14/01/2026
"For many years, I have been working with scientists. I was a guinea pig — a test subject. During those times, I had a lot of discussions with many scientists. And what neuroscientists said was that first they discovered neuroplasticity. Maybe 20–25 years ago, neuroscientists did not believe that the brain was capable of change. So, if you were born unhappy, the rest of your life you would be unhappy. If you were born a little bit anxious, there would be no hope for you — the rest of
your life you would be a little bit anxious. If you were born a little bit angry, the rest of your life you would be like that. But now, they say it can change. That is neuroplasticity.
Later, they discovered neuropathways. The change makes new
“highways” in the brain — highways of happiness, highways of
loving-kindness, highways of wisdom, highways of awareness. That can cause transformation in the brain. When there is transformation in the brain, it is also throughout the body.
Recently, they discovered neurogenesis. Even gene expression is changed by meditation. Therefore, if you are born with unhappiness, no problem — you can have hope, and you can change. Especially through meditation, you can easily change. When you meditate, the scientists told me, you can change your brain consciously, meaning that you can change it according to your wishes."
- Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
(excerpted from Rinpoche's teaching, "How Meditation Changes the Brain")
