Thoughts Without a Thinker - by Mark Epstein (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Blending the lessons of psychotherapy with Buddhist teachings, Mark Epstein offers a revolutionary understanding of what constitutes a healthy emotional life

The line between psychology and spirituality has blurred, as clinicians, their patients, and religious seekers explore new perspectives on the self. A landmark contribution to the field of psychoanalysis, Thoughts Without a Thinker describes the unique psychological contributions offered by the teachings of Buddhism. Drawing upon his own experiences as a psychotherapist and meditator, New York-based psychiatrist Mark Epstein lays out the path to meditation-inspired healing, and offers a revolutionary new understanding of what constitutes a healthy emotional life.

Review Quotes

"A groundbreaking work.... The book will take its place among the classics of the literature of meditation."--Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of Mindfulness for Beginners

"A highly personal, thoughtful, illuminating synthesis.... Patients, psychologists, and mediators...will find much spiritual nourishment."--Publishers Weekly

"A marvelous book that is at once scholarly and fresh, informative and personal."--Stephen A. Mitchell, author of Can Love Last?

"A most lucid and expert account of the wedding of psychotherapy and meditation. An Eastern-Wester psychology that truly speaks from the inside of both worlds."--Jack Kornfield, author of Meditation for Beginners

"Eloquent yet down-to-earth, this gem offers an exhilarating and expansive perspective on the therapeutic process."--Booklist

"Epstein tries bravely and earnestly to make such matters of the mind and heart as clear as possible."--Robert Coles, New England Journal of Medicine

"Epstein's solid book offers another example of contemporary efforts to revitalize psychotherapy."--Spirituality and Practice

"I loved Thoughts Without a Thinker. Mark Epstein has given us a brilliant account of how an ancient science of mind, based on a rich meditative tradition, can complement therapy and lead to new dimensions of wisdom and wholeness."--Joan Borysenko, author of Fried: Why You Burn Out and How to Revive

"Mark Epstein's book is inspired by its lucidity.... After Thoughts Without a Thinker, psychotherapy without a Buddhist perspective looks like a diminished thing."--Adam Phillips, author of Missing Out: In Praise of the Unlived Life

"One of the most sophisticated integrations of the therapeutic and spiritual disciplines."--Daniel Goleman, New York Times

About the Author

Mark Epstein, M.D., is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Medical School. He is the author of several books, including Going to Pieces Without Falling Apart, Going on Being, The Trauma of Everyday Life, and Advice Not Given. He practices psychiatry and lives in New York City.