I first encountered Buddhism in 1974, and it blew the doors wide open for me with its profound and practical insights into the mind, suffering, and true happiness. Over time I gravitated to the original teachings of the Buddha, embodied in the Theravadan tradition, for their down-to-earth clarity, and important sources for me have included the teachers of Spirit Rock Meditation Center and the Pali Canon itself. More recently, I've explored grounding the dharma in modern evolutionary neuropsychology - "neurodharma" - recognizing how mind arises dependently upon the body, especially the nervous system as it tries to meet ancient needs for raw survival. I am especially interested in using these approaches to heighten the learning - the cultivation (bhavana) - from beneficial experiences (otherwise often wasted on the brain) to reduce the underlying sense of deficit and disturbance that causes the craving that causes suffering and harm. Overall, I feel amazingly blessed to have the opportunity in this life to ride the dharma stream and share its gifts with others!
As the First Noble Truth, the Buddha pointed to dukkha: some experiences are painful; enjoyable experiences are impermanent; and all phenomena lack an enduring essence.
Dukkha is routinely (mis)translated as “suffering” or “unsatisfactoriness” - but these are not inherent in it! The Buddha’s liberating teaching in his Second Noble Truth is that it is tanha - “craving” - which turns dukkha into suffering.
Biologically, we crave when we feel something is missing or wrong. So, in this conversation with Rick Hanson, we'll explore how to build up a sense of fullness and balance that’s hardwired into the nervous system, and grow the inner strengths that can meet our needs without craving . . . and face the challenges of life with an unshakable core of contentment, love, and inner peace.
This experiential workshop will focus on practical methods, grounded in neuroscience, for opening into the mind process as a whole, and from there opening into an intimation of nature as a whole and then material as a whole.
This experiential workshop will focus on practical methods, grounded in neuroscience, for opening into the mind process as a whole, and from there opening into an intimation of nature as a whole and then material as a whole.
This experiential workshop will focus on practical methods, grounded in neuroscience, for opening into the mind process as a whole, and from there opening into an intimation of nature as a whole and then material as a whole.
This experiential workshop will focus on practical methods, grounded in neuroscience, for opening into the mind process as a whole, and from there opening into an intimation of nature as a whole and then material as a whole.
Day Long class. We all experience having a particular identity that helps us navigate the world, but the sense of self is also a source of great suffering as we cling to its wants and react to how others treat it. Examine 'self' and its release in light of Buddhism and modern brain science.
This workshop will cover the relationship between the mind and brain; strengthening neural factors of mindfulness; the role of concentration in Buddhist practice and practical help from brain research for steadying and quieting the mind and bringing it to singleness.
This workshop will cover the relationship between the mind and brain; strengthening neural factors of mindfulness; the role of concentration in Buddhist practice and practical help from brain research for steadying and quieting the mind and bringing it to singleness.
This workshop will cover the relationship between the mind and brain; strengthening neural factors of mindfulness; the role of concentration in Buddhist practice and practical help from brain research for steadying and quieting the mind and bringing it to singleness.
This workshop will cover the relationship between the mind and brain; strengthening neural factors of mindfulness; the role of concentration in Buddhist practice and practical help from brain research for steadying and quieting the mind and bringing it to singleness.
Craving causes suffering-but what causes craving? This talk explores how craving is caused by an underlying sense of deficit or disturbance-and how repeatedly internalizing experiences of core needs being met helps "de-fuel" the fires of craving.
In his newest book, Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence, Dr. Rick Hanson explains how the mind shapes the brain: neurons that fire together, wire together. Positive experiences are the main source of the neural structures underlying motivation, self-worth, the executive functions, good mood, kindness, resilience, and other inner strengths. Unfortunately, most positive experiences are wasted on the brain because it evolved a negativity bias to help our ancestors survive. It’s like Velcro for bad experiences but Teflon for good ones. To solve this problem, this talk will present the four simple HEAL steps of taking in the good, which turn passing experiences into lasting neural resources. We’ll explore how to use these methods to build confidence, focus attention, lower anxiety, and fundamentally, hardwire happiness into the brain.
The Neurology of Awakening, with Rick Mendius: The latest brain research has begun to confirm the central insights of the Buddha and other great teachers. And it's suggesting ways you can help your brain to enter deeper states of mindfulness and concentration, love, and happiness.
Suffering, joy, and freedom all depend on what happens within your nervous system. Skillful practice thus means being skillful with your own brain.
This experiential workshop offers user-friendly information with lots of practical methods. No background in neuroscience or mindfulness is needed. We'll cover:
--- The relationship between the mind and the brain;
--- Strengthening neural factors of mindfulness;
--- The role of concentration in Buddhist practice;
--- Practical help from brain research for steadying the mind...quieting it... and bringing it to singleness.
