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How God Changes Your Brain: Breakthrough Findings from a Leading Neuroscientist Kindle Edition
by Andrew Newberg M.D. (Author), Mark Robert Waldman (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
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God is great—for your mental, physical, and spiritual health. Based on new evidence culled from brain-scan studies, a wide-reaching survey of people’s religious and spiritual experiences, and the authors’ analyses of adult drawings of God, neuroscientist Andrew Newberg and therapist Mark Robert Waldman offer the following breakthrough discoveries:
• Not only do prayer and spiritual practice reduce stress, but just twelve minutes of meditation per day may slow down the aging process.
• Contemplating a loving God rather than a punitive God reduces anxiety and depression and increases feelings of security, compassion, and love.
• Fundamentalism, in and of itself, can be personally beneficial, but the prejudice generated by extreme beliefs can permanently damage your brain.
• Intense prayer and meditation permanently change numerous structures and functions in the brain, altering your values and the way you perceive reality.
Both a revelatory work of modern science and a practical guide for readers to enhance their physical and emotional health, How God Changes Your Brain is a first-of-a-kind book about faith that is as credible as it is inspiring.
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Ballantine Books
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March 20, 2009
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“To this musty debate, Newberg, perhaps America's leading expert on the neurological basis of religion, brings a fresh perspective. His new book summarizes several years of groundbreaking research on the biological basis of religious experience. And it offers plenty to challenge skeptics and believers alike.”--Michael Gerson’s editorial dedicated to the book for The Washington Post
“The authors present an elaborate, engaging meditation program to reduce anger and fear and increase serenity and love. They embrace faith (not necessarily religious), diversity, tolerance, and “compassionate communication. . . . A substantial advance in the self-help/spirituality genre and an excellent choice for general collections.”—Library Journal
“Andrew Newberg and Mark Robert Waldman give us a magnificent, comprehensive explanation of how spiritual beliefs and experiences enhance changes in our brains and yield better health and well-being. They bring science and religion closer together.”—Herbert Benson, M.D., author of The Relaxation Response
“How God Changes Your Brain is a highly practical, easy-to-read guide on the interface between spirituality and neuroscience, filled with useful information that can make your brain and your life better, starting today!”—Daniel G. Amen, M.D. author of Change Your Brain, Change Your Life
“Not since William James’s The Varieties of Religious Experience has there been a work that so exquisitely integrates science and spirituality. Newberg and Waldman have written a book that is wise, up-to-date, scholarly, mature, and imaginative. At the same time it is a down-to-earth work that will surely inspire repeated readings.”—George Vaillant, M.D., author of Spiritual Evolution
“How God Changes Your Brain boldly explores the relationship be...
From Publishers Weekly
Over the past decade or so, numerous studies have suggested that prayer and meditation can enhance physical health and healing from illness. In this stimulating and provocative book, two academics at the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Spirituality and the Mind contend that contemplating God actually reduces stress, which in turn prevents the deterioration of the brain's dendrites and increases neuroplasticity. The authors conclude that meditation and other spiritual practices permanently strengthen neural functioning in specific parts of the brain that aid in lowering anxiety and depression, enhancing social awareness and empathy, and improving cognitive functioning. The book's middle section draws on the authors' research on how people experience God and where in the brain that experience might be located. Finally, the authors offer exercises for enhancing physical, mental and spiritual health. Their suggestions are commonsensical and common to other kinds of health regimens: smile, stay intellectually active, consciously relax, yawn, meditate, exercise aerobically, dialogue with others and trust in your beliefs. Although the book's title is a bit misleading, since it is not God but spiritual practice that changes the brain, this forceful study could stir controversy among scientists and philosophers. Illus. (Mar. 24)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
From The Washington Post
From The Washington Post's Book World/washingtonpost.com Reviewed by Wray Herbert Gus was not a "meditation type of guy." He was more of a Joe Sixpack, a Philadelphia mechanic not much interested in religion. He hauled himself into Andrew Newberg's clinic for one reason: His memory was failing. Newberg, a neuroscientist and memory expert, has a special interest in spirituality; he has scanned the brains of worshipers ranging from Franciscan nuns to Pentecostals speaking in tongues. So why was he bothering with Gus? Well, Newberg explains in "How God Changes Your Brain," his studies (with coauthor Mark Robert Waldman) had convinced him of a link between spirituality and cognitive health: The neurochemical changes that he observed during meditation and prayer appeared to improve brain function. But Newberg had studied mostly devotees with years of spiritual training; he wanted to see whether a novice might benefit, too. So Gus learned the basics of Kirtan Kriya meditation. Rooted in 16th-century India, Kirtan Kriya involves conscious regulation of breathing as well as repetitive movements and sounds. Gus picked it up right away, practicing 12 minutes a day for eight weeks. That's a blip compared to what many students of meditation do. Even so, Newberg writes, Gus had greater clarity of mind, empathy and emotional equilibrium. What's more, his working memory improved as much as 50 percent on some tests. Gus's case may be inspiring to readers worried about the mental decline that comes with aging. But those looking for the loftier answers promised in the book's title may come away unsatisfied, and a bit confused. At times Newberg seems to be writing about a broad notion of spirituality, while at other times he focuses on rituals -- the mantras and mudras and prayer beads -- without any spiritual content or commitment. He doesn't want to leave anyone (even atheists) outside the tent, so his definition of God is whatever any individual's neurons are conjuring up at the moment -- or the next moment or the next, because God is "constantly changing and evolving." Inclusiveness is all well and good, but loose theology doesn't necessarily make for rigorous testing. The second half of "How God Changes Your Brain" is a how-to book. There are lists upon lists here, and even lists within lists: eight best ways to maintain a healthy brain, including five essential reasons for yawning; nine steps for dealing with anger; six strategies for improving communication and six more for creative problem-solving. You get the idea. Aging baby boomers are hungering for good science writing on both brain health and spirituality. Happily, there are excellent books on this important topic, notably Sharon Begley's "Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain" and Daniel Goleman's "Social Intelligence." Start with them. Unhappily, this bloviating volume will leave most readers still seeking.
Copyright 2009, The Washington Post. All Rights Reserved. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Chapter One
Religion and the human brain
Our time is distinguished by wonderful achievements in the fields of scientific understanding and the technical application of those insights. Who would not be cheered by this? But let us not forget that knowledge and skills alone cannot lead humanity to a happy and dignified life. Humanity has every reason to place the proclaimers of high moral standards and values above the discoverers of objective truth. What humanity owes to personalities like Buddha, Moses, and Jesus ranks for me higher than all the achievements of the inquiring and constructive mind.—Albert Einstein, The Human Side
Who cares about God? Prelude to a Neurological and Spiritual Revolution
God.
In America, I cannot think of any other word that stirs up the imagination more. Even young children raised in nonreligious communities understand the concept of God, and when asked, will willingly draw you a picture-usually the proverbial old man with the long hair and a beard. As children grow into adults, their pictures of God often evolve into abstract images of clouds, spirals, sunbursts, and even mirrors, as they attempt to integrate the properties of a reality they cannot see. In fact, the more a person thinks about God, the more complex and imaginative the concept becomes, taking on unique nuances of meaning that differ from one individual to the next.
If you contemplate God long enough, something surprising happens in the brain. Neural functioning begins to change. Different circuits become activated, while others become deactivated. New dendrites are formed, new synaptic connections are made, and the brain becomes more sensitive to subtle realms of experience. Perceptions alter, beliefs begin to change, and if God has meaning for you, then God becomes neurologically real. For some, God may remain a primitive concept, limited to the way a young child interprets the world. But for most people, God is transformed into a symbol or metaphor representing a wide range of personal, ethical, social, and universal values. And, if you happen to be a neuroscientist, God can be one of the most fascinating of human experiences to explore.
The Science of God
For the past fifteen years I have investigated the neural mechanisms of spirituality with the same fervor that a minister contemplates God. Some religious rituals do nothing more than relax you, others help to keep you focused and alert, but a few appear to take practitioners into transcendent realms of mystical experience where their entire lives are changed.
