Rick Hanson in Conversation With Pamela Weiss
With new breakthroughs in neuroscience, combined with insights from thousands of years of contemplative practice, we are beginning to understand how we can actively shape our own brains for greater happiness, love, and wisdom. Rick Hanson combines modern science with ancient teachings to show you how to have greater emotional balance in turbulent times, as well as healthier relationships, more effective actions, and greater peace of mind. The brain is the bodily organ that most affects who you are and your experience of living. We’ll discuss how your brain creates worry or inner strength, heartache or love, anger or peacefulness, confusion or clarity, and suffering or its end. If you can change your brain, you can change your life and neuroscience is showing that mediation and mindful awareness does lead directly to changes in the brain.
Rick Hanson, Ph.D., is a neuropsychologist and Senior Fellow of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley. He is co-founder of the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, and has taught in meditation centers worldwide. Hanson’s work considers the historically unprecedented meeting of modern brain science and ancient contemplative practices. His book Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love and Wisdom (written with Rick Mendius) shows readers many effective ways to light up the brain circuits that relieve worry and stress, and promote positive relationships and inner peace. His more recent books, Just One Thing: Developing a Buddha Brain One Simple Practice at a Time, and Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence also offer tools for finding peace of mind in stressful times.
Pamela Weiss is an executive coach and the Founder and Chief Wisdom Officer of Appropriate Response, a company dedicated to bringing mindful awareness into the workplace. Weiss was trained by Jack Kornfield at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. She leads a weekly sitting group through San Francisco Insight and offers meditation retreats internationally. Her work is informed by Zen, Vipassana and Mahamudra, as well as by a dozen years as a student of the Diamond Approach.
