Richie: Do we understand at all what the mechanisms might be at play here that are leading these Olympian meditators to have such a different response from the ones that you and I might have? Richie: One of the important contributors to this is the prefrontal cortex. The quality of emotions lingering beyond the point where they're useful is what really gets us into trouble, he says. Richi: We need to get it under control, so to speak. It can afford many advantages, but it also can get us into trouble.
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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