10% Happier with Dan Harris

Brené Brown Says You're Doing Feelings Wrong

<p><em>New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers.</em></p> <p>---</p> <p>Brené Brown has found that most people are only able to identify three emotions: happy, sad and pissed off. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>In this episode we explore how better understanding the full spectrum of your emotions, rather than drowning in them, can become an upward spiral. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>Brené Brown is the author of six #1 New York Times bestsellers. Her latest book is <a href="https://brenebrown.com/books-audio" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Atlas of the Heart</a>, which is also the name of her new HBO Max series. Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston and a visiting professor in management at the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business.She has spent the past two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy. Her <a href= "https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_the_power_of_vulnerability" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TED talk on the Power of Vulnerability</a> is one of the top five most-viewed TED talks in the world, with over 50 million views. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>We Talk About:</p> <p><br /></p> <ul> <li>Why she decided to map the 87 key emotions and experiences</li> <li>How she was deeply influenced by the Buddhist concept of the "near enemy"</li> <li>Why she no longer believes it's possible to read emotions in other people </li> <li>Why meaningful connections require boundaries</li> </ul> <p><br /></p> <p><em>Content Warning: This episode contains explicit language, but a clean version of the episode is available at</em> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>tenpercent.com</em></a> <em>and on the Ten Percent Happier app. </em></p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/brene-brown-436" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/brene-brown-436</a></p>

How to Argue Better | Oren Jay Sofer

<p><strong>New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers.</strong></p> <p><strong>---</strong></p> <p>This episode dives into our archives to revisit the notion of communication as a learnable skill. Often some of the most painful situations you encounter are the result of poor communication. The good news is that communication is a skill that can be learned. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>Author and meditation teacher Oren Jay Sofer, a leading figure in the field of interpersonal communication, breaks down how communication can be one of the most powerful levers for creating positive change in your life. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>Oren Jay Sofer is the author of <a href= "https://www.orenjaysofer.com/book/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication</em></a>. He also teaches mindfulness, meditation and nonviolent communication in secular and Buddhist contexts. He graduated from Insight Meditation Center's Spirit Rock Vipassana Teacher Training and is a long-time student of Joseph Goldstein, Michele McDonald, and Ajahn Sucitto.</p> <p><br /></p> <p><br /></p> <p>In this conversation, we also talk about:</p> <ul> <li>How to become aware of what motivates you to communicate the way you do </li> <li>Strategies for how to have more meaningful conversations</li> <li>What it means to lead with presence</li> <li>How conflict has the possibility to deepen our relationships and make peace </li> </ul> <p><br /></p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/oren-jay-sofer-repost-165" rel="noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/oren-jay-sofer-repost-165</a></p>

Mind-Blowing Sex | Dr. Lori Brotto

<p><strong>New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers.</strong></p> <p><strong>--</strong></p> <p>What role does mindfulness and meditation play when it comes to sex? It may be the key to alleviating sexual distress in your relationships, and in this episode Dr. Lori Brotto talks about scientific evidence that shows how mindfulness can improve your sex life.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Dr. Lori Brotto is a clinical psychologist, the director of the University of British Columbia's Sexual Health Laboratory, the Canada Research Chair in Women's Sexual Health; the Executive Director of the Women's Health Research Institute; and the author of <a href= "https://bookshop.org/books/better-sex-through-mindfulness-how-women-can-cultivate-desire/9781771642354" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Better Sex through Mindfulness</em></a><em>.</em></p> <p><br /></p> <p>We talk about: </p> <p><br /></p> <ul> <li>Mindfulness practices for individuals and couples who want to improve their sex lives</li> <li>The number one cause of sexual distress and how it manifests in different genders</li> <li>The importance of "interoception" or awareness of our bodily sensations</li> <li>Identifying the most common myths about sex</li> </ul> <p><br /></p> <p><em>Content Warning: This episode includes conversations about sex.</em></p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/lori-brotto-435" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/lori-brotto-435</a></p>

How to Keep Your Relationships On the Rails | Kaira Jewel Lingo (2021)

<p><strong>New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers.</strong></p> <p><br /></p> <p>This episode explores a Buddhist tool for resolving conflict and keeping your relationships on the rails. This tool, known as the Beginning Anew practice, was designed by the Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, who died back in January, and who we are celebrating this week on the show. On <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/brother-phap-dung-432" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Monday's episode</a>, we spoke with a long-time student of Thich Nhat Hanh, Brother Phap Dung.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Today's guest is Kaira Jewel Lingo. She was an ordained nun for 15 years in Thich Nhat Hanh's <a href= "http://orderofinterbeing.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">Order of Interbeing</a>. She's now a lay dharma teacher based on Long Island. She graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. and an M.A. in anthropology and social sciences. She's also the author of a recent book called, <a href= "https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/678395/we-were-made-for-these-times-by-kaira-jewel/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>We Were Made for These Times: Ten Lessons on Moving Through Change, Loss, and Disruption</em></a>. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>This interview discusses the Beginning Anew practice and: </p> <ul> <li>The four steps of the practice. </li> <li>How even skeptics can see the value in the practice. </li> <li>How it can strengthen relationships and resolve conflict. </li> <li>Kaira Jewel's own experience with the practice as both a teacher and a practitioner.</li> </ul> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes</strong>: <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/kaira-jewel-lingo-repost</a></p>

