So I want to make it clear that the instructions in this book are intended for readers who are
adults (more or less) and free from any psychological or medical conditions that could be
exacerbated by meditation or other techniques of sustained introspection. If paying attention to
your breath, to bodily sensations, to the flow of thoughts, or to the nature of consciousness itself
seems likely to cause you clinically significant anguish, please check with a psychologist or a
psychiatrist before engaging in the practices I describe.