Brain Science Podcast #44: Meditation and the Brain
In Episode 44 of the Brain Science Podcast I talk with Daniel Siegel, MD about meditation and the brain. Dr. Siegel is the author of several books including The Mindful Brain: Reflection and Attunement in the Cultivation of Well-Being. In this interview we review the scientific evidence about how mindfulness meditation changes the brain, both in terms of short term activity and in terms of long-term structural changes. The evidence is convincing that a regular mindfulness practice can be an important element of brain health.
Listen to Episode 44 of the Brain Science Podcast
Show Notes and Links:
Daniel J Siegel, MD:
- The Mindsight Institute
- UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center
- The Mindful Brain: Reflection and Attunement in the Cultivation of Well-Being
- Sound True™ audio version of The Mindful Brain
- The Developing Mind
- Parenting from the Insight Out with Mary Hartzell
Scientists and writers mentioned in Episode 44:
- Jon Kabat-Zinn: pioneer in mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR)
- Richard Davidson (University of Wisconsin): imaging studies of long-term meditators
- Sara Lazar (Harvard): imaging studies that show thickening of certain brain areas in long-term meditators
- David Creswell (UCLA): studies beneficial effects of meditation
- Ruth Baer (University of Kentucky): studies mindfulness based therapies
- Jeff Hawkins: On Intelligence (Interviewed in Episode 38)
More information about meditation:
- Insight Meditation Society (Barre, MA)
- Spirit Rock (Insight Meditation Center in northern California)
- The Seeds of Compassion (link to video with Dr. Siegel and the Dalai Llama)
- Episode 20 of Books and Ideas with Delany Dean, PhD *
Note: Insight Meditation is based of vipassana meditation, the mindfulness practices of Theravada, the oldest branch of Buddhism. Insight Meditation is easily adapted to secular purposes because it not based on beliefs or dogmas. The most well-known secular form is called mindfulness meditation, which begins with a focus on breath awareness and then advances to developing compassion for oneself and others.
Researchers are studying people who practice other types of mediation also. Richard Davidson has focused his work on the study of Tibetan Buddhist monks. Their practice emphasizes the development of compassion.
*I discussed the therapeutic use of mediation with Delany Dean, PhD in Episode 20 of Books and Ideas.
Listen to Episode 44 of the Brain Science Podcast
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Filed under: Interviews, Neuroscience, Podcast Show Notes, brain science, developmental psychology, psychology
This is brilliant. I have just found this site through google and signed up for the rss feed. Thank you!
best wishes,
Richard
HI Virginia,
I was introduced to your podcast from a friend. I intend to make a donation.
I heard your guest say something like ~”increase our morality using circuits in our stomachs….”~ and other surprising places. Do you think you could elaborate on that or interpret it for me?
and while I understand that there may be some compelling reasons not to be critical of this guest, I wonder how much you took on board from it and how much you are still unsure about. Personally I’d like to think that meditation is useful, but I don’t like the silly baggage that comes with so much of it.
one more thought,
I didn’t take the time to register in the forum, but I will later,
I would like to see something on baselining brain function.
something like what would be reflected in a matrix such as
“this is the brain of a…..”
British person
- meditating lights up such and such area
- reading lights up such and such area
- math lights up such and such area
- sleeping lights up such and such area
- speaking lights up such and such area
- happy lights up such and such area
- angry lights up such and such area
chinese person
- meditation lights up such and such area
- reading lights up such and such area
- math lights up such and such area
- sleeping lights up such and such area
- speaking lights up such and such area
- happy lights up such and such area
- angry lights up such and such area
and so on.
Lee, I am not sure if you quote is totally accurate. I guess I will need to check the transcript. Even so I think I understand the point you are trying to make. My husband, Dennis, was much more blunt in his comments.
The benefits of meditation are well-established, but exactly what is happening in the brain is less clear.
I hope you will visit the Discussion Forum at http://brainscienceforum.com to share your ideas with other listeners.
Another very interesting podcast. This has nothing to do with the content but I just have to say it: the audio quality of this interview is excellent! Both you and Dr. Siegel are crystal clear. What equipment did you use?
Keep up the great work,
Michael
A fantastic voyage from agnosticism to spirituality. I can see the patterns of Res Ligare forming at the end of the podcast. The same patterns that took 100000 years of evolution to express fully in the form of mythology, creed, religion.
This is the first time I have heard a well conceived (neuro)scientific approach to the genesis of religion. And I am not sure the author actually wanted to go that far.
I just discovered your podcasts the other day and have listened to three in row. Love the ones with Dr. Ratey dealing with exercise and ADHD. This one on meditation was also fascinating! Thank you!