I don't remember where I read about this book, but it seemed like a good one so I requested it from the library. I picked it up yesterday, started it, and devoured it.
It's not a long book, but is packed full of fascinating information about the human brain and how it works. The author, Lisa Feldman Barrett, is a neuroscientist, but also draws from research in psychology and anthropology. Each short essay is written in a way that is informal and accessible to people without prior knowledge of these disciplines. She communicates well, illustrating her points with relatable metaphors and real world examples. Her writing is excellent. There are surprises in the book as she looks at some ideas about the brain that have 'gone mainstream' and are taken for granted as understood, but are not accurate.
For people who want to get deeper into the science, she provides more extended notes at the website
here.
There is much food for thought in this little book and I highly recommend it. I will never think of my brain in quite the same way again!
14 comments:
You convinced me, I'll look for a copy!
Hope you find it as interesting as I did :-)
It sounds wonderful! I checked this afternoon. and our local library has it ~ I should be reading it in a day or two. Thanks for the recommendation!
Hurray for libraries! Happy reading! :-)
I loved it!! Thank you so much for the recco ~
I'm so glad! Always happy to share some book love!
Sounds intriguing...love your blog...it won't always let me respond...
I think many people are having trouble with comments--more than usual. :-(
Dear Shari,
that sounds like an interesting book indeed! Yes, the brain has some secrets to offer, and there are also some ways to "trick" your own brain. I don't know, maybe tricks like this one are even mentioned in the book: When you're angry or unhappy, smile for just one minute - no matter how spasmodic your smile is - the brain "thinks" you're happy and releases endorphins. I tried it several times, it works! :-DD
All the best and happy weekend!
Traude
https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2022/07/mallorca-reisebericht-teil-3-tag-7-bis.html
Thich NHat Hanh talked about 'smiling meditation' a lot. It does work!
There's a 'stacking' meditation where you take a few of each of your favorite memories of your most pleasant or happy moments and bring those into your heart as tho they're happening. Your wedding, your baby being born, watching loved ones reach milestones, reaching your own milestones, proud moments, 'sexy' or connected moments etc etc. Then you go back and imagine new ones happening and what they might be, sort of 'grateful for the past and in advance' all at once. I've been part of a few of those as a group and they're pretty emotional. (Even when done online.) It's easy to get lost sometimes going 'what moments are they talking about' or 'what good moments' etc. That's right around the moment that everything you've ever cherished comes rushing-in. It's amazing how easy it can be to push those things back to sort of protect them. Sometimes it feels like if we get too happy about something it gets stolen somehow but there's no way for it to be stolen/taken when it's something we cherish.
When I read that link you gave it mentioned something about units of energy or something like that. There's a thing called 'spoon theory' in the various health groups re fibromyalgia and ME and chronic fatigue etc. They talk about parsing out our energy because we might have a level 10 of activities but a 4 spoon day that we wake up to and how do we manage our expectations and that of others with that awareness etc. I don't know if the book talks about the brain that way but it was interesting to think about. I'll try to find it somehow.
The stacking meditation sounds like a good one!
It is, so funny because after I wrote this a live class I listened to did that meditation. They talk about the RAS (reticular activating system) in the brain and how our mind and body don't really know the difference of a memory, a vision for the future or 'now'. By helping ourselves envision good things it helps us notice them when they are there in the moment too. (Leading to being in a grateful state of mind.) All nice intentions for our brain health.
Fascinating!
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