Self-Transformation with Mindfulness and Meditation

Dr. David Vago for TEDx discusses how mindfulness and meditation can shape the self, emotions, and perception. Learn how his groundbreaking research explains meditation’s benefits.

Transforming the Self Through Mindfulness

How is the “Self” represented in the brain? How do our everyday moment-to-moment perceptions, emotions, and thoughts sculpt it?

Cognitive Neuroscientist, David Vago demonstrates that a systematic form of mental training involving meditation and mindful awareness has the potential to transform our Self and our mental habits in a positive way. Learn more about how every moment is an opportunity to change our brain and strongly influence our health & longevity at both conscious and non-conscious levels.

A Cognitive Neuroscientist by training, David Vago has close to 20 years of experience with mindfulness practice and teaching. He has also spent over a decade conducting translational neuroimaging, cognitive, and clinical research. His research studies the basic mechanisms and therapeutic relevance of mindfulness and meditation/contemplative practices.

Through his research, Dr. Vago focuses on one basic area – “What are the basic neurobiological and physiological components that constitute adaptive mind-brain-body interactions? And what is their therapeutic relevance in psychiatric settings?”

In addition to being an expert in the emerging field of contemplative neuroscience, David has studied the neural mechanisms of neuropsychiatric disease and chronic pain using fMRI. He is currently translating these findings into biologically-based diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for alleviating suffering. He is the research director at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Additionally, he is a research associate in the Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School.

Click here to watch Dr. Vago’s TED Talk.

Want to learn more? Dr. David Vago worked closely with us to produce the online course, Neurobiology of Yoga, available exclusively with Yoga Medicine. Click here to view the online course.

Dr. Vago gave this speech at a TEDx event using the TED conference format. TEDx events are independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx