The classical ideal of a healthy mind in a healthy body is something we all desire and even strive for. We know quite a bit about how to keep our bodies healthy with exercise and good nutrition; but how do we keep our minds and emotions healthy?
An unusual collaboration between a neuroscientist and a Buddhist monk has helped clarify one practice that can help. Brain imaging tracks mental activity during meditation and shows distinctive changes in the brain activity of Buddhist monks.
Guests: Richard J. Davidson, PhD, is the William James and Vilas Research Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry, Director of the Waisman Lab for Brain Imaging and Behavior, the Laboratory for Affective Neuroscience and the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds, all of the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
Matthieu Ricard is a Buddhist monk who had a promising career in cellular genetics before leaving France to study Buddhism in the Himalayas 37 years ago. He is a bestselling author. His newest book, Why Meditate? Working With Thoughts And Emotions, explains that by practicing meditation on a daily basis we can change our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
The website is: http://www.matthieuricard.org
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The People's Perspective on Medicine