How to Suffer Well | Brother Pháp Dung

<p><strong>New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers.</strong></p> <p>--</p> <p>In January 2022, <a href= "https://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Thich Nhat Hanh</a>, the Vietnamese Zen master, peace activist, poet, and author passed away. He was the founder of the <a href="https://plumvillage.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">International Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism</a>. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called him "an Apostle of peace and nonviolence" when nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize. Thousands of people came out for his funeral.   </p> <p><br /></p> <p>Brother Pháp Dung is making his second appearance on the show to talk about Thich Nhat Hanh. If you missed it <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/brother-phap-dung-320" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">last time</a> he was on, Brother Pháp Dung has an incredible personal story. He was born in Vietnam in 1969 and came to the US at the age of nine. He worked as an architect/designer for four years before becoming a monk. He was very close personally with Thich Nhat Hanh, who he refers to as "Thây," or teacher, and is now a Dharma teacher himself in Thich Nhat Hanh's Plum Village tradition.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>This episode explores:</p> <ul> <li>The life of Thich Nhat Hanh: his path to Buddhism in the 1960's and his exile from Vietnam for opposing the war.</li> <li>The meaning of "wrong view" or wrong perception. </li> <li>What non-separation and inter-being is. </li> <li>Thich Nhat Hanh's view that birth and death are only notions.</li> <li>Grief, and why learning how to suffer will help you suffer less.</li> </ul> <p><br /></p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/brother-phap-dung-432</a></p> <p><br /></p>

The Joys of Insignificance | Ron Siegel

<p>Many, if not all, of us have a nonstop, ambient thought-track running through our minds of: how am I doing? How do I look? Why did I say that? Am I running behind? What do other people think of me?</p> <p><br /></p> <p>How did we get this way? And what do we do about it? Ron Siegel has thought a lot about this, and has plenty of practical answers, including the notion that we should lean into our insignificance. Many of us grew up being told how we were special. But Ron argues that the words, "you're not special," constitute extremely good news.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Dr. Ron Siegel is a part-time assistant professor of psychology at <a href="https://hms.harvard.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Harvard Medical School</a> and a board member at the <a href="https://www.meditationandpsychotherapy.org/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy</a>. In his private clinical practice, he provides mindfulness-oriented psychotherapy. He is also the author of the new book, <a href= "https://bookshop.org/books/the-extraordinary-gift-of-being-ordinary-finding-happiness-right-where-you-are/9781462538355" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>The</em> The Extraordinary Gift of Being Ordinary<em>: Finding Happiness Right Where You Are</em></a>.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>The episode explores:</p> <ul> <li>The notion that we didn't evolve to be happy.</li> <li>Why we self-evaluate</li> <li>The downsides and upsides of self-assessment.</li> <li>Strategies for dealing with this often irrational self-grading criteria, which include mindfulness, self-compassion, and gratitude.</li> <li>What it means to "lean our ladder against the right wall."</li> </ul> <p><br /></p> <p><em>Content Warning</em>: This conversation includes brief references to mature topics, including sex and addiction.</p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/ron-siegel-431</a></p>

From Evangelical Pastor to Buddhist Nun | Venerable Pannavati

<p>Venerable Pannavati is a former evangelical pastor who has been ordained in three separate Buddhist traditions: Theravada, Chan, and Mahayana. She's the co-founder and co-Abbot of <a href= "https://heartwoodrefuge.org/embracing-simplicity-sangha/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Embracing-Simplicity Hermitage and Meditation Center</a>; Co-Director of <a href= "https://heartwoodrefuge.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">Heartwood Refuge</a> and President of the <a href= "https://heartwoodrefuge.org/treasure-human-life/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Treasure Human Life Foundation</a>. She teaches around the world, was a 2008 recipient of the Outstanding Buddhist Women's Award, and currently serves as the Vice President of the US Chapter of the Global Buddhist Association.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>This episode explores:</p> <p><br /></p> <ul> <li>Why many meditators try to jump over important preliminary steps.</li> <li>Why Buddhism isn't necessarily fun or easy. </li> <li>The utility and impact of making vows.</li> <li>What Venerable Venerable Pannavati calls healthy shame.</li> </ul> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/venerable-pannavati-430</a></p> <p><br /></p>

