10% Happier With Dan Harris

Given that social media has been blamed for rising levels of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and political polarization, is it possible to use this technology wisely? That’s the question we dive into today with Randy Fernando, who is featured in a new Netflix documentary called The Social Dilemma, which is all about the many alleged pernicious impacts of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, et al. Randy is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Center for Humane Technology, and a longtime meditator. We start by talking about what he sees as the dangers of social media, but then get into a fascinating discussion, where he ticks off a ton of techniques -- informed by his knowledge of Buddhism -- to use social media that won’t cause you to lose your mind. Where to find Randy Fernando online: Website: http://www.randima.com Other Resources Mentioned: •   Center for Humane Technology - https://www.humanetech.com/ •   The Ledger of Harms: The Facts about Social Media's Harms - https://ledger.humanetech.com/ •   All

In the face of the seemingly unremitting horrors of 2020, is it possible -- or wise -- to generate gratitude? My guest today argues: yes. DaRa Williams is a longtime practitioner and teacher of meditation. She is one of the guiding teachers at the Insight Meditation Society. She’s also had a clinical mental health private practice in Manhattan for many years. DaRa Williams says, only semi-facetiously, that she believes gratitude can be considered the fifth Brahma Vihara. As you know, we’ve just wrapped up our special Election Sanity series here on the podcast, where we explored the ancient Buddhist list called the Four Brahma Viharas: loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. Speaking of Election Sanity, we’re also running a special meditation challenge on the Ten Percent Happier app. Technically, it started yesterday, but it’s not too late to join. It’s only a week long, and it will help you stay engaged in this bananas election season without losing your mind. Download the Ten Percent Ha

#294: Vitamin E: How To Cultivate Equanimity Amidst Political Chaos | Election Sanity Series | Roshi Joan Halifax It’s part four in our Election Sanity series. Throughout October, we have been trying to help you stay engaged in current events without losing your mind. As you know, we’ve been drawing on an ancient Buddhist list called The Four Brahma Viharas, which are four mental skills that can be enormously useful. Over the last three episodes, we’ve taken deep dives into loving-kindness (or friendliness), compassion (or giving a crap), and sympathetic joy (the opposite of schadenfreude). This week, it’s equanimity, the secret sauce that allows you to apply to aforementioned skills in difficult times. Our guest this week is perfect for this subject, precisely because she freely admits that equanimity -- which she calls “vitamin E” -- doesn’t come easily for her. Roshi Joan Halifax is a Buddhist teacher, Zen priest, anthropologist, and pioneer in the field of end-of-life care. She’s been passionately politic

We’ve backed away from celebrity interviews on the show of late, because we got a lot of feedback from listeners saying they had trouble relating to some of our more famous interviewees. I am confident that is not going to be the case with today’s guest. Brett Eldredge may be a big country star -- with six #1 hits -- but he is no dilettante when it comes to tackling mental health challenges. You are about to listen to someone who is truly digging in and doing the work. By way of background, I have never personally been a country fan, but I first met Brett when he came on this show a few years ago to talk about his on-stage panic attacks and general anxiety, and after that we struck up a friendship. I have been so impressed by the rigor with which he has committed to his mental wellbeing. In this interview he really goes there -- speaking in utterly unguarded ways about how ambition and perfectionism have fueled his anxiety (as well as some of his romantic challenges); describing a special kind of therapy desi

There’s an old expression: “Every time a friend succeeds, I die a little bit.” I love that saying, because it speaks to how hard it can be to take pleasure in other people’s happiness. That said, while it may be difficult, it is not impossible -- and moreover, as our guest today will argue, it’s a massively useful skill, especially as we endure this bonkers election. Welcome to week three of our special Election Sanity podcast series. Every Monday in October, we’re tackling a mental skill drawn from an ancient Buddhist list known as the Four Brahma Viharas, or the Four Heavenly Abodes. Don’t be fooled by the high falutin’ name; these skills are eminently achievable, and massively helpful. I can say this based on both personal experience, and also a significant amount of scientific research. In the previous two episodes, we explored loving-kindness (also known by the less gooey moniker of “friendliness”), and also compassion. This week it’s “sympathetic joy,” or “mudita.” You can think of this skill as the opp

