This is a broad aim of not causing pain, loss, or destruction to any living thing. At a minimum, this is a sweeping resolution to avoid any whit of harm to another human being. The implications are far-reaching, since most of us participate daily in activities whose requirements or ripples may involve harm to others The post Intention of Harmlessness appeared first on Dr. Rick Hanson. Read more

Although your brain isn’t heavy – about three pounds of soft, gooshy tissue like tapioca pudding – it has about 1.1 trillion cells altogether. One hundred billion of those are in the “gray matter,” a kind of “skin” of nerve tissue wrapping around the “white matter” that comprises most of the bulk of the brain. The post Your Wonderful Brain appeared first on Dr. Rick Hanson. Read more

Of course, the first question regarding intention is, for what? All the great wisdom traditions of the world, and all the great moral philosophers, have grappled with this question. What should we want? There are many ways to approach this question. Some try to answer it in terms of discerning the will or desires of The post Right Intention appeared first on Dr. Rick Hanson. Read more

Our intentions arise in the brain, are represented in the brain, and are pursued in the brain. Where else? Therefore, a basic understanding of how intentions work in the brain – and thus in your mind – is a very useful thing to have. The Executive Functions The brain is like a committee, with many The post Wholesome Intentions – The Neurology of Intention appeared first on Dr. Rick Hanson. Read more

In this video, I explain how mindfulness meditation can strengthen our brains and help us focus our attention. This video was taken at the Greater Good Science Center in UC Berkeley as part of the Science of a Meaningful Life Series. Take a look and le... Read more

These statements about reality, about the way things really are, are central to Buddhism, and you can test them for yourself: Everything happens because of preceding causes. Everything, both inside our minds and outside in the world. Those causes lead to results that are either beneficial or harmful, for ourselves and others. Causes originate within The post Wholesome Intentions – Introduction appeared first on Dr. Rick Hanson. Read more

I’ve created a reading guide for my book, Hardwiring Happiness, to take you through the concepts and details of each chapter, offering more opportunities to practice, reflect and apply the teachings to your every day life. The reading guide is a helpful resource for individuals or reading groups, and you can view and download it The post Free Hardwiring Happiness Reading Guide Now Available! appeared first on Dr. Rick Hanson. Read more

Visit Part I of this blog post here. Concentration Concentration has two central factors: applying attention to an object and sustaining it there, like an ice skater plants her foot (applying) and then glides along (sustaining). When you practice formal concentration, keep returning attention to the object (e.g., breath, sensation, emotion, memory of your mother), The post Key Points of Awareness – Part II appeared first on Dr. Rick Hanson. Read more