Status Updates From Buddha's Brain: The Practic...

The self is truly a fictional character. Sometimes it's useful to act as if it's real.

Attention is like a spotlight, and what it illuminates streams into your mind and shapes your brain.

So much science... Brain hurting...

I'm getting a science lesson here. I understand most, if not all of it, but it's succeeding in boring me. Show me the research!

Be particularly mindful of the default processes of valuing your own group while devaluing others.

Finished! Really good book!

Great book.

مستمتعة جدا به

I like this a lot so far. The ideas in it feel very intuitive.

100

I find this book to be a very calming, introspective read. The mentions of science and anatomy are not overbearing or tomey. I just finished the section on compassion and asserting oneself, and found it very helpful. The only problem I have is the way the authors cite their sources in the middle of the text; it looks like a crappy high school paper. Endnotes would've made the text easier to read and more professional

I'm taking the understanding of the purpose and benefits of meditation for our lives. I see that the increased concentration and a sharpened insight can be deliberately enhanced through meditation, and it takes practice, just like practicing a sport. I'm ready to make meditation part of my life.

For a long time I have thought of meditation as mere relaxation and achievement of an altered state of mind. But now I've learned that there's much more to it. Meditation is to grow our mindfulness, to become aware and concentrated, to use joy to lock in our attention, and through this process, develop insight and wisdom. Challenge accepted!

Loving kindness to all brings loving kindness to oneself. May all be happy, healthy, strong, fulfilled, and successful.

Compassion infuses caring into one's assertiveness. Being empathic and assertive are not conflicting states of mind.

In the beginning I was somewhat turned off by what I interpreted as the author's attempt to use neuroscience and psychology as a vehicle to "prove" the legitimacy of Buddhism. It was annoying, particularly coming from someone claiming to to have some scientific background. As the book continues however, it pays less homage to Buddhism and more to neuroscience.

Probably very good for beginners, but I've seen it all before.

In the beginning I was somewhat turned off by what I interpreted as the author's attempt to use neuroscience and psychology as a vehicle to "prove" the legitimacy of Buddhism. It was annoying, particularly coming from someone claiming to to have some scientific background. As the book continues however, it pays less homage to Buddhism and more to neuroscience.

Wolf of love vs wolf of hate, which one will you feed?

Much better.

The audiobook was terrible. I downloaded the ebook version of this from my library so I will try reading it. There is good info in here so I want to give it a chance.

just finished part 1, and learned how over stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system keeps the amygdala on high alert all the time, causing stress chemicals to course through your brain, and that those are usually set into motion by "second darts" or feelings that result from ACTUAL injury, not from injury itself (first dart)

It just makes sense to Take in the Good, to let it infuse healing into old negativism.

so far, I've learned that suffering is hardwired into the brain through a system of pursuing gratifying experiences, avoiding unsatisfying or negative ones, and that negative ones hold slightly more power than good ones do. starting chapter 2 tomorrow. Namaste

What we see and what we experience is mere interpretation of our brain. It's amazing how we can influence that interpretation.

This book is a great before bed read. :)

Ultimately, happiness comes down to choosing between the discomfort of becoming aware of your mental afflictions and the discomfort of being ruled by them.

Your mind is what your brain does. ... Hm!

Im reading the science part, so I am skipping pages to the Buddha part

This sounds like a message to really listen to: "The word 'thirst' conveys the visceral power of threat signals, even when they have nothing to do with life or limb, such as the possibility of being rejected. Threat signals are effective precisely because they're unpleasant--because they make you suffer, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. You want them to stop."