The Neural Correlates of Jhāna & Three Ways to Engage the Unconditioned | Rick Hanson Q&A

Feb 27, 2025

Rick Hanson, a renowned psychologist and author, discusses the intriguing interplay between neuroscience and Buddhist teachings. He introduces 'Neurodharma,' explaining how brain science can enhance meditation practices. The conversation navigates the complexities of suffering and emphasizes mindfulness's role in personal growth. Hanson also delves into Jhāna meditation and its neurological impacts, highlighting how attention shapes our experience. Additionally, he offers insights on compassionate communication and the importance of positive emotions for mental well-being, especially in aging.

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Intro

00:00 • 2min

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Neurodharma: Bridging Buddhism and Neuroscience

01:48 • 32min

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Exploring Buddhist Teachings and Navigating Relationships

33:54 • 2min

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The Power of Heartfelt Communication and Compassionate Assertiveness

36:06 • 4min

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Understanding Jhāna: Attention and Neurology

39:52 • 7min

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Neuroscience and Well-Being in Aging

46:50 • 12min

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#638

• Mentioned in 29 episodes

Resilient

How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness

Rick Hanson

This book, written by Dr. Rick Hanson and his son Forrest Hanson, focuses on developing inner strengths such as grit, gratitude, and compassion to enhance resilience. It draws on neuroscience, mindfulness, and positive psychology to provide concrete suggestions, experiential practices, and personal examples. The book helps readers overcome the brain's negativity bias, release painful thoughts and feelings, and replace them with self-compassion, self-worth, joy, and inner peace. It also includes effective ways to interact with others and repair and deepen important relationships, all grounded in the science of positive neuroplasticity.

#9500

• Mentioned in 3 episodes

Making Great Relationships

Rick Hanson

#5442

• Mentioned in 5 episodes

Neurodharma

Rick Hanson

#6046

• Mentioned in 5 episodes

Just One Thing

Developing a Buddha Brain One Simple Practice at a Time

Rick Hanson

This book provides 52 bite-size practices that aim to improve mental well-being by leveraging modern neuroscience, positive psychology, and ancient wisdom traditions. Each practice is designed to be simple and easy to incorporate into daily life, focusing on areas such as gratitude, self-compassion, and mindfulness. The book emphasizes the power of small, consistent actions in transforming the brain and enhancing overall happiness and resilience.

#5043

• Mentioned in 5 episodes

The Island

Mark O'Neill

#1328

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Hardwiring Happiness

The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence

Rick Hanson

In 'Hardwiring Happiness,' Dr. Rick Hanson explains how the brain's ancient survival mechanism makes it more adept at learning from negative experiences than positive ones. He introduces a simple method using everyday experiences to build new neural structures filled with happiness, love, confidence, and peace. Dr. Hanson's four-step HEAL method (Have, Enrich, Absorb, Link) helps readers to counterbalance the brain's negativity bias, making contentment and resilience the new normal. This approach involves focusing on positive experiences, absorbing their good feelings, and linking them to other positive experiences to override negative ones, thereby transforming the brain into a refuge of calm and happiness.

Satipatthana

Analyo

#18784

• Mentioned in 2 episodes

• Mentioned in 5 episodes

Buddha’s Brain

The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom

Rick Hanson

Richard Mendius

This book synthesizes insights from thousands of years of Buddhist contemplative practice with the latest discoveries in neuroscience. It provides practical tools and skills to help readers rewire their brains for greater emotional balance, healthier relationships, more effective actions, and a deeper spiritual life. The authors explain how mental practices can increase the capacity for experiencing happiness and peace, and offer guided meditations and mindfulness exercises to activate positive brain states such as calm, joy, and compassion.

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview author, psychologist, and meditator Rick Hanson Ph.D. For more information about Rick Hanson, visit: https://rickhanson.com/

Rick Hanson Bio:

Rick Hanson, Ph.D. is a psychologist, Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, and New York Times best-selling author. His seven books have been published in 33 languages, and include Making Great Relationships, Neurodharma, Resilient, Hardwiring Happiness, Just One Thing, Buddha’s Brain, and Mother Nurture – with over a million copies in English alone. He's the founder of the Global Compassion Coalition and the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, as well as the co-host of the Being Well Podcast – which has been downloaded over 15 million times. His free newsletters have over 260,000 subscribers and his online programs have scholarships available for those i need. He’s lectured at NASA, Google, Oxford, and Harvard. An expert on positive neuroplasticity, his work has been featured on CBS, NPR, the BBC, and other major media. He began meditating in 1974 and has taught in meditation centers worldwide. He and his wife live in Northern California and have two adult children. He loves the wilderness and taking a break from emails.

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