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[2][5][6].
This book, based on James Baraz's popular online course, offers a transformational journey toward a more positive and meaningful outlook on life. Grounded in simple Buddhist principles but accessible to people of all faiths, the book provides a 10-step program to make happiness a habit. It includes engaging exercises and practical advice on topics such as mindfulness, compassion, forgiving oneself, and letting go. The book helps readers find joy even in difficult times, avoid pitfalls that prevent contentment, and cultivate practices for sustaining joyfulness, such as reclaiming natural wonder and finding joy in everyday experiences.
In 'Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet', Bill McKibben presents a stark reality of climate change, explaining how human activities have irreversibly altered the planet. He argues that the Earth as we knew it no longer exists and has been replaced by 'Eaarth', a planet marked by extreme weather events, rising temperatures, and ecological destruction. The book emphasizes the need for fundamental changes in our societies and economies to adapt to this new reality, advocating for local, sustainable practices and community-driven solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Dr. Rick and Forrest Hanson are joined by James Baraz, a meditation teacher for over 40 years and cofounder of Spirit Rock Meditation Center, to explore how we can find still find joy during difficult times. We discuss how to balance a sense of equanimity with compassion for the suffering of the world, and how cultivating joy at an individual level can support healing at the collective level.
About our Guest: James is the coauthor of Awakening Joy: 10 Steps to True Happiness, and leads the popular online course of the same name. He is also the guiding teacher of One Earth Sangha, a website devoted to expressing a Buddhist response to climate change.
Watch the Episode: Prefer watching video? You can watch this episode on YouTube.
Key Topics:
0:00: Introduction
1:45: Why joy is important in Buddhism
5:05: James’ journey to prioritizing joy
11:40: How to practice awakening joy without turning away from suffering
17:20: Putting yourself back together after cultivating awareness of suffering
24:10: The 10 Steps of Awakening Joy
28:45: How people can use emotionally positive states in contemplative practice
32:00: Positivity in relation to the climate crisis and other collective challenges
38:05: Equanimity, compassion, including both sides of the river
43:35: The great perfection
47:10: James’ realistic hope for the next 25 years
49:30: Recap
Awakening Joy: Awakening Joy is an internationally recognized course designed to awaken joy through exciting themes and practices that incline the mind toward well-being and deeper insight. It's a 5-month course taught online by James, check it out and learn more here.
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