10% Happier with Dan Harris A Meditator in the Arena | Sam Harris
Dec 7, 2020
Sam Harris, a neuroscientist, philosopher, and meditation app founder, dives deep into the intertwining of mindfulness and public engagement. He shares insights on maintaining compassion amid heated discussions and the challenges of rational dialogue on contentious issues. Sam discusses the significance of integrating meditation into daily life and the emotional complexities of family dynamics during retreats. He advocates for openness in conversation as a means to foster understanding in society, urging listeners to embrace mindfulness as a tool for stability.
01:04:15
Meditation and Public Engagement
- Sam Harris explains how meditation informs his public engagement.
- It helps him recover from online negativity and recognize true well-being.
The Role of Outrage
- Harris views emotions like outrage as important signals.
- Ignoring real dangers, like Trump's actions, is not true compassion.
Being a Target
- Dan Harris asks why Sam engages publicly given his interest in well-being.
- Sam explains that making himself a target is not the concern.
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Intro
00:00 • 3min
Balancing Mindfulness and Public Engagement
02:42 • 16min
Mindfulness and Compassion in a Complex World
18:45 • 8min
Integrating Mindfulness into Daily Life
26:34 • 28min
Exploring Non-Dual Mindfulness and Family Dynamics
54:20 • 3min
The Power of Conversation
57:17 • 8min
Meditation and Engagement: A Sign to Start
01:05:04 • 4min
Emotional Intelligence
Why It Can Matter More Than IQ
Daniel Goleman
In 'Emotional Intelligence,' Daniel Goleman presents a compelling argument that emotional intelligence (EI) is crucial for success, happiness, and virtue.
Drawing on research in psychology and neuroscience, Goleman explains how EI, which includes self-awareness, self-discipline, and empathy, shapes our destiny.
The book details five key skills of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, managing emotions, motivation, recognizing emotions in others, and social skills.
Goleman shows how these skills can be nurtured and strengthened throughout adulthood, benefiting our health, relationships, and work performance.
Waking Up
A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion
Sam Harris
In this book, Sam Harris argues that there is more to understanding reality than science and secular culture generally allow.
He explores the scientific underpinnings of spirituality, suggesting that how we pay attention to the present moment largely determines the quality of our lives.
The book is part memoir and part exploration, discussing the illusion of the self, the benefits of meditation, and the importance of understanding consciousness through both scientific and philosophical lenses.
On Having No Head
Douglas Harding
Douglas Harding's "On Having No Head" is a seminal work exploring the nature of self-perception and consciousness.
Harding's unique approach challenges the reader to question their ingrained assumptions about the self and the nature of experience.
The book uses simple yet profound exercises to guide the reader towards a direct experience of reality, free from the limitations of conceptual thought.
Through these exercises, Harding aims to reveal the inherent freedom and spaciousness of consciousness.
The book's impact lies in its ability to facilitate a shift in perspective, leading to a deeper understanding of one's own being.
The End Of Faith
Sam Harris
In this book, Sam Harris delivers a critical analysis of the clash between reason and religious faith in the modern world.
He argues that religious beliefs, even moderate ones, can lead to dangerous consequences, such as terrorism, and that these beliefs are not grounded in empirical evidence.
Harris draws on insights from neuroscience, philosophy, and Eastern mysticism to propose a secular and humanistic foundation for ethics and spirituality.
The book is a call to action against the encroachment of organized religion into world politics and advocates for a rational approach to ethics based on human happiness and suffering.
Age of Vice
Deepti Kapoor
Age of Vice is a sprawling epic that delves into the lives of three characters—Ajay, a servant; Sunny, a wealthy heir; and Neda, a journalist—whose paths intertwine amidst the backdrop of lavish estates, corruption, and violence in New Delhi.
The novel explores themes of greed, revenge, and the consequences of corruption.
Stop making sense
Esther Darley
Dominic van den Boogerd
Emine Kara
Dirk van Weelden
Ton Geerts
Gerrit Willems
Loes Visch
Han Schuil
Monica Aerden
Sam Harris (no relation to me, by the way -- although I wouldn’t mind it) has had a formative impact on my contemplative development. He was one of the first “normal” (at least that’s how I computed it, back when I was still a rather judgmental skeptic) people I met who was really into meditation, which gave me a lot of courage and inspiration to pursue the practice myself. He later helped me get into my first meditation retreat with his old friend Joseph Goldstein, which was a massively important event in my life and the beginning of a deep relationship with Joseph. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Sam, he is a neuroscientist, philosopher, author, podcaster, and app founder. I first heard of him in the mid-aughts, when he wrote a book called The End of Faith, which was a jeremiad against organized religion. I was surprised to learn that he had spent, cumulatively, several years on meditation retreats. He later wrote a book which touched on those subjects, called Waking Up. That is also the name of his meditation app. But while he has one foot firmly in the contemplative world, he is also very much in the arena, mixing it up on Twitter and on his wildly popular podcast, called Making Sense, with his controversial views on hot-button issues from Trump to race to Islam. Sam really believes that the future of civilization depends on our ability to have rational conversations on thorny issues. And he has a new book called Making Sense: Conversations on Consciousness, Morality, and the Future of Humanity, in which some of his podcast conversations are revised and extended. I wanted to have him on to talk about the book, and to explore with him how somebody who is so fiercely engaged in the public square uses meditation to guide and sustain him. I suspect many of you may disagree with him on key issues -- I often wrestle with his ideas quite a bit, personally -- but no matter where you stand, I think you’ll find his answers to these questions fascinating. Take Part in the New Year’s Series To submit a question or share a reflection dial 646-883-8326 and leave us a voicemail. If you’re outside the United States, you can email us a voice memo file in mp3 format to listener@tenpercent.com. The deadline for submissions is Monday December 7th. Where to find Sam Harris online: Website: https://samharris.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/SamHarrisOrg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Samharrisorg/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samharrisorg YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNAxrHudMfdzNi6NxruKPLw Books Mentioned: Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion by Sam Harris: https://bookshop.org/books/waking-up-a-guide-to-spirituality-without-religion/9781451636024 The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason by Sam Harris: https://bookshop.org/books/the-end-of-faith-religion-terror-and-the-future-of-reason/9780393327656 On Having No Head: Zen and the Rediscovery of the Obvious by Douglas E. Harding: https://bookshop.org/books/on-having-no-head/9781908774064 If you're looking for a sign that you're supposed to start actually meditating - this is it. And, you can bring a friend or family member along for the ride. For a limited time, if you buy yourself a subscription to Ten Percent Happier, we'll send you a free gift subscription to share with whomever you'd like. Note that nothing is permanent, and this offer is no exception: get it before it ends by going to www.tenpercent.com/december. Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/sam-harris-306