Q & A with Rick Hanson on Neurodharma, brain science, personal practice and well-being

Psychologist and neuroscience expert Rick Hanson studies the mental resources that promote resilience, from calm and gratitude to confidence and courage. According to Hanson, the coronavirus crisis is exposing some of our psychological vulnerabilities, and reminding us how important it is to nurture our social and emotional strengths. In his new book, Neurodharma, Hanson writes about how we can cultivate more equanimity, wisdom, and moral action using meditation and other practices. As he illustrates with neuroscience research, practicing positive states of being like these can lead to physical changes in the brain, which in turn improve our state of mind in the future. Jill Suttie: How does understanding neuroscience help people cultivate well-being? Rick Hanson: I don’t think brain science is necessary for full awakening. It’s not necessary for ordinary psychological healing or the development of resilient well-being over time, either. Many people have obviously proved that point by developing in those ways without access to an MRI or the latest study. On the other hand, we recognize scientifically that the experiences of a human being—how contented you are, how fulfilled you feel in your relationships, what happens when another person mistreats you—are all based on what the body is doing, especially our neurobiology. So, if we’re interested in disengaging from dread, fear, and helplessness and engaging in a feeling of calm strength and openhea...
Source: SharpBrains - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Tags: Cognitive Neuroscience Education & Lifelong Learning Health & Wellness brain brain-science coronavirus coronavirus crisis meditation mental resources mind mindfulness neurobiology Neurodharma psychologist resilience Rick Hans Source Type: blogs