I talked about meditation books on Wednesday. On Thursday, I found out about an important new book on the subject: "Altered Traits" by Daniel Goleman and Richard Davidson. Goleman is a well-known author and wrote "Emotional Intelligence". Davidson is the famous researcher who responded to a challenge by the Dalai Lama and brought monks to his Wisconsin lab to examine their brains while they meditated.
The writing and analysis are excellent. The authors have been meditating themselves for decades and they have a good ear and a good eye for the phoney, the incomplete and the overblown. Ever since humans have had wisemen and wisewoman, medicine men, they have sought tools, methods and people who can help them. If you are expecting a baby and you very much want to have a girl, you might be able to get a blessing, a spell, a pill or some advice for a knower that will increase the chance of having a girl. Just as you can get caught in a downpour when the weatherman says it won't rain, you can use tools and procedures and still not get what you want.
The authors of "Altered Traits" are careful to delineate the lines between claims of wonderful results from practicing meditation and results of "rigorous tests" scientifically structured and carefully analyzed. Their title Altered Traits refers to their interest in long-range changes, including in actual brain structure and function, that mediation can produce. Still, they are fully aware of fanciful claims, supposed results and outlandish statements about the practice.
Right off, the authors talk about several levels of practice, from lightweight of 10 minute sessions to heavyweight of whole months of steady hours of practice. They seem confident that more practice means more powerful and deeper results.
I have only read about 7% of the book but I am confident that it is going to be one I am glad to have read and maybe re-read.
