The New Science of Meditation

The Science of Meditation: How to Change Your Brain, Mind and Body Paperback – September 7, Two New York Times–bestselling authors unveil new research showing what meditation can really do for the brain. Summary and Analysis: Daniel Goleman and Richard J. Davidson's.
Table of contents

• The Science of Meditation
• Top Authors
• Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body by Daniel Goleman
• Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body

Being Mortal Atul Gawande.

The Order of Time Carlo Rovelli. The Brain That Changes Itself: Weapons of Math Destruction Cathy O'neil. You Are the Placebo Joe Dispenza. Alex's Adventures in Numberland Alex Bellos. Descartes' Error Antonio Damasio. Bad Science Ben Goldacre. The Selfish Gene Richard Dawkins. The Gene Siddhartha Mukherjee. A Very Short Introduction A. The Book of Why Judea Pearl. The Edge of Memory Patrick Nunn. The Undoing Project Michael Lewis. The Enigma of Reason Hugo Mercier. Waking Up Sam Harris. Other books in this series.

Daring Greatly Brene Brown. Emotional Agility Susan David. Games People Play Eric Berne. Six Thinking Hats Edward de Bono. Quiet Power Susan Cain. The Signs Carolyne Faulkner. The Pressure Principle Dr. The Science of Meditation Daniel Goleman. Shinrin-Yoku Dr Qing Li. Review Text This is a book that really can change your life.

Daniel Goleman and Richard Davidson not only show the power of meditation, but also the smartest way to practice for the maximum possible benefit. The Science of Meditation is your roadmap to a more mindful, compassionate, fulfilling life - who doesn't want that? Review quote This is a book that really can change your life. Rigorously researched and deeply illuminating, The Science of Meditation is a must-read for anyone interested in the hidden potential of the human mind -- Daniel Gilbert, PhD, author of the New York Times bestseller 'Stumbling on Happiness' This exquisite duet between a down-to-earth science writer and path-breaking neuroscientist is a tour-de-force, revealing how training the mind can transform the brain and our sense of self, inspiring us to create a greater sense of well-being, meaning, and connection in our world.

Daniel Goleman and Richard Davidson reveal groundbreaking science showing how mindfulness and compassion practices can help each of us individually and thus the entire planet. One of the most exciting books I have read! Drawing on their own long personal meditative experience and the ever increasing number of scientific studies, The Science of Meditation breaks new ground in illuminating the power of meditation to transform our lives -- Joseph Goldstein, author of 'Mindfulness: They all went to India, learnt meditation from Naeem Karoli Baba and SN Goenka and ended up spending their lives in meditation in a variety of ways.

Davidson is best known for his studies on the brains of Tibetan Monks with fMRI and they explore his findings at length. Being a long-term meditator with science and medical background, I can see why they get into the nitty gritty of scientific studies with the study design, biases, sample sizes, statistics etc.

Probably more so because some of the work reported in Destructive Emotions turned out to be non replicable. But for the lay reader, all that makes a dreary read. I read the advance review copy and may be they can tone down technical intricacies in the final version of the book.

Top Authors

Otherwise, it is another great book from Goleman that has the potential to be life changing for some. Especially when you find out the monumental effects of compassion on brain. And if that inspires you to sprinkle a little of that compassion in your daily life, wouldn't that make the world a better place? Oct 17, Kevin rated it liked it Shelves: After taking a course about meditation and science I was interested in reading about more scientific evidence on the usefulness of meditation.

This book cites many studies and points out studies that were done without rigorous application of the scientific method whose results may be suspect. Balanced and well written. This book was really timely for me, as, against my better judgment, I was getting a bit frustrated with my progress. Good to know there's hard scientific evidence that progress in meditation roughly follows a dose-response curve i. It was instructive to know that different types of meditation have different benefits and effects on the brain and reassuring to learn that altered traits take a long time to set in, but they DO set in—it just takes time.

