The following is a link to a Dan Rather Reports special on neuroplasticity and the power of mental training to dramatically change the brain. It features the research done on the Tibetan Buddhist monks conducted by Antoine Lutz, Richard J. Davidson and colleagues. It also features an interview with the Dalai Lama: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4846933362481486227&hl=en

I believe an important factor here is that by simply being exposed to this research, there is the prospect of opening ourselves to possibilities not previously considered. A study conducted by Carol Dweck at Stanford University illustrates thise idea very well. She found that children who had been exposed to the implications of neuroplasticity, thereby coming to believe that intelligence was able to be developed, were more likely to excel academically. You can read more about that here:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7406521.