The Conscious I: Clarity and Direction Through Meditation

Robert B. MacIntyre is the Head of the Psychoeducational Clinic at the
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.

James shares his insights and world view obtained through Vipassana
meditation and the martial arts, particularly Tai Chi Chuan. His style
is straightforward and readable, and the truths presented here are
understandable. James’s call for radical change in our individual
lives, in our relationships, and in our way of being on the planet rests
on the process of taking time to do nothing and observing. In this way
we will gain greater understanding of ourselves and what direction we
should take, rather than continue to worry unproductively about the
future or continue to experience the pain and hurts of the past. This
message has been given frequently in recent years in other books on
meditation, planetary healing, and personal growth. A contribution of
this book is its contemporary stance—one grounded, however, in
traditional eastern and Buddhist practices and philosophies.

While not a substitute for training in meditation and focused awareness
of the moment, this book could entice readers into trying the practices
and going on to further training. For those already on the meditation
path, the book offers insight into another’s experience with it. James
writes with a conviction and a simplicity that seems to reflect his own
progress in understanding himself and the nature of reality.