There will be no talk of election or pandemic on this episode. This is a straight-up, meat-and-potatoes meditation talk from the one and only Joseph Goldstein. In this chat, we explore three profoundly useful mindfulness strategies, including: mindfulness of thinking, awareness of rushing (a deeply ingrained habit for many of us), and the genuine insight that can emerge from everyday activities. For the uninitiated, Joseph is one of the founding teachers on the Ten Percent Happier app; he is a cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society; and he is the author of several books, including the recently reissued The Experience of Insight: A Simple and Direct Guide to Buddhist Meditation. Where to find Joseph Goldstein online: Insight Meditation Society: https://www.dharma.org/teacher/joseph-goldstein/ Joseph Goldstein Courses & Meditations on the Ten Percent Happier App: https://10percenthappier.app.link/x9Q0TCy36Z Books: https://bookshop.org/contributors/joseph-goldstein-3a8b7f33-05c3-49df-94e9-3700b68fec76 I

Do you remember that band, The Shins? They had a popular song that appeared on the soundtrack for that Zach Braff movie Garden State. Anyway, they also had a song called “Caring is Creepy.” I always thought that was kinda funny. In this episode, however, we’re going to establish that not only is caring not creepy, it’s also not — as many people fear— a sign of weakness. Caring, or having compassion, for other people— or for yourself— is a baller move. It takes courage, and it gives you courage. Particularly during this dumpster fire of a presidential election. This is part two of our special “election sanity” series. The series is built around a classic Buddhist list, called the Four Brahma Viharas. These are four allegedly heavenly states of mind. Don’t worry about the seeming grandiosity; it’s all, as I said last week, very down to earth. You can think of these four mind states as mental skills that are powerful correctives against the vitriol that characterizes the modern political scene. Last week, we tal

At a time like this, fun may seem frivolous. But our guest today is going to argue — convincingly, in my opinion — that fun is absolutely essential to a well-lived life. She has thought deeply about what actually constitutes fun, and how we can best live a life that is conducive to fun. In other words, she argues that fun is a trainable skill. You may have heard of Catherine Price. She’s been on the show before. She wrote an excellent book called How To Break Up With Your Phone, which had a significant influence on me. We start our conversation by talking about ways to achieve what she calls “screen/life balance” during a time of pandemic and political upheaval, and then we flow directly into fun, which is something you can only have when you put your phone down. Where to find Catherine Price online: Website: http://catherineprice.com/ Sign up for the #FunSquad: https://mailchi.mp/screenlifebalance/funsquad Resources for Screen//Life Balance including a 3-day challenge and social media detox course: screenlif

In an election season characterized by misinformation, mistrust, and now a positive covid test from the President-- we’ve been plunged headlong into a black hole of uncertainty. So here at the Ten Percent Happier podcast, we’ve decided to serve up some deep counter-programming. Unlike the campaign coverage you’ll get everywhere else in the universe, in this special “Election Sanity” series we won’t have arguments and we won’t talk polls. We’re going to help you navigate all of this tumult and toxicity in a way that allows you to be both engaged and calm. We’re building this series around an ancient Buddhist list (the Buddhists love listicles, as we’ve discussed on the show) called The Four Brahma Viharas. That phrase, Brahma Viharas, translates, literally into “divine abodes.” At first blush, the notion of divine abodes -- or heavenly mind states -- may sound a little grandiose. But I promise you this whole thing is actually very much down-to-earth. These are four mental skills that we can train through medit

There’s no shortage of fear these days -- the virus, the climate, racial injustice, political tumult… I could go on. But can you change the way your brain reacts to fear? Moreover, can you train courage? Abigail Marsh says yes; overcoming fear is a trainable skill. She’s an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program at Georgetown University. She’s also the author of the book Fear Factor: How One Emotion Connects Altruists, Psychopaths, and Everyone In-Between. This is a classic TPH podcast conversation: an ace scientist whose area of expertise illuminates key aspects of the human condition. Enjoy. Where to find Dr. Abigail Marsh online: Website: http://www.abigailmarsh.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/aa_marsh Book Mentioned: Fear Factor: How One Emotion Connects Altruists, Psychopaths, and Everyone In-Between by Abigail Marsh: https://bookshop.org/books/the-fear-factor-how-one-emotion-connects-altruists-psychopaths-and-everyone-in-between/9781541697195

