Buddha's Brain

I read this book as part of my Search Inside Yourself (SIY) facilitator training when I worked at Google and later taught. I love this book because it’s full of science-based research on the power of mindfulness. I personally love all of Rick’s books and hosted him on my podcast, The Pausecast podcast (Ep. 17), where he blends his psychology and mindfulness expertise into easy and relatable concepts.

This book stuck out to me because Hanson shares how great teachers like Jesus, Moses, Mohammed, Gandhi, and the Buddha all had brains built essentially like anyone else's, yet they were able… show more.

This is a “how-to” book, based research that shows we are what our brains program us to be and that our minds retain “neuroplasticity,” or the ability to change. In other words, at any age, when we change our thoughts and our mental practices, we can change our lives. Good news, indeed!

The book shares research in psychology, neurology, and mindfulness that prove that our ability to choose our thoughts and perspectives is a powerful change agent that can increase our happiness, productivity, and peace. And the book gives step-by-step instructions in how to cultivate productive mind habits. Change your… show more.

I find this far and away the most readable and compelling account of what neuroscience has to say about the changes meditation can bring about in brain function and morphology. I love that it’s so well written and organized in a way my layperson’s non-scientist brain can happily track. So, this is the go-to handbook for a scientific take on Buddhist practice.

It presents all the juiciest material this meditator would like to know while succinctly summarizing the parts that might go over my head. A perfect introduction—and more than introduction. It comes with a feeling of deeply compassionate understanding… show more.

Can I tell you how much I admire Dr. Rick Hanson?

This book is another one that I read early in my inner journey and one I still often refer to for its insight and wisdom on meditation, breathing, and how the brain works. While it is chock full of science, it is reader-friendly. I also took Rick’s Neurodharma training, some of the most useful training I have received as a "TV producer turned wellbeing teacher" and now author.

As you would expect from any esteemed academic, he thoughtfully laid out his book, offering good summaries of key points at… show more.

If you have an inner critic who berates you like Logan in Succession, you need this book. Learn how to work your mind and creating what you want is so much easier. Rick guides you to understand how your brain works – science is so cool! - and then how to change your brain so it works far better and that Logan guy shuts the hell up.

This is a book that nicely combines self-help and concrete strategies (the why) with science (the how) in a wonderfully understandable and approachable way. Hanson paves the way for people to not only learn how to make changes to improve their emotional wellness, but to understand how the strategies they’re learning actually help.