Buddha's Brain by Rick Hanson PhD

Buddha's Brain

The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom

Rick Hanson PhD, Richard Mendius MD, Jack Kornfield PhD

New Harbinger Publications · Print & ebook · March 1, 2025

Change your brain, change your life with this essential classic from New York Times bestselling author, Rick Hanson—now celebrating 15 years in print with more than 500,000 copies sold!

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Who it’s for
A straightforward bridge between meditation, psychology, and the workings of the brain.
Genres
Meditation, Neuroscience
Published
New Harbinger Publications, March 1, 2025

About this book

Change your brain, change your life with this essential classic from New York Times bestselling author, Rick Hanson—now celebrating 15 years in print with more than 500,000 copies sold! Great teachers like the Buddha, Jesus, Moses, Mohammed, and Gandhi were all born with brains built essentially like anyone else’s—and then they changed their brains in ways that changed the world.

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Neuroscience now reveals how the flow of thoughts actually sculpt the brain, and more and more, we are learning that it’s possible to strengthen positive brain states. By combining breakthroughs in science with insights from thousands of years of mindfulness practice, you too can shape your own “Buddha’s Brain” for greater happiness, love, and wisdom. Buddha’s Brain draws on evidence-based neuroscience to show you how to stimulate your brain for more fulfilling relationships, a deeper spiritual life, and a greater sense of inner confidence and self-worth. Using guided meditations and mindfulness exercises, you’ll learn how to activate the brain states of calm, joy, and compassion instead of worry, sorrow, and anger. Most importantly, you will foster positive psychological growth that will literally change the way you live in your day-to-day life. This book provides an essential intersection of psychology, neurology, and contemplative practice, and is filled with practical tools and skills that you can use every day to tap into the unused potential of your brain and rewire it over time for greater well-being.

Mind and Brain

A straightforward bridge between meditation, psychology, and the workings of the brain.

Come here for

  • practical neuroscience of happiness, love, and wisdom
  • Buddhist practice with a science-forward, teachable angle

Expect

  • layered but accessible explanation
  • earnest, classroom-friendly tone

Where it sits

Meditation58%
Neuroscience26%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Meditation
  • Buddhist Practice & Ritual
  • Personal Growth
Authors
Rick Hanson PhD, Richard Mendius MD, Jack Kornfield PhD
Publisher
New Harbinger Publications
Published
March 1, 2025
Format
Print & ebook
Reading lane
Meditation