Mind, Brain and the Path to Happiness

Mind, Brain and the Path to Happiness
Author: Dusana Dorjee
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 158
Release: 2013-09-11
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 1134517742

Mind, Brain and the Path to Happiness presents a contemporary account of traditional Buddhist mind training and the pursuit of wellbeing and happiness in the context of the latest research in psychology and the neuroscience of meditation. Following the Tibetan Buddhist tradition of Dzogchen, the book guides the reader through the gradual steps in transformation of the practitioner’s mind and brain on the path to advanced states of balance, genuine happiness and wellbeing. Dusana Dorjee explains how the mind training is grounded in philosophical and experiential exploration of the notions of happiness and human potential, and how it refines attention skills and cultivates emotional balance in training of mindfulness, meta-awareness and development of healthy emotions. The book outlines how the practitioner can explore subtle aspects of conscious experience in order to recognize the nature of the mind and reality. At each of the steps on the path the book provides novel insights into similarities and differences between Buddhist accounts and current psychological and neuroscientific theories and evidence. Throughout the book the author skilfully combines Buddhist psychology and Western scientific research with examples of meditation practices, highlighting the ultimately practical nature of Buddhist mind training. Mind, Brain and the Path to Happiness is an important book for health professionals and educators who teach or apply mindfulness and meditation-based techniques in their work, as well as for researchers and students investigating these techniques both in a clinical context and in the emerging field of contemplative science.

Buddha's Brain

Buddha's Brain
Author: Rick Hanson
Publisher: ReadHowYouWant.com
Total Pages: 350
Release: 2011-07-13
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1459624157

Jesus, Moses, Mohammed, Gandhi, and the Buddha all had brains built essentially like anyone else's, yet they were able to harness their thoughts and shape their patterns of thinking in ways that changed history. With new breakthroughs in modern neuroscience and the wisdom of thousands of years of contemplative practice, it is possible for us to shape our own thoughts in a similar way for greater happiness, love, compassion, and wisdom. Buddha's Brain joins the forces of modern neuroscience with ancient contemplative teachings to show readers how they can work toward greater emotional well-being, healthier relationships, more effective actions, and deepened religious and spiritual understanding. This book will explain how the core elements of both psychological well-being and religious or spiritual life-virtue, mindfulness, and wisdom--are based in the core functions of the brain: regulating, learning, and valuing. Readers will also learn practical ways to apply this information, as the book offers many exercises they can do to tap the unused potential of the brain and rewire it over time for greater peace and well-being.

A Monk's Guide to Happiness

A Monk's Guide to Happiness
Author: Gelong Thubten
Publisher: Macmillan + ORM
Total Pages: 159
Release: 2020-08-11
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 1250266831

“Thubten is able to explain meditation using clear language and an approach which really speaks to our modern tech-infused lives.” —Rami Jawhar, Program Manager at Google Arts & Culture In our never-ending search for happiness we often find ourselves looking to external things for fulfillment, thinking that happiness can be unlocked by buying a bigger house, getting the next promotion, or building a perfect family. In this profound and inspiring book, Gelong Thubten shares a practical and sustainable approach to happiness. Thubten, a Buddhist monk and meditation expert who has worked with everyone from school kids to Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and Benedict Cumberbatch, explains how meditation and mindfulness can create a direct path to happiness. A Monk’s Guide to Happiness explores the nature of happiness and helps bust the myth that our lives and minds are too busy for meditation. The book can show you how to: Learn practical methods to help you choose happiness Develop greater compassion for yourself and others Learn to meditate in micro-moments during a busy day Discover that you are naturally ‘hard-wired’ for happiness Reading A Monk’s Guide to Happiness could revolutionize your relationship with your thoughts and emotions, and help you create a life of true happiness and contentment. “His writing is full of inspiration but also the pragmatism needed to form a sustainable practice. His book clearly illustrates why we all need meditation and mindfulness in our lives.” —Benedict Cumberbatch “[A] powerful debut . . . a highly accessible and jargon-free introduction to meditation.” —Publishers Weekly

Hardwiring Happiness

Hardwiring Happiness
Author: Rick Hanson, PhD
Publisher: Harmony
Total Pages: 306
Release: 2016-12-27
Genre: Self-Help
ISBN: 0385347332

With New York Times bestselling author, Dr. Hanson's four steps, you can counterbalance your brain's negativity bias and learn to hardwire happiness in only a few minutes each day. Why is it easier to ruminate over hurt feelings than it is to bask in the warmth of being appreciated? Because your brain evolved to learn quickly from bad experiences and slowly from good ones, but you can change this. Life isn’t easy, and having a brain wired to take in the bad and ignore the good makes us worried, irritated, and stressed, instead of confident, secure, and happy. But each day is filled with opportunities to build inner strengths and Dr. Rick Hanson, an acclaimed clinical psychologist, shows what you can do to override the brain’s default pessimism. Hardwiring Happiness lays out a simple method that uses the hidden power of everyday experiences to build new neural structures full of happiness, love, confidence, and peace. You’ll learn to see through the lies your brain tells you. Dr. Hanson’s four steps build strengths into your brain to make contentment and a powerful sense of resilience the new normal. In just minutes a day, you can transform your brain into a refuge and power center of calm and happiness.

