Zen and the Brain

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Author :
Publisher : MIT Press
ISBN 13 : 9780262260350
Total Pages : 876 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (63 download)

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Book Synopsis Zen and the Brain by : James H. Austin

Download or read book Zen and the Brain written by James H. Austin and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 1999-06-04 with total page 876 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A neuroscientist and Zen practitioner interweaves the latest research on the brain with his personal narrative of Zen. Aldous Huxley called humankind's basic trend toward spiritual growth the "perennial philosophy." In the view of James Austin, the trend implies a "perennial psychophysiology"—because awakening, or enlightenment, occurs only when the human brain undergoes substantial changes. What are the peak experiences of enlightenment? How could these states profoundly enhance, and yet simplify, the workings of the brain? Zen and the Brain presents the latest evidence. In this book Zen Buddhism becomes the opening wedge for an extraordinarily wide-ranging exploration of consciousness. In order to understand which brain mechanisms produce Zen states, one needs some understanding of the anatomy, physiology, and chemistry of the brain. Austin, both a neurologist and a Zen practitioner, interweaves the most recent brain research with the personal narrative of his Zen experiences. The science is both inclusive and rigorous; the Zen sections are clear and evocative. Along the way, Austin examines such topics as similar states in other disciplines and religions, sleep and dreams, mental illness, consciousness-altering drugs, and the social consequences of the advanced stage of ongoing enlightenment.

Zen-Brain Reflections

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Author :
Publisher : MIT Press
ISBN 13 : 0262260379
Total Pages : 615 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (622 download)

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Book Synopsis Zen-Brain Reflections by : James H. Austin

Download or read book Zen-Brain Reflections written by James H. Austin and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2010-09-24 with total page 615 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A sequel to the popular Zen and the Brain further explores pivotal points of intersection in Zen Buddhism, neuroscience, and consciousness, arriving at a new synthesis of information from both neuroscience research and Zen studies. This sequel to the widely read Zen and the Brain continues James Austin's explorations into the key interrelationships between Zen Buddhism and brain research. In Zen-Brain Reflections, Austin, a clinical neurologist, researcher, and Zen practitioner, examines the evolving psychological processes and brain changes associated with the path of long-range meditative training. Austin draws not only on the latest neuroscience research and new neuroimaging studies but also on Zen literature and his personal experience with alternate states of consciousness. Zen-Brain Reflections takes up where the earlier book left off. It addresses such questions as: how do placebos and acupuncture change the brain? Can neuroimaging studies localize the sites where our notions of self arise? How can the latest brain imaging methods monitor meditators more effectively? How do long years of meditative training plus brief enlightened states produce pivotal transformations in the physiology of the brain? In many chapters testable hypotheses suggest ways to correlate normal brain functions and meditative training with the phenomena of extraordinary states of consciousness. After briefly introducing the topic of Zen and describing recent research into meditation, Austin reviews the latest studies on the amygdala, frontotemporal interactions, and paralimbic extensions of the limbic system. He then explores different states of consciousness, both the early superficial absorptions and the later, major "peak experiences." This discussion begins with the states called kensho and satori and includes a fresh analysis of their several different expressions of "oneness." He points beyond the still more advanced states toward that rare ongoing stage of enlightenment that is manifest as "sage wisdom." Finally, with reference to a delayed "moonlight" phase of kensho, Austin envisions novel links between migraines and metaphors, moonlight and mysticism. The Zen perspective on the self and consciousness is an ancient one. Readers will discover how relevant Zen is to the neurosciences, and how each field can illuminate the other.