How Do I Meditate When There's a War Going On? | Claude AnShin Thomas

<p>How can we meditate when it seems like the world is falling apart? How do we titrate our news consumption? What do we do with our fears about World War III? How can we do anything constructive to help given how far away many of us are from the action? Why are so many people so upset about Ukraine when they weren't paying much attention to the wars raging in places like Syria, Yemen, or Ethiopia? </p> <p>Today's guest is uniquely qualified to answer these questions, given his experience in combat. Claude AnShin Thomas is an ordained monk in the Japanese Soto Zen Tradition. At 17, he signed up to fight in Vietnam and spent his tour of duty in the theater of war, surrounded by death and destruction. He came home suffering from an undiagnosed case of PTSD and spent years grappling with addiction and homelessness before he was introduced to Buddhism. He says meditation can help all of us look at the roots of war and violence that we all harbor.</p> <p>Claude Anshin is now the founder of the <a href= "https://zaltho.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">Zaltho Foundation</a>, dedicated to addressing the causes and consequences of violence in and among individuals, families, and societies. He has served in war zones, hospitals, schools, and prisons. He has also led meditation retreats at sites of war and suffering, and has worked with gang members, guerillas, and refugees. He is the author of the award-winning book <a href= "https://www.shambhala.com/at-hell-s-gate-175.htmlto-peace/9781590302712" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>At Hell's Gate: A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace</em></a>, which has been translated into several languages, and <a href= "https://zaltho.org/en/who-we-are/claude-anshin-thomas-founder/books.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Bringing Meditation to Life</em></a>.</p> <p>This episode explores the above questions and additionally:</p> <ul> <li>The narcotic effect of war.</li> <li>How Buddhism helped Claude Anshin be at peace with what he calls his own unpeacefulness, and yet, why, to this day, he has to reckon with his impulse towards violence. </li> <li>Why he doesn't believe there is such a thing as a "just war."</li> </ul> <p><br /></p> <p><em>Content Warning:</em> There are discussions of war, violence, suicide, and substance abuse throughout this episode.</p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/claude-anshin-thomas-427</a></p>

The Upside of Apocalypse | Lama Rod Owens

<p>We're now entering year three of the pandemic, and even though we're in a very different stage of the game, there are still so many questions: Is it safe or ethical to return to "normal"? How do you deal with people who have different views on safety and vaccines? What do you do if you're just bone tired of this whole mess?</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Today's guest is Lama Rod Owens, who was trained in the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism, holds a Master of Divinity degree in Buddhist Studies from Harvard Divinity School, and is the author of the book <a href= "https://bookshop.org/books/love-and-rage-the-path-of-liberation-through-anger-9781623174095/9781623174095" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Love and Rage: The Path of Liberation Through Anger</em></a>. Lama Rod has been kind enough to come on to the show during moments of crisis. I spoke with him shortly after the murder of George Floyd and also during the 2020 elections. As you're about to hear, one of the core arguments he will make is that apocalypse (and he has a broad understanding of what that word means) can present an opportunity. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>This episode explores:</p> <ul> <li>The benefits of having an existing practice in times of heightened anxiety and uncertainty.</li> <li>Developing a direct, open relationship with fear.</li> <li>Working with regret.</li> <li>Why taking care of yourself is not selfish.</li> <li>Lama Rod's take on social media and watching TV as a way to reset. </li> <li>The obstacles to empathy. </li> <li>A more expansive definition of the word violence. </li> <li>A jarring New York Times article that posits that the recent rise in pedestrian deaths could be in part due to social erosion created by the pandemic.</li> </ul> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/lama-rod-owens-427</a></p> <p><br /></p>

Is It Possible You Are Irrational About COVID? | David Leonhardt

<p>As we enter year three of the pandemic, the psychology of COVID is no less complex or consequential. This episode features one of the most prominent chroniclers of the pandemic, David Leonhardt from the New York Times, who argues that there is irrationality on all sides when it comes to the pandemic. He would also urge you to consider whether you might be over or underestimating the risks of COVID, based on where you stand politically. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>This episode also explores: the state of play in the pandemic right now and where we may be headed next; why and how attitudes about the pandemic, at least here in the US, have sorted along partisan lines; whether it makes sense to be angry with the unvaccinated; how a rise in vehicle crashes might speak to how COVID accelerated the fraying of America's social fabric; and David's argument for why history and human decency can be a source of optimism going forward. David will also respond to his vehement critics who argue that his emphasis on lifting COVID restrictions and returning to some semblance of normalcy callously disregards the needs of the immunocompromised and unvaccinated. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>David Leonhardt is a senior writer for The New York Times. He writes <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/series/us-morning-briefing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Morning</a>, The Times's flagship daily newsletter, and also writes for the Sunday Review section. He has worked at The Times since 1999 and has previously been an Op-Ed columnist, Washington bureau chief, co-host of "The Argument" podcast, founding editor of The Upshot section and a staff writer for The Times Magazine. In 2011, he received the <a href= "https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/david-leonhardt" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pulitzer Prize</a> for commentary. </p> <p><br /></p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/david-leonhardt-426</a></p> <p><br /></p>

Compassion Is the Ultimate Tool for the Truly Ambitious | Paul Gilbert

<p>Dr. Paul Gilbert OBE is a professor of psychology at the University of Derby, Founder and President of The Compassionate Mind Foundation, the founder of Compassion Focused Therapy, and in 2011 was awarded the Officer of the British Empire, or OBE, from Queen Elizabeth II for his continued contribution to mental healthcare. He's also the author of several books including <a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-compassionate-mind/9781849010986" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>The Compassionate Mind</em></a>, <a href= "https://bookshop.org/books/living-like-crazy/9781999868307" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Living Like Crazy</em></a>, <a href= "https://bookshop.org/books/overcoming-depression-3rd-edition-a-self-help-guide-using-cognitive-behavioural-techniques/9781849010665" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Overcoming Depression</em></a>, and his latest, <a href= "https://bookshop.org/books/compassion-focused-therapy-clinical-practice-and-applications-9780367476915/9780367476908" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Compassion Focused Therapy: Clinical Practice and Applications</em></a>. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>This episode explores:</p> <p><br /></p> <ul> <li>What Compassion Focused Therapy actually is.</li> <li>Why he says wisdom and courage are key to compassion.</li> <li>Some surprising truths about your inner critic.</li> <li>How compassion can be used to your advantage, especially if you're ambitious.</li> <li>The relevance of various meditation practices to cultivating compassion.</li> <li>How trauma can impact our ability to access compassion, and what we might do about it.</li> <li>The importance of the vagus nerve and its relationship to compassion, mindfulness, and friendship.</li> </ul> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/paul-gilbert-425</a></p> <p><br /></p>

