In Persia in 1924, when a child still had to worry about hostile camels in the bazaar and a nanny might spin stories at her pillow until her eyes fell shut, the extraordinary and irresistible Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian was born. From the enchanted basement storeroom where she played as a girl to the penthouse high above New York City where she would someday live, this is the delightful and inspiring story of her life as an artist, a wife and mother, a collector, and an Iranian. Here we see a mischievous girl become a spirited woman who defies tradition. Both a love story and a celebration of the warmth and elegance of Iranian culture, "A Mirror Garden" is a genuine fairy tale of an exuberant heroine who has never needed rescuing.

For over a decade, a small group of scientists and philosophers--members of the Mind and Life Institute--have met regularly to explore the intersection between science and the spirit. At one of these meetings, the themes discussed were both fundamental and profound: can physics, chemistry, and biology explain the mystery of life? How do our philosophical assumptions influence science and the ethics we bring to biotechnology? And how does an ancient spiritual tradition throw new light on these questions?

Pier Luigi Luisi not only reproduces this dramatic, cross-cultural dialogue, in which world-class scientists, philosophers, and Buddhist scholars develop a holistic approach to the scientific exploration of reality, but also adds scientific background to their presentations, as well as supplementary discussions with prominent participants and attendees. Interviews with His Holiness the Karmapa, the Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard, and the actor and longtime human rights advocate Richard Gere take the proceedings into new directions, enriching the material with personal viewpoints and lively conversation about such topics as the origin of matter, the properties of cells, the nature of evolution, the ethics of genetic manipulation, and the question of consciousness and ethics.

A keen study of character, Luisi incorporates his own amusing observations into this fascinating dialogue, painting a very human portrait of some of our greatest--and most intimidating--thinkers. Deeply textured and cleverly crafted, "Mind and Life" is an excellent opportunity for any reader to join in the debate surrounding this cutting-edge field of inquiry.

Presenting the entirety of the 13th Mind and Life dialogue, this book gathers the thoughts and contributions of the Dalai Lama, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Richard J. Davidson, and other leading researchers in the fields of meditation, medicine, psychology, and neuroscience. Each contributor explores a particular aspect of the convergence between meditative practice and modern science, thus providing a greater understanding of the potential of the human mind. The participants in the discussion seek to answer questions such as "What effect does meditation have on suffering and pain? What role does the mind play in emotional and physical well-being? To what extent can the mind influence illness? "and "What impact does this all have on the development of the human species?" This book is a considered, engaging look at the nature of the mind, its capacity to refine itself through training, and its role in physical and emotional health.
"Presentando el 13o dialogo del Mind and Life Institute en su totalidad, este libro reune las aportaciones del Dalai Lama, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Richard J. Davidson y otros investigadores de primer nivel en los campos de la meditacion, la medicina, la psicologia y la neurociencia. Cada contribuyente explora un aspecto particular de la convergencia de la practica de la meditacion y la ciencia moderna, posibilitando asi una mayor comprension del potencial de la mente humana. Los participantes en la conversacion buscan contestar preguntas tales como "Como influye la meditacion en el dolor y el sufrimiento? Que rol desempena la mente en el bienestar emocional y fisico? Hasta que punto puede la mente influir en las enfermedades? "y "Que impacto tiene todo esto en el desarrollo de la especie? "Este libro es una mirada considerada e interesante de la naturaleza de la mente, su capacidad de autodefinicion a traves del entrenamiento y su rol en la salud fisica y emocional."