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Mindful Brain
From the author of the internationally-acclaimed best-selling text The Developing
Mind, and esteemed leader and educator in the field of mental health,
comes the first book ever to integrate neuroscience research with the ancient
art of mindfulness. The result is a groundbreaking approach to not simply mental
health, but life in general, which shows readers how personal awaren...more
Mind, and esteemed leader and educator in the field of mental health,
comes the first book ever to integrate neuroscience research with the ancient
art of mindfulness. The result is a groundbreaking approach to not simply mental
health, but life in general, which shows readers how personal awaren...more
ebook, 416 pages
Published
April 17th 2007
by Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc.
(first published January 1st 2007)
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The author presents a new framework for maintaining mental health and well-being. Three human experiences have been documented as promoting well-being: secure attachment, mindfulness meditation, and effective psychotherapy. Siegel's unifying theory shows that the effects of these three experiences have a similar neural mechanism. Siegel uses theory, science, and anecdote to reveal how to transform the brain as well as promote well-being. The book is wonderfully informative on the area where neur...more
Picked up a lot of motivation, but then he just goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on about the same things.
The Traits of Mindfulness, as compiled from various psychological studies:
(1) nonreactivity to inner experience (e.g. perceiving feelings and emotions without having to react to them)
(2) remaining present with sensations and feelings even when unpleasant or painful)
(3) acting with awareness/not on autopilot, concentration/nondistraction
(4) describing/labeling with words...more
The Traits of Mindfulness, as compiled from various psychological studies:
(1) nonreactivity to inner experience (e.g. perceiving feelings and emotions without having to react to them)
(2) remaining present with sensations and feelings even when unpleasant or painful)
(3) acting with awareness/not on autopilot, concentration/nondistraction
(4) describing/labeling with words...more
This book discusses mindfulness and meditation from a neurological perspective, how the brain behaves and is shaped during contemplative practices. Certain parts of the brain actually grow over time as one engages in these practices. The book starts out with an explanation of the brain, then a story of the author's own personal experiments with mindfulness practices, then proceeds to bring these together in a cohesive explanation of what happens in the brain during such practices.
There are sever...more
There are sever...more
Dec 08, 2008
Iannewlin
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Mental Health Professionals
This is a great scientific breakdown of how mindfulness practice actually affects the brain. Siegel has done a great deal of research using different scanning methods to see how the brain is actually working during mindfulness practices. I think it helps tie the "soft" clinical understanding to the more "hard" medical model when we have an understanding of how these systems work together.
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Exploring the brain, neuroscience, developmental psych and emotion. Siegel is very interested in seeing how mindfulness as practiced in a variety of methods, most notably by Buddhist (zen and vipassana), is proving to be very helpful in developing what he calls brain integration or self-regulatation or sanity! The Neuroscience revolution. Are you on it? Mind/body/brain book.
After reading Daniel Siegel's book, Mindsight, I had to read this book. While it is a lot more technical, in many ways it is much more practical - particularly for those who wish to use the concepts he shares in a therapeutic setting.
Dr. Siegel manages to present very technical material in a manner that is both readable and understandable by the informed layperson.
Dr. Siegel manages to present very technical material in a manner that is both readable and understandable by the informed layperson.
I love this topic, and have enjoyed other similar books about neuroscience, dualism, neural plasticity, consciousness, etc. This is a super topic, but I found the book kind of tedious, so I don't know. Maybe I wasn't in the right mood for it. I didn't finish it.
Sep 02, 2009
Alexis
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
decisionmaking,
cleverbooks
This is one of the most excellent books on mindful meditation and learning. It is also great in that it gives examples of the benefits and also explains the real effects in the brain. Whats more is that it explains and gives resources on how to teach and do it yourself
great insights into interface of mindfulness and social awareness (and "attachment' theory) leading towards a multi-skull social brain perspective.
particular breakthrough findings on nine functions of prefrontal cortex
clear plainspoken prose style, well-organized
particular breakthrough findings on nine functions of prefrontal cortex
clear plainspoken prose style, well-organized
Been reading this for over a year now. I tear off chunks, take time off, get back to it. It's rare in taking meditation and mindfulness seriously from a clinical and scientific perspective, while also engaging the personal experience of these things as well.
