Big Think Sam Harris: Experience emotions without being consumed by them
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Oct 31, 2025 
In this discussion, Sam Harris, a best-selling author and neuroscientist, explores how we can embrace difficult emotions without being overwhelmed by them. He argues that consciousness can offer a safe space from suffering. Through awareness, we can reframe our understanding of sadness and fear, finding tranquility beneath those feelings. Harris also emphasizes the role of meditation in freeing us from the grip of our emotions and highlights the importance of distinguishing between raw emotions and the thoughts that accompany them.
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Consciousness As Shared Substratum
- Consciousness is the shared substratum in which all personal experiences appear each moment.
- This condition of awareness is intrinsically open, tranquil, and illuminates experience.
Experience Is A Brain-Mediated Process
- Our experience is a physiologically mediated vision produced by the brain and is continuously changing.
- Recognizing experience as a process gives wide latitude to feel well regardless of external circumstances.
Return To Awareness When Emotions Arise
- Drop back into the condition of awareness when difficult emotions arise to access openness and tranquility.
- Remember to look for that prior condition because it is always available in each moment.