO6%2FjYGHIaOWIZX3FFTYMk5%2FHr30EAiXsGzrw1cEAaBKq32dC9Z0BliDJy7O%2BqDvB0CEOLshN2BfSrtYm","locale":"en-GB","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"£13.59","priceAmount":13.59,"currencySymbol":"£","integerValue":"13","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"59","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"Wtdr7Mb9lTju7R5rGko09%2Brf9S4sNv71wOkSUIrhTXs7WaeM1CW47tperRvOPvKgcHvLw4D%2BPB5EGx0XEevyQjGSE2zWwfNsfNDQlYz86V1uxmliqlr06MO2ZQh5ClpxQ2NJFz7O7zAxI9IIQlGgIXHBRhTE34rDEityAk24KD5v5eYlH7ddzw%3D%3D","locale":"en-GB","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

This essential meditation manual for the Western reader shares step-by-step guidance to elevating your meditation practice and discovering greater peace and insight.

The Mind Illuminated is a comprehensive, accessible and - above all - effective book on meditation, providing a nuts-and-bolts stage-based system that helps all levels of meditators establish and deepen their practice. Providing step-by-step guidance for every stage of the meditation path, this uniquely comprehensive guide for a Western audience combines the wisdom from the teachings of the Buddha with the latest research in cognitive psychology and neuroscience.

Clear and friendly, this in-depth practice manual builds on the nine-stage model of meditation originally articulated by the ancient Indian sage Asanga, crystallizing the entire meditative journey into 10 clearly-defined stages. The book also introduces a new and fascinating model of how the mind works, and uses illustrations and charts to help the reader work through each stage. This manual is an essential read for the beginner to the seasoned veteran of meditation.

Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    512 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Hay House Uk
  4. Publication date
    3 Jan. 2017
  5. Dimensions
    19 x 2.95 x 23.5 cm
  6. ISBN-10
    1781808201
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1781808207
Next slide of product details

Frequently bought together

This item: The Mind Illuminated: A Complete Meditation Guide Integrating Buddhist Wisdom and Brain Science for Greater Mindfulness
£16.99
Get it as soon as Wednesday, Oct 29
In stock
Sent from and sold by Amazon.
+
Right Concentration: A Practical Guide to the Jhanas
£14.55
Get it as soon as Wednesday, Oct 29
In stock
Sent from and sold by Amazon.
Total price: $00
To see our price, add these items to your basket.
Details
Added to Basket
Choose items to buy together.

What do customers buy after viewing this item?

Page 1 of 1 Start again
Previous set of slides

  1. Highest rated

    in this set of products

  2. Best Selling

    in this set of products

  3. Lowest Price

    in this set of products
Next set of slides
Popular highlights in this book
What are Popular highlights?
Previous page
  1. This is the very essence of meditation: we reprogram unconscious mental processes by repeating basic tasks over and over with a clear intention.
    Highlighted by 962 Kindle readers
  2. Mindfulness allows us to recognize our options, choose our responses wisely, and take control over the direction of our lives. It also gives us the power to change our past conditioning and become the person we want to be. Most importantly, mindfulness leads to Insight, Wisdom, and Awakening.
    Highlighted by 781 Kindle readers
  3. Attention analyzes our experience, and peripheral awareness provides the context. When one or the other doesn’t do its job, or when there isn’t enough interaction between the two, then we respond to situations less effectively. We may overreact, make poor decisions, or misinterpret what’s going on.
    Highlighted by 721 Kindle readers
Next page

Product description

Review

Select Guide Rating

Review

Culadasa has given us a clear, detailed, contemporary map of meditation, beautifully attuned to our household lives. Through his mastery of both the science and art of conscious living, Culadasa imparts the practices and confidence we need to walk the path of liberation through all the stages to Awakening. I love his friendly, encouraging teaching! -- Trudy Goodman, PhD, guiding teacher at InsightLA

