David B. Yaden, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Andrew Newberg, Research Director at the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health, Thomas Jefferson University

David B. Yaden, PhD is an Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. His research focus is on how brief inner experiences, or 'altered states of consciousness,' can have long-term positive impacts. He currently studies the subjective effects and treatment potential of psychedelics. His work has been featured in outlets such as The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, CNN, NPR, BBC, and The New York Times.

Andrew B. Newberg, MD is a Professor in the Department of Integrative Medicine and Nutritional Sciences and the Research Director at the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health at Thomas Jefferson University. He has published 12 books which have been translated into 17 different languages, including the best-selling books: How God Changes Your Brain and Why God Won't Go Away. He has appeared on Good Morning America, Nightline, CNN, and others. His work has also been featured in outlets such as Newsweek, Time, National Geographic, Discover, and The New York Times.

"Their [Yaden and Newberg] sensible and sensitive work should sit comfortably on the shelf next to James's." - Daniel Burke, The Washington Post

"The most important book on the science of religion in my lifetime." - Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Author of Learned Optimism and Authentic Happiness

"If you have the slightest curiosity about the spiritual dimensions of life and death, and if you value an approach that explores the outer reaches of mystical experience, yet never pretends to know what we don't yet know, this is the book for you." - Susan Cain, NY Times Bestselling Author of Quiet and Bittersweet

"This comprehensive and much needed book covers the latest science of psychedelics, spirituality, and altered states of consciousness in general. You will learn about the most cutting-edge psychology and neuroscience on these mental states while reading personal stories from people who have been fundamentally transformed by their visits to some of the most fascinating depths of human experience. I highly recommend this groundbreaking book!" - Scott Barry Kaufman, Ph.D., Author of Transcend and Host of The Psychology Podcast

"What David Yaden and Andrew Newberg have done through their painstaking research is to provide the world with a 21st Century James. Like James, they are respectful of their subjects' experiences and careful not to pronounce judgments on the psychological and numinous worlds they inhabit. This book will become a classic." - Kevin Rudd, Former Prime Minister of Australia, Author of The Avoidable War?

"In the scientific project of demystifying mysticism, Yaden and Newberg are the undisputed heirs to the legendary research of William James. The authors deftly plumb the caverns of neuroscience, psychology, pharmacology, philosophy, and religious studies to usher the nebulous world of spiritual experience into the spotlight of 21st-century academic discourse. An encyclopedic feat that transcends disciplinary boundaries, and sets the stage for a bold new era of inquiry." - Brian C. Muraresku, Author of The Immortality Key: The Secret History of the Religion with No Name

"This scholarly update of William James' seminal book, Varieties of Religious Experience, will be of great value to those interested in investigating the causes and enduring effects of sacred and secular spiritual experiences through a scientific lens." - Roland R. Griffiths, Ph.D., The Oliver Lee McCabe, III Professor in the Neuropsychopharmacology of Consciousness, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

"David Yaden and Andrew Newberg have produced a book that will bring you wonder, inspiration, and awe. It is for our 21st century what William James's Varieties book was for the 20th century: a comprehensive, open minded, rigorous exploration of human spiritual life" - Dacher Keltner, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology UC Berkeley, Author of The Power Paradox