S1E30 - Rick Hanson - Rewiring Our Circuitry
We met with Rick Hanson, best-selling author, Senior Fellow of UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center and founder of the Global Compassion Coalition, to review what neuroscience tells us about how to rewire our mental circuitry for greater physical and emotional wellbeing in the face of the inevitable negative in our lives. Hanson’s latest book, Making Great Relationships, is the launch point for our discussion, but we meander from the microscopic within to the infinite of the Big Bang Universe in our explorations of human potential. How and what is within range as we start on this journey? Is unconditional lovingness a reasonable destination? Can our brains open our hearts? How do we skillfully counteract our negative bias? How do we stop seeking approval? Can we be loyal to ourselves? How do we repair our relationships? Where does aggression fit into this picture? How does imagination shape reality? How do we contend with impermanence? Can we create a world where millions of people and organizations experience community with each other, work for the common good, and drive systemic change? Hanson is certain to “make his team proud” with the legacy of love that he has helped to build. The energy of our conversation is intimate and magnetic. Spare an hour to be struck by the human potential of all that is within reach, wherever we happen to be standing. Join us.
Biography
Rick Hanson, Ph.D., is a psychologist, Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, and New York Times best-selling author. His seven books have been published in 31 languages and include Making Great Relationships, Neurodharma, Resilient, Hardwiring Happiness, Just One Thing, Buddha’s Brain, and Mother Nurture – with over a million copies in English alone. He’s the founder of the Global Compassion Coalition and the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, as well as the co-host of the Being Well podcast – which has been downloaded over 10 million times. His free newsletters have 250,000 subscribers, and his online programs have scholarships available for those with financial needs. He’s lectured at NASA, Google, Oxford, and Harvard. An expert on positive neuroplasticity, his work has been featured on CBS, NPR, the BBC, and other major media. He began meditating in 1974 and has taught in meditation centers worldwide. He and his wife live in northern California and have two adult children. He loves the wilderness and taking a break from emails. (Rick Hanson)
Conversation recorded on March 10, 2023.