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The Art of Emptying The Brain: Nepalese Method Spontaneous Mental Healing
Have you struggled with your mental health?
Dr. Leonid Altshuler M.D., a board-certified psychiatrist, went through years of misdiagnosis and suffering before he discovered an innate connection between stress, diet and physical and mental illnesses.
In this deliberately short book Dr. Altshuler describes a unique method called the Art of Emptying the Brain that he was taught in Nepal where he lived in a monastery studying different meditation techniques taught by a Master.
He was dealing with a lot of stress at that time in his personal and professional life and was eagger to find a treatment to relieve stress. But he was told from the beginning by the Master that he could not study any techniques because he was not ready.
He said that if Dr. Altshuler started meditating right away without preparation then eventually, he would cause a lot of emotional problems for himself.
He said that Westerners have a restless mind and cannot just jump to practice meditation right away , they need to learn specific technique first to be able to empty their mind and only then begin meditation.
He said that the preparation stage would be discharging unwanted emotions, memories and images spontaneously and the task would be not to interfere in the process.
Dr. Altshuler has been teaching this easy to adopt unique Nepalese technique to all his patients who are interested in studying meditation. He achieves excellent results utilizing this method in the treatment of depression, anxiety and chronic insomnia.
This book is designed to make it easy for you to make the changes needed to address these issues.
This book does not replace the advice of your medical practitioner, it is intended to support the work of your medical practitioner and to help you or a loved one to achieve good health.
Dr. Leonid Altshuler M.D., a board-certified psychiatrist, went through years of misdiagnosis and suffering before he discovered an innate connection between stress, diet and physical and mental illnesses.
In this deliberately short book Dr. Altshuler describes a unique method called the Art of Emptying the Brain that he was taught in Nepal where he lived in a monastery studying different meditation techniques taught by a Master.
He was dealing with a lot of stress at that time in his personal and professional life and was eagger to find a treatment to relieve stress. But he was told from the beginning by the Master that he could not study any techniques because he was not ready.
He said that if Dr. Altshuler started meditating right away without preparation then eventually, he would cause a lot of emotional problems for himself.
He said that Westerners have a restless mind and cannot just jump to practice meditation right away , they need to learn specific technique first to be able to empty their mind and only then begin meditation.
He said that the preparation stage would be discharging unwanted emotions, memories and images spontaneously and the task would be not to interfere in the process.
Dr. Altshuler has been teaching this easy to adopt unique Nepalese technique to all his patients who are interested in studying meditation. He achieves excellent results utilizing this method in the treatment of depression, anxiety and chronic insomnia.
This book is designed to make it easy for you to make the changes needed to address these issues.
This book does not replace the advice of your medical practitioner, it is intended to support the work of your medical practitioner and to help you or a loved one to achieve good health.
- GenresNonfictionHealth
33 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 29, 2018
175 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 19, 2019
Thank you Books Go Social and Netgalley for an ARC in return of my honest review.
This is a very very short book which I found to be more of a long article or booklet.
I had a lot of questions while I was reading this. Initially I found it quite unusual for a medical doctor, specialised in Psychiatry to state that he was not aware of the mind-body connection until he went to a monestary, although he had been treating and medicating patients with anxiety, depression and other conditions. I found this quite concerning to be honest.
I also questioned his initial response at the arrival of the monestary when told to go and sit still with no distractions for an hour a day. He seemed so resistant to being alone for just an hour a day which made me wonder what he really thought going to a monastary would entail.
As someone who meditates and has completed a ten day silent retreat at a monastary, where meditating and living mindfully for 18 hours a day is the expectation of anyone entering the gates I was a bit perplexed. I was also surprised by the big realisations he encountered each day afternamtotlamof 7 hours mediation in his whole life. Good on him, but my experience has been that not every meditation is mind blowing, much of the time it is a struggle with the monkey mind rather than experiencing life changing realisations.
