"I don’t know about you, but the thought of rewiring my own brain to change the way it operates is exciting. This may be because my brain has some great things going for it that I’d love to improve and its got some patterns that really aren’t healthy and need to be changed for the better. Either way, those are some pretty good motivators to want to rewire myself."
~ The Dharma Loser
So when I saw "Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love and Wisdom"
I snagged it on audio, and began listening. The only nice thing I can say about the audio version of this book is that it piqued my interest enough that I rushed out to buy the print version
The authors, Rick Hanson (also a Ph.D., Neuropsychologist, and Teacher) teams up with Richard Mendius (board certified Neurologist with a subspecialty in the neurobiology and practice of meditation) and produced "Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love and Wisdom"
I won't kid you..."Buddha's Brain"
The author explains how our brains have evolved toward keeping us safe from external threats. Due to this evolution. our inherent negativity leads to suffering. They postulate that by using meditation and the ways of the Buddha, you can cause the reactions in the brain that create neural pathways to actually become more positive. Essentially saying that if we act positive, we will become positive.
The constant mindfulness and attention to "Right Action" and Right Thinking" and other precepts of Buddhism naturally and organically lend themselves to this pursuit.
I'm no neuroscientist, but I can tell you from experience that mindfulness and positive thinking vastly improve ones' disposition, so it all makes perfect sense to me.
While "Buddha's Brain"
Because of this, I would feel this book is best for those who might not yet be terribly familiar with Buddhism, but are looking for help with happiness, or for those who are considering Buddhism but find it all a little mystical for their tastes. I say this because I think a lot of people hear "Buddha" and think "esoteric". If you were one of those people, or more likely if you KNOW someone like that, then this book might remove that veil of mysticism some people can't see past and put things in much more concrete scientific terms. Telling someone to recite a meditation such as "Breathing in, I am grateful to my body. Breathing out, I smile at my body" might sound a little strange to those unfamiliar with Mindful Meditation. Explaining to them that if they do, it will scientifically increase their happiness and how…well, some might find that very helpful.
While "Buddha's Brain"
Mondo Samu
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