Psychologists Off the Clock

139. Neurodharma with Rick Hanson (Part 1)

May 6, 2020
In this engaging discussion, Dr. Rick Hanson, a neuropsychologist and meditation teacher, shares insights from his latest book, focusing on seven core qualities for lasting well-being. He explains the merging of ancient wisdom and neuroscience, emphasizing practices that cultivate steadiness and compassion. Listeners learn why negativity lingers in our brains and how mindfulness can help rewire our thoughts. With practical exercises, Hanson invites everyone to explore unshakable calmness, warmth, and a deeper connection to self and others.
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INSIGHT

Seven Qualities That Define Flourishing

  • Neurodharma maps seven core qualities of awakened minds and teaches practical practices to stabilize them over time.
  • Rick Hanson combines ancient Buddhist insights with neuroscience to show how practice changes the brain.
INSIGHT

Timelessness And Oneness As Human Capacities

  • Beyond practical traits, advanced practitioners report experiences of timelessness, oneness, and an unconditioned ground of awareness.
  • Hanson frames these as available states rather than metaphysical claims, showing they can be cultivated incrementally.
INSIGHT

Velcro For Bad, Teflon For Good

  • The brain has a negativity bias that makes bad experiences stick and good ones slide by unnoticed.
  • Hanson urges using painful emotions as data while deliberately 'taking in the good' to rebalance neural wiring.
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