Dharma Lab

Explore the intriguing divide between 'wanting' and 'liking,' revealing how chasing desires often leads to more craving instead of fulfillment. Delve into the neuroscience behind our cravings and learn how to shift focus from future aspirations to savoring the present moment. Discover how even ordinary experiences can evoke a sense of awe and gratitude. The discussion also touches on practical rituals for cultivating appreciation and reframing difficult interactions as opportunities for empathy. Embrace the idea that happiness is found in being present.

In this week’s Dharma Lab conversation, we’ll dive into the science and contemplative wisdom behind generosity, purpose, and everyday altruism.How Serving Others Nourishes UsThere are moments in life that quietly change everything. For both of us, one of those moments was realizing that meditation was never just about us.At first, practice was personal, a way to calm the mind, relieve stress, and find clarity. But over time, something shifted. We began to see practice less as self-improvement and more as a path of service, a way of showing up for others, not only ourselves.As it turns out, both ancient contemplative traditions and modern science point toward the same insight: service does not just help the world, it nourishes us too.The more we orient our lives toward helping others, the more energizing, meaningful, and joyful our own lives become.What the Research ShowsThere is now a rich scientific literature on volunteering and altruism. One influential series of studies from Johns Hopkins followed older adults in Baltimore who volunteered in local public schools. They helped children read, served lunch, and supervised the playground. They climbed stairs in buildings with no elevators. What began as a community program became a scientific window into the effects of service.After months of volunteering, participants showed improvements in cognitive functions that usually decline with age. Brain scans revealed positive changes in the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s executive network responsible for planning, focus, and emotional regulation.Other research on purpose shows similar patterns. People with a strong sense of purpose tend to report greater well-being and live longer. Purpose may be one of the most well-established predictors of longevity we have.Why Helping Others Feels GoodFrom a neuroscience perspective, generosity and compassion activate the brain’s reward circuitry. When people behave generously in laboratory studies, the neural reward network lights up more strongly than when they receive something for themselves.This matches our own lived experience. When we help someone, whether through mentoring, supporting a friend, or recording this podcast, it feels deeply energizing. At the end of the day, we often feel more alive rather than depleted.It challenges the common assumption that happiness comes from getting more for ourselves. The evidence suggests something different: when we turn toward the well-being of others, happiness tends to arise naturally.The Inner Practice of ServiceIn the contemplative traditions, this motivation is called bodhicitta, the heart of awakening. It begins with intention rather than action. Even a brief pause to remember our motivation can change the emotional tone of an entire day.You can practice it in a few seconds with a simple thought:“May this be of benefit to others.”This inner shift recruits networks related to focus and intentionality while activating reward circuits that leave us feeling open and uplifted.We both use this practice constantly:* Before recording.* Before meditation.* Before meetings.* Even before exercise.A short moment of remembering can reshape the entire experience.Service as an Everyday PracticeWe often think service requires ideal conditions, free time, or a perfectly designed opportunity. But the science and the contemplative traditions both show that service can happen in ordinary life.You can bring this mindset into washing dishes, walking through an airport, or talking to a child. It is the orientation of the mind that matters more than the setting.Research shows that when people reflect regularly on altruistic intentions, they are more likely to offer spontaneous acts of kindness in daily situations, such as giving up a seat to someone who needs it.A Shift the World NeedsWe’re all carrying a lot these days, and it’s easy to pull inward. But when we turn even slightly toward someone else’s wellbeing, something softens and the day feels a little lighter.Service doesn’t have to be dramatic. Most of the time it’s a small gesture, a quiet intention, or a moment of paying attention. Yet these moments accumulate. They change how we move through the world and how we feel inside.We would love to hear from you.What’s one small act of service or generosity that shaped your life this year?With gratitude, Cort & RichiePodcast Chapter List:00:00 – Why Generosity Activates the Reward Network00:48 – Cort Shares Two Turning Points in His Practice02:31 – Realizing Meditation Is About Serving Others03:59 – Richie on the Dalai Lama and the Shift Toward Service05:37 – Ego, Career, and the Gradual Move to Altruism07:06 – How Being Helpful Feeds Our Sense of Meaning09:14 – The Buddhist View: Self-Focus vs. Service10:04 – What Volunteering Research Shows About Well-Being11:12 – Purpose, Aging, and Longevity12:44 – The Baltimore “Experience Corps” Study14:15 – Unexpected Benefits: Purpose, Movement, Structure15:19 – Changes in Cognition and the Brain (Executive Network)17:07 – Why These Findings Matter17:38 – The Buddhist Perspective: Motivation Comes First18:52 – Micro-Practices: Bringing Altruism Into Daily Life20:07 – Bodhicitta: Vast Aspiration + Practical Action22:02 – Why This Inner Shift Feels So Nourishing24:36 – Does Altruism Activate the Reward Network?25:57 – Generosity vs. Personal Gain: What the Brain Shows27:17 – Cort’s Personal Aspiration Practice29:47 – How Altruistic Mindsets Change Your Day30:53 – Richie’s Morning Calendar Practice31:24 – “Contemplative Aerobics”: Service While Exercising33:03 – How Altruistic Mindsets Change Social Behavior34:13 – The Science of Small Everyday Acts of Service35:05 – Volunteering as a State of Mind, Not Just an Activity35:50 – Final Reflections: A Shift in View That Changes Everything36:31 – Why the World Needs More Altruism Right No This is a public episode. 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What does it mean to simply be?In this episode of Dharma Lab, we explore the neuroscience and contemplative practice of being — that effortless, natural presence that can transform anxiety into insight and turn ordinary moments into gateways of creativity.Fresh from Richie’s trip to India and a meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, we sit down for a free-flowing, unrehearsed conversation that bridges ancient meditation wisdom and cutting-edge brain science. Together, we explore:* The difference between doing and being — and why it’s not either/or* How effortlessness, presence, and naturalness create inner freedom* What happens in the brain when the prefrontal cortex “goes offline”* Why even short daily meditations can change brain structure* How releasing control and predictive loops unlocks creativity* Practical ways to drop into being throughout your dayDiscussion HighlightsThe continuum of being and doing:Being and doing aren’t opposites. We move along a spectrum — moments of effort give way to moments of openness. Meditation helps us recognize and expand those natural gaps.Effortlessness and the brain:When the mind lets go of control, the prefrontal cortex — the “executive” part of the brain — briefly goes offline. Advanced meditators show this pattern: they shift attention effortlessly, without strain or mental effort.Creativity through presence:True creativity arises not from trying harder, but from relaxing the constraints of thought. As Richie notes, “When we stop directing our thoughts, the mind becomes more flexible — and novel insights can emerge.”The modern predicament of too much information:We look at how our minds are flooded with information from the moment we wake up. Just as too much food overwhelms the body, too much information overwhelms the mind. True rest requires more than physical stillness. It asks for mental space, time without constant input from phones, news, or endless tasks. Finding that space to simply be gives our minds room to digest and renew.Three Ingredients of Being: Effortlessness, Presence, and Naturalness* Effortlessness: releasing mental control so the mind can rest naturally.* Presence: staying aware without suppressing thoughts.* Naturalness: allowing experience to unfold without interference.When these come together, they create the conditions for insight, creativity, and emotional healing.New research on structural brain changes from meditation:Even a few minutes of daily meditation can change the brain. Richie shares unpublished findings showing increased structural connectivity — literally new wiring — after just one month of brief practice.Practical wisdom:We share ways to weave being into everyday life: in the gaps between meetings, while waiting in line, or simply resting for a few seconds with eyes open.What we call micro-doses of being: simple, effortless pauses that reconnect us to awareness.We’d love to hear from you:* When do you find yourself shifting from doing to being?* How can you create small pauses in your day to let the mind rest?* What do you notice when you stop trying to manage your experience and simply let awareness be as it is?Share your reflections in the comments.Warmly,Cort & RichieChapter List: 00:00 – Opening reflections: The art of effortless presence01:01 – Richie returns from India & meeting His Holiness the Dalai Lama01:50 – Introducing “the neuroscience of being”03:25 – What happens in the brain when we shift from doing to being?04:00 – Being vs. doing: a continuum, not opposites05:30 – Creativity and releasing mental constraints08:00 – Physical stillness vs. mental stillness10:00 – The modern predicament: information overload13:00 – The “information diet” and its effects on the mind14:10 – Three ingredients of being: effortlessness, presence, and naturalness15:20 – Effortlessness: letting go of control16:10 – What happens when the prefrontal cortex goes offline17:05 – Meditation expertise and the U-shaped curve20:00 – Novices, intermediates, and Olympians of meditation22:00 – Effortless attention and stable awareness23:20 – Training the quality of effortlessness24:50 – Presence: awareness without distraction26:00 – Thoughts are allowed – not suppressed27:00 – Creativity and novelty emerging from open awareness29:00 – The candle flame of insight metaphor30:00 – Brain network connectivity and meditation research33:00 – New Healthy Minds data: structural brain changes in one month35:00 – “It’s easier than you think” – why short practice still matters36:20 – The third element: naturalness or non-fabrication38:00 – Healing through allowing and non-interference39:00 – The brain as a prediction machine41:00 – Breaking predictive loops & spontaneous flexibility43:00 – Why research on “being” is still new43:20 – Practical ways to integrate being into daily life44:00 – Cort’s unplugging rituals and micro-pauses45:00 – Richie’s interstitial moments of awareness46:00 – The self-illuminating mind47:00 – The “bardo” or gap between activities49:00 – Don’t fill the gaps – the practice of pausing49:30 – Micro-doses of being throughout your day49:50 – Closing reflections and gratitudeRef notes: Explore the Healthy Minds program This is a public episode. 