I still, upon finishing the book question the reality of emptying your mind of subcomscious thought ps before you can begin doing any meditation. There are a number of meditation techniques and styles. My understanding from the insight meditation I practice is that learning to sit ( or walk) and be with yourself in the present moment is the point. There will always be unpleasant thoughts that enter our minds, there will always be pleasant thoughts, this is the nature of our mind. It is not trying to dig everything up amd choose what we would like to keep, the point is to understand our reactions to these feelings and as briefly touched upon in the book create a gap between our feelings and our reaction time to the feelings.
There were many many ideas brushed over with a quick sentence or two within the book but nothing much was substantiated with referencing (only two links for the entire research alluded to). It felt like a confused, hurried approach to publish a piece of work on an approach he uses. I would caution those with anxiety and depression taking this work too seriously and would be concerned with those persons attempting this without the structure or support of professional caregivers.
I am unsure how helpful to adults who work outside of the home using a pacifier or sucking their thumb would be when anxious. I think creating some more socially acceptable coping mechanism would be more useful to the majority of readers.
I do not like to leave such a critical review, however I have, as raised, a number of concerns with this writing, especially for the reading
Audience the author claims to be helping.
I would proceed with caution.
Thank you for the opportunity to Read and review this ARC
This is a very very short book which I found to be more of a long article or booklet.
I had a lot of questions while I was reading this. Initially I found it quite unusual for a medical doctor, specialised in Psychiatry to state that he was not aware of the mind-body connection until he went to a monestary, although he had been treating and medicating patients with anxiety, depression and other conditions. I found this quite concerning to be honest.
I also questioned his initial response at the arrival of the monestary when told to go and sit still with no distractions for an hour a day. He seemed so resistant to being alone for just an hour a day which made me wonder what he really thought going to a monastary would entail.
As someone who meditates and has completed a ten day silent retreat at a monastary, where meditating and living mindfully for 18 hours a day is the expectation of anyone entering the gates I was a bit perplexed. I was also surprised by the big realisations he encountered each day afternamtotlamof 7 hours mediation in his whole life. Good on him, but my experience has been that not every meditation is mind blowing, much of the time it is a struggle with the monkey mind rather than experiencing life changing realisations.
I still, upon finishing the book question the reality of emptying your mind of subcomscious thought ps before you can begin doing any meditation. There are a number of meditation techniques and styles. My understanding from the insight meditation I practice is that learning to sit ( or walk) and be with yourself in the present moment is the point. There will always be unpleasant thoughts that enter our minds, there will always be pleasant thoughts, this is the nature of our mind. It is not trying to dig everything up amd choose what we would like to keep, the point is to understand our reactions to these feelings and as briefly touched upon in the book create a gap between our feelings and our reaction time to the feelings.
There were many many ideas brushed over with a quick sentence or two within the book but nothing much was substantiated with referencing (only two links for the entire research alluded to). It felt like a confused, hurried approach to publish a piece of work on an approach he uses. I would caution those with anxiety and depression taking this work too seriously and would be concerned with those persons attempting this without the structure or support of professional caregivers.
I am unsure how helpful to adults who work outside of the home using a pacifier or sucking their thumb would be when anxious. I think creating some more socially acceptable coping mechanism would be more useful to the majority of readers.
I do not like to leave such a critical review, however I have, as raised, a number of concerns with this writing, especially for the reading
Audience the author claims to be helping.
I would proceed with caution.
Thank you for the opportunity to Read and review this ARC
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2019
I'd recommend avoiding this one. Although mercifully short, and although the information in it might well be true, the tone is so awful it makes you doubt you're reading anything other than pseudo-science quackery. And I say that as someone who absolutely believes in meditation as a life-enriching practice that can indeed help with all sorts of medical problems - including, possibly, the ones mentioned here. But "it is known" and "several studies show" is not scientific, even with some random further reading links at the end.
