God is great–for your mental, physical, and spiritual health. That’s the finding of this startling, authoritative, and controversial book by the bestselling authors of Born to Believe.

Based on new evidence culled from their brain-scan studies on memory patients and meditators, their Web-based survey of people’s religious and spiritual experiences, and their analyses of adult drawings of God, neuroscientist Andrew Newberg, therapist Mark Robert Waldman, and their research team have concluded that active and positive spiritual belief changes the human brain for the better. What’s more, actual faith isn’t always necessary: atheists who meditate on positive imagery can obtain similar neurological benefits. Written in an accessible style–with illustrations highlighting how spiritual experiences affect the mind– How God Changes Your Brain offers the following breakthrough discoveries:

• Not only do prayer and spiritual practice reduce stress and anxiety, but just twelve minutes of meditation per day may slow down the aging process.

• Contemplating a loving God rather than a punitive God reduces anxiety, depression, and stress and increases feelings of security, compassion, and love.

• Fundamentalism, in and of itself, is benign and can be personally beneficial, but the anger and prejudice generated by extreme beliefs can permanently damage your brain.

• Intense prayer and meditation permanently change numerous structures and functions in the brain–altering your values and the way you perceive reality.

How God Changes Your Brain is both a revelatory work of modern science and a practical guide for readers to enhance their physical and emotional health and to avoid mental decline. Newberg and Waldman explain the eight best ways to “exercise” your brain and guide readers through specific routines derived from a wide variety of Eastern and Western spiritual practices that improve personal awareness and empathy. They explain why yawning heightens consciousness and relaxation, and they teach “Compassionate Communication,” a new mediation technique that builds intimacy with family and friends in less than fifteen minutes of practice.

Unique in its conclusions and innovative in its methods, How God Changes Your Brain is a first-of-a-kind book about faith that is as credible as it is inspiring.

●安德鲁•纽伯格（Andrew Newberg），医学博士，美国宾夕法尼亚大学灵性与心智中心主任，神经神学创始者，同时也是宾夕法尼亚大学放射学系副教授，主持该系心理与宗教研究。《早安美国》、《夜线》、探索频道、英国广播公司、美国国家公共电台与国家地理频道均曾制作其作品专题。著作包括《超觉玄秘体验》（Why God Won't Go Away）、《为什么你信我不信》（Why We Believe What We Believe）与《生而有信》（Born to Believe）等。

●马克•瓦德门（Mark Robert Waldman），宾夕法尼亚大学灵性与心智中心副研究员、治疗师，与安德鲁•纽伯格合著《生而有信》（Born to Believe），同时也是《超个人评论》（Transpersonal Review) 的创刊编辑。就有关宗教、神经科学与灵性的课题进行演讲, 并从事多个宗教和世俗团体的研究，足迹遍及全美，多达数十家报章杂志及电台联播节目曾制作其作品专题。