When science meets religion, the result can be explosive--or insightful. By inviting the Dalai Lama and leading neuroscience researchers to join in conversation, the Mind and Life Institute in Washington, DC, set the stage for a fascinating exploration of the potential of the human mind. This conference, recorded and transcribed for the first time in The Mind's Own Physician, answered the questions millions have asked about brain functioning: What can mindfulness do for me? Can our minds actually influence the outcomes of physical disease? How can we unlock the brain's potential without spending hours in meditation? The Dalai Lama poses many more questions about secular approaches to mindfulness, the brain biology of meditation, and meditation's relationship to mental and physical health, which are then answered by the preeminent meditation scholars, academics, and researchers in each specialty. Edited by world-renowned researchers Jon Kabat-Zinn and Richard Davidson, who also attended the conference, this book presents the full dialogue along with new research that sheds light on each topic that was discussed.