Mental Workouts for Neuroplasticity

I got acquainted with the concept of neuroplasticity through my relatively new practice of mindfulness meditation. It didn't take me long to stumble upon neuroplasticity as I read on mindfulness meditation. The very concept of neuroplasticy was quite a revelation for me, but the fact that our brain can be rewired through mindfulness meditation was no less revealing for me.

After I found a couple of weeks ago that journaling could also help us rewire our brain, I started looking for other mental workouts for neuroplasticity. To my great surprise, prayer has turned out to be one of them in addition to its original spiritual purpose. I found this week two more mental workouts for neuroplasticity - creative visualization and positive self-talk.

In order to practice these five mental workouts every day I've also decided to study them as systematically as possible and prepared for myself a reading list as follows:

Neuroplasticity

• Helmstetter, S. 2013. The Power of Neuroplasticity. Gulf Breeze, FL: Park Avenue Press.
• Costandi, M. 2016. Neuroplasticity. Boston, MA: MIT Press.
• Brann, A. 2015. Neuroscience for Coaches: How to Use the Latest Insights for the Benefit of Your Clients. London: Kogan Page.
• Waldman, M. R. & Manning, C. 2017. NeuroWisdom: The New Brain Science of Money, Happiness, and Success. New York: Diversion Books.

(Jewish) Prayer

• Dossey, L. 1996. Prayer Is Good Medicine: How to Reap the Healing Benefits of Prayer. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco.
• Newberg, A. 2010. Principles of Neurotheology. Farnham: Ashgate.
• Newberg, A. & Waldman, M. R. 2010. How God Can Change Your Brain: Breakthrough Findings from a Leading Neuroscientist. New York: Ballantine Books.
• Munk, E. 1961-1963. The World of Prayer 1-2. Jerusalem: Feldheim.
• Donin, H. H. 1980. To Pray as a Jew: A Guide to the Prayer Book and the Synagogue Service. New York: Basic Books.
• Steinsaltz, A. 2000. A Guide to Jewish Prayer. New York: Schocken.
• Hoffman, L. A. 2004. The Way into Jewish Prayer. Nashville: Jewish Lights.
• Kleinman, H. 2005-2008. Praying with Fire 1-2. New York: ArtScroll.
• Schachter-Shalomi, Z. 2012. Davening: A Guide to Meaningful Jewish Prayer. Nashville: Jewish Lights.
• Weiss, A. 2014. Holistic Prayer: A Guide to Jewish Spirituality. Jerusalem: Maggid.
• Singer, D. 2017. Tikon tfilati: matkoney tfila [May My Prayer Be Blessing: Recipes for Prayer]. Jerusalem: Maggid.

(Mindfulness) Meditation

• Kabat-Zinn, J. 2005. Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life. New York: Hachette.
• Alidina, S. 2015². Mindfulness for Dummies. Chichester: Wiley.
• Bodian, S. 2016⁴. Meditation for Dummies. Chichester: Wiley.
• Goleman, D. & Davidson, R. J. 2017. Altered Traits:
  Science Reveals How Medication Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body. New York: Avery.
• Heads, G. 2017. Living Mindfully: Discovering Authenticity through Mindfulness. Chichester: Wiley Blackwell.
• Kaplan, A. 1985. Jewish Meditation: A Practical Guide. New York: Schocken.
• Cooper, D. A. 2000. The Handbook of Jewish Meditation Practices: A Guide for Enriching the Sabbath and Other Days of Your Life. Nashville: Jewish Lights.
• Lew, A. 2005. Be Still and Get Going: A Jewish Meditation Practice for Real Life. New York: Hachette.
• Roth, J. 2009. Jewish Meditation Practices for Everyday Life: Awakening Your Heart, Connecting with God. Nashville: Jewish Lights.
• Gefen, N. F. 2011². Discovering Jewish Meditation: Instruction & Guidance for Learning an Ancient Spiritual Practice. Nashville: Jewish Lights.
• Glick, Y. 2014. Living the Life of Jewish Meditation: A Comprehensive Guide to Practice and Experience. Nashville: Jewish Lights.
• Kaplan Spitz, E. 2015. Increasing Wholeness: Jewish Wisdom & Guided Meditations to Strengthen & Calm Body, Heart, Mind & Spirit. Nashville: Jewish Lights.

Creative Visualization

• Gawain, S. 2002³. Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life. Novato, CA: Nataraj.
• Nixon, R. 2011. Creative Visualization for Dummies. Chichester: Wiley.
• [Jewish books still missing]

Positive Self-Talk

• Helmstetter, S. 1982. What to Say When You Talk to Yourself. New York: Pocket Books.
• Newberg, A. & Waldman, M. R. 2013. Words Can Change Your Brain. New York: Plume.
• Pliskin, Z. 2007. Conversations with Yourself. New York: ArtScroll.

Journaling

• Klauser, H. A. 2000. Writing It Down, Make It Happen: Knowing What You Want - And Getting It. New York: Scribner.
• Ross, D. & Adams, K. 2016. Your Brain on Ink: A Workbook on Neuroplasticity and the Journal Ladder. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield.
• [Jewish books still missing]

I don't seem to have the problem of being left with no books to read and learn from in the next months. ;-) If you know other important books about these five mental workouts that are missing in this list, especially from the Jewish perspective, and/or know other mental workouts mental workouts for neuroplasticity, please share your knowledge with me by email. On the other hand, if you are unfamiliar or new to any of these mental workouts and interested to try any of them in order to rewire your brain and transform your own thoughts and emotions for better and healthier relationships with yourself and others around you, please feel free to email me. I'll be glad to share what little knowledge I have with you.