Siddhartha's brain: unlocking the ancient science of enlightenment
Publication details: New York William Morrow 2016Description: 343 pISBN: 9780062403858Subject(s): Meditation - Buddhism | Gautama Buddha | Buddhism and science | Neuropsychology | Enlightenment - BuddhismDDC classification: 294.3435 Summary: By the longtime Guardian science journalist, a groundbreaking exploration of the science of enlightenment and mental wellness, illuminated by twin perspectives, ancient and modern: the spiritual wisdom of Siddhartha Gautama and the revelations of today’s scientists, who are confirming the Buddha’s profound insights into the human mind In the fifth century BCE, in northern India, Siddhartha, the wandering sage who became the Buddha, developed a program, rooted in meditation and mindfulness, for mastering the mind and achieving lasting peace and contentment. Twenty-five centuries later, humans have transformed everything about our world—except our brains, which remain the same powerful yet flawed instruments possessed by our ancestors. What if the solution we seek to the psychological problems of life in the digital age—distraction, anxiety, addiction, loss of deep meaning—had already been worked out by the Buddha in ancient India? Appealing to readers of Eastern wisdom and Jon Kabat-Zinn, as well as to fans of bestsellers by Oliver Sacks and Malcolm Gladwell, acclaimed science writer and practicing Buddhist James Kingsland reveals how scientists are now unlocking the remarkable secrets of Siddhartha’s brain. Moving effortlessly between science and scripture, Kingsland charts Siddhartha’s spiritual journey and explains how new research by leading neuroscientists and clinical psychologists—many of whom are interviewed in these pages—suggests that mindfulness practice reconfigures our brains to make us sharper, smarter, healthier, and happier, and that it can help treat stress, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, hypertension, and substance abuse. There have even been hints that meditation can enhance immune function, slow cellular aging, and keep dementia at bay. Featuring six guided meditations, Siddhartha’s Brain is a practical and inspiring odyssey of mind and spirit. “Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think.”—Siddhartha https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062403858/siddharthas-brain| Item type | Current library | Item location | Collection | Call number | Status | Date due | Barcode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Books | Vikram Sarabhai Library General Stacks | Rack 7-A / Slot 208 (0 Floor, West Wing) | Non-fiction | 294.3435 K4S4 (Browse shelf(Opens below)) | Checked out | 11/06/2024 | 194942 |
Contents:
A fool's paradise
Child's play
Guided meditation: Only the breath
The cloud of unknowing
The second dart
Guided meditation: Open-minded
The man who disappeared
Golden slippers
Guided meditation: Three-step reboot
Fire worshippers
A drunk elephant
Guided meditation: The warm glow
The fall
Wonderful and marvelous
Guided meditation: Body scan
Mind mirrors
Guided meditation: Mindful toast
The deathless realm.
By the longtime Guardian science journalist, a groundbreaking exploration of the science of enlightenment and mental wellness, illuminated by twin perspectives, ancient and modern: the spiritual wisdom of Siddhartha Gautama and the revelations of today’s scientists, who are confirming the Buddha’s profound insights into the human mind
In the fifth century BCE, in northern India, Siddhartha, the wandering sage who became the Buddha, developed a program, rooted in meditation and mindfulness, for mastering the mind and achieving lasting peace and contentment. Twenty-five centuries later, humans have transformed everything about our world—except our brains, which remain the same powerful yet flawed instruments possessed by our ancestors. What if the solution we seek to the psychological problems of life in the digital age—distraction, anxiety, addiction, loss of deep meaning—had already been worked out by the Buddha in ancient India? Appealing to readers of Eastern wisdom and Jon Kabat-Zinn, as well as to fans of bestsellers by Oliver Sacks and Malcolm Gladwell, acclaimed science writer and practicing Buddhist James Kingsland reveals how scientists are now unlocking the remarkable secrets of Siddhartha’s brain.
Moving effortlessly between science and scripture, Kingsland charts Siddhartha’s spiritual journey and explains how new research by leading neuroscientists and clinical psychologists—many of whom are interviewed in these pages—suggests that mindfulness practice reconfigures our brains to make us sharper, smarter, healthier, and happier, and that it can help treat stress, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, hypertension, and substance abuse. There have even been hints that meditation can enhance immune function, slow cellular aging, and keep dementia at bay. Featuring six guided meditations, Siddhartha’s Brain is a practical and inspiring odyssey of mind and spirit.
“Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think.”—Siddhartha
https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062403858/siddharthas-brain
Patron comment on 26/07/2017
An astonishing accessible and well-written book on the science behind meditation and mindfulness.