In this talk, Sam Harris discusses a range of experiences that have traditionally been considered “spiritual”—in particular the phenomenon of self-transcendence. Although such experiences tell us nothing about the origins of the cosmos, they confirm some well-established truths about the human mind: Our conventional sense of self is an illusion; positive emotions, such as compassion and serenity, are teachable skills; and the way we think can profoundly influence our lives and the lives of others. The full HD video is available at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/wakingup More information at http://www.samharris.org Subscribe to Waking Up with Sam Harris: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=samharrisorg Follow Making Sense on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakingSenseHQ Follow Sam on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sam-Harris-22457171014/?fref=ts