In a time where meditation and its twin sister, mindfulness, have become the fads du jour, Culadasa gives us the real deal in this encyclopedic handbook. If you're serious about meditation, The Mind Illuminated should be on your bookshelf. -- Lama Marut, author of 'A Spiritual Renegade’s Guide to the Good Life' and 'Be Nobody'

Essential reading for anyone interested in meditative development from any tradition. At once comprehensive and also very easy to read and follow in practice, this is the most thorough, straightforward, clear, and practical guide to training the mind that I have ever found. A remarkable achievement. -- Daniel Ingram, MD, author of 'Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha'

The Mind Illuminated is an extraordinary accomplishment. Culadasa has distilled his many years of meditative practice and teaching, his deep background in Theravada and Vajrayana traditions, and his extensive knowledge of cognitive science and neuroscience to provide a unique and highly practical guidebook to meditation practice. The granular detail that Culadasa provides regarding various experiences along the path and his practically grounded
advice for dealing with obstacles and developing specific skills are unique in the published literature on meditation. Regardless of the particular tradition in which one practices, or the amount of one's practice experience, there is a cornucopia of wisdom and detailed guidance here that merits careful study and practice. This is a true jewel of a book that belongs on the desk or night table of every meditation practitioner

-- Sensei Al Genkai Kaszniak, PhD, guiding teacher at Upaya Zen Sangha of Tucson; Emeritus Professor of Psychology, University of Arizona

With wisdom, clarity, and grace, Culadasa has written an invaluable manual for awakening. I believe this book will become one of the Top 10 Must Reads for anyone on the spiritual path for years to come. Helpful for beginning meditators and valuable for advanced meditators who are already committed to meditation but have not yet experienced the fruits of consistent practice. -- Stephanie Nash, mindfulness coach and integrative counselor

Writing with warmth and clarity, Culadasa brings a lifetime of investigation into Buddhism and neuroscience to his descriptions of the tasks and nuances of meditation. Though it is often encouraged, a meditation practice is not often explained. The Mind Illuminated provides comprehensive, step-by-step guidance about how to actually do it, how to handle the many hindrances that might stop us from practicing, and how the mind benefits when we do meditate regularly. A masterful and inspiring guide, Culadasa encourages us to savor the process that leads to becoming fully conscious. -- Susan Suntree, author of 'Sacred Sites: The Secret History of Southern California' and editor of 'Wisdom of the East: Stories of Compassion, Inspiration, and Love'

This book does an outstanding job of both constructing a cognitive theory of how the mind works and presenting a detailed handbook for learning and mastering meditation. The result is a beautiful integration of theory and practice, whose parallel strands lead to experientially, and account for conceptually, the radical shift in consciousness we call awakening. -- Richard P. Boyle, author of 'Realizing Awakened Consciousness'

The Mind Illuminated provides among the greatest syntheses I've ever seen of concepts from across the spectrum of psychological research and theory. The book integrates knowledge from areas as diverse as cognition and neural systems, psychoanalytic notions of unconscious processes and catharsis, theories of William James, and third-wave strategies for emotion regulation. It also provides a valuable step-by-step instruction manual for mental training
to focus attention while developing self-insight and deep psychological healing. The secular nature of the instructions allows for bringing meditation into the therapy relationship without dogma and without the risk of either supporting or contradicting clients' religious views.

-- Tucker Peck, PhD, clinical psychologist and recipient of the Varela Award from the Mind and Life Institute

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hay House Uk
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 3 Jan. 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 512 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1781808201
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1781808207
  • Item weight ‏ : ‎ 1.05 kg
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 19 x 2.95 x 23.5 cm
  • Best Sellers Rank: 24,122 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • Customer reviews:
    4.7 out of 5 stars 2,106 ratings

About the authors

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Previous page
  1. Jeremy Graves

    Jeremy Graves

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.

