Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain: How a New Science Reveals Our Extraordinary Potential to Transform Ourselves

This is a report on the 2004 Mind and Life Conference which took place in Dharamsala, at the residence of the Dalai Lama.

The topic was "Neuroplasticity" (from the Western perspective) and, though not explicitly stated, was "Lojong" or Mind Training from the Eastern perspective.

A question asked by the Dalai Lama perhaps 2 decades ago: Does Mind Training (Lojong) have an influence on the brain that can be measured by Western science. He received a dismissive "No" as reply when he first asked the question. Updated answer: "Why, yes it does".

This volume is quite different than past reports on the Mind and Life Conferences (see my tag "Mind & Life"). Past volumes have all been edited by conference participants, and report the proceedings show more with equal attention given to both scientific and Buddhist contributions.

This volume was written by the science reporter for the Wall Street Journal, and uses the 2004 Mind and Life Conference as a starting point for a wider discussion of neuroplasticity. Buddhism is used more for flavor than substance, but the conclusions do strongly support the Buddhist meditative practices of Lojong (Mind Training): Dharma practice does indeed change the structure and function of the brain in most beneficial ways. show less

Convincing set of scientific evidence for neuroplasticity. Even though it ties in with meditation, it's not a how-to or self-help guide. Makes the case that meditation is a consistent method to affect the brain, but does not answer whether it is the only way, or whether there are differences between meditation schools.

Written in an engaging style that is both easily understood and enjoyable, this book describes the Dali Lama's involvement with science, and, in this case, particularly western neuroscience.

The book centers around a Mind and Life Institute event that the Dali Lama hosted, but is explores a much larger history of the neuroscience of brain plasticity, the Dali Lama's lifelong interest in science, and how his interest was piqued and he became involved when some neuroscientists requested his and fellow monk's help in exploring how the mind might (and does) change the brain.

This book does NOT explain how to train one's brain, nor how to meditate; such information can be found elsewhere (Ricard's "Happiness", Kabat-Zinn's many books, show more Wallace's books, and so forth). However it suggests WHY these techniques work and how neuroscience is discovering the mechanisms behind what Buddhists have been practicing for a millennium. show less

I found this to be a very fascinating account of the progression of the field of neuroscience, from a long-held view that the adult brain is "fixed" and "immutable" (as described by the Spanish neuroanatomist Santiago Romon y Cajal in 1913) to the discovery that the brain is in fact quite plastic and malleable, long into adulthood and old age.

The author leads us through a narrative, describing the unfolding of these discoveries through studies starting in the1960s through the last 4 decades, with many of the key finding occurring in only the last 10 years. Having just read the book, "Your Brain, the Missing Manual" published in 2008, it was interesting to see how long held misconceptions of neuroscience still persist today. For example show more "the Missing Manual" describes an individual's "happiness set point" to be basically unchangeable attribute, and get used to it! When in fact, as put forth by "Train Your Mind", studies have shown this is completely changeable through training our mind.

While this book is not an introduction to Buddhism or a guide to methods for training your mind, it presents a clear, easy to understand synopsis of the scientific research that shows through changing our thinking, training our mind, we are capable of physically changing the structure of our brain, increasing our happiness, and improving the quality of life. show less

Fascinating subject, great research is covered. I give it 5 stars, yet have 2 complaints. The author sets up a false dichotemy of Brain versus Mind, but never discusses how one might measure & test these differences. She acts as if she is building up a case, but then dismisses the dichotomy, correctly stating that you cannot test this distinction - so why bother with extended posing? Then later she resumes the distinction between mind and brain, conveniently forgetting the inability to make a distinction.
She also fails to explain the placebo effect to her audience. Most people do Not realize that the placebo effect causes measurable differences in the brain, and that certain chemicals can block the placebo effect. Lastly, she builds up show more a case for meditation over medication, yet by comparing Meditation to "treatment as usual" by Not detailing what is included in "treatment as usual" is it medication, is it psycho-therapy, you can't really draw real conclusions. Nonetheless, fascinating research, on a fascinating topic.
Lastly, she overstates show less

What a wonderful book! An interesting mix of hard science and the effects of Buddhist meditation on the mind. I devour books on topics such as neuroplasticity and this was a refreshing look at the topic. It's comforting to know that not only has science and medicine uncovered the truth that we can guide who and what we become for far longer than ever believed, but that a spiritual approach is completely compatible with this pursuit. Though many of the reviews that follow seem to indicate otherwise, I thought Sharon Begleys prose style as "elegant and lucid" as promised on the back cover review.

Interesting book, but highly (and unnecessarily) repetitive. It grounds the theories of mental change in hard science. The main problem I had with it was its oversimplification and idealization of the Dalai Lama.