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This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit dharmalabco.substack.comThank you to those who tuned into our 3rd live video with Dr. Richard Davidson and Dr. Cortland Dahl! Join us for our next live AMA on Tuesday, Dec 16 at 7pm ET / 6pm CT.Chapter List for AMA #3:00:00 – Opening PracticeGuided intention-setting and brief meditation to begin the AMA.05:00 – Can Meditation Slow Brain Aging?Exploring research on meditation and brain aging, including Mingyur R…

Small doses of meditation can yield significant brain changes, according to recent research. It turns out that consistency trumps duration; even brief moments of awareness throughout the day can be transformative. Ending your practice on a positive note fosters a desire to return, while a mindset of friendship with your mind reduces struggle. Intention is key—start and end with a beneficial aspiration. Ultimately, the best practice is the one you’ll stick with, proving that meditation doesn’t need to be lengthy to be impactful.

Dr. Simon Goldberg, a leading researcher on meditation apps, shares insights on how digital mindfulness tools can enhance mental health. He reveals that just five minutes of daily meditation can significantly lower stress and improve emotional balance. The conversation delves into the biological effects of meditation, highlighting reduced inflammation and positive shifts in gut health. They also discuss the democratization of meditation through technology and explore the long-term benefits and engagement challenges with apps, sparking a fascinating dialogue on the future of digital mental health.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit dharmalabco.substack.comWe’re so grateful to everyone who joined us for our very first Dharma Lab AMA with Dr. Cortland Dahl and Dr. Richard Davidson in early September. You’ll find in the recording two guided practices (one each from Cort & Richie), as well as the full recording of Q&A. Below you’ll find a summary of the conversation, written up in a Q&A format so it’s easy to follow. It’s not a perfect or complete transcript, so please forgive any typos and brevity, but we wanted to capture the spirit of the dialogue and share the key insights with all of you for those who prefer to read rather than watch the episode.Podcast Chapter List0:00 - Intro3:12 - Opening Guided Practice by Cort to set intention for the session8:28 - Questions & Answers with participants. Question 1: where do you draw the line between mental health and social health? Is it where your epigenome is modified by social interactions, no matter how you perceive them? Or is it where your perception is modified, no matter what state your epigenome is in? 16:03 - Question 2: Cort, how did you go from a socially anxious teenager to an executive director and overall friendly happy being?21:44 - Question 3: When practicing analytical meditation—examining a difficult situation through words, sensations, emotions, images, and beliefs—do physical sensations and images enhance the process? And if someone can’t access those, is it related to trauma, like PTSD?37: 39 - Question 4: Judd Brewer talks about the trigger–behavior–reward cycle. How do we interrupt undesired behaviors?42:31 - Question 5: Please say more about holding and being with the first arrow from Buddhist psychology, particularly for worry or concern about the health of a loved one and not shooting that second arrow yourself. 50:03 - Question 6: Why do retreats often show stronger measurable effects than the same number of hours practiced as short daily sessions? Could sleep or changes in everyday habits explain that difference?56:26 - Closing Practice with RichieTranscript Q&A SummaryQ1: Dear Richie, where do you draw the line between mental health and social health? Is it where your epigenome is modified by social interactions, no matter how you perceive them? Or is it where your perception is modified, no matter what state your epigenome is in? Since the epigenome can be modified by food, drugs, social interactions, and spiritual experiences, is social health determined by social relationships?A (Richard Davidson):This is a wonderful and complex question. It’s so rich that I plan to write a Dharma Lab essay about it. But briefly:* The epigenome refers to parts of the genome that can be modified by environmental or internal factors. These modifications affect whether a gene actually produces its protein.* For example, in animal studies, researchers have bred strains of rats to be highly anxious or very relaxed. But if an “anxious” rat pup is raised by a nurturing mother (one who does a lot of licking and grooming), its gene expression changes. Despite genetic predisposition, that nurturing care alters its brain chemistry and activation, and the rat becomes less anxious.* This shows that the old split between “nature vs. nurture” is outdated. Social interactions—how we are cared for—literally modify biology.So mental health and social health are deeply interwoven; the line between them is blurred.Q2: Cortland, you’ve mentioned before that you struggled with anxiety when you were young. How did you get from being that socially anxious young man to leading an international nonprofit and becoming the friendly, grounded person you are today?