A Serious Case for Humor | Jennifer Aaker &amp; Naomi Bagdonas

<p>A common denominator among all of the great meditation teachers is a sense of humor. They take the teaching seriously, but they don't take themselves seriously. So perhaps there's a link between human flourishing and humor. That's not to say you have to be hilarious in order to be happy, but it clearly helps a great deal not to take yourself so seriously. And it turns out that humor is a skill.</p> <p> </p> <p>Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas co-teach a course at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, called, "Humor: Serious Business." They also co-authored a book called, <a href= "https://bookshop.org/books/humor-seriously-why-humor-is-a-secret-weapon-in-business-and-life-and-how-anyone-can-harness-it-even-you/9780593135280" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Humor, Seriously: Why Humor Is a Secret Weapon in Business and Life (and How Anyone Can Harness It. Even You.)</em></a></p> <p> </p> <p>Dr. Jennifer Aaker is the General Atlantic Professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business whose work has been published in leading scientific journals and featured in The Economist, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and Science. Naomi Bagdonas is a lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and an executive coach. She trained formally at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, teaches improv in San Francisco's county jail, and performs in comedy venues.</p> <p> </p> <p>This episode explores:</p> <ul> <li>Why Naomi and Jennifer say we've fallen off a humor cliff</li> <li>The four main humor styles and how to figure out which is yours</li> <li>When self-deprecation works, and when it doesn't</li> <li>How to conduct a humor audit</li> <li>How to sign off your emails </li> <li>The relationship between humor and status</li> <li>The connection between humor and love</li> <li>A taxonomy of workplace humor</li> <li>The different types of humor fails, and what to do about them</li> </ul> <p> </p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener noreferrer">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/jennifer-aaker-naomi-bagdonas-423</a></p>

Become an Active Operator of Your Nervous System | Deb Dana

<p>We don't think about it this way, but as we move through the day, the various moods we inhabit — excitement, engagement, aggression, fear, dejection — they're all dictated by, or correlated with, our nervous system, or to be specific, our autonomic nervous system. The guest for this episode explains how you can become an active operator of your own nervous system.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Deb Dana is a licensed clinical social worker, clinician, and consultant who specializes in working with complex trauma — although the advice in this episode can apply to everyone. She is also the author of <a href= "https://bookshop.org/books/anchored-how-to-befriend-your-nervous-system-using-polyvagal-theory/9781683647065" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory</em></a>.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>This episode explores:</p> <ul> <li>What polyvagal theory is.</li> <li>The case for understanding our nervous system.</li> <li>The practical tools and exercises for changing our nervous system and learning to become more regulated.</li> <li>The fact that our nervous systems aren't simply isolated, self-contained phenomena – they are social structures.</li> <li>Our responsibilities for our own nervous system and the nervous systems of others.</li> </ul> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/deb-dana-424</a></p>

Climate Change as an Opportunity | Bhikkhu Anālayo

<p>Today's guest makes an extremely convincing case that there are many self-interested reasons to look squarely at the reality of climate change. Bhikkhu Anālayo, who is originally from Germany, is a renowned scholar-monk, a faculty member at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies and the author of numerous books on meditation and early Buddhism, including <a href= "https://bookshop.org/books/satipatthana-the-direct-path-to-realization/9781899579549" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Satipatthāna: The Direct Path to Realization</em></a>, which has been very influential with many of the teachers you've heard on this show, including Joseph Goldstein. This episode focuses on another of his books, called <a href= "https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/climate.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Mindfully Facing Climate Change</em></a>.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>This episode explores:</p> <ul> <li>The four types of meditation Anālayo recommends for mindfully confronting climate change</li> <li>Anālayo's contention that meditation isn't about ceasing the flow of thoughts, but rather ceasing our belief in the thoughts</li> <li>The question of whether individual actions matter in the face of a global crisis</li> <li>Anālayo's compelling case for a kind of practice called death contemplation</li> </ul> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/bhikku-anālayo-422</a></p> <p><br /></p>

There's No Part of Your Life You Can't Make More Awesome | Jeff Warren

<p>It is very easy to think about your meditation practice as being quarantined to those minutes when you're dutifully sitting down with your eyes closed. But actually the point is to turn your whole life into a practice. Our guest <a href="https://jeffwarren.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jeff Warren</a> has a very broad, capacious understanding of the concept of practice. There's formal meditation practice, but also: movement practice, work practice, relationship practice, sleep practice, art practice, and more. It's really about the goal, which few of us will ever fully attain, of turning everything you do into something intentional and illuminating.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Jeff Warren is a frequent guest and good friend to the Ten Percent Happier podcast and app. He co-wrote a book with Dan called <a href="https://jeffwarren.org/books/meditation-fidgety-skeptics/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics</em></a>. He's a longtime meditation teacher, and the founder of the Toronto-based <a href="http://cecmeditate.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Consciousness Explorers Club</a>. He is also the cohost of an excellent new podcast, called <a href="https://explorers.fm/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">The Consciousness Explorers Podcast</a>. In every episode Jeff, and his co-host <a href= "http://cecmeditate.com/faculty/tasha-schumann/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tasha Schumann</a> test out a new practice. Be sure to check it out.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>This episode explores: what it might mean to make your whole life a practice; how to connect with your baseline okayness; mindfulness of seeing; Koan practice; running as practice; being your own teacher; how (and why) to make your practice social; and practicing with ADHD, a condition with which Jeff has lived with for many years. </p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/jeff-warren-421</a></p>

The Elephant in the Meditation Room | Christopher Ford

<p>Today's episode is the culmination of a long search to find a countervailing force: a Buddhist Trump supporter. This search was born out of the Buddhist impulse to find the other side. What is talked about as cultivating non-attachment to views and also called "beginner's mind." As you will hear, after a lot of searching, we finally found our person. Christopher Ford is a longtime Republican who worked for Trump (albeit indirectly) at the State Department. Ford wrote a pair of fascinating and provocative articles for the Buddhist magazine <em>Lion's Roar</em>. One was entitled, <a href= "https://www.lionsroar.com/zen-and-the-moral-courage-of-moderation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Zen and the Moral Courage of Moderation</em></a>. The other was called, <a href= "https://www.lionsroar.com/elephant-in-the-meditation-room/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The Elephant in the Meditation Room</em></a>. </p> <p> </p> <p>Christopher Ford is a lay chaplain in the Soto tradition of Zen Buddhism. His teacher is <a href= "https://www.upaya.org/about/roshi/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener noreferrer">Roshi Joan Halifax</a>, who has been on this show a couple of times and is herself a longtime progressive. From January 2018 until January 2021,he served at the state dept as Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation. He's also worked at the National Security Council, and as a congressional staffer. </p> <p> </p> <p>This episode explores:</p> <ul> <li>Ford's argument for a Buddhist conservatism</li> <li>Ford's experience in the Trump administration and his assessment of our current political state</li> <li>The personal tools Ford recommends using in day-to-day life, some of which go right to the issue of not being attached to our views </li> </ul> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener noreferrer">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/christopher-ford-420</a></p> <p> </p>

The Good News About Your Inevitable Decline | Arthur Brooks

<p>The unavoidable truth is that our skills change as we get older. We invest so much in our professional success, and then at some point, things change. But there's good news. While certain abilities and mental capacities erode with age, others get stronger. With some foresight, planning, and good habits, you can make the second half of your life way better than the first.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Arthur Brooks is the author of a new book called <a href= "https://arthurbrooks.com/book/from-strength-to-strength/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life</em></a><em>.</em> Arthur has seen the themes of this book play out in his own life. He started his career as a classical French horn player, then got his PhD in public policy analysis, and went on to run a think tank called the <a href= "https://www.aei.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">American Enterprise Institute</a>. He then left that to be a professor at the <a href="https://www.hks.harvard.edu/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Harvard Kennedy School</a> and <a href="https://www.hbs.edu/Pages/default.aspx" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Harvard Business School</a>. He also does work with <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Atlantic</a> , where he writes a <a href= "https://www.theatlantic.com/author/arthur-c-brooks/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">column</a> and hosts a podcast called <a href= "https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/how-to-build-a-happy-life/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">How to Build a Happy Life</a>.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>This episode explores: success addiction, and how to avoid it while still being successful; what it means to "live like Bach;" fluid intelligence vs. crystallized intelligence; what investments we can make now to increase the likelihood of more happiness later; the four most important habits of the happiest people; a workable definition of happiness; and how he feels about his own shifting capacities, having researched the subject for many years.</p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/arthur-brooks-419</a></p> <p><br /></p>

How Not to Ruin Your Relationships | Drs. John &amp; Julie Gottman

<p>If you care about your long term health and happiness, the quality of your relationships is an area you should focus on. And the good news here is that love – as it applies to friends, family, and romantic partners – is not a factory setting, but instead a skill. Drs. John and Julie Gottman are the perfect guests to talk about how to cultivate good relationships in your life. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>World-renowned for his work on marital stability and divorce prediction, Dr. John Gottman has conducted over 40 years of breakthrough research with thousands of couples. He is the co-founder of <a href="https://www.gottman.com/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Gottman Institute</a> and <a href="https://affectivesoftware.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Affective Software Inc.</a> as well as author of over 200 published academic articles and author or co-author of more than 40 books, including The New York Times bestseller <a href="https://www.gottman.com/product/the-seven-principles-for-making-marriage-work/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work</em></a>. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>Dr. Julie Gottman is the Co-Founder and President of <a href= "https://www.gottman.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">The Gottman Institute</a> and Co-Founder of <a href= "https://affectivesoftware.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">Affective Software, Inc</a>. A highly respected clinical psychologist and author, she is sought internationally by media and organizations as an expert advisor on marriage, domestic violence, gay and lesbian adoption, same-sex marriage, and parenting issues. She is the co-creator of the immensely popular The Art and Science of Love weekend workshop for couples and she also co-designed the national clinical training program in Gottman Method Couples Therapy. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>This episode explores: how to talk (and listen) to your partner in moments of conflict; what to do before you start trying to solve a problem together; why "there's no such thing as constructive criticism;" the details of John's research findings, which have allowed him to predict with stunning accuracy whether a couple will get divorced; how the Gottmans themselves do when it comes to operationalizing their findings/advice; how and why betrayal occurs; when a couple should consider separating; the role mindfulness can play in healthy relationships; and the role of humor in relationships.</p> <p><br /></p> <p><em>Content warning: There are a few mentions of sensitive topics, most notably domestic violence, which Julie discusses for a few minutes towards the end of the interview. </em></p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/john-julie-gottman-418</a></p> <p><br /></p>