It doesn't help, either, that both of the 'case studies' involve rich men dropping everything at a drop of a hat to spend months in Tibetan meditation retreats. Way to engage your audience, eh?
Full review up on my blog.
It doesn't help, either, that both of the 'case studies' involve rich men dropping everything at a drop of a hat to spend months in Tibetan meditation retreats. Way to engage your audience, eh?
Full review up on my blog.
February 6, 2020
Please don’t
His one good point is that people need to be willing to sit with themselves, without allowing distractions, so that they can deal with their own “trash”. The science (or lack, thereof) really doesn’t stack up and he doesn’t have much basis for it. Once someone who says they’re a doctor states that adults should buy themselves a pacifier, and they aren’t joking about it, I think they need to look at their life again.
His one good point is that people need to be willing to sit with themselves, without allowing distractions, so that they can deal with their own “trash”. The science (or lack, thereof) really doesn’t stack up and he doesn’t have much basis for it. Once someone who says they’re a doctor states that adults should buy themselves a pacifier, and they aren’t joking about it, I think they need to look at their life again.
February 4, 2019
Ever-sceptical, I was willing to take this book** seriously until the author revealed that he advised his adult mental health patients to suck their thumbs!
This – and expensive sessions in a sensory deprivation tank - are among techniques Dr Leonid Altshuler suggests to those suffering from anxiety, depression and related conditions.
A conventional medical doctor and psychiatrist, Florida, USA-based Altshuler turned to alternative treatments like meditation during a troubled period in his own life: He packed up and visited a Nepalese monastery where he underwent a severe, seven-day emotional self-detoxification whose adverse physical effects read like a drug or alcoholic ‘cold turkey’.
I sense that Dr Altshuler is a sincere chap who genuinely wants people to help cure themselves using the methods he suggests. Many of them have ancient roots and should not require visiting a therapist, nutritionist or family doctor. Nor would I ever recommend anyone joining a meditation group for reasons I cannot outline here.
As I have observed of similar self-help guides: This is all about self-indulgent westerners with too much money, leisure and little sense. They believe they are unhappy. Then they meet real disaster – and suddenly they see sense!
This – and expensive sessions in a sensory deprivation tank - are among techniques Dr Leonid Altshuler suggests to those suffering from anxiety, depression and related conditions.
A conventional medical doctor and psychiatrist, Florida, USA-based Altshuler turned to alternative treatments like meditation during a troubled period in his own life: He packed up and visited a Nepalese monastery where he underwent a severe, seven-day emotional self-detoxification whose adverse physical effects read like a drug or alcoholic ‘cold turkey’.
I sense that Dr Altshuler is a sincere chap who genuinely wants people to help cure themselves using the methods he suggests. Many of them have ancient roots and should not require visiting a therapist, nutritionist or family doctor. Nor would I ever recommend anyone joining a meditation group for reasons I cannot outline here.
As I have observed of similar self-help guides: This is all about self-indulgent westerners with too much money, leisure and little sense. They believe they are unhappy. Then they meet real disaster – and suddenly they see sense!
January 26, 2019
As a person with a physical chronic illness that is, at least in part, stress-related, I'm always very curious about alternative ways to master my illness. I am also a worrier, certain events keep replaying in my mind, especially at night, and obviously when I fret I can't sleep. In other words: if there is a way of emptying my mind, I'd love to know about it, which is why I picked up this book. Did it deliver? Yes, it most certainly did. The author takes us back to the when and how of his discovery of this art of emptying the brain, which was interesting, also because it was kept short, and then proceeds to explain what we, rat racers that we are, can do to empty our brain and find happiness. Part of this is actually stating the obvious, telling us things we probably already know, but although we might know the philosophy, we do not live by it, and in that aspect, it is great to be reminded. Very practical, very to the point, very short, not at all spacey or dreamy or mystic, just really straightforward and logical advice to find peace of mind.
