Books by Robert Ornstein

Meditation and Modern Psychology examines meditation from two perspectives: first, from the perspective of religions and philosophies such as Zen, Yoga and those of the Sufis and Christian mystics; and then from the modern psychologist's point of view: what is happening neurophysiologically during and after meditation? By looking at meditation from both points of view, Ornstein produces a modern scientific synthesis - one sympathetic to the practice of meditation, enabling the reader to appreciate and understand meditation as a tool that can lead to a different mode of perception. Robert Ornstein, Ph.D., has written more than twenty books on the brain, mind, and consciousness since the publication of the first edition of this book in 1971. His work emphasizes our urgent need and ability to develop perceptions beyond our human inheritance. From the preface to the 2008 edition of Meditation and Modern Psychology: "I wrote this essay in 1970, when meditation was a curiosity, known only to a few tie-dyed people and, of course, the Beatles. There were a spasms of 'Transcendental Meditation' burgeoning, a few obscure Zen centers, odd Yogas, and more. That's where it was, 38 years ago, and this book now looks like a good basic introduction to the high-tech research that followed."

Robert Ornstein's classic, Multimind, presents a startling new concept of how the human mind works. In a readable and accessible way, he introduces a new science of the mind, explaining why our emotions and attitudes are so easily swayed, and the difficulty of ever really knowing oneself or another person. Ornstein faults the narrowness of IQ tests, stressing the many varied abilities that make up intelligence. Citing studies of hypnosis and multiple personality, he explains how multiple minds coexist in each of us - how each of us has many "small minds" that simultaneously, but independently, process feelings, fantasies, ideas, fixed routines, interpersonal responses and bodily skills. As we go through our daily lives, different parts of our mind - different "minds" - come to the fore to handle different situations. This means that "you" are not the same person from moment to moment, but have different memories and abilities in different situations. Reading this groundbreaking book will help you take a step towards understanding who you really are.