Scott Alexander reviews 'The Mind Illuminated', a Buddhist meditation guide by Culadasa, praising its clarity while questioning some of its optimistic claims about meditation progress and risks. Longer summary

This post reviews 'The Mind Illuminated', a guide to Buddhist meditation by Culadasa. The book divides meditation into ten stages, focusing on concentration meditation. It presents a model of the mind based on 'subminds' and consciousness as a shared space, similar to global workspace theory. The author praises the book's clarity and care in explaining concepts, but questions some of its optimistic claims about the speed of attaining meditative mastery. The review compares Culadasa's approach to other meditation teachers, particularly regarding the potential risks of meditation like the 'Dark Night'. Overall, the reviewer finds Culadasa's optimism justified, likening meditation to a beneficial practice with fewer side effects than many medications. Shorter summary