    See more on the author's page
  2. John Yates

    John Yates

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Culadasa (John Yates, Ph.D.) is a meditation master with over four decades of experience in the Tibetan and Theravadin Buddhist traditions. He taught physiology and neuroscience at the Universities of Calgary and British Columbia. He lives in Arizona's wilderness, and leads the Dharma Treasure Buddhist Sangha.

    See more on the author's page
  3. Matthew Immergut

    Matthew Immergut

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Matthew Immergut is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Purchase College, SUNY. He is also a meditation instructor and workshop leader. For more info see matthewimmergut.com

    See more on the author's page
Next page

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
2,106 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find this meditation guide extremely comprehensive, providing practical advice for all stages of mental development. The book is praised for its depth, with one customer noting its unique blend of Buddhist wisdom and modern neuroscience. Customers appreciate the clear explanations, with each stage explained in detail, and find it accessible and easy to understand, particularly suitable for beginners. The writing style receives positive feedback for its clarity and conciseness.

Select to learn more

Meditation guideExplanationsDepthMeditation contentEase of useAccessibilityInsightWriting style
48 customers mention ‘Meditation guide’48 positive0 negative

Customers find this book to be an extremely comprehensive guide to meditation, with one customer noting it provides practical advice for all stages of mental development.

"...for the average reader, the tone here is perfectly balanced between practical, informative and inspirational...." Read more

"Great book! My meditation practice has improved so much! Each stage is explained in detail...." Read more

"...I wish I came across this book earlier on. Has some good tips, definitely worth a read" Read more

"Some very useful techniques for developing certain skills in formal meditation practice...." Read more

27 customers mention ‘Explanations’24 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate the book's detailed explanations and step-by-step approach, noting its systematic structure and useful diagrams.

"...I recently trained as a meditation teacher and this has some great explanations I will be able to incorporate into my work!" Read more

"I found this a great guide to work through the mass of different information out there on how to meditate...." Read more

"A detailed and practical manual that can give you, ultimately, a new and profound tranquility and equanimity in your daily life..." Read more

"A beautiful, brilliant, helpful guide. Thanks, Culadasa!" Read more

25 customers mention ‘Depth’25 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's depth, describing it as brilliantly comprehensive and detailed, with one customer noting it includes a glossary providing full background information.

"Really thorough and systematic, but NOT for beginners...." Read more

"Very in depth book. Literally everything you would ever need to know about meditation and the stages of progression...." Read more

"Most comprehensive book I've ever read on meditation. Clear, easy steps in simple straight forward language...." Read more

"...It is extremely thorough, I've never come across a meditation book or resource like it before anywhere...." Read more

21 customers mention ‘Meditation content’20 positive1 negative

Customers find this book to be the best meditation guide, with several mentioning it helped them establish a regular practice. One customer highlights its comprehensive approach to developing tranquil abiding, while another appreciates its detailed neurological explanation of mindfulness.

"This is the best book on meditation that I have found, I have gone through quite a few...." Read more

"Best book on meditation that I have read..got me meditating regularly which is something I've been wanting to do for years" Read more

"I See that this is one of the best books on meditation...." Read more

"...are changing with time and regular practice, which I have found very reassuring and fascinating...." Read more

15 customers mention ‘Ease of use’13 positive2 negative

Customers find the book easy to understand and suitable for beginners, with one customer noting its methodical approach.

"...It is like a university text. It could be good for beginners though because you can start at the beginning, do the beginning exercises and see how..." Read more

"Most comprehensive book I've ever read on meditation. Clear, easy steps in simple straight forward language...." Read more

"...But I found this very easy to understand, even the neuroscientific material...." Read more

"This is the best book on meditation you could find. Straight-forward but with enough information to really explain the process and the benefits and..." Read more

14 customers mention ‘Accessibility’11 positive3 negative

Customers find the book accessible and easy to read, with one customer noting that it can be re-read through previous chapters.

"This book will get anyone started. Clear and concise each and every step of the way. Yes, it’s heavy going, but it is not meant to be read at once...." Read more

"...practical difficulty that practitioners might encounter in such a clear and readable way, within such an effective framework for progressive..." Read more

"...The layout is easy to read, with key quotations pulled out of the text, the use of charming little drawings to illustrate metaphors for some of the..." Read more

"...winded, repetitive even which makes it a long read and even hard to access at times.Nearly 500 pages is exhaustive!..." Read more

13 customers mention ‘Insight’13 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful, with one review noting how it uniquely blends Buddhist wisdom with modern neuroscience.

"...book has provide a structure to meditation that feels obvious yet insightful...." Read more

"...What a wonderful blend of science and spirituality...." Read more

"The Mind Illuminated is one of the most insightful and comprehensive meditation guides I've encountered...." Read more

"...Methodical without and spiritual stuff. It's enabled me to finally meditate on a regular basis." Read more

12 customers mention ‘Writing style’11 positive1 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, finding it clear and concise, with one customer noting that hardly a sentence is wasted.

"This book will get anyone started. Clear and concise each and every step of the way. Yes, it’s heavy going, but it is not meant to be read at once...." Read more

"...Succinct and secular language will appeal to a wide audience...." Read more

"...is broken down into relevant parts that are described clearly and concisely. I don't feel as though the steps are too big...." Read more

"...the way through and it is excellent so far - such a thorough and well written guide with great illustrations too to help understanding of the..." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Paul Rohe
    5.0 out of 5 stars Accidental find but a real GEM !
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 April 2016
    Verified Purchase
    OK, first my personal bias out of the way, I'm in my mid 50s, been a Buddhist for approximately 35 years and thus think Buddhism is the Bees-Knees...

    However people may look at it Buddhists have been meditating and investigating the nature of the Mind, its states and possible abilities and refining the technical language to explain such states for over 2500 years and where most contemplative traditions died out in India due to various historical reasons such practices and investigation continued in Tibet and the surrounding Theravadin countries... and has amassed a vast literature on this subject, it's for this reason that I personally think Buddhism is the best place to look for this type of information.

    NOW for the Book itself.

    Even though this book does draw it's information from various Buddhist sources (as well as science) the language used by Buddhists on meditation itself is of a technical and non religious nature which is reflected in this book thus anyone from any Contemplative Tradition may find this book useful, or even those who are purely secular in outlook.

    The method presented takes its approach from an ancient Buddhist model where a concentration (tranquil abiding, shamatha or samatha) is developed in certain stages. Where this book excels is the share amount of detail and practical advice for all stages of mental development.

    For those already familiar with the Buddhadhamma one very important point the author covers is access concentration which gives access to the Jhanas, he explains quite clearly that access concentration can arise even before Tranquil Abiding is accomplished, something I've NEVER seen covered else where and over which there is much confusion even among Tibetan Lamas (sorry but it's true). He also, in my honest opinion, ends the debate between Sutta & Abhidhamma type Jhanas, Thank you Culadasa & Saaadhu !

    Plus the book has what the author calls interludes which are chapters filling in essential information to progress to the next level and well as slowly presenting a more sophisticated model of mind/Consciousness as ones practice and experience develops.

    There is NO book on the market as detailed and comprehensive as this one, NONE, from the Tibetans, Theravadins or anyone else, and I say this after 35 years of experience and study, if YOU or anyone else can find better than please let me know.

    This author also has one or two other "tricks" up his sleeve, e.g. he explains why "laziness" might have actually been useful and is not necessarily always negative, never seen that before and, well a very useful way of seeing things, I'll let purchasers of the book learn why by reading the book...

    I cannot fault this book, it has everything you need to develop tranquil abiding and much more besides. I would recommend this book over all others.

