Combining the theories about mind, self and consciousness with the mentally expansive practices of Zen, this work seeks to tackle, if not solve, such bewildering questions as: Am I conscious now? When am I? Who is asking the question?

Who are you? When are you? What were you conscious of a moment ago?

This groundbreaking book sees acclaimed psychologist Susan Blackmore combining the latest scientific theories about mind, self, and consciousness, with a lifetime’s practice of Zen.

Alongside her research on consciousness and memes, Susan Blackmore has been practising Zen for over twenty-five years; not as a Buddhist, but as a scientist who longs to understand the mind. Many neuroscientists and philosophers believe that we need first-person approaches as well as third-person scientific research in order to fully comprehend consciousness. In Ten Zen Questions, she brings the two together for the first time.

Seeking to understand whether personal experience can help penetrate the scientific mystery of consciousness, she uses traditional techniques of calming the mind and looking directly into experience as she delves into ten great questions, including "How does thought arise?", "Am I conscious now?", and the Zen koan "There is no time. What is memory?"

Featuring the ten questions, a critical response from her Zen master, and lively illustrations, Ten Zen Questions offers a revolutionary way to try to understand who we are. This is not the kind of book that provides final - or easy - answers, but instead offers an inspiring exploration of how intellectual enquiry and meditation can tackle the questions behind some of today’s greatest scientific mysteries.