Meditation can create brain changes that in turn affect perception, a new book says.

Anything that stimulates your brain, including the words you are reading at this moment, affects the way you think. But, as neuroscientists are learning, this road runs in two directions: While your brain produces your thoughts, your thoughts have the ability to make physical changes in your brain.

Changing the brain by harnessing the will has the potential to bring malfunctioning minds back to health, Begley says, and to raise healthy minds to higher levels.