COMMON GROUND MEETUP: Conversations Among

Humanists, Atheists, and Religious Believers

WAKING UP: A GUIDE TO SPIRITUALITY WITHOUT RELIGION BY SAM HARRIS
Synopsis of Chapter One
Our minds are all we have. They are all we have ever have. And they are all we can offer
others.
Every experience you have ever had has been shaped by your mind. Every relationship is as
good or as bad as it is because of the minds involved.
How we pay attention to the present moment largely determines the character of our
experience and the quality of our lives.
There is more understanding of the human condition than science and secular culture
generally admit.
The spiritual, mystical, contemplative, and transcendent are words that describe
mindfulness.
The psychological benefits of meditation confirms for us truths of the human mind: our
conventional sense of self is an illusion, positive emotions, such as compassion and patience,
are teachable skills, and the way we think directly influences our experience of the world.
Spirituality must be distinguished from religion - because people of every faith, and none,
have had the same sorts of spiritual experiences. These are states of mind.
The feeling we call "I" is an illusion. Such experiences of transcendence are not irrational as
in a religious sense but scientifically and philosophically represent a clearer understanding
of the way things are. Cutting through the illusion of the self is what is meant by spirituality.
This book is an introduction to the brain, a manual of contemplative instruction, and a
philosophical unraveling of what most people consider to be the center of their inner lives.
Search for happiness: The human mind does, in fact, contain vast expanses that few of us
ever discover. Unfortunately the terms spiritual and mystical seem the only words available
to describe these expanses.
Most cultures have produced those who have found that certain deliberate uses of attention -
meditation, yoga, prayer - can transform their perception of the world.
Our pleasures are fleeting and ceaseless change is an unreliable basis for lasting fulfillment.
Is there more? We are living our answer to that question.
Connections between self-transcendence and living ethically.
Is there more to life that moving from pleasure to pleasure? Spiritual life begins with a
suspicion that the answer to this question is YES.
Mindfulness: The reality of your life is always now. This is liberating and nothing more is
needed in order to be happy.
For beginners in mediation I recommend vipassana which comes from the oldest tradition
of Buddhism, the Theravada. It is taught in a secular way. This is also being studied and
adopted by psychologists and neuroscientists.



COMMON GROUND MEETUP: Conversations Among
Humanists, Atheists, and Religious Believers

Suggested Discussion Starters

o From your perspective either as an atheist, religious believer, or somewhere in between,
what do you understand by spirituality? What role, if any does it play in your life?
o What common concerns or experiences did you cull from the first chapter of Harris' book
between atheists and theists?
o The larger questions Harris brings up regard the pursuit of happiness and finding
fulfillment in life. How do you see this in your life?
o What are some of your great life lessons?
o What is a fulfilled life for you?
o Where do you find the courage to be hopeful?
o If you do meditation, can you share your experience?