December 22, 2018
The Sliding Scale Diet was not something I expected. In search of relief of feeling sick for so long (which has lessened once I had an organ removed), I requested this book to review. It had the title: "Sliding Scale Diet Commonsense Diet. New Psychological Approach", then when I downloaded the book, I found a different title, cover, and description: "The Art of Emptying the Brain
Nepalese method spontaneous mental healing". Overall, I wouldn't have chosen to read this book based on the second title, yet it was an interesting read. A medical doctor turned psychiatrist described his personal anxieties/issues and the result of his experience/research in visiting "Tibet to participate in cultural and educational activities". Like the author, I believe in a more holistic approach to life and healing and that Western medicine would benefit from other cultural medicines/approaches worldwide.
Nepalese method spontaneous mental healing". Overall, I wouldn't have chosen to read this book based on the second title, yet it was an interesting read. A medical doctor turned psychiatrist described his personal anxieties/issues and the result of his experience/research in visiting "Tibet to participate in cultural and educational activities". Like the author, I believe in a more holistic approach to life and healing and that Western medicine would benefit from other cultural medicines/approaches worldwide.
January 19, 2019
In just a few minutes, readers of "Brain Chatter Declutters" discover two practices that ease depression, anxiety, insomnia, and obesity as well as related health problems like high blood pressure and diabetes. Dr. Leonid Altshuler describes how walking meditation and compassion are two keys to erasing brain chatter and other illnesses.
Short and sweet, this book is easy to digest yet powerful. It includes information about how our bodies get stuck and how we can relieve these concerns. As a result of reading "Brain Chatter Declutters," I vow to walk more and be more mindful about my daily food and movement decisions.
I recommend this book to anyone who's interested in better health. It also appeals to therapists, patients, avid exercises, Buddhists, and anyone interested in meditation.
Short and sweet, this book is easy to digest yet powerful. It includes information about how our bodies get stuck and how we can relieve these concerns. As a result of reading "Brain Chatter Declutters," I vow to walk more and be more mindful about my daily food and movement decisions.
I recommend this book to anyone who's interested in better health. It also appeals to therapists, patients, avid exercises, Buddhists, and anyone interested in meditation.
December 9, 2018
This book tells about the experiences of the author, Dr Altshuler an American psychiatrist, who, fed up with the stress and health problems in his own life, goes to live in a Nepalese monastery for a period of time.
There under the tutelage of a Master he learns to meditate, but first he has to go through a process of readying himself by learning to calm and empty his brain. Dr Altshuler undergoes such a personal transformation as a result of his lessons in meditation that he decides to take his learning back to his patients at home. There he uses it with great success to help those with anxiety, depression or insomnia.
As somebody who does meditate I found the book interesting, if a little on the short side.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
There under the tutelage of a Master he learns to meditate, but first he has to go through a process of readying himself by learning to calm and empty his brain. Dr Altshuler undergoes such a personal transformation as a result of his lessons in meditation that he decides to take his learning back to his patients at home. There he uses it with great success to help those with anxiety, depression or insomnia.
As somebody who does meditate I found the book interesting, if a little on the short side.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
October 15, 2020
Sometimes you have to take out the rubbish first
If your house is more or less tidy, you can sweep up and do some tidying maintenance, then put out the rubbish. Today, our minds are more like the home of a Hoarder. There’s rubbish everywhere and it needs to be tossed out and cleared away so we can see the floor, and then decide what we want to do with our home and life. This book describes a path to a more enjoyable life through mental and emotional house clearing.
This might be a five, but I’ve only begun to follow its practises. It’s a concentrated read, and potentially a very valuable one.
If your house is more or less tidy, you can sweep up and do some tidying maintenance, then put out the rubbish. Today, our minds are more like the home of a Hoarder. There’s rubbish everywhere and it needs to be tossed out and cleared away so we can see the floor, and then decide what we want to do with our home and life. This book describes a path to a more enjoyable life through mental and emotional house clearing.
