209. Rick Hanson - a podcast by Rick Archer

Rick Hanson, Ph.D., is a neuropsychologist and New York Times best-selling author.

Founder of the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom and on the Advisory Board of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, he’s been an invited speaker at Oxford, Stanford, and Harvard, and taught in meditation centers worldwide.An authority on self-directed neuroplasticity, Dr. Hanson’s work has been featured on the BBC, NPR, CBC, FoxBusiness, Consumer Reports Health, U.S. News and World Report, and O Magazine, and his articles have appeared in Tricycle Magazine, Insight Journal, and Inquiring Mind. He has several audio programs with Sounds True, he edits the Wise Brain Bulletin, and his weekly e-newsletter – Just One Thing – has over 100,000 subscribers, and also appears on Huffington Post, Psychology Today, and other major websites.

A summa cum laude graduate of UCLA, Dr. Hanson has been a trustee of Saybrook University, and he served on the board of Spirit Rock Meditation Center for nine years and was President of the Board of FamilyWorks, a community agency. He began meditating in 1974, trained in several traditions, and leads a weekly meditation gathering in San Rafael, California. He enjoys rock climbing and taking a break from emails. He and his wife have two adult children.Books and other media:

Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence (in 4 languages),Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom
(in 25 languages),Just One Thing: Developing a Buddha Brain One Simple Practice at a Time (in 12 languages), and
Mother Nurture: A Mother's Guide to Health in Body, Mind, and Intimate Relationships
Stress-Proof Your BrainMeditations to Change Your Brain
The Enlightened BrainMeditations for Happiness
Self-Directed Brain ChangeLetting Go: A Key to Lasting Happiness
Steadying Your MindAwaken Your Brain

For more information, please see his full profile at www.RickHanson.net.Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Transcript of this interview.Interview recorded 12/14/2013.

Second BatGap interview with Rick Hanson.Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.


YouTube Video Chapters:00:00:00 - Introduction to Rick Hanson and the Mind-Brain Connection
00:03:11 - The Brain's Bias towards Over-learning from Negative Experiences
00:06:11 - The Mystery of Brain Transformation00:08:45 - The Root of Suffering and the End of Craving
00:11:23 - The Nature of Heartfelt Emotions00:13:54 - Changing the Conditioning of the Mind
00:17:07 - Overcoming Aversion and Grasping00:19:32 - The Brain of a Buddha
00:22:42 - The Ultimate Truth and Brainwaves00:25:32 - The Nature of Consciousness and the Transcendental
00:28:25 - The Thicket of Views and the Woo-Woo Stuff00:31:10 - Exploring the Transcendental State
00:33:45 - The Stable Shift of Awakening00:35:59 - Installing Wholesome States of Mind
00:38:38 - The Art of Receptive Learning00:41:30 - Internalizing the Mind of No Grasping
00:43:53 - Neurobhavana: Mo'Bettah
00:46:31 - Cultivating Positive Experiences00:49:08 - Factors for Enriching Experiences
00:51:31 - Cultivating Inner Strengths for Healing and Awakening00:53:58 - Overcoming the Stone Age Negativity Bias
00:57:05 - The Negativity Bias and its Impact on Well-being00:59:19 - Mindfulness Programs for Prisoners and PTSD Sufferers
01:02:05 - Adapting Practice and Dealing with Negative Experiences01:04:27 - The Impact of Negative Experiences
01:07:07 - The Power of Fear and Disgust01:09:48 - The Possibility of a Utopian Planet
01:12:12 - The Tipping Point: From Frustration to Contentment01:14:46 - Letting the Good Sink In
01:17:14 - Physiological Correlates of Higher States01:19:35 - Music interlude

Further episodes of Buddha at the Gas Pump

Further podcasts by Rick Archer

Website of Rick Archer