WINNER OF THE GOLD PRIZE FOR RELIGION / SPIRITUALITY OF EASTERN THOUGHT AT THE 2016 NAUTILUS BOOK AWARDS. Can meditation and mindfulness really reconfigure our brains to make us sharper, smarter, healthier, happier? In Siddhartha's Brain, James Kingsland reveals that a complete scientific theory of how these practices work is now within our grasp and may be the key that unlocks a wide range of afflictions of the human mind. Some 25 centuries ago an Indian sage called Siddhartha Gautama - the man who would become known as the Buddha - developed a programme for improving mental wellbeing that has been passed down to us by generations of monks and nuns. Far from being a New Age fad, secular mindfulness courses are remarkably consistent with these ancient teachings and are proving their worth for tackling many of the problems associated with the demands of our frenetic, technology-driven modern world. Research by psychologists and clinicians has shown that mindfulness can be used to treat stress, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, hypertension and drug addiction, as well as improving concentration, empathy, emotion regulation and the quality of interpersonal relationships. There have even been hints that it could enhance immune function, slow cellular ageing and help keep dementia at bay. Taking us on a journey back to the time of the Buddha to record changes in his brain as he travels the path leading to enlightenment, Siddhartha's Brain is the first book to explain not only how meditation and mindfulness work but also why. It proposes that by fine-tuning the neural circuits that allowed our hominid ancestors to band together in ever larger social groups, these practices can help us find lasting peace and contentment.

When a computer goes wrong, we are told to turn it off and on again. In Am I Dreaming?, science journalist James Kingsland reveals how the human brain is remarkably similar. By rebooting our hard-wired patterns of thinking - through so-called 'altered states of consciousness' - we can gain new perspectives into ourselves and the world around us. From shamans in Peru to tech workers in Silicon Valley, Kingsland provides a fascinating tour through lucid dreams, mindfulness, hypnotic trances, virtual reality and drug-induced hallucinations. An eye-opening insight into perception and consciousness, this is also a provocative argument for how altered states can significantly boost our mental health.

WINNER OF THE GOLD PRIZE FOR RELIGION / SPIRITUALITY OF EASTERN THOUGHT AT THE 2016 NAUTILUS BOOK AWARDS. Can meditation and mindfulness exercise make us sharper, smarter, healthier, happier? In Siddhartha's Brain, James Kingsland reveals that a complete scientific theory of how these practices work is now within our grasp and may be the key to treating a wide range of afflictions of the human mind. Some twenty-five centuries ago, an Indian sage called Siddhartha Gautama - the man who would become known as the Buddha - developed a programme for improving mental well-being which has been passed down to us by generations of monks and nuns. Today, secular mindfulness courses are proving their worth for tackling many of the problems associated with the demands of our frenetic, technology-driven modern world. Research has shown that mindfulness can be used to treat stress, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, hypertension and drug addiction, as well as improving concentration, empathy, emotion regulation and the quality of interpersonal relationships. There have even been hints that it could enhance immune function, slow cellular ageing and help keep dementia at bay. Taking us on a journey back to the time of the Buddha to track changes in his brain as he travels the path leading to enlightenment, Siddhartha's Brain explains how meditation and mindfulness transform the human mind.

'Wonderful' Philosophy Now __________________________ When a computer goes wrong, we are told to turn it off and on again. In Am I Dreaming?, science journalist James Kingsland reveals how the human brain is remarkably similar. By rebooting our hard-wired patterns of thinking - through so-called 'altered states of consciousness' - we can gain new perspectives on ourselves and the world around us. From shamans in Peru to tech workers in Silicon Valley, Kingsland takes us on a dazzling tour of lucid dreams, mindfulness, hypnotic trances, virtual reality and drug-induced hallucinations. A startling exploration of perception and consciousness, this is also a provocative argument for using altered states to boost our mental health. 'Read this book and take part in one of the greatest intellectual adventures of all time.'Professor J. Allan Hobson