Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris

People have mixed feelings about the popularization of mindfulness and meditation over the last 10 or 15 years with some referring to it as …

This is the third installment in our Work Life series. In other episodes, we cover topics like imposter syndrome, whether mindfulness really works at …

You can refresh your energy in just a few moments. If you do it mindfully, you'll boost your presence and attention for the rest of the day.

About …

The phrase imposter syndrome has increasingly crept into the culture. If you haven’t heard of it, it basically means that you feel like you’re a …

This is the first of a four part series on work that we’re calling, “Work Life.” 

Work can play a huge role in our sanity and happiness, or lack …

As skeptics, we can question if our lives have meaning. Reflecting on the impact of your good actions can counteract these desolate feelings.

About …

It’s hard not to like Lewis Howes. He’s extremely open about his personal struggles, from childhood trauma to romantic challenges, from family drama to failure and self-doubt. Lewis is a voracious learner, relentless in …

There’s so much compelling research behind the notion of self compassion. