More than sheer hours, we need smart practice, including crucial ingredients such as targeted feedback from a master teacher and a more spacious, less attached view of the self, all of which are missing in widespread versions of mind training. The authors also reveal the latest data from Davidson's own lab that point to a new methodology for developing a broader array of mind-training methods with larger implications for how we can derive the greatest benefits from the practice. Exciting, compelling, and grounded in new research, this is one of those rare books that has the power to change us at the deepest level.

Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain and Body; Daniel Goleman and Richard J. Davidson; Avery; Paperback; 330 pages; $20.00

Daniel Goleman is a psychologist and author who popularized the concept of "emotional intelligence". Goleman's work defines emotional intelligence as a person's ability to manage their emotions and express them appropriately.

Richard J. Davidson is an American psychologist and professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin--Madison as well as founder and chair of the Center for Healthy Minds and the affiliated non-profit Healthy Minds Innovations.