Neurodharma

Neurodharma
Author: Rick Hanson
Publisher: Harmony
Total Pages: 354
Release: 2020
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 0593135466

Reverse-engineer your brain to experience freedom from suffering with this radically bold yet practical seven-step plan from the New York Times bestselling author of Buddha's Brain and Hardwiring Happiness. Building on his classic bestseller Buddha's Brain, New York Times bestselling author and senior fellow of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley Rick Hanson uses the Buddhist analysis of the mind as a roadmap for strengthening the neural circuitry of deep calm, contentment, kindness, and wisdom--qualities we all need to succeed in the face of adversity. Most books about transformations of consciousness are theoretical or religious, typically full of jargon, pep talks, and calls to believe on faith alone. Instead, this is a book of practice, immediately actionable with simple, powerful guided meditations--and despite this grounded approach, its promise is radically life-changing. This book is nothing short of a path to transcendence, a method for liberating the mind and heart, discovering freedom from suffering, and engaging life with a kind heart and inner peace. A step-by-step path of practical ideas and tools, Dr. Hanson guides readers with his usual encouragement, good humor, and personal examples.

What Makes Your Brain Happy and Why You Should Do the Opposite

What Makes Your Brain Happy and Why You Should Do the Opposite
Author: David Disalvo
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Total Pages: 300
Release: 2011-11-15
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 161614484X

This book reveals a remarkable paradox: what your brain wants is frequently not what your brain needs. In fact, much of what makes our brains "happy" leads to errors, biases, and distortions, which make getting out of our own way extremely difficult. Author David DiSalvo presents evidence from evolutionary and social psychology, cognitive science, neurology, and even marketing and economics. And he interviews many of the top thinkers in psychology and neuroscience today. From this research-based platform, DiSalvo draws out insights that we can use to identify our brains’ foibles and turn our awareness into edifying action. Ultimately, he argues, the research does not serve up ready-made answers, but provides us with actionable clues for overcoming the plight of our advanced brains and, consequently, living more fulfilled lives.

Switch On Your Brain

Switch On Your Brain
Author: Dr. Caroline Leaf
Publisher: Baker Books
Total Pages: 161
Release: 2013-09-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1441244646

Over 900,000 copies sold! According to researchers, the vast majority--a whopping 75-98 percent--of the illnesses that plague us today are a direct result of our thought life. What we think about truly affects us both physically and emotionally. In fact, fear alone triggers more than 1,400 known physical and chemical responses in our bodies, activating more than thirty different hormones! Today our culture is undergoing an epidemic of toxic thoughts that, left unchecked, create ideal conditions for illnesses. Supported by current scientific and medical research, Dr. Caroline Leaf gives readers a prescription for better health and wholeness through correct thinking patterns, declaring that we are not victims of our biology. She shares with readers the "switch" in our brains that enables us to live happier, healthier, more enjoyable lives where we achieve our goals, maintain our weight, and even become more intelligent. She shows us how to choose life, get our minds under control, and reap the benefits of a detoxed thought life.

The Happiness Trap

The Happiness Trap
Author: Russ Harris
Publisher: Exisle Publishing
Total Pages: 282
Release: 2013
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 1921966343

A guide to ACT: the revolutionary mindfulness-based program for reducing stress, overcoming fear, and finding fulfilment – now updated. International bestseller, 'The Happiness Trap', has been published in over thirty countries and twenty-two languages. NOW UPDATED. Popular ideas about happiness are misleading, inaccurate, and are directly contributing to our current epidemic of stress, anxiety and depression. And unfortunately, popular psychological approaches are making it even worse! In this easy-to-read, practical and empowering self-help book, Dr Russ Harries, reveals how millions of people are unwittingly caught in the 'The Happiness Trap', where the more they strive for happiness the more they suffer in the long term. He then provides an effective means to escape through the insights and techniques of ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), a groundbreaking new approach based on mindfulness skills. By clarifying your values and developing mindfulness (a technique for living fully in the present moment), ACT helps you escape the happiness trap and find true satisfaction in life. Mindfulness skills are easy to learn and will rapidly and effectively help you to reduce stress, enhance performance, manage emotions, improve health, increase vitality, and generally change your life for the better. The book provides scientifically proven techniques to: reduce stress and worry; rise above fear, doubt and insecurity; handle painful thoughts and feelings far more effectively; break self-defeating habits; improve performance and find fulfilment in your work; build more satisfying relationships; and, create a rich, full and meaningful life.

A Mindful Nation

A Mindful Nation
Author: Tim Ryan
Publisher:
Total Pages: 231
Release: 2013-03-27
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 1401939309

Originally published: Carlsbad, Calif.: Hay House, 2012.

The Happy Mind

The Happy Mind
Author: Kevin Horsley
Publisher: TCK Publishing
Total Pages: 128
Release: 2018-01-03
Genre: Self-Help
ISBN: 1631610899

Don’t waste another day feeling unfulfilled—a guide to mastering the habits of happiness by the Wall Street Journal-bestselling author of Unlimited Memory. Happiness is more than just a feeling—it’s a learned skill. When you master the habits of happiness, your life will be filled with more peace, purpose, and passion. The answers lie within the depths of your mind. The Happy Mind offers valuable insights for building lasting happiness instead of being driven by short-term pleasure seeking. When you look at all the scientific research, religious teachings, and philosophical insights surrounding the topic of happiness, one thing becomes clear: We all experience happiness differently. What makes one person happy may make another miserable. This book is about customizing your happiness—and finding your own unique roadmap. You’ll learn: How people search for happiness in all the wrong places, and how you can avoid these “happiness traps” that keep you stuck and unfulfilled Why most people mistake pleasure for happiness, and how this simple mistake causes you to lose sight of what really matters to you The nine common qualities that super happy people share (and how you can apply them to brighten up your life) The key traits of unhappiness (and the most important behaviors you should avoid) Easy changes you can make that will create more long-term happiness for you and your loved ones