Dharma Lab

Is more meditation always better? Surprisingly, a landmark study revealed that practice minutes don’t predict well-being outcomes. Discover the power of micro-practices—short moments of awareness woven into daily life. Hear the touching story of a grandmother whose tiny shift in perspective transformed her morning with her granddaughter. Neuroscience backs this up: brief moments of mindfulness can rewire emotional responses, making meaningful change accessible without extra time. Celebrate those small moments; they can be transformative!

In this week’s podcast, Cort and Richie discuss how fear shrinks our perception, but harnessing awareness widens the lens again. 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 2:28:00 - How the brain reacts to uncertainty 7:33:00 - Amygdala activation: narrowing perception to potential threats 8:54:00 - Physical responses to fear and the spiral of anxiety 12:41:00 - Evolutionary origins: the brain as a “change detector” 16:38:00 - Chronic activation: why unresolved threats are unhealthy 17:30:00 - Meditation as mental training for self-awareness 21:40:00 - Lab studies: unknown fears trigger stronger reactions 27:06:00 - When the future is unpredictable: what can we do? 29:01:00 - The elixir of awareness 40:13:00 - Cort and Richie discuss coping with uncertaintyDharma Lab is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. 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

Richie and Cort dive into the true meaning of meditation, emphasizing self-familiarization and mindset awareness. They highlight how small perspective shifts can lead to profound changes in well-being. The discussion includes tackling challenges in meditation research and the importance of innovative control groups. A groundbreaking study reveals that understanding meditation perspectives can be more impactful than traditional practices. Finally, they inspire listeners to embrace positivity and focus on the inherent goodness within themselves and others.

Notes from Dharma Lab* Please see written primer below on The Science of Discomfort (released Tuesday 8/26)Ep.4 Chapter List:0:00 Stories of Discomfort: MRI & Dentist5:24 The Science of Pain & The Two Arrows8:23 The Suffering Equation: Pain x Resistance10:05 Your Brain on Pain: Shifting Resistance12:59 How Meditation Changes Pain & Distress14:35 Can Beginners Really Change Their Experience?18:52 Discomfort as a Mindfulness Hack20:24 Meditation as Mental HygieneDharma Lab is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. 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

Leandro Chernicoff, a scientist and meditation teacher, joins Daniela Labra, a meditation teacher and public speaker, to tackle the pressing issue of burnout. They discuss groundbreaking research on burnout in healthcare, revealing alarming statistics and personal stories from the field. The conversation highlights essential skills like awareness and connection, emphasizing the power of mindfulness and community support. They explore innovative strategies in Latin America, advocating for practical solutions to enhance mental health and resilience in high-stress professions.

Listen on Episode #2 on Youtube, Spotify, Apple:YoutubeSpotifyApple PodcastsEpisode 2 Chapter List:0:00 Intro0:32 Episode Overview by Cort2:35 “This is Your Brain on AI” — and How the Media Spins the Negative4:07 Historical Precedent: Handwriting vs. Typing5:44 MIT Study: How Large Language Models Impact the Brain15:06 Will Certain Skills Become Obsolete with AI?17:38 The Role of Intention and Full Awareness21:24 Unintended Consequences — Lessons from Buddhist Monks on Memory and Focus24:04 Using AI to Prompt Reflection for Better Thinking31:56 Final Thoughts: Stay in the Driver’s Seat with AISee our written context setting post here for reference to the Podcast Episode 2:Dharma Lab is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. 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

Richie and Cort discuss The Most Important Thing in Episode #1 of Dharma Lab. 02:22 – "My religion is Kindness" 05:25 – Kindness is the most important thing — apply a "kindness acid test" to all you do 08:08 – How kindness and compassion have (or haven’t) been studied in neuroscience 12:44 – Defining "kindness" and "compassion" in scientific and Buddhist terms 18:55 – Changing your focus from empathy to compassion can reduce burnout 26:49 – Empathy vs. compassion: toddler study example 29:10 – Question for Cort: Is empathy a prerequisite for compassion? 32:23 – Question for Richie: Are kindness and compassion innate or developed? 36:30 – Using kindness as an antidote to anxiety or anger 41:36 – Kindness and compassion as a skill 44:30 – New data: Healthy Minds kindness trainings improve teacher outcomes 49:30 – Perspective shift: consider how your actions benefit others 56:13 – Switching from a “needs” to a “service” mindset 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