Our research team at the University of Pennsylvania has consistently demonstrated that God is part of our consciousness and that the more you think about God, the more you will alter the neural circuitry in specific parts of your brain. That is why I say, with the utmost confidence, that God can change your brain. And it doesn't matter if you're a Christian or a Jew, a Muslim or a Hindu, or an agnostic or an atheist. In Why God Won't Go Away, I demonstrated that the human brain is uniquely constructed to perceive and generate spiritual realities.1 Yet it has no way to ascertain the accuracy of such perceptions. Instead, our brain uses logic, reason, intuition, imagination, and emotion to integrate God and the universe into a complex system of personal values, behaviors, and beliefs.
But no matter how hard we try, the ultimate nature of the universe continues to elude our brain. So the bigger questions remain. Where does life originate, where does it end, and what ultimate purpose does it serve? Is there a spiritual reality, or is it merely a fabrication of the mind? If there is a God, does such an entity reach out to us like the hand that Michelangelo painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel? Or is it the other way around: Does our mind reach out to embrace a God that may or may not be real?
Neuroscience has yet to answer such questions, but it can record the effect that religious beliefs and experiences have upon the human brain. Furthermore, it can tell us how God-as an image, feeling, thought, or fact-is interpreted, reacted to, and turned into a perception that feels meaningful and real. But neuroscience cannot tell you if God does or doesn't exist. In fact, as far as we can tell, most of the human brain does not even worry if the things we see are actually real. Instead, it only needs to know if they are useful for survival. If a belief in God provides you with a sense of comfort and security, then God will enhance your life. But if you see God as a vindictive deity who gives you justification for inflicting harm on others, such a belief can actually damage your brain as it motivates you to act in socially destructive ways.
Having an accurate perception of reality is not one of the brain's strong points. Indeed, as Mark and I pointed out in Why We Believe What We Believe,* the human brain seems to have difficulty separating fantasies from facts.2 It sees things that are not there, and it sometimes doesn't see things that are there. In fact, the brain doesn't even try to create a fully detailed map of the external world. Instead, it selects a handful of cues, then fills in the rest with conjecture, fantasy, and belief. Rather than being a hindrance, such neurological ambiguity allows us to imagine and create a world filled with utopian, utilitarian, and sometimes useless things-from eye protectors for chickens to electronic corneas for the blind.
Likewise, when it comes to thinking about God, our brain creates a vast range of utopian, utilitarian, and sometimes useless theologies-from complex moral value systems to the number of angels that can fit on the head of a pin. But no matter how comprehensive our theologies become, our brain is rarely satisfied with its concepts and images of God. The end result of this remarkable contemplation has been the creation of thousands of differing spiritual practices and creeds.
Indeed, the more one contemplates God, the more mysterious God becomes. Some embrace this emergent ambiguity, some are frightened by it, some ignore it, and others reject it in its entirety. But the fact remains that every human brain, from early childhood on, contemplates the possibility that spiritual realms exist. Believers like Isaac Newton, agnostics like Charles Darwin, and atheists like Richard Dawkins have all given serious consideration to humanity's fascination with God, because the moment God is introduced to the human brain, the neurological concept will not go away.
Recently there has been a spate of antireligious books-among them, The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins; The End of Faith, Sam Harris; and God Is Not Great, Christopher Hitchens-that argue that religious beliefs are personally and societally dangerous. But the research, as we will outline throughout this book, strongly suggests otherwise. Nor do we believe that these authors represent the views of the vast majority of scientists or atheists. For example, though I am not specifically religious, I'm open to the possibility that God may exist, whereas Mark, my colleague and co-researcher, prefers to look at the universe through a purely naturalistic and evidence-based perspective. Yet we both appreciate and encourage religious and spiritual development-as long as it does not denigrate the lives or religious beliefs of others.
For the past four years, Mark and I have been studying how different concepts of God affect the human mind. I have brain-scanned Franciscan nuns as they immersed themselves in the presence of God, and charted the neurological changes as Buddhist practitioners contemplated the universe. I have watched what happens in the brains of Pentecostal practitioners who invited the Holy Spirit to speak to them in tongues, and have seen how the brains of atheists react-and don't react-when they meditate on a concrete image of God.
