How God Changes Your Brain

Breakthrough Findings from a Leading Neuroscientist

By: Andrew Newberg MD, Mark Robert Waldman

Narrated by: James C. Lewis

Length: 9 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's Summary

God is great-for your mental, physical, and spiritual health. Based on new evidence culled from brain-scan studies and a wide-reaching survey of people's religious and spiritual experiences, neuroscientist Andrew Newberg, MD, and therapist Mark Robert Waldman offer the following breakthrough discoveries: Not only do prayer and spiritual practice reduce stress, but just 12 minutes of meditation per day may slow down the aging process. Contemplating a loving God rather than a punitive God reduces anxiety and depression and increases feelings of security, compassion, and love. Intense prayer and meditation permanently change numerous structures and functions in the brain, altering your values and the way you perceive reality. Both a revelatory work of modern science and a practical guide for listeners to enhance their physical and emotional health, How God Changes Your Brain is a first-of-a-kind book about faith that is as credible as it is inspiring.

©2009 Andrew Newberg and Mark Robert Waldman (P)2014 Tantor

Clear writing and brilliant narration

it makes a complicated topic very accessable and understandable, and it is narrated extremely well

First half is fascinating

The first 8 chapters are fascinating and bring up some interesting concepts. I give those chapters full 5 stars.

The last half of the book delves into meditation as communication practices. Helpful if you are looking for that but is really a whole different book.

Mindblown

This book offers a view into the inner workings of your own belief, your own faith, your own relationship with God and your spiritual quest - a view you never could have got if you did not have someone show you the way. If you are aware of the story of the Thread of Ariadne, it is as if the Authors have quietly led you to its end and asked you to pick it up and pull. When you pull, something inside you unravels and you are able to follow that thread to the Center of your belief and then back again. You realize how the whole maze is made, and by whom, and how to enter and exit by your will. This book has led me on quite an interesting path of realizations and education - and I have been doing this whole spiritual quest for seven years now or so. But this book has been a big one. A game changer. "Know Thyself," is the injunction for ages now. You cannot say you do until you confront some of the information in this book. This information may be found in other ways than in this book - you don't have to read it - but I am saying this book presents this information in a way that resounds at the proper place to create Realization. I highly recommend this book to those of you who are ready to Destroy the Temple brick by brick, so that you can rebuild it with your own hands.

Great overview on neuroscience and “god”

Ch 8 (techniques for a healthy mind) and 11 (compassionate communication) were my favorites ch 1-6 are all research/evidence chapters. If you like the science/evidence part of meditation I suggest Dr Joe Dispenza’s books!

Thought provoking

I am interested in the connection between the brain and the mind, and particularly interested how we process beliefs and spiritual experiences. It took me a few chapters to understand where Dr. Newberg was going with this and I had to listen to some sections twice to grasp their intent. But I found this book, overall, to be very thought provoking and enlightening. While Dr. Newberg tries to maintain an objective, impartial view of his research, I did think that his personal beliefs caused him to define what , in his view, is "healthy spirituality" . (loving, peaceful, affirmative thoughts and actions, lacking anxiety, anger, judgmentalism, etc). I am not sure that anxiety, anger and judgement are always bad. But, overall, I gained a better understanding of how the brain works to generate thoughts, feelings, and to prompt us to action in the areas of belief and spirituality

Enlightening .

I enjoyed the simplicity and eloquence.
I'm glad to have come across this book,
It speaks my language.
Thank you.
Nora S

Fascinating

I love all things neuroscience and spirituality, so the two together are utterly fascinating. Excellent information in accessible communication. It also spends several chapters teaching you ways to meditate.

did not read

got to opening chapters, not what I expected - too academic, esoteric.
did not continue

Fantastic Book

This was such an amazing book. This has helped me to see a new take on my faith. I no longer identify with a specific denomination (still a firm believer in God). I’ve been able to find peace and I’ve been able to build a stronger relationship with God with the help of the meditation techniques in this book. I loved this book.

Very misleading title

This audio book had nothing to do with God. It's only about meditation. The books by dr. Caroline leaf have much more information on how God changes your brain with the new plasticity science mumbo jumbo.