Overview

Drawing on a wealth of new evidence, pioneering research psychologist David DeSteno shows why religious practices and rituals are so beneficial to those who follow them--and to anyone, regardless of their faith (or lack thereof).Scientists are beginning to discover what believers have known for a long time: the rewards that a religious life can provide. For millennia, people have turned to priests, rabbis, imams, shamans, and others to help them deal with issues of grief and loss, birth and death, morality and meaning. In this absorbing work, DeSteno reveals how numerous religious practices from around the world improve emotional and physical well-being. With empathy and rigor, DeSteno chronicles religious rites and traditions from cradle to grave. He explains how the Japanese rituals surrounding childbirth help strengthen parental bonds with children. He describes how the Apache Sunrise Ceremony makes teenage girls better able to face the rigors of womanhood. He shows how Buddhist meditation reduces hostility and increases compassion. He demonstrates how the Jewish practice of sitting shiva comforts the bereaved. And much more. DeSteno details how belief itself enhances physical and mental health. But you don't need to be religious to benefit from the trove of wisdom that religion has to offer. Many items in religion's toolbox can help the body and mind whether or not one believes. How God Works offers advice on how to incorporate many of these practices to help all of us live more meaningful, successful, and satisfying lives.

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9781797131313

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Reviews

"A masterful and continually surprising tour of how spiritual practices around the world anticipated the latest evidence-based insights from the science of behavior change....and shows how we can all use them to improve our health, connection, and happiness. -- ""Laurie Santos, professor of psychology, Yale University, and host of The Happiness Lab podcast"" This is a book on religion that even an atheist can love...Clear, engaging, and very persuasive, How God Works will change the way you think about faith and science. -- ""Paul Bloom, professor of psychology, Yale University"" What do you get when you cross spiritual wisdom with modern science? A whole bunch of smart ideas about how to live a happier, healthier, and more meaningful life. A delightful and illuminating read. -- ""Daniel Gilbert, professor of psychology, Harvard University"""

A masterful and continually surprising tour of how spiritual practices around the world anticipated the latest evidence-based insights from the science of behavior change....and shows how we can all use them to improve our health, connection, and happiness. -- Laurie Santos, professor of psychology, Yale University, and host of The Happiness Lab podcast This is a book on religion that even an atheist can love...Clear, engaging, and very persuasive, How God Works will change the way you think about faith and science. -- Paul Bloom, professor of psychology, Yale University What do you get when you cross spiritual wisdom with modern science? A whole bunch of smart ideas about how to live a happier, healthier, and more meaningful life. A delightful and illuminating read. -- Daniel Gilbert, professor of psychology, Harvard University

Author Information

David DeSteno is a professor of psychology at Northeastern University and the author of Emotional Success and The Truth About Trust, and coauthor of Out of Character. He frequently writes for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Harvard Business Review, and The Atlantic. He received his PhD in psychology from Yale University. Arthur Morey has recorded countless audiobooks, including titles by such authors as M. Scott Peck, John Updike, Richard Russo, Anne Tyler, and John Irving. He attended Harvard and the University of Chicago and has taught performance and writing at Fordham, Northwestern, and the Art Institute of Chicago. Arthur has appeared in a host of off-Broadway and off-Loop productions. He has won three AudioFile Magazine 'Best Of' Awards: in 2011 for BIOGRAPHY & HISTORY, in for History & Historical Fiction, and in 2009 for Nonfiction & Culture. His work has also garnered multiple AudioFile Earphones awards, and he has been nominated for an Audie Award.

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