Today we’re going to get a deep take on the old cliche, “You are what you eat.” Usually that expression speaks to the impact of food on our bodies, but what is often overlooked is the impact nutrition has on our minds. Dr. Mark Hyman is the author of a book called Food Fix. He studied Buddhism in college and then went on to become a practicing family physician and a leader in the field of Functional Medicine. He’s written thirteen New York Times Bestselling books, including his new one, and is also the host of a podcast called The Doctor’s Farmacy. In this episode, we talk about the impact of food on our mental health, and Dr. Hyman’s view that food is a social justice issue that impacts everything from chronic diseases to climate. Where to find Dr. Mark Hyman online: Website: https://drhyman.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/drmarkhyman Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drmarkhyman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmarkhyman/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ultrawellness Books: Food Fix by Mark Hy

In my opinion, purveyors of joy can come off as oily and unctuous, even in the best of times. Like walking impersonations of Rainbow Brite. But in hard times, arguing for joy can seem pollyanna-ish or downright clueless. Our guest today reframes joy as supremely relevant and eminently doable. His name is James Baraz. He is the co-founder of Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California, and author of the book Awakening Joy. We talk about: why joy gets a bad rap; why it’s not a feel-good project, but instead a “feel-everything” project; and the role of meditation in taking on pressing issues such as climate and race. Also, stay tuned for a cameo from our producer, Marissa, who weighs in with a personal question. Where to find James Baraz online: Website: https://www.awakeningjoy.info/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/baraz415 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/awakeningjoy10/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtcjQ-YTKDv18nT6t3Abq1g Books: Awakening Joy: 10 Steps to Happiness by James Baraz and Shoshana Alex

“Narcissist” is a word that gets thrown quite a bit, including by me -- often, semi-facetiously, about myself. But until this conversation, I didn’t actually know what the word meant. My guest today is Keith Campbell, who’s been researching narcissism for more than 30 years. He’s got a new book called The New Science of Narcissism. In this episode, we talk about the difference between garden variety narcissism and the diagnosis of Narcissistic Personality Disorder, the difference between grandiose narcissism and vulnerable narcissism, what to do with if you’re married to a narcissist, how to identify your own narcissism, and what he calls the CPR method for narcissism control. Where to find Keith Campbell online:  Website: https://wkeithcampbell.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wkeithcampbell Book Mentioned: The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement by Jean M. Twenge and W. Keith Campbell: https://bookshop.org/books/the-narcissism-epidemic-living-in-the-age-of-entitlement/9781416575993  The N

Way before Buzzfeed, the Buddha was creating listicles: The Seven Factors of Enlightenment, The Three Jewels, The Eight Worldly Winds... I could go on. He wasn’t using these lists as clickbait, obviously; they were teaching tools -- ways to understand how the mind works, and how we can work with the mind. The first and, many believe, most important list promulgated by the Buddha was the Four Noble Truths. And today, we're going to take a stroll through this list with Phillip Moffitt. He’s got an interesting resume. He’s a deep dharma teacher who studied in the Thai Forest tradition for years, and was a Co-Guiding Teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center for most of the last decade. But he’s also a former editor of Esquire Magazine who has run workshops and done one-on-one counseling on the subject of personal life changes and transitions. As I mentioned in the last episode, we’re dedicating this whole week to the subject of managing change in a chaotic world. Monday, we spoke to Bruce Feiler, who takes a more

We have another themed week for you, with two episodes about how to navigate major life changes-- clearly a resonant theme, given the various dumpster fires that are raging in our world right now. Coming up on Wednesday, we’re going to get a deep dharma take on this subject, but today, we’ve got a guest who takes a more journalistic/scientific approach. His name is Bruce Feiler. He has a new, bestselling book called Life Is In the Transitions. In it, he offers seven tools for navigating what he calls “lifequakes,” which can range from divorce to job loss to addiction. Bruce has written a series of bestselling books, including Walking the Bible, and Council of Dads, which became a TV show on NBC. He didn’t mean for this new book on transitions to come out during a pandemic, but the timing is perversely perfect. In this conversation, we talk about: the events in his own life that got him interested in this subject; why “lifequakes” are a feature, not a bug; and why the word “resilience” makes Bruce grumpy. Wher