Selfless Insight

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Author :
Publisher : MIT Press
ISBN 13 : 0262260360
Total Pages : 371 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (622 download)

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Book Synopsis Selfless Insight by : James H. Austin

Download or read book Selfless Insight written by James H. Austin and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2011-09-30 with total page 371 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Attention, self-consciousness, insight, wisdom, emotional maturity: how Zen teachings can illuminate the way our brains function and vice-versa. When neurology researcher James Austin began Zen training, he found that his medical education was inadequate. During the past three decades, he has been at the cutting edge of both Zen and neuroscience, constantly discovering new examples of how these two large fields each illuminate the other. Now, in Selfless Insight, Austin arrives at a fresh synthesis, one that invokes the latest brain research to explain the basis for meditative states and clarifies what Zen awakening implies for our understanding of consciousness. Austin, author of the widely read Zen and the Brain, reminds us why Zen meditation is not only mindfully attentive but evolves to become increasingly selfless and intuitive. Meditators are gradually learning how to replace over-emotionality with calm, clear objective comprehension. In this new book, Austin discusses how meditation trains our attention, reprogramming it toward subtle forms of awareness that are more openly mindful. He explains how our maladaptive notions of self are rooted in interactive brain functions. And he describes how, after the extraordinary, deep states of kensho-satori strike off the roots of the self, a flash of transforming insight-wisdom leads toward ways of living more harmoniously and selflessly. Selfless Insight is the capstone to Austin's journey both as a creative neuroscientist and as a Zen practitioner. His quest has spanned an era of unprecedented progress in brain research and has helped define the exciting new field of contemplative neuroscience.

Zen-Brain Horizons

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Author :
Publisher : MIT Press
ISBN 13 : 0262321165
Total Pages : 301 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (623 download)

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Book Synopsis Zen-Brain Horizons by : James H. Austin

Download or read book Zen-Brain Horizons written by James H. Austin and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2014-08-22 with total page 301 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A neurologist and Zen practitioner clarifies the benefits of meditative training, drawing on classical Buddhist literature and modern brain research. In Zen-Brain Horizons, James Austin draws on his decades of experience as a neurologist and Zen practitioner to clarify the benefits of meditative training. Austin integrates classical Buddhist literature with modern brain research, exploring the horizons of a living, neural Zen. When viewed in the light of today, the timeless wisdom of some Zen masters seems almost to have anticipated recent research in the neurosciences. The keen attentiveness and awareness that we cultivate during meditative practices becomes the leading edge of our subsequent mental processing. Austin explains how our covert, involuntary functions can make crucial contributions to the subtle ways we learn, intuit, and engage in creative activities. He demonstrates why living Zen means much more than sitting quietly indoors on a cushion, and provides simplified advice that helps guide readers to the most important points.

Zen and the Brain: The James H. Austin Omnibus Edition (Meditating Selflessly, Zen-Brain Horizons, and Living Zen Remindfully)

Download Zen and the Brain: The James H. Austin Omnibus Edition (Meditating Selflessly, Zen-Brain Horizons, and Living Zen Remindfully) PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : MIT Press
ISBN 13 : 0262352486
Total Pages : 905 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (623 download)

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Book Synopsis Zen and the Brain: The James H. Austin Omnibus Edition (Meditating Selflessly, Zen-Brain Horizons, and Living Zen Remindfully) by : James H. Austin

Download or read book Zen and the Brain: The James H. Austin Omnibus Edition (Meditating Selflessly, Zen-Brain Horizons, and Living Zen Remindfully) written by James H. Austin and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2018-08-02 with total page 905 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Three books on Zen and the brain by the celebrated Zen practitioner-neurologist James Austin. This compilation in digital form of three books by the celebrated Zen practitioner-neurologist James Austin offers concrete advice about various methods of meditation, provides timeless wisdom of Zen masters, integrates classical Buddhist literature with modern brain research, and explores mindfulness (and remindfulness) training. In these books, Austin clarifies the benefits of meditative training, guiding readers toward that open awareness awaiting them on the cushion and in the natural world. He discusses different types of meditation, meditation and problem-solving, and the meaning of enlightenment; addresses egocentrism (self-centeredness) and allocentrism (other-centeredness) and the blending of focal and global attention; and considers the illuminating confluence of Zen, clinical neurology, and neuroscience. He describes an everyday life of “living Zen” while drawing on the poetry of Basho, the seventeenth-century haiku master, and illuminates the world of authentic Zen training—the commitment to a process of regular, ongoing daily life practice that trains and enables us to unlearn unfruitful habits, develop more wholesome ones, and lead a more genuinely creative life.

