Zen-Brain Horizons
Toward a Living Zen
This freight train has been rounding the bend for, oh, several thousand years or so. Finally, neuroscience is building an indisputable body of data on the benefits of meditation, and those of you who always seek a doctor’s permission might find yourself cross-legged on a cushion sometime soon, or simply staring at the horizon, because each has a profound effect on the brain.
Dr. James Austin, the author of five previous books on Zen and neuroscience, writes with the playful enthusiasm earned from three decades of Zen study. He’s as comfortable with the koans and cadence of classical Buddhist literature as he is with cerebral anatomy.
With numerous case studies, research, and compelling stories, Austin isolates those moments when certain identifiable parts of the brain somehow shift in powerful ways. He offers a glimpse of the brain during involuntary movements and functions; specifically, those that trigger attentional systems of the brain and lead to moments of clear awareness.
Zen-Brain Horizons advances our understanding of creativity and happiness. What more can we ask of the good doctor?
Reviewed by
Matt Sutherland
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