Finally, it was simply inspiring to read about the neurophysiology of the "Olympic-level" meditators Tibetan yogis who have put in, on average, 27, hours of practice, the longest being 62, hours that's 12 hours a day of practice for about 15 years! Also informative was how Davidson and Goleman divided the expertise of the meditators according to 3 dose-response levels: So my measly , hours of practice puts me on the cusp of the intermediate level, and because some books on meditation like The Mind Illuminated, sometimes make it seem like a quicker journey than it really is, it was good to know I still have a LONG, LONG way to go roughly more years at the rate I'm practicing to get to the next level.

Also good to know was the importance of retreats the number of which correlated with certain altered traits, like slower breathing and reactivity to stress due to the increase in the prefrontal-amygdala connection. All in all, good book at the right time. Jan 31, Steve rated it liked it.

Some of their personal adventures doing research are entertaining, and they honestly criticize mistakes they made as young researchers. But while many important scientific principles are spelled out, the authors also continually bring up tiny un-replicated studies with a few dozen participants as if the results are meaningful.

The whole thing was also a little dumbed-down for my taste. Jan 13, Marcel rated it liked it Shelves: Interesting subject matter but the writing is a bit bland. As a neuroscientist and meditator, I had a great pleasure reading about personal and scientific journeys of Dan and Richie as well as the development of contemplative neuroscience whose pioneers they were. They present current scientific understanding and evaluate research on the topic of meditation through the rigorous scientific lense. Very well written, with personal stories and insights, vast scientific knowledge and expertise, the book is immensely inspiring to plunge into meditation.

Above As a neuroscientist and meditator, I had a great pleasure reading about personal and scientific journeys of Dan and Richie as well as the development of contemplative neuroscience whose pioneers they were. Above all, above giving the meditation scientific background as a support for many traditionally known effects, authors are continuing the path of teachers offering us methods of mastering the art of living, especially in nowadays distracting and hectic world.

Jan 13, Robert Seitz rated it it was amazing. This is the book about meditation for those who want the real talk first, and the folklore, philosophy and grand tour later. Brainwaves were discovered in the s. Up until then, we have relied on descriptions of language to explain changes in state of the mind. Then a little less than a century ago, we began to see the electrical waves of the brain, and it was inevitable that the slow mapping of this miracle of nature would lead us here, to discussing neuroplasticity, or how one might be able This is the book about meditation for those who want the real talk first, and the folklore, philosophy and grand tour later.

Then a little less than a century ago, we began to see the electrical waves of the brain, and it was inevitable that the slow mapping of this miracle of nature would lead us here, to discussing neuroplasticity, or how one might be able to change the physcial structure of the brain. It has been claimed for all written history that it was possible, but only since the EEG have we had a tool to begin measuring these changes as clearly as one writes down the notes to a musical score.

Now I have a go-to book that I am comfortable recommending to anyone, from any background, about what meditation really is I grew up in a big city and was exposed to a few cultural varieties of lifestyle that included various forms of this practice. I have struggled through life having a clear conversation with those unfamiliar, and have spent some energy trying to express it in simple and clear ways that demystify it, and expose some of the real changes to the way the mind works over prolonged periods of time.

Not long ago, I was active on quora in the meditation section, the only area I felt I could answer a little bit from an experienced side People who want to know it through theory before trying it as an action. People who are trying to argue with it, without trying it, because they were told it was a no-no. People from one tradition condemning those of another. Conflicts between teachers, and generally people grasping for big definitions without taking the small steps of physically trying it.

I haven't been much of a 'nightstand buddhist' in life, which is more common approach for those who are completely new to even the cultural contexts The book Altered Traits is not about promoting any given tradition, not at all. It's about what the brain does when it uses different practices, over different lengths of time.

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And whether traditional or scientific, it is this, what happens to body and mind, that the rest of the lore and knowledge is built upon. Anyway, I think the fact that this book says what I've really wanted to say far better than I could, and sparing me the effort now is grand.

