
WINNER OF THE GOLD PRIZE FOR RELIGION SPIRITUALITY OF EASTERN THOUGHT AT THE 2016 NAUTILUS BOOK AWARDSCan meditation & mindfulness exercise make us sharper smarter healthier happier? In Siddhartha's Brain James Kingsland reveals that a complete scientific theory of how these practices work is now within our grasp & may be the key to treating a wide range of afflictions of the human mind Some twenty-five centuries ago an Indian sage called Siddhartha Gautama
- the man who would become known as the Buddha
- developed a programme for improving mental well-being which has been passed down to us by generations of monks & nuns Today secular mindfulness courses are proving their worth for tackling many of the problems associated with the demands of our frenetic technology-driven modern world Research has shown that mindfulness can be used to treat stress anxiety depression chronic pain hypertension & drug addiction as well as improving concentration empathy emotion regulation & the quality of interpersonal relationships There have even been hints that it could enhance immune function slow cellular ageing & help keep dementia at bay Taking us on a journey back to the time of the Buddha to track changes in his brain as he travels the path leading to enlightenment Siddhartha's Brain explains how meditation & mindfulness transform the human mind