Why I'm Not a Buddhist | Evan Thompson

<p>This episode features Evan Thompson, author of the book <a href= "https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300226553/why-i-am-not-buddhist#:~:text=In%20lucid%20and%20entertaining%20prose,and%20religion%20are%20fundamentally%20different.&text=Smart%2C%20sympathetic%2C%20and%20intellectually%20ambitious,place%20in%20our%20world%20today" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Why I Am Not a Buddhist</em></a>. Evan Thompson is a writer and professor of philosophy at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. His work and research focuses on the nature of the mind, the self, and human experience combining cognitive science, philosophy of mind, phenomenology, and cross-cultural philosophy, particularly Asian philosophical traditions. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>This episode explores: Thompson's beef with what he calls "Buddhist exceptionalism," "Buddhist modernism," and "neural Buddhism;" why Buddhism is so attractive in the Western world; our culture's need for validation of meaning through science; McMindfulness and the Western obsession with individualism; the dialogue between science and Buddhism; what the Buddha meant by the word <em>dukkha</em>, or suffering; and Evan lays out his case for an alternative to Buddhist exceptionalism, which he calls "cosmopolitanism."</p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/evan-thompson-417</a></p>

Hinduism 101 | Swami Tyagananda

<p>One of the most consistent requests we get from listeners is to explore non-Buddhist forms of meditation. That's what we're going to do with this episode. Our guest is Swami Tyagananda, who has been a Hindu monk since 1976, and is now the Hindu chaplain both at MIT and Harvard.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>This conversation explores: the basics of Hinduism, including its history, and its approach to prayer and meditation; letting go; karma; rebirth (and how and why to escape it); the deep connections between the Buddhist and Hindu traditions; Swami Tyagananda's contention that all prayers are answered; and a recipe for reducing stress and anxiety. Swami Tyagananda also shares his thoughts about how to deal with our sense of not-enoughness or incompleteness and he provides a new way of thinking about the trickiest of all Buddhist concepts: <em>annata</em>, or the idea that the self is an illusion.</p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/swami-tyagananda-416</a></p> <p><br /></p>

Why Self-Hatred Makes No Sense | Matthew Brensilver

<p>This episode, with Matthew Brensilver, explores a compelling Buddhist question: does self-hatred, or self-love, make sense if the self is an illusion? Matthew Brensilver, PhD, is a clinical social worker and experienced teacher of meditation retreats. He also worked at an organization called Mindful Schools, which teaches teachers how to teach meditation. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>This episode also explores: how and why to view your anger with skepticism; the relationship between self-love and personal ethics; what to do if you think you're a good person but have no interest in changing your behavior to get better; how to handle a nagging sense of moral un-justifiability; and how Matthew has arrived at a place of relative peace with his own mortality.</p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/matthew-brensilver-415</a> </p>

What We Can Learn About Happiness from Babies | Alison Gopnik

<p>Dr. Alison Gopnik is a psychologist at UC Berkeley and one of the world's leading experts in cognitive development. She is also the author of several books, including <a href= "http://alisongopnik.com/ThePhilosophicalBaby.htm" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>The Philosophical Baby</em></a> and <a href= "http://alisongopnik.com/TheGardenerAndTheCarpenter.htm" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>The Gardener and the Carpenter</em></a>. This episode with Dr. Gopnik explores two big and fascinating themes. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>The first is enlightened self-interest. We all want to be happy. Every sentient being has that in common. One of the most successful, although counterintuitive, strategies for getting happier is to get out of your own head and help other people. Alison argues that caring is a skill that we can all develop, and there are ways to scale it so that we can improve our entire society. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>The second, and related theme, explores what we can all learn about happiness from babies. In this episode Alison discusses: the "learning trap" common to adults that four-year-olds can help us avoid; the potential role of meditation in helping us see the world and solve problems more like children; the difference between our spotlight attention and children's lantern consciousness; the strategy of solving problems by not trying to solve problems; and her critique of our modern conception of parenting, and what she thinks should replace it.</p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/alison-gopnik-414</a></p> <p><br /></p>

Buddhist Lessons on Anxiety | Leslie Booker (2021)

<p>All week, we've been running  "best of" episodes as part of our Taming Anxiety series – and this is the final episode in that series. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>Leslie Booker (who goes by Booker) is one of America's leading dharma teachers. She's worked with incarcerated and vulnerable youth, she's done mindfulness and cognitive-based therapy work on Rikers Island, and she's written about best practices for teaching yoga in criminal justice settings. She's a graduate of three different training programs at Spirit Rock, including their four-year Retreat Teacher Training Program.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>In this conversation, Booker makes the case that one of the most important, even life-saving, tools when it comes to dealing with anxiety is our ability to connect with other people. And - like the three characteristics, Booker argues that the experience of anxiety is inherently impermanent, unsatisfactory, and unreliable (or, in Pali, it has the characteristics of <em>anicca</em>, <em>dukkha</em> and <em>anatta</em>). Understanding this fundamental truth, she says, can help us see our anxiety with more clarity, and therefore relate to it more skillfully. Booker also explains why bringing awareness to our bodies can help settle us in our most anxious moments. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>Just a note: this interview was first recorded in May of 2021, so you may hear a few slightly dated references, but the topic of anxiety, for better or worse, is perennially relevant.  </p> <p><br /></p> <p>Join Booker next week as we re-launch the Taming Anxiety Challenge, over on the Ten Percent Happier app. To join the Challenge, just download the Ten Percent Happier app today wherever you get your apps or by visiting <a href="http://tenpercent.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tenpercent.com</a>. If you already have the app, just open it up and follow the instructions to join!</p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/leslie-booker-repost" rel="noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/leslie-booker-repost</a></p> <p><br /></p>

How to Break Your Anxiety Habit | Judson Brewer (2021)

<p>This week, we're sharing some of the best episodes in our archives about anxiety. Dr. Judson Brewer is a psychiatrist and deep dharma practitioner who argues that anxiety is a habit, and is one that you can unwind. This interview explores: what is anxiety; why Dr. Brewer views anxiety as a habit; how mindfulness can be harnessed to deal with anxiety; and if there is any level of stress or anxiety that is healthy.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Dr. Jud Brewer is the Director of Research and Innovation at the Mindfulness Center at Brown University and author of the New York Times Best Seller, <a href="https://drjud.com/book/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Unwinding Anxiety</em></a>. He has designed a number of apps that use mindfulness to treat addiction and anxiety, including <a href= "https://goeatrightnow.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">Eat Right Now</a>, <a href= "https://www.cravingtoquit.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">Craving to Quit</a>, and <a href= "https://www.unwindinganxiety.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Unwinding Anxiety</a>. You can also find Dr. Brewer on the Ten Percent Happier app where he teaches a mindful eating course.  </p> <p><br /></p> <p>Just a note: This episode is a rerun from March 2021. There are some references that might seem a little out of date, but the content remains relevant.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>We're re-launching our ten-day meditation challenge, called the Taming Anxiety Challenge, over on the Ten Percent Happier app. To join the Challenge, just download the Ten Percent Happier app today wherever you get your apps or by visiting <a href= "http://tenpercent.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">tenpercent.com</a>. If you already have the app, just open it up and follow the instructions to join!</p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/judson-brewer-repost" rel="noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/judson-brewer-repost</a> </p> <p><br /></p> <p><br /></p>

Sara Bareilles: Anxiety, Anger, and Art (2021)

<p>This week, we're posting some of our best podcasts from the archives on a dragon many of us face internally – anxiety. The first episode of the series features Sara Bareilles. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>Sara Bareilles is a singer, songwriter, composer, and actor who earned Tony and Grammy Award nominations for her Broadway musical Waitress. She also stars in the show Girls5eva, which is back for a second season this year on Peacock.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Behind all of Sara's artistic and professional successes, there is a meditator who is fearlessly open and public about her struggles with anxiety and depression. In this conversation, she talks about: her history of anxiety and depression; the relationship between suffering and art; whether meditation might defang somebody's creativity; how she works with anger; and her relationship with social media. She'll also share some of the backstories behind some of her hit songs.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Just a note: This episode is a rerun from June 2021. There are some references that might seem a little out of date, but the content remains relevant. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>Content Warning: This conversation features an exploration of depression and anxiety with one very brief mention of self-harm. </p> <p><br /></p> <p><br /></p> <p>We're re-launching our ten-day meditation challenge, called the Taming Anxiety Challenge, over on the Ten Percent Happier app. To join the Challenge, just download the Ten Percent Happier app today wherever you get your apps or by visiting tenpercent.com. If you already have the app, just open it up and follow the instructions to join!</p> <p> </p> <p>Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/sara-bareilles-repost</p>

The Science of Depression | Sona Dimidjian

<p> </p> <p>This episode features one of the world's leading experts in depression and how meditation can help. Dr. Sona Dimidjian is a professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and the director of the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/crowninstitute/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Renée Crown Wellness Institute</a> at the University of Colorado, Boulder. This episode explores the seasonal impacts on depression, the research on how meditation can help depression, and what she calls "behavioral antidepressants."</p> <p> </p> <p><em>Content Warning: There are a number of references to suicide in this conversation. </em></p> <p> </p> <p>Be sure to check out TPH's newest show, <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/childproof" target="_blank" rel= "noopener noreferrer">Childproof</a>, available wherever you get your podcasts. </p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener noreferrer">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/sona-dimidjian-413</a></p>

