The Sense of Self

"Dr. Richard Sears takes us on an amazing journey to describe how we develop the sense of self, from the inner workings of the brain to the vastness of the universe. Be warned -- reading this book may leave you with a much broader view of who you really are, and it might just take away your excuses for not being the you that you truly want to be." (Stephen K. Hayes, Author of Heart of Light, Blade of Thunder and The Complete Ninja Collection)

At the heart of this book is one of the most ancient and profound question philosophers, spiritual seekers, and curious individuals have pondered since the beginning of history: “Who am I?”.At the heart of this book is one of the most ancient and profound question philosophers, spiritual seekers, and curious individuals have pondered since the beginning of history:  “Who am I?”. Advances in modern science, and access to Zen tradition, have provided us with broader and richer understanding of this topic. Over the chapters the author, a psychologist and Zen master, investigates how the brain fosters a sense of an independent self, situating his research in the contexts of neuroscience, ecology, evolution, psychology, and of the principles Eastern wisdom traditions. The book explores a broad range of insights from brain science, evolutionary biology, astronomy, clinical psychology, thoughts and emotions, mental health disorders, and Zen Buddhism. This book will appeal to psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, counsellors, and researchers of Eastern traditions. General readers interested in the functioning of the brain will discover practical ways to integrate fascinating new findings on an age-old question into their everyday life.