The Neuroscience of Yoga and Meditation is an accessible introduction to how yoga and meditation affect the brain. Each chapter will guide the reader through the latest yoga and meditation research and break down complex topics into easily digestible points. The book also explores the current limitations in studying these practices and offers tools for interpreting scientific literature. The material is also broken up with "fun facts" and "common myths about the brain" to keep the reader engaged. And the book includes mediations and movement routines that yogis can incorporate into their practices in order to activate specific regions of the brain. Importantly, the chapters include ideas and techniques for integrating the science with your mind-body practice. The Neuroscience of Yoga and Meditation is a must-have for any yoga teacher, yoga therapist or yogi who is interested in how their contemplative practice affects the brain. Topics include: Brain anatomy and major features of the brain The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system The role of the vagus nerve Where movement comes from in the brain Proprioception: understanding our position in space The physiology of the breath The effect of the breath on mood Stress and inflammation Psychological disorders and neurological conditions Trauma and the brain The aging brain
Brittany Fair, MS, RYT200, RCYT is a San Diego-based neuroscientist turned science writer, podcast host and yoga teacher. She has a passion for sharing brain-related yoga research with the yoga community and developed a NeuroFlow workshop to provide yogis with an understanding about how meditation and yoga affect the brain. She has taught her workshop at locations across the country including Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the Breathing Deeply Yoga Therapy School, the Bishop County Public School District as well as at numerous yoga studios. Brittany is currently the science writer for the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California and president of the San Diego Science Writers Association. She is also developing an online course in collaboration with Yoga Research & Beyond for fall 2021.
Chapter 1: Introduction to the Neuroscience of Yoga and Meditation Chapter 2: Introduction to the Brain Chapter 3: Where Does our Movement Come From? Chapter 4: The Sixth Sense: Proprioception Chapter 5: Physiology of the Breath Chapter 6: The Effect of Yoga on the Brain: Trauma and Mental Health Conditions Chapter 7: The Effect of Yoga on the Brain: Neurological Conditions Chapter 8: Healthy Aging and the Brain
•Complementary with exercise and mental health titles in the list which connect physical and mental/neurological wellbeing e.g. Pilotti, Science of Movement, Exercise and Mental Health
•Author has a considerable social media following, of over 4000 followers on Instagram, which could be capitalised on further
•Extensively illustrated with both scientific diagrams and guides to the poses.
