Richie: Fourth pillar is purpose, about identifying our true north in life. He says there are specific meditation practices that can help more deeply connect our sense of purpose and our four values to more and more of what we do. Richie: Can taking out the garbage be directly connected to your sense of purpose? It simply requires a little bit of reframing. And it's not so much about finding something more purposeful to do with our lives, but rather, how can we derive meaning and purpose from that which we are already doing - including pedestrian activities like picking up trash.
After a life-changing experience in India, Dr. Richie Davidson tried to convince his Harvard professors to let him study the science of meditation. No one took him seriously. Half a century later, Richie has measured the undeniable impact of meditation on our brains. And here’s the good news for people who know the benefits of meditation but struggle to actually do it: you don't need to carve out separate time for a practice. Richie walks Maya through how to integrate meditation into daily activities.
For more on Richie’s work, check out his book “Altered Traits" and learn more at the Center for Healthy Minds and Healthy Minds Innovations.
And if you enjoyed this episode, we recommend this one from the archives: “Maya’s Slight Change in Perspective.”
For a behind-the-scenes look at the show, follow @DrMayaShankar on Instagram.
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