This might be a five, but I’ve only begun to follow its practises. It’s a concentrated read, and potentially a very valuable one.
February 11, 2019
Surprising information. Would love to see some research on this and its efficacy. May give it a spin myself.
I'm a therapist and about to work on my journey to gain verification in EMDR. Most my clients have trauma in their lives and suffer terribly with anxiety, grief, fear, guilt, depression, agoraphobia, bipolar, personality disorders, etc etc etc. And it is heartbreaking how much they suffer. I would be willing to try anything as long as no harm, so until there's research to back this up , it will be only tried on myself.
I'm a therapist and about to work on my journey to gain verification in EMDR. Most my clients have trauma in their lives and suffer terribly with anxiety, grief, fear, guilt, depression, agoraphobia, bipolar, personality disorders, etc etc etc. And it is heartbreaking how much they suffer. I would be willing to try anything as long as no harm, so until there's research to back this up , it will be only tried on myself.
November 26, 2019
Find your happy place and make yourself comfortable
I highly recommend this book because emptying my brain has recently been on my mind. I believe we are burdened, unnecessarily, by too many distractions; and unable to function right as a result. I knew there had to be a simple solution, and here it is! Dr. Altshuler explains everything in ways I easily relate to. I am very thankful to him for writing this simple, and most helpful book. I look forward to better health, finding peace and living a life of joy.
I highly recommend this book because emptying my brain has recently been on my mind. I believe we are burdened, unnecessarily, by too many distractions; and unable to function right as a result. I knew there had to be a simple solution, and here it is! Dr. Altshuler explains everything in ways I easily relate to. I am very thankful to him for writing this simple, and most helpful book. I look forward to better health, finding peace and living a life of joy.
April 6, 2019
Short but pretty interesting
I don't know if the technique he's suggests is necessary for everyone, but might be very helpful for those who are exceedingly anxious or anxiety ridden, as many Americans are.
It makes sense.
The only reason I have it for stars was because right as my interest was peaked, the book was done. But it definitely sparked ash interest in reading further regarding dopamine and insulin resistance etc.....
I don't know if the technique he's suggests is necessary for everyone, but might be very helpful for those who are exceedingly anxious or anxiety ridden, as many Americans are.
It makes sense.
The only reason I have it for stars was because right as my interest was peaked, the book was done. But it definitely sparked ash interest in reading further regarding dopamine and insulin resistance etc.....
August 17, 2020
A short read that holds wisdom
I thought it was a regular meditation book; it is not. I was surprised to see phrases like, "insulin resistant", and, "metabolic syndrome" . These phrases are everywhere in my paleo and neurology books, but not my meditation ones. I am SO thrilled to see this information in a book about the powers of meditation. You have the time to read this short treasure, read it.
I thought it was a regular meditation book; it is not. I was surprised to see phrases like, "insulin resistant", and, "metabolic syndrome" . These phrases are everywhere in my paleo and neurology books, but not my meditation ones. I am SO thrilled to see this information in a book about the powers of meditation. You have the time to read this short treasure, read it.
January 28, 2019
Read this
This could be the most valuable advice you’ve ever been given. It’s pure wisdom and so concise, providing life changing techniques to bring you to a deeper level of awareness and higher functioning. Your life will change if you take this to heart. Thank you universe for this book!
This could be the most valuable advice you’ve ever been given. It’s pure wisdom and so concise, providing life changing techniques to bring you to a deeper level of awareness and higher functioning. Your life will change if you take this to heart. Thank you universe for this book!
February 17, 2019
Incredibly useful!
I have needed this book and didn’t even know it! I thought there was something wrong with me because everyone else seemed to get so much out of meditation and all I got was more stress, anxiety, and depression!
Thank you so much for this short, simple instruction on releasing all of these feelings!
I have needed this book and didn’t even know it! I thought there was something wrong with me because everyone else seemed to get so much out of meditation and all I got was more stress, anxiety, and depression!
