Q: If you focus on the positive for long enough, does it actually make your brain more receptive to doing that? Turn it into “velcro” for happiness, to use your expression? A: Research shows that repeated practice of any positive behavior (e.g., gratitude) will increasingly incline the mind in that direction. Presumably, since all mental The post Focusing on the Positive appeared first on Dr. Rick Hanson. Read more
Here we give up angry, punishing reactions toward others, animals, plants, and things. If such attitudes arise, we resolve not to feed them, and to cut them off as fast as we can. The Buddha placed great stress on the importance of releasing ill will. In the extreme, he said that even when we are The post Intention of Non-Ill Will appeared first on Dr. Rick Hanson. Read more
Can you take a moment? The Practice: Lower your stress Why? [Note: This JOT is adapted from Mother Nurture - a book written for mothers - focusing on typical situations that are experienced by many, though not all, mothers during the years before their children enter grade school. These are most commonly the years when The post Lower Your Stress appeared first on Dr. Rick Hanson. Read more
What Is Mindful Presence? Let’s unpack those two words, mindful presence. Mindfulness is simply a clear, non-judgmental awareness of your inner and outer worlds. In particular, it’s an awareness of the flow of experience in your inner world – an alert observing of your thoughts, emotions, body sensations, desires, memories, images, personality dynamics, attitudes, etc. The post Mindful Presence appeared first on Dr. Rick Hanson. Read more
“Let go a little, you’ll have a little happiness. Let go completely, you’ll be completely happy.” Letting Go of Body Sensations Ordinary breathing, focusing on exhalation, intending to let go. Diaphragm breathing. Breath of fire. Heartmath: Breathing evenly through the heart with a positive emotion. Scanning the body and releasing tension. Progressive relaxation. Using imagery The post Key Points of Letting Go appeared first on Dr. Rick Hanson. Read more
Is the “Self” real? What’s the nature of the sense of being that remains when parts of the psyche fall away? The answer depends on how you define “Self.” I use that word to refer to the central “I” that’s presumed in Western psychology and philosophy (and everyday usage) to be the owner of experiences and The post Is the “Self” Real? appeared first on Dr. Rick Hanson. Read more
Your brain is the product of 3.5 billion years of intense evolutionary pressure, including 2.7 million years as tool-using hominids and over 100,000 years as homo sapiens. Human DNA is about 98-99% identical to chimpanzee DNA. But that crucial 1-2% difference is mainly the genetic factors affecting the brain – especially for its relationship functions. The post The Effect of Relationships on the Evolving Human Brain appeared first on Dr. Rick Hanson. Read more
In this video, I explain how we can boost our positive emotions and positive experiences. This video was taken at the Greater Good Science Center in UC Berkeley as part of the Science of a Meaningful Life Series. The post Video – How to Take in ... Read more
What is the Best Time of Day to Meditate? In all the studies (and reviews of studies) I’ve seen on meditation, I’ve never seen anything scientific about best time of day to meditate. Maybe it exists, but I’ve never heard of it. From the standpoint of a long-time meditator, plus someone who teaches meditation, my The post What is the Best Time of Day to Meditate? appeared first on Dr. Rick Hanson. Read more
Did you know? Neurons typically fire 5 – 50 times a second, with millions and even billions of them pulsing in harmony with each other many times a second; the electrical currents of that pulsing are revealed as brain waves in an EEG. In the half second it takes you to clap your hands, billions The post Brain Facts appeared first on Dr. Rick Hanson. Read more
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