The Emotional Life of Your Brain: How Its Unique Patterns Affect the Way You Think, Feel, and Live - and How You Can Change Them - Softcover

In this spine-tingling journey through the hills of the Himalayas and the circuitry of your brain, visionary neuroscientist Richard Davidson uncovers deep and practical insights into humanity's oldest questions. Who are we as individuals? What are the origins of our minds? How do we find peace and cultivate greater kindness for all? Weaving together the latest neuroscience of brain plasticity and emotion and the timeless wisdom of Buddhist thought, The Emotional Life of your Brain will lead you to answers to these questions, and leave you inspired by science and the promise of change for the better. * Dacher Keltner, Ph.D., author of Born to Be Good * Richard Davidson's distinguished scientific career has been dedicated to making sense of human emotion and deepening its significance. Now, with the help of writer Sharon Begley, he turns a trove of accumulated facts into wisdom accessible to lay readers and directly applicable to their lives. * Antonio Damasio, Ph.D., author of Self Comes to Mind and The Feeling of What Happens * A mind-opening journey guided by one of the world's great pioneers in the study of emotion. Richard Davidson addresses the questions about how we become who we are with a scientific rigor and impassioned curiosity that enable us to understand others and ourselves, as well as to directly influence how we approach life with a sense of resilience and vitality. He also crucially reveals the science-proven steps we can take to improve the function and even the structure of our brain. Soak in the wisdom of these pages and enjoy! * Daniel J. Siegel, M.D., author of Mindsight * This superb book is many things -- a crystal clear tour of the neuroscience of emotion; a primer about how the scientific process works; a personal story by a really likeable guy; and the promise of a better world. This is a wonderful book. * Robert M. Sapolsky,Ph.D., author of Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers and Monkeyluv * Richard Davidson, a visionary neuropsychologist, joins with Sharon Begley, one of the most astute science writers, to illuminate the dimensions of our emotional make up and offer cogent and compelling ways for us to grow into more effective and fulfilled selves. * Jerome Groopman, Recanati Professor, Harvard Medical School & co-author of Your Medical Mind * The best book I know on how to use the exciting discoveries of neuroscience to change your life. A fabulous read - a scientific adventure story like Sherlock Holmes meeting Watson and Crick with the Dalai Lama as their advisor. * Jack Kornfield PhD * What a gift from the world's leading neuroscientist who works on what makes life worth living. This is a must read for everyone who is interested in positive psychology. * Martin E. P. Seligman, Author of Learned Optimism and Flourish * Whether he is measuring neural activity in the laboratory or climbing the Himalayas to meet the Dalai Lama, Davidson is an inveterate explorer who has spent a lifetime probing the deep mystery of human feeling. Don't miss this smart and lively book by the world's foremost expert on emotion and the brain. * Daniel Gilbert, Ph.D., author of Stumbling on Happiness * 'an eye-opener...replete with breakthrough research that will change the way you see yourself and everyone you know...cutting edge findings formulated in a delightful, can't-put-it-down read. I loved this book. * Daniel Goleman * We all ask the question "who am I?". For me this guy has answered it. * Ruby Wax * Look forward to cultivating keener attention, having more attunement to others, and being more connected to your own intuition. It's all possible - and this book shows you how. * Deepak Chopra *

Why we behave the way we do has been the life study of pioneering neuroscientist Richard Davidson. Helping us to understand our own emotional responses and discover our unique 'emotional style', Davidson & Begley also show how we can retrain our brains through mindfulness and meditation to alter lifelong patterns of destructive or unhelpful behaviour. Practical and illuminating, this book expands our view of what it means to be human.