Table 7.

Chapter content and activities to complete in ‘Silence your Mind’ (bMED).

Chapter title	Chapter content	Tasks to complete
Chapter 1: The ants	•Introduction to meditation •Finding meditation
Chapter 2: The path to research	•A path less trodden •Mental silence – the new frontier •Words from mediators
Chapter 3: Defining Meditation	•Defining meditation •The placebo effect
Chapter 4: Specific effects – understanding the evidence	•Randomised controlled trials and meditation •An overview of the research •The right RCT •How this applies to you
Chapter 5: Mental silence – a unique discovery	•Origins of the concept •The architecture of our thinking •Contemplation, relaxation, mindfulness and mind-emptiness – what's the difference? •A Buddhist perspective on the mind, mindfulness and mind-emptiness •Can beginners experience mental silence easily? •What about long term meditators?
Chapter 6: The ancient paradigm	•Thinking and being •The history of mental silence •Present day •Words from meditators
Chapter 7: A thought experiment that ends in silence	•Thought experiment •Advice about posture •Standard affirmations	•How to begin – what am I aiming to experience? •Guided meditation sequence •Thought-stopping sequence •The Affirmations
Chapter 8: Stress – the noise in the mind	•The stress epidemic •Signs of stress and What is stress? •Can meditation modify the way that our mind reacts? •Mental silence and work stress •Is meditation uniquely effective in reducing stress? •A physiological paradox •Implications: cognitive reappraisal and stress management •Words from meditators
Chapter 9: Beyond the mind-body connection	•Case studies •Menopause •Asthma •The long term effects of meditation on health •Non-thought and wellbeing •Mind-body medicine •Words from meditators	•Enhancing your experience •Short affirmation sequence •Tying up your attention and protecting your experience •Conscious breathing and Mindful breathing •Bringing back your focus •Attention-based strategies •Other centering strategies •Footsoaking and Earthing •Ways to assess your progress
Chapter 10: Young minds	•Taming the wild things •Rebuilding resilience •The ADHD clinic •Case studies and The Results
Chapter 11: Meditation in the class room	•Evaluating meditation in schools •Emotional and behavioural wellbeing •Engagement •Teacher stress •Relationships •Preventing depression •Implications •Words from meditators	•Meditation for children •The magic bubble •The golden string •Tying up your attention •Rainbow protection
Chapter 12: Meditation and flow	•About flow •Sport, mental clarity, flow and meditation •Flow and mental silence in novice meditators •Case study •Flow and mental silence in novice meditators •In conclusion •Implications •Words from meditators
Chapter 13: Brain, mind and non-mind	•Introducing the brain •Neuroplasticity •Changing negative mind habits •This is your brain in meditation •Mental silence and the brain •The molecules of silence •The final frontier	•Frequently Asked Questions •Appendix and Acknowledgements