Along with my research staff at the University of Pennsylvania and the Center for Spirituality and the Mind, we are currently studying Sikhs, Sufis, yoga practitioners, and advanced meditators to map the neurochemical changes caused by spiritual and religious practices. Our research has led us to the following conclusions:
1. Each part of the brain constructs a different perception of God.
2. Every human brain assembles its perceptions of God in uniquely different ways, thus giving God different qualities of meaning and value.
3. Spiritual practices, even when stripped of religious beliefs, enhance the neural functioning of the brain in ways that improve physical and emotional health.
4. Intense, long-term contemplation of God and other spiritual values appears to permanently change the structure of those parts of the brain that control our moods, give rise to our conscious notions of self, and shape our sensory perceptions of the world.
5. Contemplative practices strengthen a specific neurological circuit that generates peacefulness, social awareness, and compassion for others.
Spiritual practices also can be used to enhance cognition, communication, and creativity, and over time can even change our neurological perception of reality itself. Yet, it is a reality that we cannot objectively confirm. Instead, our research has led us to conclude that three separate realities intermingle to give us a working model of the world: the reality that actually exists outside of our brain, and two internal realities-maps that our brain constructs about the world. One of these maps is subconscious and primarily concerned with survival and the biological maintenance of the body. But this map is not the world itself; it's just a guide that helps us navigate the terrain. Human beings, however, construct a second internal reality-a map that reflects our conscious awareness of the universe. This consciousness is very different from the subconscious map formed by our sensory and emotional circuits. We know that these two internal maps exist, but we have yet to discover if, and to what degree, these two inner realities communicate with each other.
Overall, our consciousness represents a reality that is the farthest removed from the world that actually exists outside of the brain. Thus, if God does exist, there would be three separate realities to consider: the God that exists in the world, our subconscious perception of that God, and the conscious images and concepts that we construct in a very small part of our frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes. It has been my goal to show that spiritual practices may help us to bridge the chasm between these inner and outer realities, which would then bring us closer to what actually exists in the world. I still don't know if it's possible, but the health benefits associated with meditation and religious ritual cannot be denied.
Organization of this Book
In the first two sections we will explore the neural correlates of spiritual experiences that our research has uncovered. The third section is filled with practical exercises that anyone can use to enhance the physical, emotional, cognitive, and communication processes of the brain.
In Chapter 2-"Do You Even Need God when You Pray?"-we'll describe our recent study showing how spiritual practices improve memory, and how they can slow down neurological damage caused by growing old. Our memory study also demonstrates that if you remove the spiritual references, religious rituals will still have a beneficial effect on the brain. We'll also show you how to create and personalize your own "memory enhancement" meditation.
In Chapter 3-"What Does God Do to Your Brain?"-we'll explore the neural varieties of meditation and prayer, explaining how different parts of the brain create different perceptions of God. We'll tell you how God becomes neurologically real and show you how different neurochemicals and drugs alter your spiritual beliefs.
In Chapter 4-"What Does God Feel Like?"-we'll share with you the surprising findings from our online Survey of Spiritual Experiences. Our data suggests that God is more of a feeling than an idea, that nearly everyone's spiritual experience is unique, and that these experiences often generate long-lasting states of unity, peacefulness, and love. Furthermore, they have the power to change people's religious and spiritual orientations, as well as the way they interact with others.
In Chapter 5-"What Does God Look Like?"-we'll show you what we discovered when we compared adult drawings of God with pictures drawn by children. We'll explain why some atheists maintain childhood images, while others draw sophisticated renditions, and share with you how agnostics tend to react when they explore their notions of God. We will also explain why each of us may have a single "God" neuron or circuit that slowly expands the more we contemplate religious ideas.
In Chapter 6-"Does God Have a Heart?"-we'll describe how Americans project different personalities onto God, and how each of these perspectives affect the neural functioning of the brain. We will also explain how God culturally evolved from an authoritarian, punitive deity to become a force that is filled with compassion and love. This "mystical" element of God affects a very important part of the brain, called the anterior cingulate, which we need to nurture as we engage in a pluralistic world filled with different perceptions of the divine.
