This book explores the history of meditation, including from a medical perspective, and describes its significance for the practice of medicine today. The first part of the book explains the concepts of mindfulness and meditation, places meditation in the context of different religious and philosophical traditions, and provides insights into its significance in relation to physiology, psychology, psychoanalysis, cognitive behavioral therapy, and psychiatry in general. Many studies have demonstrated the clinical effects of meditation in various diseases, and the second part of the book is devoted to the psychiatric and medical applications of meditation. Current knowledge is presented on the role of meditation in depressive and anxiety disorders, psychosis, and physical illnesses. In addition, the value of meditation in specific age groups, the young and the elderly, is reviewed, and the use and benefits of meditation in the workplace and the community are discussed. The book will bean excellent resource for all psychiatrists with an interest in meditation as well as for general practitioners, meditation practitioners, and others wishing to learn more about this fascinating subject.
