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Emerging evidence suggests that people who are suffering from depression are unable to recognize novelty.
Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain
Is it truly feasible to modify the structure and function of the brain, and hence our thoughts and feelings, by doing so? Yes, it's a resounding yes. Leading Western scientists gathered at the Dalai Lama's residence in Dharamsala, India, in late 2004 to discuss this very question–and in the process, they revolutionized our knowledge of the human mind. Sharon Begley of the Wall Street Journal tells on how cutting-edge science and old Buddhist wisdom have come together to illustrate how we may practically transform our brains by changing our thinking in this interesting and far-reaching book. These discoveries have significant implications for personal change.
For decades, neuroscience's common thinking thought that the brain's hardware is stable and unchangeable–that we are trapped with what we were born with. Recent groundbreaking tests in neuroplasticity, a new field that explores if and how the brain may undergo wholesale change, suggest that the brain is capable of not just altering its structure but also producing new neurons, even in old age, as Begley demonstrates. After a traumatic event, the brain may adapt, repair, and renew itself, as well as compensate for handicap.
Begley shows how this paradigm shift is altering our knowledge of the human mind as well as our approach to deep-seated emotional, cognitive, and behavioral issues. These achievements demonstrate that we may reset our happiness meter, restore use of limbs paralyzed by stroke, educate our minds to break depression and OCD patterns, and reverse age-related brain alterations. They also imply that compassion, a major component of the Dalai Lama's quest for a more peaceful world, may be taught and learned. However, as research on Buddhist monks have shown, tapping the power of mind and, in particular, concentrated attention, is a crucial component in transforming the brain.
They also imply that compassion, a major component of the Dalai Lama's quest for a more peaceful world, may be taught and learned. However, as research on Buddhist monks have shown, tapping the power of mind and, in particular, concentrated attention, is a crucial component in transforming the brain. This is the traditional Buddhist practice of mindfulness, which has gained popularity in the West and is readily available to anybody.
Sharon Begley highlights a major change in our knowledge of how the brain and mind interact with her amazing knack for making science accessible, relevant, and engaging. This uplifting book ushers us into the front of a paradigm shift in what it means to be human.
Emerging evidence suggests that people who are suffering from depression are unable to recognize novelty.
