EP 302: The Science of Habit (And Mindfulness Practices)

Published: July 21, 2020, 3:07 a.m.

\u201cWhatever a person frequently thinks and reflects on, that will become the inclination of their mind.\u201d - Gautama Buddha
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\nThe Buddha wrote these words over 2500 years ago, and sometime around 1995, neuroscientists finally agreed with him.
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\nWhat is described in this quote is the quality of the brain that neuroscientists call neuroplasticity - how the brain\u2019s synaptic connections and neural anatomy are plastic, or moldable.
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\nNeuroplasticity is the basis of habit and is also the reason that after about 8 weeks of practicing mindfulness - bringing a non-judging awareness to our moment-to-moment experiences - it becomes an automatic function of our minds.