Roger Walsh, M.D., Ph.D., has spent nearly a quarter century researching and practicing in the world's great spiritual traditions. His critically acclaimed book, Essential Spirituality, is a summary of that wisdom, outlining the seven spiritual practices common to the world's major religions.

Roger Walsh graduated with first-class honors from the University of Queensland with degrees in psychology, physiology, neuroscience, and medicine, while he worked as a circus acrobat and held world records in high diving and the trampoline. He went to Stanford University as a Fulbright scholar and passed licensing exams in medicine, psychology, and psychiatry before moving to the University of California at Irvine where he is currently professor of psychiatry, philosophy, and anthropology. His initial research and writings were in the area of neuroscience and received multiple national and international awards.

Initially extremely skeptical of all things religious and spiritual, he found his attitudes challenged and changed after he tried meditation for himself. He began to research meditation and related areas and to write extensively on topics such as spirituality and psychological well-being. His text on meditation received the "Outstanding Academic Book of 1984" Award, while his book, Paths Beyond Ego was a "Transformational Books" finalist and was listed among Common Boundary's "One Hundred Most Influential Psycho-spiritual Books of the Century". All told, his writings and research have received over twenty national and international awards, while his teaching has received one national award and he has been six times voted "Outstanding Teacher of the Year" by students at the University of California.