In Chapter 7-"What Happens when God Gets Mad?"-we'll delve more deeply into the neurological dangers of anger, fear, authoritarianism, and idealism. We will also explain why everyone-believers and nonbelievers alike-is born with a built-in fundamentalist framework that is deeply embedded in the neurological circuitry of the brain.
In Chapter 8-"Exercising Your Brain"-we'll tell you about the eight best ways to keep your brain physically, mentally, and spiritually tuned-up. Three of these techniques are directly related to the neurological principles underlying meditation, but I think several of them will surprise you, especially the one that we think may be most essential for maintaining a healthy brain. They are all relatively easy to do, and we will give you pointers on how to integrate them into your daily life. We'll even show you how you can arouse your precuneus-which may be the central circuit of human consciousness-in less than sixty seconds.
In Chapter 9-"Finding Serenity"-we have used the findings from our neurological research to create a personalized "brain enhancement" program that will help you reduce stress, become more attentive and alert, develop greater sensitivity and empathy, and generally improve the overall functioning of your brain. We'll explain the three key principles of meditation and guide you through twelve exercises that you can practice at home. Included are three simple techniques to defuse anger, the emotion most likely to interfere with the normal functioning of your brain.
In Chapter 10-"Compassionate Communication"-we integrate the techniques from the previous two chapters into a new exercise that can be done while you are engaged in conversation with someone else. In less than fifteen minutes a compassionate and intimate dialogue unfolds that undermines the normal defensive behaviors we usually employ in social situations. We are currently conducting brain-scan research to document the neurological benefits associated with this "Compassionate Communication" exercise, and we will instruct you on how to practice it with family members and friends. We'll also enumerate twenty-one strategies that you can use to effectively resolve interpersonal problems. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
Review
"A substantial advance in the self-help/spirituality genre and an excellent choice for general collections." ---Library Journal --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
About the Author
Andrew Newberg, M.D., is the director of the Center for Spirituality and the Mind at the University of Pennsylvania. He is one of the founders of the new interdisciplinary field called neurotheology. He is an associate professor in the department of radiology, with secondary appointments in the departments of psychiatry and religious studies, at the University of Pennsylvania. His work has been featured on Good Morning America, Nightline, Discovery Channel, BBC, NPR, and National Geographic Television. He is the co-author of Why God Won’t Go Away, Born to Believe, and The Mystical Mind.
Mark Robert Waldman is an associate fellow at the Center for Spirituality and the Mind at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a therapist, the author or co-author of ten books, including Born to Believe (with Andrew Newberg), and was the founding editor of Transpersonal Review. He lectures throughout the country on neuroscience, religion, and spirituality and conducts research with numerous religious and secular groups. His work has been featured in dozens of newspapers and magazines and on syndicated radio programs. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
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Product details
ASIN : B001Y35GDS
Publisher : Ballantine Books (March 20, 2009)
Publication date : March 20, 2009
Language : English
File size : 2763 KB
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
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Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
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Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
Print length : 369 pagesBest Sellers Rank: #192,074 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)#70 in Neuropsychology (Kindle Store)
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#105 in Neuroscience (Kindle Store)Customer Reviews:
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Mark Robert Waldman
Mark Robert Waldman is Executive MBA Faculty at Loyola Marymount University where he teaches the NeuroLeadership program. He is the author of 14 books including WORDS CAN CHANGE YOUR BRAIN and HOW GOD CHANGES YOUR BRAIN (picked by Oprah as one of the "Must Read" books for 2012. According to Time, Newsweek, and the Washington Post, Mark and his colleague Andrew Newberg, MD, are considered the world's leading authorities on spirituality and the brain. He teaches throughout the world and his work has been featured on PBS, National Public Radio, Canadian National Television, Oprah and Friends, and in dozens of national magazines. He is also on the faculty of Holmes Institute.
