The Awakened Brain
The Psychology of Spirituality and Our Search for Meaning
Published on 17. August 2021
Book
Hardback
288 pages
978-0-241-40193-4 (ISBN)
Description
A groundbreaking exploration of the neuroscience of spirituality and a bold new paradigm for health, healing, and resilience
'Lisa Miller is the leading psychologist of her generation' Martin Seligman
'We can live chasing goals and rewards, lost in worries and regrets. Or we can awaken to the true fabric of the world, an evolving tapestry that we both behold and help to create, in which every thread matters and no strand stands alone'
Whether it's meditation or a walk in nature, reading a sacred text or saying a prayer, there are many ways to tap into a heightened awareness of the world around us and our place in it. Lisa Miller draws on decades of clinical experience and award-winning research to show that humans are universally equipped with this capacity for spirituality, and that our brains become more resilient and robust as a result of it. Bringing scientific rigour to the most intangible aspect of our lives, Miller's counterintuitive findings reveal the measurable positive effects of spirituality: for better decision-making, a healthier brain and an inspired life.
Brimming with inspiration and compassion, this landmark book revolutionizes our understanding of spirituality, mental health and how to find meaning and purpose in life.
'Lisa Miller is the leading psychologist of her generation' Martin Seligman
'We can live chasing goals and rewards, lost in worries and regrets. Or we can awaken to the true fabric of the world, an evolving tapestry that we both behold and help to create, in which every thread matters and no strand stands alone'
Whether it's meditation or a walk in nature, reading a sacred text or saying a prayer, there are many ways to tap into a heightened awareness of the world around us and our place in it. Lisa Miller draws on decades of clinical experience and award-winning research to show that humans are universally equipped with this capacity for spirituality, and that our brains become more resilient and robust as a result of it. Bringing scientific rigour to the most intangible aspect of our lives, Miller's counterintuitive findings reveal the measurable positive effects of spirituality: for better decision-making, a healthier brain and an inspired life.
Brimming with inspiration and compassion, this landmark book revolutionizes our understanding of spirituality, mental health and how to find meaning and purpose in life.
Reviews / Votes
Erudite, compelling . . . Miller's iconoclasm challenges orthodoxies and common practice . . . what makes this a credible and original investigation is Miller's solid and verifiable clinical and epidemiological data -- Yasmin Alibhai-Brown * i Newspaper * Lisa Miller is the leading psychologist of her generation on the benefits of religion and spirituality. She asks, 'What makes life worth living?' and finds evidence-based answers -- Martin Seligman * author of Learned Optimism * A new revolution of health and well being. She shows through scientific research, clinical insight, and personal experience that we can always choose between two modes of conscious awareness, each with profoundly different outcomes for our health and daily experience -- Deepak Chopra * author of Super Brain * A captivating look at what happens to our brains when we're connected to something greater than ourselves - and what it does for our lives -- Adam Grant * author of Think Again * Ushers in a new science of healing. This work is urgent; a vision for human potential that is sorely needed in our time . . . I simply could not put it down -- Liz Murray * author of Breaking Night: My Journey from Homeless to Harvard * Truly transformative . . . Lisa Miller's life's work and story weave a tapestry of science, psychology and spirituality which unfolds a world of mystery and meaning . . . reveals a unity to the universe that can be accessed by both heart and mind for our mental and physical well-being -- The Rt Revd James Jones KBE * author of Why Do People Suffer? * Potent, profound, and accessible . . . a compelling examination of the correlations between spirituality and mental health * Kirkus Reviews * Unequivocally shows that spirituality heals. Her pioneering research has vast implications not only for medical science, but also for the growing field of consciousness research -- Larry Dossey * author of Healing Words * A revisionist account of mind and matter . . . Miller argues that spiritual awareness is to be found across religious differences and should be considered a birthright -- Mark Vernon * Church Times *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Penguin Books Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 162 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
499 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-241-40193-4 (9780241401934)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
08/2021
1st Edition
Penguin Books Ltd
€10.99
Available for download
Person
Lisa Miller is a professor in the clinical psychology program at Columbia University, Teachers College, and holds a joint appointment in the department of Psychiatry at Columbia Medical School. She is the New York Times bestselling author of The Spiritual Child and founder and director of the Spiritual Mind Body Institute, the first Ivy League graduate program in spirituality and psychology.