Zen and the Brain From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation <#mw-head> , search <#p-search> Zen and the Brain: Toward an Understanding of Meditation and Consciousness is a book authored by James H. Austin </wiki/James_H._Austin> . First published in 1998, the book's aim is to establish links between the neurological </wiki/Neurology> workings of the human </wiki/Human> brain </wiki/Brain> and meditation </wiki/Meditation> . For example Austin presents evidence from EEG </wiki/Electroencephalography> scans that deep relaxed breathing reduces brain activity.
The publishers described their book as a "Comprehensive text on the evidence from neuroscience </wiki/Neuroscience> that helps to clarify which brain mechanisms underlie the subjective states of Zen </wiki/Zen> , and employs Zen to 'illuminate' how the brain works in various states of consciousness </wiki/Consciousness> ". Austin is an MD </wiki/Doctorate> and has also practiced Zen over many years. Later Austin wrote a follow-up, Zen-Brain Reflections. [edit </w/index.php?title=Zen_and_the_Brain&action=edit§ion=1> ] See also * Neurotheology </wiki/Neurotheology> * Rational mysticism </wiki/Rational_mysticism> [edit </w/index.php?title=Zen_and_the_Brain&action=edit§ion=2> ] References * James H. Austin, Zen and the Brain: Toward an Understanding of Meditation and Consciousness. Reprint edition July 2, 1999. MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-51109-6 </wiki/Special:BookSources/0262511096> * James H. Austin, Zen-Brain Reflections. First edition February 14, 2006. MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-01223-5 </wiki/Special:BookSources/0262012235> [edit </w/index.php?title=Zen_and_the_Brain&action=edit§ion=3> ] External links * Your Brain on Religion: Mystic visions or brain circuits at work? <http://www.cognitiveliberty.org/neuro/neuronewswk.htm> (Newsweek </wiki/Newsweek> article on Austin and neurotheology, May 2001) * Interview with the author <http://mitpress.mit.edu/books/AUSZP/austin/interview.html> (James H. Austin, M.D. discusses Zen and the Brain) * Excerpts from the book <http://mitpress.mit.edu/books/AUSZP/austin/excerpt.html>