In this episode of Dharma Lab, Richie Davidson and Cortland Dahl dive into one of the most startling findings in modern science: that loneliness and social disconnection can be as harmful to our health as smoking fifteen cigarettes a day.They explore what makes loneliness so toxic—not just for our mental well-being, but for our physical health—and how ancient contemplative wisdom and modern neuroscience converge on the same insight: connection is medicine.From the biology of stress and resilience to simple daily practices that nurture kindness and belonging, this conversation reveals how small shifts in awareness can rewire the brain for connection—and why doing so may be one of the most important things we can do for ourselves and our world. Podcast chapter list below.In case you missed it, check out a written contextual summary of this podcast here:Podcast Chapter List0:00 – Intro: Why loneliness matters more than we realize1:20 – How common is loneliness today?3:00 – The Surgeon General’s warning on social disconnection5:15 – Mind–body divide: why medicine overlooks relationships7:30 – The 2015 meta-analysis: where the “15 cigarettes a day” claim comes from10:35 – Loneliness vs. obesity and other health risks12:10 – How loneliness gets “under the skin”: stress, resilience, and recovery14:15 – Can we actually train connection?16:20 – Kindness and compassion as skills18:30 – How ancient contemplative practices expand our circle of care20:45 – What happens in the brain after just two weeks of practice22:40 – Everyday connection moments: examples from daily life26:20 – Practicing connection in ordinary settings (like airports!)28:50 – The perception of loneliness vs. actual isolation30:30 – Science on subjective vs. objective measures of connection32:40 – Why social connection is a public health imperative34:15 – Final reflections: small practices, big impact This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dharmalabco.substack.com/subscribe

In this Dharma Lab episode, we pick up where we left off—moving from why our minds get so restless to what we can actually do about it, exploring three strategies from Buddhist psychology for working skillfully with overthinking: Remove, Transform, and Transcend.See chapter list below.In case you missed it, check out a written contextual summary of this podcast here:Podcast Chapter List0:00 - Intro2:30 - Cort & Richie share personal experiences with rumination8:41 - Overview of the three Buddhist psychology strategies9:50 - Remove: Notice triggers & redirect attention20:52 - Transform: Observe thoughts as just thoughts—this loosens their grip and can turn them into sources of insight or compassion31:16 - Transcend: Learn to see the vast field of awareness within which thoughts arise and dissolve40:08 - Closing reflections: flourishing is infectiousIf you’d like to begin with Overthinking and Rumination (Part 1), you can find it here: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dharmalabco.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s podcast, Cort and Richie explore why the mind so often gets stuck in rumination, how our evolutionary wiring and contrast-detecting brains fuel it, and what contemplative practices can do to shift us from anxious loops into clarity and balance. Reminder: our second AMA (ask me anything with Cort + Richie) is on Tuesday, September 30th at 8pm ET. Please send your question in advance!See chapter list below.In case you missed it, check out a written contextual summary of this podcast here:Podcast Chapter List0:00:00 - Intro 3:43:00 - What is Rumination, and what advantages does it provide?8:12:00 - Why do we so often focus on the negative when we ruminate?14:48:00 - The evolutionary threat response, and how meditation helps you see it more clearly18:00:00 - The toxicity of chronic stress22:02:00 - Another benefit to mental time travel: the ability to develop a sense of purpose24:00:00 - Regaining agency over our minds, and not classifying aspects as “good” or “bad” This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dharmalabco.substack.com/subscribe