Millions of people meditate daily. Many believe it affects how we feel and behave. But can we actually change through meditation? Does it work like a pill to alleviate stress? Can it put us on the path to personal transformation? Psychologists Dr Miguel Farias and Catherine Wikholm explore the human ambition for personal change and its possible illusions, with a focus on yoga and meditation. They examine the psychological and biological evidence, from early research on transcendental meditation to recent brain-imaging studies on mindfulness. They also include personal accounts from practitioners as well as recounting their own experiences of testing the effects of meditation and yoga on incarcerated criminals.
