Buddhism may be better than Prozac

Noted molecular biologist Eric Lander, a leader of the Human Genome Project, recently made an interesting comment at a conference of renowned scientists and Buddhist scholars at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) this weekend.

"It is certainly not inconceivable that 20 years from now, the US surgeon general might recommend 60 minutes of mental exercise five times a week"

In other words, meditation. As seen in this report on the event. such a prediction from a man of Lander's stature at a venue like MIT is an indication of mainstream science's growing fascination with Buddhism, and especially with the preliminary but extraordinary results of state-of-the-art research into the Olympian mental athleticism of trained Buddhist monks.

In the age of Prozac, the possible applications could leave mood-altering pills on the shelf.

However, some scientists had concerns over the time needed to train such skills. Others argued for the usefulness of negative emotions.

Which, in my mind argues for them learning the lesson of meditation, if nothing else. Many more details at the report.