Dr. Rick Hanson joins Chris to share practices and discuss the neuroscience behind cultivating traits of inner resilience and mindfulness.
Rick Hanson, Ph.D., is a psychologist, senior fellow of UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, and New York Times best-selling author. Founder of the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, he’s lectured at NASA, Google, Oxford, and Harvard, and taught in meditation centers worldwide. Learn more about Dr. Rick Hanson, his new book Neurodharma, his courses, and his podcast, Being Well, at rickhanson.net.
Get a download of the first chapter of Rick’s newest book, Neurodharma, as well as 3 free audio meditations recorded by Rick: Bonus Content
Resilience, Patience, Strength
Diving into the mental effects of the coronavirus lockdown, Dr. Hanson and Chris explore how we can cultivate resilience, patience, and strength through the neuroscientific approach of working with what is going on inside our mind, body, and nervous system.
“We manage challenges and threats through having resilience inside, which comes from all the kinds of strengths: mindfulness, happiness, spiritual practice, insight, willfulness, grit, fortitude, and determination…These are all things that make us resilient and help us weather the storm” – Dr. Rick Hanson
For methods and resources for strengthening resilience through the lens of mindfulness and neuroscience, dive into Ep. 106 of The Indie Spiritualist
Hit & Run Enlightenment (9:58)
Dr. Hanson shares four quick practices to fortify our mindfulness and resilience. What we rest our mind upon repeatedly, the mind takes its shape, so whatever we practice grows stronger, deepening through repetition. If you rest your mind on self-worth, versus resting it on resentment, it will effect your being dramatically over time. Much the same way, by repeating these practices, we develop trait mindfulness, trait present-moment-awareness, and trait warm-heartedness.
“In the moment, [practices] help us, but if we stay with them and feel them, and do them repeatedly, we gradually hardwire their residues into our own nervous systems, so we shift, we heal and develop ourselves over time.” – Dr. Rick Hanson
Dr. Rick Hanson explores the intersection between neuroscience and contemplative spiritual traditions on Ep.39 of The Road Home
Developing Your Inner-Sanctuary (23:40)
What do we want to make of this amazing, magical, improbable life? Dr. Hanson explores some of the themes from his new book, Neurodharma, illuminating the various paths we can take up the mountain to the summit of human possibility. The journey starts wherever we are right now, and comes with the realization that you are the person who can best help yourself. How can you help yourself? Learn a little.
“One of the main ways to help ourselves is to learn a little everyday. No one can defeat you inside the sanctuary, the inner-temple, of your mind to see a little more clearly everyday, to let go of a little crud everyday, to become a little more skillful everyday, a little more insightful.” – Dr. Rick Hanson
For more Dr. Hanson, explore resiliency, lasting traits, and the intersection of neuroscience and spirituality. on Ep. 123 of The Metta Hour
