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Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body cover art

Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body

By: Daniel Goleman, Richard Davidson
Narrated by: Daniel Goleman
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Publisher's Summary

Two New York Times best-selling authors unveil new research showing what meditation can really do for the brain. In the last 20 years, meditation and mindfulness have gone from being kind of cool to becoming an omnipresent Band-Aid for fixing everything from your weight to your relationship to your achievement level. Unveiling here the kind of cutting-edge research that has made them giants in their fields, Daniel Goleman and Richard J Davidson show us the truth about what meditation can really do for us, as well as exactly how to get the most out of it. Sweeping away common misconceptions and neuromythology to open listeners' eyes to the ways data has been distorted to sell mind-training methods, the authors demonstrate that beyond the pleasant states mental exercises can produce, the real payoffs are the lasting personality traits that can result. But short daily doses will not get us to the highest level of lasting positive change - even if we continue for years - without specific additions. More than sheer hours, we need smart practice, including crucial ingredients such as targeted feedback from a master teacher and a more spacious, less attached view of the self, all of which are missing in widespread versions of mind training. The authors also reveal the latest data from Davidson's own lab that point to a new methodology for developing a broader array of mind-training methods with larger implications for how we can derive the greatest benefits from the practice. Exciting, compelling, and grounded in new research, this is one of those rare books that has the power to change us at the deepest level.

©2017 Penguin Group (USA) LLC (P)2017 More Than Sound, LLC

What listeners say about Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body

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  • Sam
  • 02-01-2019

Informative but self-congratulatory

A great overview of studies in contemplative neuroscience and their findings. Unfortunately, the authors hail themselves as pioneers in the field, unsung heroes whose unshakeable faith in the value of their research saw them stare down naysayers along the way.

Now, they may well
be pioneers. My point is, when you’re presenting research on an interesting field, the research should be the star. While I did enjoy anecdotes of the author’s own meditation and research journeys, self-congratulation still isn’t called for, and it even undermines slightly a central claim that meditation reduces the compulsion so satisfy your ego.

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7 people found this helpful

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The map

As a noob meditation enthusiast I was overwhelmed by the volume of meditation app and course peddlers. I needed a classification guide to understand what broad types exist, what do each purport to offer, and which claims to believe and which to discard. I was referred this book by an experienced practitioner on a forum. I’m SO thrilled to have found (and devoured!) this book and now feel confident to choose my direction, look for appropriate teachers, and embark on this hopefully to be remainder of my life journey into meditation! 🤗🧘🏼‍♂️🙏 So much gratitude to the authors for all their life work that went into creating this treasured work. 🙏🙏🙏

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3 people found this helpful

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Finally an actual blend of science and Meditation

So many books claim to address meditation scientifically however most of these books to me have been a massive disappointments. So often these authors use some scientific research to ground there intial take on meditation and then just go off from that point making more unproven claims then proven. This book does not do that and while this book will not actually teach you to Meditate that's not what it is for. In this book you will hear first hand from the researchers themselves about the studies they and others have worked on and where a test came back with results that did not prove there theories you will hear directly from them how and why these tests are not concrete. I've ever come across a few failed studies within this book that other 'science' based meditation books have touted as evidence for there theories, while in this book the researches themselves have explained why these studies actually don't prove anything.
To me this is the first book that actually blends the lack of who you would expect from people who both love Science and Meditation people who are brave enough to admit when there theories can and cannot be scientifically proven.

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Great background stories

Of the history of Meditation in the West, the Who’s Who of meditation . Very well read and performed .

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Exceptionally well researched and brilliantly written

This book profoundly influenced me. To say it changed my life would be an understatement. It’s completely transformed my approach to meditation and mindfulness for the better.

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Dry but important.

Dry but informative and useful. Powerful knowledge with a worthy cause.
Worth the time for those with an interest in cognitive science otherwise a condensed version could suit.

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Review

Very academic. Didn’t enjoy narrators voice. However I thought this was an interesting and thoughtful concept.

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found it very boring but informative, got tired of

found it very boring but informative, got tired of the narrators voice and struggled to keep attention

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Exremely well informed and clearly articulated

I got great use out of listening to this book both practically and academically. It has a great way of explaining research based evidence in a user friendly manner. I loved how the author summarised the key findings at the end of the book into three different groups of meditators. I also enjoyed the fact one of the authors read the book. If you are looking for a well informed, researched based book on the facts around meditation, I highly recommend you listen to this audio book :)

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Excellent review of the science

A fair review of the science behind meditation from the people closest to the research. I enjoyed the insights given into topics that are often clouded by the media or never reach the general public. Have started a mindfulness meditation practice and am seeing where it leads me. Thanks for the great book!

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