    HAPPY MEDITATING.
    306 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Mr. S. Mckie
    5.0 out of 5 stars This is the manual I've been looking for
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 June 2022
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    I'm really pleased I got this book. For 20 years I've stumbled through meditation. At first not really realising that what I was drawn to was meditation and then picking up tidbits from books, interviews, podcasts and YouTube.
    Reading this book has provide a structure to meditation that feels obvious yet insightful. Where I previously blindly scrambled through my meditation sessions I now feel focussed and confident that I'm making positive progress in my meditation skills.

    The book is organised in 10 stages. Each stage guides the reader through meditation skills, clearly identifying what might arise to help or hinder at each stage. Each stage is broken down into relevant parts that are described clearly and concisely. I don't feel as though the steps are too big. I had considered my previous personal efforts in meditation might have influenced the else with which I understand the I structions, but as I approach chapters describing new unconscious experiences, I find it's the authors explanations, and incremental complexity that aids my understanding.

    I bought this book for about £16. I would happily pay £30 for it. As time goes by and my appreciation of the instructions increases, the value is approaching priceless.
    12 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • safe
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Truly Seminal Work
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 June 2024
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    This book will get anyone started. Clear and concise each and every step of the way. Yes, it’s heavy going, but it is not meant to be read at once. It takes you along on the stepping stones. It describes both the eastern and western approaches. Truly a seminal work! I have the book, the Kindle edition and YouTube will read it to you for free. This book together with, Right Concentration: A Practical Guide to the Jhanas by Leigh Brasington are all you need to understand and progress at any stage of your life; you then just have to patiently practice with no thought of reward or end in sight. Everything just happens when you are ready. Highly recommended.
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Aki Karvonen
    4.0 out of 5 stars Systematic but needs effort
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 August 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Really thorough and systematic, but NOT for beginners. Even for people with some Buddhist concept knowledge this is a bit hard manual due to writers own definition of well known concepts like "concentration". It is a bit confusing to check from the notes the correlations.
    Otherwise, this is the most systematic manual on the subject with nice pictures but needs real effort and dedication. Well, that is self-evident anyway, right?
    11 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Andrea O
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Deep and Structured Guide to Mastering Meditation
    Reviewed in Germany on 7 July 2025
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    The Mind Illuminated is one of the most comprehensive and well-structured books on meditation I’ve ever read. It combines traditional Buddhist wisdom with modern neuroscience to create a clear, step-by-step path for deepening mindfulness and concentration.

    What I appreciated most is how the author breaks the journey into ten well-defined stages, making what can feel like a vague or abstract practice into something practical and measurable. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced meditator, this book offers insights that can support a lifelong practice.

    It’s not a quick or light read — it’s meant to be studied and returned to — but if you're serious about meditation, it's an incredibly valuable resource.
    Report
  • Rory
    5.0 out of 5 stars Quality
    Reviewed in Australia on 17 August 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Really well published. Great quality and of course most importantly the content is easy to follow and has really helped me join up some practises.
    Report
  • Antonio
    5.0 out of 5 stars Iluminación, es la palabra
    Reviewed in Spain on 19 June 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Las enseñanzas de Buda explicadas para mentes occidentales, con un sesgo quasi cientifico a veces, cosa con la que personalmente conecto. Agradezco a los autores el esfuerzo clarificador y a todos, los que a lo largo de la historia han permitido que la expresión de las enseñanzas contenidas en el libro, hayan llegado a todos nosotros.
    Report
  • Philip J
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
    Reviewed in Sweden on 23 September 2021
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Easy to read and follow, very informative and interesting. Probably the best book out there in its genre.
    Report
  • S.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Pure excellence
    Reviewed in Italy on 20 March 2018
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    This book is a gold mine. It's hands down the best book on meditation on the market. Yet, it might not be for everyone, as it goes so deep that a newcomer might not grasp all the details and let practice slip. But I would anyway tell to everyone interested in meditation to read and practice this book at the fullest. I'm deeply amazed and satisfied.
    One person found this helpful
     Report