Learning Objectives for participating health care professionals-
This workshop is designed to help you:
a) Name two mechanisms of experience-dependent neuroplasticity;
b) Give clients two examples of how repeated mental activity changes brain structure;
c) Describe temperamental variations in the control of attention;
d) Teach clients two ways to practice mindfulness.
The Neurology of Awakening, with Rick Mendius: The latest brain research has begun to confirm the central insights of the Buddha and other great teachers. And it's suggesting ways you can help your brain to enter deeper states of mindfulness and concentration, love, and happiness.
Suffering, joy, and freedom all depend on what happens within your nervous system. Skillful practice thus means being skillful with your own brain.
This experiential workshop offers user-friendly information with lots of practical methods. No background in neuroscience or mindfulness is needed. We'll cover:
--- The relationship between the mind and the brain;
--- Strengthening neural factors of mindfulness;
--- The role of concentration in Buddhist practice;
--- Practical help from brain research for steadying the mind...quieting it... and bringing it to singleness.
Learning Objectives for participating health care professionals-
This workshop is designed to help you:
a) Name two mechanisms of experience-dependent neuroplasticity;
b) Give clients two examples of how repeated mental activity changes brain structure;
c) Describe temperamental variations in the control of attention;
d) Teach clients two ways to practice mindfulness.
The Neurology of Awakening, with Rick Mendius: The latest brain research has begun to confirm the central insights of the Buddha and other great teachers. And it's suggesting ways you can help your brain to enter deeper states of mindfulness and concentration, love, and happiness.
Suffering, joy, and freedom all depend on what happens within your nervous system. Skillful practice thus means being skillful with your own brain.
This experiential workshop offers user-friendly information with lots of practical methods. No background in neuroscience or mindfulness is needed. We'll cover:
--- The relationship between the mind and the brain;
--- Strengthening neural factors of mindfulness;
--- The role of concentration in Buddhist practice;
--- Practical help from brain research for steadying the mind...quieting it... and bringing it to singleness.
Learning Objectives for participating health care professionals-
This workshop is designed to help you:
a) Name two mechanisms of experience-dependent neuroplasticity;
b) Give clients two examples of how repeated mental activity changes brain structure;
c) Describe temperamental variations in the control of attention;
d) Teach clients two ways to practice mindfulness.
The latest brain research has begun to confirm the central insights of the Buddha and other great teachers. And it’s suggesting ways you can help your brain to enter deeper states of mindfulness, quiet, and concentration.
Suffering, joy, and freedom all depend on what happens within your nervous system. Skillful practice thus means being skillful with your own brain.
This experiential workshop will offer user-friendly information with lots of practical methods. No background in neuroscience or mindfulness is needed, though teaching are also appropriate for health care professionals. We’ll cover:
--- Implications from brain research for steadying the mind... quieting it... and bringing it to singleness
--- The brain during the jhanas or other states of deep concentration
--- How to help lay the neurological foundation for liberating insight
The latest brain research has begun to confirm the central insights of the Buddha and other great teachers. And it’s suggesting ways you can help your brain to enter deeper states of mindfulness, quiet, and concentration.
Suffering, joy, and freedom all depend on what happens within your nervous system. Skillful practice thus means being skillful with your own brain.
This experiential workshop will offer user-friendly information with lots of practical methods. No background in neuroscience or mindfulness is needed, though teaching are also appropriate for health care professionals. We’ll cover:
--- Implications from brain research for steadying the mind... quieting it... and bringing it to singleness
--- The brain during the jhanas or other states of deep concentration
--- How to help lay the neurological foundation for liberating insight
To be able to enter deeply into relationship, it is necessary to be able both to forgive and to assert yourself skillfully. Forgiveness and assertiveness support each other. Forgiveness clears out ill will so you can assert yourself with compassion and Wise Speech. Self-assertion takes care of your own needs so forgiveness can emerge without the sense that you are a doormat.
This experiential workshop will get into the nitty-gritty of how to bring the Buddha’s profound teachings on interrelatedness, lovingkindness, and virtue (sila) into the messy real world of relationships with family members, lovers, friends, bosses, and co-workers.
This workshop - led by a world renowned expert on forgiveness, and by an experienced couples and family therapist and meditation teacher - will offer user-friendly information with lots of practical methods. We'll cover:
-- The Buddha’s teachings on non-harming, wise speech, compassion and kindness, and releasing ill will -- as well as his teachings on self-care, respecting your own needs, and looking out for your own happiness
-- The primacy of relationships in evolution, and the deep capacities for both loving altruism and fearful aggression
-- The neural machinery of emotional reactivity and developing grievances with others
-- Why forgiveness and assertiveness are both important
-- The foundation of basic mindfulness, precepts, Wise Speech, compassion for oneself and others, and emotional self-care
-- Forgiveness practices
-- Assertiveness practices
There will be some voluntary paired activities as well as time for questions and discussion. While the teachings are appropriate for use in health care professions, no background with psychology or meditation is needed. Also please know that this workshop is not psychotherapy or any substitute for professional care.