I think this may be therapeutic in the same way we could use for a number of topics in life these days That's what we all have in common. All our bodies are human bodies. Go to the science, find out how it works, how it can be done better, and where the frontier of knowledge is. A refreshing break from opinions, from what you heard or were taught, but at the same time, providing additional insight into the reality and difficulty of research, that opinion nevertheless shapes our questions, and guides what we look for and what we miss even in science.

Demystifying the delusion that all science is one system of believe or similar bizarre concepts Just like there are scientists that work for Big Tobacco and are paid to swear smoking is ideal for olympic athletes It will resolve paradox, allow a spiritual life grounded in useful tools, and permit arguments based on belief to be dissolved in the open light of inquiry. It is sometimes taught that all paths are one when it comes to meditation, but both traditional knowledge and the research show that different practices have different results, and the amount of time in one's life that has been collected up has really significant, brain changing results, especially in the long term It is the best focus on what has been researched I have seen, and really adds a crucial element to the competitive 'spiritual marketplace' that no one sincerely interested in the topic can afford to be unaware of.

Beautifully written, clear and concerned with fairness throughout, and a reminder that we can all change for the better, without any particularly special tools, simply by taking the time for self care. I think it has done so much for my quality of life, even the endurance of hardships, and it's hard to imagine life without it. So this book is fascinating, for shedding some light on the physical reasons why. Mar 29, Illiterate rated it liked it.

Good on the science, with attention to its design and reliability. Science leaves open the question, what traits should you cultivate and why? Oct 04, Frank rated it really liked it Shelves: I give it 4 stars for describing well the authors' investigations into meditation. Also, the structure of the book is great: These summaries, according to the authors, were included so that the reader could skip the chapter if desired.

I read some of those summaries in place of their respective chapters and found them to be clear and detailed yet concise. Now, do NOT read this book if you're expecting t I give it 4 stars for describing well the authors' investigations into meditation. Now, do NOT read this book if you're expecting to learn meditation techniques. The authors avoid this, I suspect, because there are many other books out there that do this.

Some of those books are written by acquaintances of the authors. I did not give the book 5 stars for that reason--I was hoping to learn details in meditation that I don't already know. If this, too, is what you're looking for, I recommend that you at least read the summaries. You'll be able to finish the book in 1 or 2 nights. The authors' meticulous research has determined that there definitely are 3 benefits to meditation: Their conclusions have inspired me to continue meditating and make it part of my lifestyle, just like exercise.

I've even been inspired by this book to attempt to find a meditation teacher. Aan de ene kant erg interessant en belangrijk. Veel informatie en onderzoeken over en naar meditatie en mindfulness, achtergronden en uitleg. Na de helft van het boek ben ik alleen de samenvattingen van de hoofdstukken aan het einde gaan lezen omdat ik het wel erg taai en een beetje saai vond.

Toch 3 sterren omdat dit wel erg interessant is en goed dat de goede onderzoeken en waarheden over meditatie en mindfulness gebundeld zijn. Oct 25, Manik Patil rated it really liked it. The authors have presented a meta-analysis of most of the scientific research done till date on meditation and it's impact on physiology as well as psychology. This work is an attempt to remove any discredit around meditation. The authors have proactively criticized hyperbole claims around benefits of meditation by analyzing them through a critical lens.

For a practitioner of meditation, it offers the reader a very evidence-based journey on why one should continue on the path. However, if you ar The authors have presented a meta-analysis of most of the scientific research done till date on meditation and it's impact on physiology as well as psychology. However, if you are trying to learn meditation, this book offers little help. For that you can use the guided meditation apps ;- Certainly, a must read for an evangelist of meditation. Dec 14, Margit rated it it was amazing Shelves: Looking for some inspiration to start or maintain a regular meditation practice?

Now, I want to go on retreat! Maybe not for 3 years, but at least for 3 days. Dec 12, Mitesh Patel rated it really liked it. A definitive book based on scientific research on meditation. Of course, it is not for those wanting to learn how to meditate. Instead, it talks about what happens when one meditates; in a few days to few month and few years.

Apr 20, Abdallah Yasin rated it really liked it. Mar 19, Connie Hall rated it really liked it. Very interesting, but very longwinded. The good news is that science finally has data showing that meditation enhances attention, memory, and if enough hours are put into practice, decreased reactivity and increased gamma feel good brain waves.

The bad news is that beginners or novice practitioners will benefit only in the attention and memory zones. Even longterm practitioners, with , hours of practice, don't hit the gamma heights that "Olympic" , or more hours meditators hit Very interesting, but very longwinded. Even longterm practitioners, with , hours of practice, don't hit the gamma heights that "Olympic" , or more hours meditators hit.

Those data are for mindfulness or vipassana meditators. Hence, my takeaway is, do some mindfulness and some loving kindness meditation and reap some immediate benefits.

But lasting trait changes require more meditation than most of us would consider. Like 3-year yes, 3-year meditation retreats! Mar 25, Iffat Nawaz rated it really liked it. As a Vipassana meditator this book helped me understand the changes I have been going through in the past years.

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It was superb to understand the science behind the spiritual practices, as well as, the practical matters. It also gave me insight into many of the teachers' and the students' lives - the examples were great! The amount of research presented and the array of mediation practices looked at made this book even more worthy. I recommend this book for anyone who is interested in mediation a As a Vipassana meditator this book helped me understand the changes I have been going through in the past years.

I recommend this book for anyone who is interested in mediation and wants to know the science behind it. The narrators made it very reader-friendly despite the fact that enough science-talk is part of it.

How Meditation Impacts the Brain and Implications for Health

At the same time the book felt personal - making one feel like they are having a conversation with the authors, who are two cool, wicked smart, dedicated individuals! Feb 23, Wendy Jackson rated it liked it Shelves: So much fascinating material in this book: Clearly anyone keen to understand human consciousness was about to ingest vats of LSD and give it to their students.

Through essentially a slow and steady stream of stealth manoeuvres, the authors well, So much fascinating material in this book: Through essentially a slow and steady stream of stealth manoeuvres, the authors well, mainly Davidson; Goleman went on to be a journalist and book author managed to conduct a number of experiments on 'concentration', and the science of meditation began - and picked up after the Dalai Lama challenged researchers to do more in the field.

The most compelling parts of the book for me were those describing the authors' respective journeys to meditation, including sojourns in India under well-known meditation masters. It was also good to understand how different strands of the meditation world connect i. The descriptions of the scientific work were thorough but accessible; I am familiar with some of that material thanks Dan Harris and Sam Harris , so these parts were less interesting to me.

Feb 10, KC Davis rated it liked it. While exceedingly well-researched and well-written, I came away somewhat disappointed. The topic of meditation and what it does in and to the brain is fascinating being a long-term meditator , but I'm more interested in understanding the results of the latest research than in the processes being used by researchers to get to the results. The authors spend the bulk of the book describing the techniques and evolution of studying meditation both in their own careers and of others in the field in While exceedingly well-researched and well-written, I came away somewhat disappointed.

The authors spend the bulk of the book describing the techniques and evolution of studying meditation both in their own careers and of others in the field in the lab. Now, if I were coming at the topic from the perspective of wanting to better understand the challenges and methodologies of research into meditation, I would love this book - it's a gold mine for that. Depending on your interests, your mileage may vary. Jan 04, Bella rated it it was ok. I read this book in a hurry held by another patron and skipped around a little. I have always been interested in books on meditation, and Richard Davidson used to be one of the people I liked on Facebook when his page didn't even have a picture of him but the generic blue and white silhouette.

The parts I read give me a slight sense of the writers attempting to reclaim their turf? My review is preliminary, however, and I would probably pick it up again in the future. Apr 12, Bernd Schiffer rated it really liked it. The brain to Sharon Salzburg's heart. A scientific view towards meditation. I especially liked the accuracy and precision and care the authors' took when describing how much progress they made to investigate meditation scientifically in the last 50 years and how much need there is for even more studies and experiments.

Personally, this book motivated me to explore meditation further, to turn a temporary altered state into more of a permanently altered state.