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Andrew B. Newberg
Andrew B. Newberg, M.D. is currently the Director of Research at the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health at Thomas Jefferson University and Hospital in Philadelphia. He is also a Professor in the Departments of Emergency Medicine and Radiology at Thomas Jefferson University. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1993. He did his training in Internal Medicine at the Graduate Hospital in Philadelphia, serving as Chief Resident in his final year. Following his internal medicine training, he completed a Fellowship in Nuclear Medicine in the Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, at the University of Pennsylvania. He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Nuclear Medicine.
He has actively pursued a number of neuroimaging research projects which have included the study of aging and dementia, epilepsy, and other neurological and psychiatric disorders. Dr. Newberg has been particularly involved in the study of mystical and religious experiences as well as the more general mind/body relationship in both the clinical and research aspects of his career. His research also includes understanding the physiological correlates of acupuncture therapy, meditation, and other types of alternative therapies. He has taught medical students, undergraduate and graduate students, as well as medical residents about stress management, spirituality and health, and the neurophysiology of religious experience. He has published numerous articles and chapters on brain function, brain imaging, and the study of religious and mystical experiences. He is the co-author of the best selling books entitled, “How God Changes Your Brain” (Ballantine) and, “Why God Won’t Go Away: Brain Science and the Biology of Belief” (Ballantine). He is also a co-author of “Words Can Change Your Brain” (Hudson Street Press) and “Born to Believe: God, Science, and the Origin of Ordinary and Extraordinary Beliefs” (Free Press). He is also the author of “Principles of Neurotheology” (Ashgate) and “The Mystical Mind: Probing the Biology of Belief” (Fortress Press) that both explore the relationship between neuroscience and spiritual experience. The latter book received the 2000 award for Outstanding Books in Theology and the Natural Sciences presented by the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences. He has been involved in the teaching of the physiological basis of various alternative medicine techniques including the importance of spirituality in medical practice. He has published over 250 scientific articles and chapters and his books have been translated into 16 languages. He has presented his work at scientific and religious meetings throughout the world and has appeared on Good Morning America, Nightline, CNN, Dr. Oz, ABC World News Tonight as well as in a number of media articles including Newsweek, Time, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Readers Digest.
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changes your brain spiritual practices well written prayer and meditation mark waldman thought provoking anterior cingulate meditation and prayer human brain mental health easy to understand andrew newberg great book recommend this book non-believers alike brain scans anxiety depression every day must read compassionate communication
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The Rebecca Review
VINE VOICE
4.0 out of 5 stars Good Intentions But Is Meditation The Answer To (All) The World's Problems?Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2022
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“How God Changes Your Brain” is a book written with honest and good intentions. The authors want the world to be more peaceful and loving. However it seems to me that the authors are saying that we can't rely on the Bible to teach us about who God really is and that is a pity because God is complex, holy, loving and beautiful all at once. If we throw out the biblical God, we also throw out all of Jesus' teachings about love and compassion – which actually the authors are basing some of their ideas on.
This book does make some good points about constructive dialogue which may bring more peace into personal relationships. We do need more of that in the world so we can all get along. There is a lot of discussion about meditation but I would only recommend non religious yoga and non religious meditation. And those can be difficult to find. I have found some Christian meditation which was good.
The authors of this book seem to also indicate what spiritual people have known all along – that contemplating a loving God feels great to the mind and heart. As Mark and Andrew say: “If you contemplate God long enough, something surprising happens in the brain. Neural functioning begins to change.” This may explain why thinking about a God who loves you can make you happy. The highest enjoyment a human can experience is when you fall in love with God. It happened to me that is why I can verify this fact!
Basically in this book the authors don't want to make anyone uncomfortable so they sacrifice some truth in the effort to make everyone happy. I think you can be tolerant of other religions while at the same time telling the truth about Jesus. There is a fine line between imposing one's ideas on others and telling them the great news about how to get to heaven. I believe most Christians are genuinely concerned about unsaved souls and the horrors of hell. I know I worry about my friends too!
This book indicates that a visitor to earth would not know what religion to choose. I hope they would take the time to research Jesus' claims about himself being the truth, the way and the life. Some studies of near-death experiences would also show the realities of heaven and hell.
Mark and Andrew seem to indicate in this book that our human concept of God is evolving and yet the biblical God is unchanging in his character and has always been the same loving God we know today. I think we can see God as compassionate, while at the same time realizing his holiness requires justice and the punishments of sins. It is wise to read about the seven deadly sins so that you can be at peace with God. The Bible also states that a reverential fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.
The book to read after this one is J.I. Packer's "Knowing God". Science has also proven that there is a vast intelligence behind creation. DNA alone proves this! So the authors not knowing what the ultimate truth is....they haven't read enough science books!
So the message of this book is that meditation can heal all the world's problems. The facts are unless the heart is changed by Jesus' love there is little hope! Meditation does help anxiety but it can't get your soul into heaven. I think belief in Jesus is a far better bet! Especially since Jesus could accurately predict the future and things he said in the Bible are coming true today!
~The Rebecca Review
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Sam
5.0 out of 5 stars Your brain on GodReviewed in the United States on May 30, 2012
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Twelve minutes of meditation or prayer a day will increase blood flow to your frontal lobes. Keep at it for as little as eight weeks and you will "take charge of your life," "more easily accomplish your goals," and live in more "loving and compassionate ways." This works even if you don't contemplate God. The meditation can be religious or secular.
How God Changes the Brain isn't entirely about God (I'll describe the parts that are about God at the end.) It's about attention. The authors have conducted numerous studies on how paying attention to the virtues often associated with religion--love, joy, optimism and hope--changes brain chemistry. "[I]t counteracts our biological propensity to react to dangerous situations with animosity or fear," the authors write. The benefits are too numerous to list: less likelihood of depression, slowdown of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, and stronger memory. Kids miss less school and don't get into trouble as often. Your risk of death goes down 35 percent.
35 percent! Who wouldn't buy a prescription to extend your life by 5 to 10 years? And every strategy in this book is free. Yes, the authors recommend DVDs and CDs in the appendices, but all the practices can be done without those.
My favorite meditation was Kirtan Kriya. You sit and chant four syllables, while moving your thumb across your four fingers with each syllable. The four syllables could be "sa-ta-na-ma," which is traditional, but it also could "peace, love, hope, and joy." Anything that gets you in a compassionate frame of mind.
The candle meditation was new to me as well. "Bring your focus to the flame. Let it fill your entire consciousness as you observe how it dances and flutters. What colors does it make? Does the flame grow taller, then retreat? Keep watching all of the qualities of the flame for three or four minutes."
Here's a method for adding centeredness and compassion to conversation: "Bringing meditation into any conversation is surprisingly simple. All you have to do is maintain consistent eye contact and stay physically relaxed and mindful of your responses as you participate in a flow of spontaneous conversation. You say a few sentences slowly, then return to your breathing awareness while the other person responds. The unstructured conversation that follows will quickly move into surprisingly intimate areas. And, like the walking meditation we discussed in the previous chapter, the more you practice, the easier it becomes."
The authors are big on yawning. You might be too after reading about all the benefits of yawning on a regular basis, even consciously.
Finally, back to religion: The most explicitly religious portion of the book discusses the differences between different understandings of God. There is the authoritarian God, the critical God, and the distant God. About 72 percent of Americans believe in one of these three. "[O]nly 23 percent see God as gentle, forgiving, and less likely to respond with wrath." The authors strongly encourage us to embrace the latter God. Doing so is how we can tame our "selfish brain." "The more compassionate we become," they write, "the more generous those around us become. And when we perceive others as being sensitive to our needs, our brains respond with greater generosity, a condition known as reciprocal altruism." Even they admit, however, that their views are unlikely to be convincing to a "true believer." That truth, unfortunately, is what is preventing many from embracing religion, despite the benefits recounted in this book.
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Elizabeth
5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing opportunity to better understand your relationship with yourselfReviewed in the United Kingdom on October 7, 2014
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Amazing book, gives you the opportunity to think outside the box, gives you better skills, (tool box) to understand how your thoughts, beliefs, and culture affects, and effects your life. very inspiring. Thank you Highly recommended.
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