Thank you so much for this short, simple instruction on releasing all of these feelings!
February 24, 2019
Simple and powerful
I really appreciate that this book gets right to the point and offers a very simple and powerful method for people to change for the better. No fluff or complicated steps here. This method is especially needed for our modern society that is too distracted by an overload of electronic-based information.
I really appreciate that this book gets right to the point and offers a very simple and powerful method for people to change for the better. No fluff or complicated steps here. This method is especially needed for our modern society that is too distracted by an overload of electronic-based information.
January 5, 2021
This is a short book, with some interesting points that looks at two men, who use meditation in different ways to improve their lives.
Whilst this was an interesting read that had some interesting nuggets of information.
I don't think everones has time to drop everything to spend months in Tibetan meditation retreats likeboth of the men did.
#BrainChatterDeclutters #NetGalley
Whilst this was an interesting read that had some interesting nuggets of information.
I don't think everones has time to drop everything to spend months in Tibetan meditation retreats likeboth of the men did.
#BrainChatterDeclutters #NetGalley
January 17, 2019
So interesting!
I just finished this short and very interesting little book so I haven't had a chance to do the work yet but I am excited to get started. It sounds quite doable and also believable. I really can't wait.
I just finished this short and very interesting little book so I haven't had a chance to do the work yet but I am excited to get started. It sounds quite doable and also believable. I really can't wait.
January 21, 2019
LOVE
Very helpful and informative. I love that the author used personal experiences to tell his story. I will definitely be reading this book again and I strongly feel like these methods will change my life!
Very helpful and informative. I love that the author used personal experiences to tell his story. I will definitely be reading this book again and I strongly feel like these methods will change my life!
March 26, 2019
It is ok
Probably because I read a lot about the subject, but the book did not tell me anything new.
It was not clear for me is writer recommends take an hour daily for reflection or thinking positive. Anyway... all fine for 20 min reading.
Probably because I read a lot about the subject, but the book did not tell me anything new.
It was not clear for me is writer recommends take an hour daily for reflection or thinking positive. Anyway... all fine for 20 min reading.
March 28, 2019
Love the explanation of effect of stress hormone on dis-ease
We live in a crazy busy stressful world with conditioned negative reactivity. It is killing us. Very simple method to change reactions to calm response-with practice.
We live in a crazy busy stressful world with conditioned negative reactivity. It is killing us. Very simple method to change reactions to calm response-with practice.
January 19, 2019
Coming Home to your beingness
The methods offered in this book are simple, difficult and effective. You will only benefit if you put them into practice
The methods offered in this book are simple, difficult and effective. You will only benefit if you put them into practice
February 9, 2019
Great book!!!!
This is an awesome short and straight to the point read that gives a well rounded look into a happier healthier lifestyle if you put the techniques into practice.
This is an awesome short and straight to the point read that gives a well rounded look into a happier healthier lifestyle if you put the techniques into practice.
February 19, 2019
Great information!
This is a short book packed with very understandable and sensible information. It taught me several things to think about.
This is a short book packed with very understandable and sensible information. It taught me several things to think about.
March 6, 2019
I would not recommend this book. It did not provide helpful insight. There are better books on meditation than this one.
I received this galley from NetGalley.
I received this galley from NetGalley.
May 5, 2019
Wow!!!! Loved it!!! A must read!!!
So many different techniques 2 release all the old beliefs or patterns we humans hang onto!!! Brilliant, I'd advise everyone 2 read!!!!
So many different techniques 2 release all the old beliefs or patterns we humans hang onto!!! Brilliant, I'd advise everyone 2 read!!!!
November 11, 2019
Great method
This book is very simple to read and understand. A strong challenge but exciting to explore. I. Really enjoyed this book.
This book is very simple to read and understand. A strong challenge but exciting to explore. I. Really enjoyed this book.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews