I started meditating in 2021 as part of my training in the Woman Shaman Priestess program at Mount Shasta Goddess Temple. At that time, I dedicated my meditation practice to Prajnaparamita, and I continue to honour her each January by deepening my practice and studies. This year, I read Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body by Daniel Goleman and Richard Davidson, a book that bridges ancient wisdom with modern science.
Before beginning my meditation journey, I, like many others, believed I couldn’t meditate. I thought my mind was too restless to quiet, and I didn’t have enough time to meditate. These misconceptions are common. Many assume meditation means silencing the mind entirely or achieving a perfect state of inner peace. Meditation is about developing awareness and observing the mind without judgment. With the help of the Headspace app, I started small—just a few minutes each day—and gradually increased to my current practice of 20 minutes each morning. These sessions set a calm, centred tone for my day, helping me to manage stress and create space in my life.
I picked up Altered Traits to better understand the scientifically proven benefits of meditation, and the book delivered on that front. However, it also introduced me to the complexities and limitations of the science behind meditation research, offering a nuanced perspective on both the promises and challenges of studying contemplative practices.
About the book
Altered Traits was co-authored by Daniel Goleman, a psychologist and science journalist best known for his work on emotional intelligence, and Richard Davidson, a neuroscientist and pioneer in the study of meditation’s effects on the brain. The book was published in Great Britain as The Science of Meditation: How to Change Your Brain, Mind and Body. Published in 2017, the book reflects decades of research and collaboration with meditation practitioners, ranging from beginners to seasoned yogis. While its insights are grounded in robust scientific studies, readers should note that the field of meditation research continues to evolve. New studies published after 2017 may offer updated findings or address some of the limitations highlighted in the book.
Benefits, limitations, and research gaps
One of the key takeaways from Altered Traits is its emphasis on the diversity of meditation practices and their varying impacts. Goleman and Davidson compare meditation to sports—a broad category with many distinct activities. The book focuses primarily on the following:
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR): A mindfulness-based program designed for stress management.
- Loving-kindness meditation: A mindfulness practice that involves sending goodwill and kindness to oneself and others.
- Vipassana: Focuses on deep self-awareness and interconnection between mind and body.
These practices are not interchangeable, and their effects can differ significantly. This is where the science of meditation becomes both fascinating and problematic. Research often lumps various forms of meditation together, failing to differentiate between methods or their unique benefits. For instance, studies might generalise results from mindfulness practices to all meditation techniques, obscuring the nuances of how different approaches affect the mind and body.
Another issue is the lack of distinctions among meditators themselves. Beginners, intermediate practitioners, and those with thousands of hours of practice (yogis) are often grouped in research, even though their experiences and brain activity differ significantly. As Goleman and Davidson point out, beginners may experience short-lived benefits, such as reduced stress reactivity or improved focus, but these effects often fade without consistent practice. In contrast, long-term practitioners show enduring changes in brain structure and function, such as reduced activity in the brain’s default mode network (associated with self-focused thoughts) and enhanced connectivity in circuits for compassion and emotional regulation.
One of the most concerning challenges in meditation research is the issue of replicability. Many studies showing the benefits of meditation have not been replicated, a cornerstone of the scientific method. This means we can’t be entirely confident in their findings. Additionally, there is often a bias toward publishing positive results, while studies that find no significant effects are less likely to be reported. As the authors note, this creates an incomplete and sometimes misleading picture of meditation’s potential.
Despite these challenges, Altered Traits highlights some well-supported findings. For example:
- Stress reduction: Just 30 hours of MBSR practice over eight weeks can dampen activity in the amygdala, the brain’s stress centre, and strengthen prefrontal circuits that manage emotional reactivity.
- Compassion: Loving-kindness meditation can enhance empathy and increase the likelihood of compassionate action, with some effects appearing after just seven hours of practice.
- Attention: Regular meditation improves focus, reduces mind-wandering, and strengthens selective attention. Long-term practitioners show remarkable abilities to sustain attention with minimal mental effort.
- Neuroplasticity: Meditation reshapes the brain over time, embedding traits like equanimity and resilience into a practitioner’s daily life.
What the science doesn’t tell us
While the benefits of meditation are compelling, Altered Traits doesn’t shy away from discussing what science has yet to uncover. For example, we still don’t know how different meditation practices compare in specific contexts. Is 20 minutes of mindfulness during a quiet morning more effective than the same practice on a noisy commute? Are two 10-minute sessions as good or better than one 20-minute session? These practical questions remain unanswered.
Another area of uncertainty is the role of expectation. Early-stage benefits of meditation—such as reduced stress or improved mood—might partly stem from participants’ positive hopes or the enthusiasm of their instructors. It’s difficult to disentangle these factors from the effects of meditation itself, especially in short-term studies.
Finally, we must acknowledge the limitations of meditation. It is not a cure-all. While it can help reduce the emotional burden of chronic pain or illness, it does not eliminate the biological causes. Similarly, meditation can lessen inflammation and slow cellular aging, but these effects are modest and require consistent, long-term practice.
Reflections on my practice
Reading Altered Traits deepened my appreciation for meditation’s transformative potential while grounding my expectations in reality. Meditation, as the authors remind us, is not about achieving altered states of bliss during a session but about cultivating enduring traits that shape who we are. I’ve seen this in my practice: the calm, focus, and compassion I develop on the cushion (or chair) often ripple into my daily life, helping me navigate challenges more easily.
The book also reinforced the importance of consistency. The benefits of meditation—whether reduced stress, improved attention, or greater compassion—are fragile without regular practice. For me, dedicating time each morning to this practice has become essential. I’ve also recently started meditating at night in bed to help quiet my mind and fall asleep more quickly.
Final thoughts
Altered Traits is an insightful exploration of meditation’s power to transform the mind, brain, and body. For anyone interested in the intersection of spirituality and science, this book is both inspiring and thought-provoking.
Dedicating this January to Prajnaparamita with this book felt like an affirmation of my journey since 2021. It reminded me that meditation is not about perfection or immediate results but about showing up—day after day—to create lasting change in who we are and how we move through the world.
