From the Blog
Writings on Well-Being Dr. Rick Hanson
Being Well Podcast: The Attention Economy: How Self-Help Drifts Away from Science
Forrest and Dr. Rick explore how well-intentioned self-help advice can drift away from science under the incentives of the attention economy, where overclaiming, alarmist framing, and “this one simple trick” outperforms nuance.
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Here is a talk by Rick Hanson from his Wednesday night sitting group in San Rafael, CA. More information on the San Rafael Mediation group is available at https://rickhanson.net/teaching/meditation-group.
Is the Intention a Goal or Already Realized?
Do you express the intention as a goal or as something already realized? This gets at a recurring question, even a debate, in Buddhism (and also in psychology and in some religions): Is it about progressing toward an enlightened state, or is it about uncovering the...
What is Mindfuless?
Q: So today I had a “bad moment” – got stressed and upset about a work situation. My first thought was to let go of the negative thoughts that were running in my brain by actively taking in the good. Then I wondered if that meant I was running away from (ignoring or...
Friday Favorite
First Aid Kit perform Patti Smith's "Dancing Barefoot" live at the Polar Music Prize awards ceremony 2011.
Emotion in the Brain
The major brain regions that support emotional processing include the limbic system – particularly the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus – and the prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), nucleus accumbens, and insula. Technical note: there are two...
From Idea to Embodied Experience
This practice – From Idea to Embodied Experience– from page 92 in my book - Hardwiring Happiness – helps thoughts about a good fact become good feelings, sensations, desires and actions related to it: Be aware of your body as well as the good fact. Soften and open...
The Dance of Intimacy and Autonomy
Love tends to join and hate to separate, but joining is not the same as love, and separation is not hatred. Sometimes the most loving thing a person can do is take a step back: that’s distance in the service of attachment. And it’s not loving to join in invasive or...
Using Imagery to Change Your Brain
Q: Is there any evidence that just reading the words which describe an experience will bring activity to the corresponding part of the brain? A: There is a lot of fMRI research in which the prompt to the subject in the scanner is reading a text. Many of the texts used...
Expressing Your Intentions
Once your intentions are clear, the next question is: How to express them? There are many ways, including: As thoughts in your mind As an image In writing As a collage with words and images Through physical expression, posture, movement, dance As a sense of being When...
Friday Favorite
Here is an amazing video of a solo climb by Catherine Destivelle. Enjoy!
The Nature of Enlightenment
Q: What does it mean to be enlightened – does it mean being free of suffering? Once a person reaches the first phase, can you “lose” enlightenment? A: People define enlightenment differently. I like the expression: sudden awakening, gradual cultivation, sudden...
Changing Negative Thoughts
Unpleasant experiences are a natural part of life. And some of them have benefits. Sorrow can tenderize your heart, hardship can make you stronger, and anger can energize you to deal with mistreatment. Further, if you resist unpleasant experiences, this blocks their...
Growing Good
When something difficult or uncomfortable happens, these three ways to engage your mind give you a very useful, step-by-step sequence.
Empathy and Brain Plasticity
In this interview with Ruth Buczynski, PhD, I talk about the evolution of the brain and the development and neuroscience of empathy.
Integration of Mind and Brain
Linking of mind and brain has three important implications. First, as your mind changes, your brain changes. Your brain changes both temporarily, millisecond by millisecond, AND it changes in lasting ways because – in the famous saying of the Canadian psychologist,...
Being for Yourself
To take in the good, you have to want to help yourself. Being for yourself, not against others but on your own side, is the foundation of all practices of health, well-being, and effectiveness. Without this stance, you wouldn’t be motivated to act on your own behalf....
Intention of Renunciation
Renunciation is founded on a disenchantment with the world and with experience, based on right view. You see through all the possibilities of experience: you see their ephemeral, insubstantial, empty qualities, no matter how alluring or seemingly gratifying. You see...
Friday Favorite
Here's a fun video highlighting some key insights from the truly wonderful Fred Rogers. Enjoy!
Eat Right
Eating healthy is one way to be a good role model for your children. Good nutrition is a key part of maintaining your energy as a parent. Eating healthy helps parents stay good-humored and patient with children, even when the oatmeal starts flying.
Evolutionary Neurobiology of Shame
Have you ever scolded a dog and seen him or her look guilty? Obviously, animals do not have the elaborated textures of thoughts and feelings that humans do. But our emotions, even the most subtle ones, have their roots in our ancient evolutionary history. By...
Friday Favorite
Looks like fun, doesn't it?