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

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Author :
Publisher : Shambhala Publications
ISBN 13 : 1611808413
Total Pages : 177 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (118 download)

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Book Synopsis Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by : Shunryu Suzuki

Download or read book Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind written by Shunryu Suzuki and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2020-06-02 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Named one of the 100 Best Spiritual Books of the Twentieth Century (Spirituality & Practice) A 50th Anniversary edition of the bestselling Zen classic on meditation, maintaining a curious and open mind, and living with simplicity. "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few." So begins this most beloved of all American Zen books. Seldom has such a small handful of words provided a teaching as rich as has this famous opening line. In a single stroke, the simple sentence cuts through the pervasive tendency students have of getting so close to Zen as to completely miss what it's all about. It is an instant teaching on the first page--and that's just the beginning. In the fifty years since its original publication, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind has become one of the great modern spiritual classics, much beloved, much reread, and much recommended as the best first book to read on Zen. Suzuki Roshi presents the basics--from the details of posture and breathing in zazen to the perception of nonduality--in a way that is not only remarkably clear, but that also resonates with the joy of insight from the first to the last page.

Zen Mind, Zen Horse

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Author :
Publisher : Storey Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1603427805
Total Pages : 479 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (34 download)

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Book Synopsis Zen Mind, Zen Horse by : Allan J. Hamilton MD

Download or read book Zen Mind, Zen Horse written by Allan J. Hamilton MD and published by Storey Publishing. This book was released on 2011-09-10 with total page 479 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Eastern philosophy enters the stables in this unique guide to horsemanship. Allan Hamilton describes how horses understand and respond to the flow of vital energy around them. They use this energy, called chi, to communicate with their herd, express dominance, and sense predators. Hamilton shares safe, simple techniques to make you more receptive to your animal’s chi, so you can develop a calm and effective training style that will not only help your horse follow commands, but strengthen the spiritual bond between horse and rider.

Meditating Selflessly

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Author :
Publisher : MIT Press
ISBN 13 : 026229771X
Total Pages : 279 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (622 download)

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Book Synopsis Meditating Selflessly by : James H. Austin

Download or read book Meditating Selflessly written by James H. Austin and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2011-10-07 with total page 279 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A guide to Zen meditative practice informed by the latest findings in brain research. This is not the usual kind of self-help book. Indeed, its major premise heeds a Zen master's advice to be less self-centered. Yes, it is "one more book of words about Zen," as the author concedes, yet this book explains meditative practices from the perspective of a "neural Zen." The latest findings in brain research inform its suggestions. In Meditating Selflessly, James Austin—Zen practitioner, neurologist, and author of three acclaimed books on Zen and neuroscience—guides readers toward that open awareness already awaiting them on the cushion and in the natural world. Austin offers concrete advice—often in a simplified question-and-answer format—about different ways to meditate. He clarifies both the concentrative and receptive styles of meditation. Drawing widely from the exciting new field of contemplative neuroscience, Austin helps resolve an ancient paradox: why both insight wisdom and selflessness arise simultaneously during enlightened states of consciousness.

Living Zen Remindfully

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Author :
Publisher : MIT Press
ISBN 13 : 0262035081
Total Pages : 326 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (62 download)

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Book Synopsis Living Zen Remindfully by : James H. Austin

Download or read book Living Zen Remindfully written by James H. Austin and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2016-11-04 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Conclusion -- 2 In Zen, What Does It Mean "To BeEnlightened"? -- 3 Developing Traits of Character on the Way to Altruism -- Cultural Estimates of Character, East and West -- What Can Zen Buddhism Offer Today? -- Native Capacities -- Altruism -- Recent Interviews with Contemporary Buddhist Teachers in the West -- Part II Implications of a Self-Other Continuum -- 4 The Self: A Primer -- The Semantics of Self -- Where Is the Self? -- Recent Studies of Our Normal Autobiographical Self: A Progress Report

The Dude and the Zen Master

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Author :
Publisher : Penguin
ISBN 13 : 1101600756
Total Pages : 288 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (16 download)

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Book Synopsis The Dude and the Zen Master by : Jeff Bridges

Download or read book The Dude and the Zen Master written by Jeff Bridges and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2013-01-08 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The perfect gift for fans of The Big Lebowski, Jeff Bridges's "The Dude", and anyone who could use more Zen in their lives. Zen Master Bernie Glassman compares Jeff Bridges’s iconic role in The Big Lebowski to a Lamed-Vavnik: one of the men in Jewish mysticism who are “simple and unassuming,” and “so good that on account of them God lets the world go on.” Jeff puts it another way. “The wonderful thing about the Dude is that he’d always rather hug it out than slug it out.” For more than a decade, Academy Award-winning actor Jeff Bridges and his Buddhist teacher, renowned Roshi Bernie Glassman, have been close friends. Inspiring and often hilarious, The Dude and the Zen Master captures their freewheeling dialogue and remarkable humanism in a book that reminds us of the importance of doing good in a difficult world.

Zen-Brain Horizons

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Author :
Publisher : MIT Press
ISBN 13 : 0262027569
Total Pages : 301 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (62 download)

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Book Synopsis Zen-Brain Horizons by : James H. Austin

Download or read book Zen-Brain Horizons written by James H. Austin and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2014-08-22 with total page 301 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A neurologist and Zen practitioner clarifies the benefits of meditative training, drawing on classical Buddhist literature and modern brain research. In Zen-Brain Horizons, James Austin draws on his decades of experience as a neurologist and Zen practitioner to clarify the benefits of meditative training. Austin integrates classical Buddhist literature with modern brain research, exploring the horizons of a living, neural Zen. When viewed in the light of today, the timeless wisdom of some Zen masters seems almost to have anticipated recent research in the neurosciences. The keen attentiveness and awareness that we cultivate during meditative practices becomes the leading edge of our subsequent mental processing. Austin explains how our covert, involuntary functions can make crucial contributions to the subtle ways we learn, intuit, and engage in creative activities. He demonstrates why living Zen means much more than sitting quietly indoors on a cushion, and provides simplified advice that helps guide readers to the most important points.

Buddha's Brain

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Author :
Publisher : ReadHowYouWant.com
ISBN 13 : 1459624157
Total Pages : 350 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (596 download)

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Book Synopsis Buddha's Brain by : Rick Hanson

Download or read book Buddha's Brain written by Rick Hanson and published by ReadHowYouWant.com. This book was released on 2011-07-13 with total page 350 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jesus, Moses, Mohammed, Gandhi, and the Buddha all had brains built essentially like anyone else's, yet they were able to harness their thoughts and shape their patterns of thinking in ways that changed history. With new breakthroughs in modern neuroscience and the wisdom of thousands of years of contemplative practice, it is possible for us to shape our own thoughts in a similar way for greater happiness, love, compassion, and wisdom. Buddha's Brain joins the forces of modern neuroscience with ancient contemplative teachings to show readers how they can work toward greater emotional well-being, healthier relationships, more effective actions, and deepened religious and spiritual understanding. This book will explain how the core elements of both psychological well-being and religious or spiritual life-virtue, mindfulness, and wisdom--are based in the core functions of the brain: regulating, learning, and valuing. Readers will also learn practical ways to apply this information, as the book offers many exercises they can do to tap the unused potential of the brain and rewire it over time for greater peace and well-being.

The Zen Brain

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Author :
Publisher : iUniverse
ISBN 13 : 0595090850
Total Pages : 130 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (95 download)

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Book Synopsis The Zen Brain by : Raven Walker

Download or read book The Zen Brain written by Raven Walker and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2000 with total page 130 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The greatest marvel of the universe is the human brain, but it comes without an instruction manual. The Zen Brain tells the compelling story of the human brain, from its astonishing appearance in evolution to its perplexing present form, with all its extraordinary abilities as well as its sorry penchant for aberration. If left uncultivated, the human mind grows like a weed garden. But when disciplined in the natural way, the human mind is the finest prize of nature. Such a mind also tends to be more effective, resilient, and happy. Part I, Foundations, begins with the origins of life that have moved relentlessly in one biological direction, a better brain. But the human brain appeared with abilities that far outstripped the environments that spawned it. It mediates between stimulus and response in a new way. It thinks. Oddly, we can all drive cars, yet there were no cars present when we emerged. Just as oddly, we can go insane without any apparent organic reason. Part II, Applications identifies and explains in depth the conditioning methods of self-betterment. With cultivation, the human brain becomes the natural mind that performs better, feels better, and simply works better in adapting us to the many strange, new environments we have created for ourselves. The potential for a finer mental life, a finer quality in experience, exists in all humans. But without discipline, you have to live in the weed garden all your life.

Zen Is Right Now

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Author :
Publisher : Shambhala Publications
ISBN 13 : 0834843773
Total Pages : 162 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (348 download)

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Book Synopsis Zen Is Right Now by : Shunryu Suzuki

Download or read book Zen Is Right Now written by Shunryu Suzuki and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2021-07-13 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Spirituality & Practice “Best Books of 2021” Award Winner In this new collection of quotes from Shunryu Suzuki Roshi and stories from his students, the presence, wisdom, and humor of a great Zen teacher come alive once more. The teachings of Shunryu Suzuki have served for innumerable people as the gateway to Zen practice and meditation. In Zen Is Right Now, devoted student and biographer David Chadwick sheds new light on Suzuki’s presence and teachings through selected quotes from his lectures and a variety of stories told by his students. Complementary to another collection about Suzuki, Zen Is Right Here, this book offers a joyful bounty of anecdotes and insights, revealing a playful and deeply wise teacher who delighted in paradox and laughed often. Each of the stories and quotes presented here is an example of the versatile and timeless quality evident in Suzuki’s teaching, showing that the potential for attaining enlightenment exists right now, in this very moment.

Ten to Zen

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Author :
Publisher : Chronicle Books
ISBN 13 : 1452182868
Total Pages : 194 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (521 download)

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Book Synopsis Ten to Zen by : Owen O'Kane

Download or read book Ten to Zen written by Owen O'Kane and published by Chronicle Books. This book was released on 2019-10-08 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This all-levels meditation guide presents a simple 10-minute practice to reduce anxiety and promote well-being. Drawing on his 20 years as a clinical therapist, author Owen O'Kane offers a unique combination of therapeutic and mindfulness techniques for managing stress, improving mental clarity, and putting an end to unhelpful thought patterns. With step-by-step instructions for each minute of the practice and easy-to-follow exercises for developing a daily meditation routine, Ten to Zen is an empowering handbook for finding peace, clarity, and joy—anytime and anywhere. All it takes is 10 minutes.

Mind Without Mind

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Author :
Publisher : Mk Publishing
ISBN 13 : 9781777519100
Total Pages : 226 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (191 download)

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Book Synopsis Mind Without Mind by : Marek T Komar

Download or read book Mind Without Mind written by Marek T Komar and published by Mk Publishing. This book was released on 2021-01-14 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The path of mental mastery is difficult and mysterious, which is why few finish the journey. Mind without Mind is about unlocking your greatest asset - your mind. Free workbook download with purchase.

The No-Nonsense Meditation Book

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Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472980506
Total Pages : 225 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (729 download)

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Book Synopsis The No-Nonsense Meditation Book by : Steven Laureys

Download or read book The No-Nonsense Meditation Book written by Steven Laureys and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2021-04-15 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER As featured in New Scientist: 'Meditation could retune our brains and help us cope with the long-term effects of the pandemic' 'Readers in search of an introduction to mindfulness that's free of woo-woo promises should look no further.' Publishers Weekly 'For a boost to your wellbeing don't miss the brilliant The No-Nonsense Meditation Book, which unites brain science with practical tips' – Stylist Rigorously researched and deeply illuminating, world-leading neurologist Dr Steven Laureys works with celebrated meditators to scientifically prove the positive impact meditation has on our brains. Dr Steven Laureys has conducted ground-breaking research into human consciousness for more than 20 years. For this bestselling book, translated into seven languages worldwide, Steven explores the effect of meditation on the brain, using hard science to explain the benefits of a practice that was once thought of as purely spiritual. The result is a highly accessible, scientifically questioning guide to meditation, designed to open the practice to a broader audience. A mix of fascinating science, inspiring anecdote and practical exercises, this accessible book offers thoroughly researched evidence that meditation can have a positive impact on all our lives.