Sir Run Run Shaw Distinguished Visiting Scholar Lecture 2012-13

Sir Run Run Shaw Distinguished Visiting Scholar 2012-13, Professor Richard J. DAVIDSON from the University of Wisconsin-Madison spoke on 'Change the Brain by Transforming the Mind', sharing how one can transform the mind through meditation and thereby alter the brain and the periphery in ways that may be beneficial for mental and physical health at Shaw College of The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

In this lecture, Professor Davidson presented an overview of studies conducted in his laboratory on neural changes associated with different forms of meditation, and analysed the different neural and behavioral effects of three major forms of meditation practice: Focused Attention; Open Monitoring; and Positive Affect Training. He also highlighted the differences between long-term meditation practitioners and those with shorter durations of training, as well as reviewed the changes over time according to some longitudinal studies of meditation practice. In addition to the neural changes observed, Professor Davidson also summarized changes found in peripheral biology that may modulate physical health and illness. It is found that the central circuitry of emotion will affect health and one can transform the mind through meditation and alter the brain and the periphery in ways that may be beneficial for mental and physical health.