The Zen of Therapy | Mark Epstein

<p>Psychiatrist Dr. Mark Epstein, discusses his new book <a href= "http://markepsteinmd.com/?p=301" rel="noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank"><em>The Zen of Therapy</em></a>, in which he explores how his decades of studying and practicing Buddhism has influenced his work as a therapist. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>In this episode, Dan and Mark discuss: the immense value of developing a clear and warm relationship to your own dysfunction; anger; how much people can actually change; how Buddhism has influenced Mark's practice as a psychotherapist; and Mark's formative relationship with the legendary spiritual teacher and ex-academic <a href="https://www.ramdass.org/about-ram-dass/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ram Dass</a>.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>This interview was recorded live as part of an online benefit for <a href="https://www.nyimc.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">New York Insight Meditation Center</a> and <a href= "https://cambridgeinsight.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">Cambridge Insight Meditation Center</a> – two great institutions, both worth checking out and supporting. </p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/mark-epstein-412" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/mark-epstein-412</a></p>

Are You Willing to Challenge Your Own Tribe? | Robert Wright

<p>Why, from an evolutionary perspective, is it so terrifying for many of us to contemplate challenging our own tribe? How comfortable would you be hopping on social media and questioning the deeply held convictions of your closest friends and colleagues? Even if you don't want to be public about it, are there ways to have more empathy for somebody whose views are different from yours? Robert Wright believes the future of civilization hinges on our ability to get better at this. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>Robert Wright is the author of the bestselling book <a href= "https://bookshop.org/books/why-buddhism-is-true-the-science-and-philosophy-of-meditation-and-enlightenment/9781439195468" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Why Buddhism Is True</em></a>. He also writes the <a href="https://nonzero.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nonzero Newsletter</a>, is host of <a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-wright-show/id505824847" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Wright Show</a> podcast, and his newest mission is something he calls the <a href= "https://nonzero.org/post/apocalypse-aversion-project" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Apocalypse Aversion Project</a>. This episode explores: how mindfulness meditation can help us overcome our biases; how we are often manipulated by natural selection; the concepts of confirmation bias and attribution error; the pain and joy of pushing back against the conventional wisdom of your own tribe; the difference between cognitive and emotional empathy; why Robert is a big believer in talking to people with whom he disagrees; and the importance of making friendships across ideological lines. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>This episode is the second in our weeklong series about bias. If you missed Monday's episode with the excellent journalist Jessica Nordell, you can listen <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/jessica-nordell-410" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>. </p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/bob-wright-411" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/robert-wright-411</a></p>

Ways to End Bias That Will Also Make You Happier | Jessica Nordell

<p>Jessica Nordell is a science and culture journalist who has written for the Atlantic and the New York Times. She earned a B.A. in physics from Harvard and an M.F.A. in poetry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her new book is called <a href= "https://www.jessicanordell.com/the-end-of-bias" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The End of Bias, A Beginning: The Science and Practice of Overcoming Unconscious Bias. </a></p> <p><br /></p> <p>This episode explores: why humans evolved to have biases; what happens physiologically when biases are challenged; why some of the most popular personal and institutional strategies for confronting biases do not work; the role mindfulness and loving kindness meditation can play in reducing bias; and the power of studying history.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>This episode is part one of a weeklong series the TPH podcast is doing about bias. Part two features <a href= "https://robertwright.com/about/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">Bob Wright</a>, author of <a href= "https://bookshop.org/books/why-buddhism-is-true-the-science-and-philosophy-of-meditation-and-enlightenment/9781439195468" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Why Buddhism is True</em></a>, who has done some interesting work to challenge his own tribal instincts.</p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/jessica-nordell-410" rel="noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/jessica-nordell-410</a></p> <p><br /></p>

For the Burned Out, Fried, and Exhausted | Emily &amp; Amelia Nagoski

<p>The final episode of our New Year's Getting Unstuck Series features Emily and Amelia Nagoski. Our goal with this episode, as it has been with all the episodes throughout the series, is to arm you with new ways of thinking about where you might be stuck in your life and to give you new tools for getting unstuck. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>Emily Nagoski has a PhD in Health Behavior and is the author of the hit book <a href= "https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Come-As-You-Are-Revised-and-Updated/Emily-Nagoski/9781982165314" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Come As You Are: The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life</em></a>. Her twin sister, Amelia Nagoski, holds a Doctorate in Musical Arts. Together, Emily and Amelia are the co-authors of the New York Times bestselling book <a href="https://www.burnoutbook.net/" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycl</em>e</a>. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>This episode explores:</p> <ul> <li>How Amelia was hospitalized for stress-related illness twice, and how learning the science behind burnout and emotional exhaustion helped save her life. </li> <li>The three characteristics of burnout, and why women in today's society are particularly susceptible to one of the characteristics: emotional exhaustion.</li> <li>The "human giver syndrome," a term created by Emily and Amelia, which they say is very common among women, and why things can be especially hard for women.</li> <li>Why it's important to understand the difference between addressing stressful circumstances in our lives and dealing with the actual physical experience of stress in our bodies. </li> <li>A slew of evidence-based, ready-to-try-today interventions that people of all genders can use to "complete the stress cycle."</li> </ul> <p><br /></p> <p><em>Content Warning:</em> There are some references to sensitive topics, including sexual trauma, self-harm, domestic abuse, and violence. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>January 7th is the last day to join and complete the Getting Unstuck Challenge, a free 14-day meditation challenge from Ten Percent Happier to help you push through whatever is holding you back. Click <a href="https://10percenthappier.app.link/install" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a> to get started.</p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "http://emily-amelia-nagoski-409" rel="noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/emily-amelia-nagoski-409</a></p> <p><br /></p>