I think this is one of the most important books I've ever read. It's a bit dense and heavy going, but the information is really fantastic. It has refocused me on mindfulness is a way that the "mind shapes the brain." Taking spirituality out of the realm of religion and into the world of ordinary mental health and brain science is a helpful exercise that should benefit not only regular meditators, but also those who are thinking about how to live a more meaningful and satisfying life. It almost c...more
A very tough read in parts, but this book was incredibly informative, transformative, insightful and practical. A brilliant review and integration of neuroscientific literature.
Wonderfully informative on the area where neurology & psychology overlaps with meditation and minfulness, but sometimes all of his acronyms drove me crazy!
this was assigned for a class. i'm interested in mindfulness practices & the way that daily practices impact our neurobiology... the brain scans of regular meditators made me think that maybe i should become a regular meditator. but in the end, the science was a big much and dry for me. i would recommend that people interested in mindfulness start with epstein. who also has his issues, but is a little more accessible.
siegel is also funny because he turns everything into an acronym. i find hi...more
siegel is also funny because he turns everything into an acronym. i find hi...more
Don't waste time reading this: read SIEGEL.
Not *bad*... but not gripping either; I kept having to force myself to read even just a few pages. And life's really too short for that.
Listened to audiobook which was a bit difficult to follow given the density and detail of the material on brain anatomy. Thoroughly enjoyed his approach to meditation and his description of his personal experience differentiating between observing the breath and feeling the breath from the inside out. The various acronyms were interesting and good tools for remembering some of the many lists that he presented.
I enjoyed the first part of the book and the last part. The middle part lost me a little as the author began to explore elements of Mindfulness that are probably just out of reach for me right now. This may not be the best book for someone who is wanting to learn more about the basics of mindfulness though some will find it helpful as a second or third read in this area.
This got great reviews but upon buying and reading it (the hardcover!) I see there is no new research findings reported on benefits of insight meditation. But for readers new to meditation, this is a great read by a psychiatrist who conducts research on the brain structure and mental state changes that result from regular meditation practice.
Was only able to get about 70 pages in, but so far the book was pretty informative. A scientific view of the benefits (and drawbacks) to practicing mindful meditation. Can't say much more than that till I get another chance to borrow it again or pickup my own copy when it's in paperback.
A wonderful overview of mindfulness. The author includes current research, and expounds upon the scientific aspects of awareness. I enjoyed the section on mindful education and believe it holds great significance to understanding the deficits of current approach towards education.
I wasn't able to get very far with this book. I renewed it once and realized that it just wasn't going to happen. I think it was a little too technical for what I wanted. I like the overall concept of the mindful brain but don't necessarily need to know all the physical details.
Try as I might, I just can't get through these books on mindfulness. I hear all kinds of things about how great the practice is, but for some reason I'm really bored with it.
Interesting book on brain activity as it relates to behavior. Hard to plow through though.
I love the philosophy behind this book, but I couldn't get past the language being used.
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Daniel J. Siegel (born September 2, 1957) is a clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine and Executive Director of the Mindsight Institute.
Siegel completed his medical degree from Harvard Medical School and his post-graduate medical education at UCLA. His training is in pediatrics and child, adolescent and adult psychiatry. Dr. Siegel is currently clinical professor of psychi...more
More about Daniel J. Siegel...
Siegel completed his medical degree from Harvard Medical School and his post-graduate medical education at UCLA. His training is in pediatrics and child, adolescent and adult psychiatry. Dr. Siegel is currently clinical professor of psychi...more
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“Mindfulness has never met a cognition it didn't like.”
—
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