Taking responsibility for the shaping of our brain

Neuroplasticity is simply a word that refers to the fact that the brain changes in response to experience and in response to training. The brain is constantly being shaped wittingly or unwittingly. And most of the time I think the brain is being shaped unwittingly. Most of the time we are unaware of all the forces around us which are shaping our brain. And the invitation in the work that we do is simply that we can all take more responsibility for the shaping of our own brains. If we cultivate healthy habits of mind, we know from hard nosed neuroscientific research that the intentional cultivation of these positive qualities of the mind can actually change the brain in ways that will enable well-being and other positive qualities like compassion and generosity to endure.