Though there is no more human experience than death, it’s one of the most challenging topics to explore. Today we have the pleasure and privilege of learning from a true pioneer in the field of end-of-life care: Roshi Joan Halifax.As you may know, “roshi” is a title for the honored teacher of a Zen Buddhist community. Roshi Joan is a Buddhist teacher, Zen priest, and doctor of medical anthropology. She is Founder, Abbot, and Head Teacher of Upaya Institute and Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico.She’s also the author of several classic books, including most recently publisehd Standing at the Edge: Finding Freedom Where Fear and Courage Meet.We’d also like to let people know about the Upaya Institute’s general fund, which allows Upaya to provide a wide array of workshops, trainings, and retreats for thousands of people each year. If you would like to give to the fund, please follow this link.Timestamps:2:09: Roshi Joan's childhood experience, and how it shaped her.4:42: How has your work with the dying informed the way that you’ve lived your life?8:17: In your experience of sitting with people who are going through the dying process, what have you found they particularly valued or regretted?10:14: Handling existential dread.11:48: We only have one "big" death, but we may have many "small" deaths throughout life. What lessons can we take from the "big" death and apply to those?18:18: Can we know our own true nature?20:56: Do you have any counsel for those who are grieving?26:43: A teaching from indigenous cultures.28:17: If you could go back in time and speak to yourself as a child or young adult, what would you say? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Hanson and Forrest explore questions from listeners related to managing our relationship with ourselves, and particularly our tendency toward self-criticism.If you’d like to submit a question to be answered during a future mailbag, use the form on this page.If you would like to learn more about Dr. Hanson's new online program Neurodharma, follow this link! Use the code BEINGWELL for 10% off the purchase price.Timestamps:01:05: What is the most productive way to deal with a life-changing diagnosis?11:16: What can I do to break through my fears of participating in social activities?20:17: How can I better assert and protect myself during everyday interactions with others? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes it's nice to have just one thing to focus on: a simple theme each week to reflect on and be inspired by. On this short episode, professor Gaylon Ferguson shares the most important thing he does, each day, for his own happiness. Sign-up for Just One Thing from Dr. Rick Hanson here, and receive more simple practices for greater well-being. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we explore the rich topics of fear and fearlessness with professor Gaylon Ferguson.Professor Ferguson is a member of the faculty at Naropa University in Bolder, Colorado. He is a graduate of Exeter and Yale, and holds a doctorate in cultural anthropology from Stanford. He’s also a senior teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist lineage, and has been a teacher in residence at the San Francisco Zen Center and Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California.He is also the author of two books: Natural Bravery: Fear and Fearlessness as a Direct Path of Awakening, and Natural Wakefulness: Discovering the Wisdom We Were Born With.If you'd like to start making real, positive changes to your brain and your life, but you don't have a lot of extra time, then you may want to check out Rick Hanson's new program: Just One Minute. Use the code BEINGWELL at checkout for 10% off the purchase price.Connect with the show: Visit us on the web Follow us on Instagram Follow Rick on Facebook Follow Forrest on Facebook Subscribe on iTunes Timestamps:00:58: When did you begin to explore fear and fearlessness?03:25: Why do you think that courage is our basic nature?05:57: How can someone experience innate courage?10:30: The "fear of ourselves."12:55: What are some of the best practices that people can use to address a feeling of emptiness?17:04: Becoming more comfortable with groundlessness.22:59: Handling acute, in the moment experiences of fear.29:03: Outside of self-awareness, are there certain tactics you have found that help move people into a stance of welcoming?32:07: If you could go back in time and talk to your younger self, what would you say? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's mailbag episode we answer two questions related to our series on "Who Am I," with a general focus on helping people learn how to better manage their relationships with challenging family members.If you’d like to submit a question to be answered during a future mailbag, use the form on this page.If you would like to learn more about Dr. Hanson's new online program Neurodharma, follow this link! Use the code BEINGWELL for 10% off the purchase price.Timestamps:00:59: How can we help manage our reactions to, and even support, family members that we find challenging to be around?20:04: What are some key differences between Narcissism and Borderline Personality Disorder? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are so busy these days that it’s great to have just one thing to focus on: a simple theme each week to reflect on and be inspired by. On this short episode, Adam Markel shares the most important thing he does, each day, for his own happiness. Sign-up for Just One Thing from Dr. Rick Hanson here, and receive more simple practices for greater well-being. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's easy to "go with the flow" during our often busy lives. When things are going well this is great, but when our lives are less satisfying inertia can be a powerful enemy. To get out of a rut, we need to learn how to "pivot" in order to make the big changes that can point us in the right direction.If you feel that it might be time for a change, this is the episode for you.Our gust today is Adam Markel. Adam is the author of Pivot: The Art and Science of Reinventing Your Career and Life. He’s given a popular TED talk, has been interviewed by the Wall Street Journal, Fox News, and Forbes, and is the host of the Conscious Pivot podcast.Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link.Key Topics:01:04:Two pivots from Adam's life.06:20: What were some of the things that contributed to your pivot?08:03: What helps people when a pivot is shocking or surprising?14:07: What are the enduring and stable attributes of people that enable them to be resilient, or pivot well?18:07: How do we know when a pivot is good for us?22:09: How can people who are less resourced internally call upon allies in their life?28:44: If you could back in time and tell a younger version of yourself anything, what would you say?Overcome Anxiety:  Let go of anxiety and grow a greater sense of calm strength with Rick's Dealing with Anxiety program, which offers 5 powerful practices for managing stress and worries. Save 10% with coupon code BEINGWELL.Sponsors:Reset and rebalance with Recess, a sparkling water infused with hemp extract and adaptogens. Take 15% off your first order by using code BEINGWELL at checkout.Join over a million people using BetterHelp, the world’s largest online counseling platform. Visit betterhelp.com/beingwell for 10% off your first month! Connect with the show: Follow us on Instagram Follow Rick on Facebook Follow Forrest on Facebook Subscribe on iTunes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all have good days and bad days. Our mood naturally trends up and down in response to the events of our constantly changing worlds.But some people change more frequently, and are hit harder by change than others. On today’s episode, Dr. Hanson and Forrest continue their series on “Who Am I” by exploring at a particularly intense, and surprisingly common, version of this: Borderline Personality Disorder.Today's episode is a bit longer and more technical than normal. I hope you stick with it, but feel free to skip around!Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link.Key Topics:03:01: What is borderline personality disorder (BPD)?18:09: How do people with BPD respond to everyday issues?22:52: What are the traits of somebody who has “10% BPD”?32:10: How can people with tendencies toward BPD learn to manage it more effectively?40:40: If we are in a relationship with someone who has some level of BPD, what can we do to support them or otherwise make our relationship with them as healthy as possible?Overcome Anxiety:  Let go of anxiety and grow a greater sense of calm strength with Rick's Dealing with Anxiety program, which offers 5 powerful practices for managing stress and worries. Save 10% with coupon code BEINGWELL.Sponsors:Reset and rebalance with Recess, a sparkling water infused with hemp extract and adaptogens. Take 15% off your first order by using code BEINGWELL at checkout.Join over a million people using BetterHelp, the world’s largest online counseling platform. Visit betterhelp.com/beingwell for 10% off your first month! Connect with the show: Follow us on Instagram Follow Rick on Facebook Follow Forrest on Facebook Subscribe on iTunes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are so busy these days that it’s great to have just one thing to focus on: a simple theme each week to reflect on and be inspired by. On this short episode, Dr. Lyubomirsky shares the most important thing she does, each day, for her own happiness. Sign-up for Just One Thing from Dr. Rick Hanson here, and receive more simple practices for greater well-being. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To summarize and simplify a little bit, one of the major focuses of this podcast is the “how” of happiness – what we can actually do in our lives, practically speaking, to increase our natural foundation of happiness and well-being. There’s endless advice out there about how to become happier, but most of it is anecdotal in nature. That’s why we're so happy to be being joined today by one of the leading researchers on the scientific study of human happiness: Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky. If you would like to learn more about Dr. Hanson's new online program Neurodharma, follow this link! Use the code BEINGWELL for 10% off the purchase price. Timestamps: 01:06: The “pie chart” of happiness. 04:52: What push-back have you received on your work? 06:49: What has a big role in the 40% of our happiness we control? 12:34: What can we do to handle “back-fre” effects? 14:26: Building the trait of happiness. 21:35: A message to your younger self. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices