Heal Your Mind, Rewire Your Brain: Applying the Exciting New Science of Brain Synchrony for Creativity, Peace and Presence

Reviewed by Marcy Blesy for RebeccasReads.com (12/09) "Heal Your Mind, Rewire Your Brain" by Patt Lind-Kyle is a highly scientific book. The average reader, such as myself, must carefully focus not only upon what is written but also upon the practice of meditation described throughout the book. However, I was able to take away lessons that I will try to apply to my own life. The premise of the book is that one can learn to retrain the brain to become more aware of the world and change how you respond to it. She states, "It is through focused attention that brain growth and nerve integration occurs. Attention causes links to nerves from all over the brain and the body to build up new networks. Then, for some reason, these neural connections fire all at once. When that happens, a mental transformation or awakening to a deeper connectivity to ourselves and others occurs. There is literally a change in the way you see or experience the world." The book gets technical in describing how the brain works and how different brain waves (beta, alpha, theta, and delta) affect different aspects of our personality and how we respond to situations. Though my own mind was stretched (pun intended) in deciphering the science, the practical applications of meditation were quite interesting. There are detailed instructions on how to properly meditate in response to the different brain waves and how to use their understanding to promote a more positive, happy life: brain retraining through meditation. To be fair, I have not yet fully practiced the meditation techniques, so I cannot speak to their personal impact on my life, but I am willing to seek their benefits. People who already support the benefits of meditation will be intrigued by the explanations of the science behind the practice, while the rest of us learn that there may be another way to answer the question, "How can I achieve a happier, more fulfilling life?" The book is well-written and well-researched. Her information is insightful and helpful. Recommendations of meditation CD's at the end will give the reader more options for pursuing personal meditation.

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (7/09) In "Heal Your Mind, Rewire Your Brain," the author utilizes her education and research about the brain, and her own personal experiences with meditation to share her knowledge with us. In addition to discussing the scientific perspectives involving brain-mind functioning, she also adds her own personal reflections about her extensive experiences with meditation. She tells us, "The more you change your mind, the more you change your brain. The more your brain changes, the more your mind evolves." The brain can evolve and adapt. This has already been proven in the history of our own evolution. The author notes that we are in a time where we are experiencing extreme stress. This stress can cause a negative impact on our quality of life and our health. While we are going through these tough times, it is very important that we learn how to train our minds so that we can release ourselves from stress to become more creative, happy and at peace. Training our mind to overcome our fears will play a huge role in this process. "When all brain waves are in synchronicity, your attitude is constantly positive." The book is divided into two sections. Part I discusses "The Brain's Story." Part II covers "Meditation as Mind Technology." At the end of the book is an extensive bibliography. I was also really excited to see a list of CDs or MP3 downloads that are available to help with the meditations. I don't really know how to meditate. I have tried it on my own and here and there at functions. The best way for me to relax myself has always been to exhaust myself physically. Well I am pretty tired. It was really exciting for me to read "Heal Your Mind, Rewire Your Brain," because everything that I need to know on how to meditate is explained to me and I also have a better understanding of how my brain works. This includes both the rhythms and the chemicals of the brain. I really think that the CDs can assist me in this process. By reading this book, Patt Lind-Kyle has really stimulated my interest in the mind-brain connection, and how I can use it to relax my thoughts. I highly recommend reading "Heal Your Mind, Rewire Your Brain!"

Patt Lind-Kyle's Heal Your Mind, Rewire Your Brain offers a step-by-step guide to clearing your mind of old patterns that inhibit your life. When you think about it, many of those old neuropathways are patterns that aren't even yours, road walked by someone else. They belong to your parents, schools, teachers, your culture, religion, your government. At a certain point, you realize that is your life, your opera, and if anyone should write the libretto, it needs to be you. What Ms. Lind-Kyle presents is the richness of the incredible advances made in the study of the human brain, and applies them to her extensive direct experience of meditation, a way of going inward to be able to see the old patterns for what they are. The poet Rainer Maria Rilke's counsel to those who want to be creative in their lives and work is exactly that, "Go inside." Let Patt Lind-Kyle guide in you, and from there on it will be your individual journey to liberation of all that is not you. In a very real sense, this is the archetypal hero's journey to the center of your being, to your authentic self. Why would we want to miss the most important journey of all?

This is really a terrific book. If you're a meditator, or an aspiring one, I highly recommend it. The author has been studying the relationship between meditation and brain function for decades and it shows. Really well written and illuminates both the spiritual and practical benefits of meditation. I've been a regular meditator for nearly five years and found that the guided meditations and "exercises" along with the reading have increased the value of my meditations tremendously.

Someone recently told me that in the past five years there have been more breakthrough discoveries about the human brain and the nature of human consciousness than in all the years of accumulated research before this. We're truly living in amazing times. Many of the books I've read about the brain, however, have been more theoretical than practical. What I love about Patt Lind-Kyle's book is the practical aspects of it--the application, for example, of the theories of neuroplasticity, our brains' ability to learn new things, exploding long held myths like "you can't teach an old dog new tricks." I'm also appreciative of the 2 disc companion CD she's made available. Heal Your Mind, Rewire Your Brain I've been working with the meditation and visualization exercises on the CDs and they're great. The chapter in the book titled "Flow" alone is worth the price of admission. Flow is that wonderful state of being in which we feel totally involved and focused on whatever we're doing. The author not only explains the brain's role in this state of integration but provides guidance for getting there, knowing how to maximize our ability for the flow experience--a state of mind or being that's not only artful and productive but is highly pleasurable and personally fulfilling. The subtitle of the book quite accurately describes what the book delivers: "Applying the Exciting New Science of Brain Synchrony for Creativity, Peace and Presence." I'm really happy this book is on my bookshelf--it's changed how I think and feel about my brain...and the author's CDs allow me to experience firsthand what the book presents intellectually.