When you first encounter Bhante Buddharakkhita, the wise and affable Abbot of the Ugandan Buddhist Center, you might be tempted to think: this guy’s been a meditator since shortly after exiting the womb. But his story of finding the dharma -- and then trying to integrate it into his life -- is straight-up wild. It starts with a childhood of devout Catholicism, then veers into India, a scuba-diving stint in Thailand, and a sojourn with a venerable Buddhist teacher in West Virginia. When he finally lands back in Africa as one of the first monastics on that continent, he is mocked as a wizard and then nearly assasinated. In this chat, we talk about: how that incident led to a deep dive into the treatment of trauma; how he integrates African wisdom into his Buddhist teaching; and his motto, “More dharma, less drama.” Where to find Bhante online: Dharma Seed: https://dharmaseed.org/teacher/203/ IMS: https://www.dharma.org/teacher/bhante-buddharakkhita/ We care deeply about supporting you in your meditation practic

How do you strike work/life balance when you feel overwhelming pressure to provide for your family? How do you balance gender roles in a modern marriage? How close should we live to our parents when they retire? These are questions many, if not most, of us struggle with. But Ravi Patel does so in public. Not just in public -- but on camera, all over the world. Ravi is an actor who has been in TV shows such as Master of None and American Housewife and movies such as Transformers and the upcoming Wonder Woman 1984. He is perhaps best known for starring in a hilarious documentary called Meet the Patels, in which he travels around America and India egged on by his parents, looking for a bride. Now he has a new TV show on HBO Max called Ravi Patel’s Pursuit of Happiness, where in each episode, he and someone in his life -- his wife, his parents, his best friend -- go on a global adventure to address a major life issue. He’s very funny, and unusually an open book. I think you will enjoy this. Where to find Ravi onl

In the heat of an election that is both incredibly nasty and hugely consequential, it might be tempting to try to shut out all the feelings of anger, frustration, and powerlessness. But my guest today makes a compelling argument for engagement -- and for the notion that nothing should be excluded from your meditation practice, not even politics. Sharon Salzberg has a new book, called Real Change, which is about how to stay socially, civically, and politically engaged without losing your mind. We talk about how to develop patience when it seems there’s no light at the end of the tunnel; why it’s wise to cultivate compassion, even for people you find deeply objectionable; and ways to limit our Twitter doomscrolling, something Sharon struggles with herself. Loyal listeners will know Sharon well. She’s a towering figure on the American meditation scene, the cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society, the author of several books, including Real Love, Real Happiness and Real Happiness at Work, and a founding teach

Angel Collinson is a badass in every sense of the word. She’s one of the world's best extreme skiers, a meditator, and a climate activist. In this conversation we explore Angel's mindfulness practice and how it helps her stay centered even when she’s skiing off a cliff, her work on Capitol Hill, and a tricky and raw conversation with her dad. This is another one of the episodes we recorded pre-pandemic, but which remains relevant. Where to find Angel Collinson online: Twitter: https://twitter.com/angelcollinson Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AngelCollinson/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelcollinson/?hl=en We care deeply about supporting you in your meditation practice, and feel that providing you with high quality teachers is one of the best ways to do that. Customers of the Ten Percent Happier app say they stick around specifically for the range of teachers, and the deep wisdom they impart, to help them deepen their practice. For anyone new to the app, we've got a special discount just for you.

I grew up with that famous Groucho Marx joke, “I wouldn’t want to belong to a club that would have me as a member.” It always resonated with me. As my grandfather would say, “I resemble that remark.” We all know that belonging -- to a tribe, a family, a group of any sort -- is a key part of human happiness; science bears this out. But my guest today, Sebene Selassie, is taking this concept of belonging to a much, much deeper level. To the “oneness with the universe” level. That’s obviously one of the world’s greatest spiritual cliches, but in her new book, Seb unpacks and defends the concept incredibly effectively. The book is called “You Belong.” Seb is a writer and teacher based in Brooklyn. She is a regular on the Ten Percent Happier app. And she is a great and valued friend. Where to find Sebene Selassie online: Website: https://www.sebeneselassie.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/sebeneselassie Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sebeneselassie Book Mentioned: You Belong by Sebene Selassie: https://www.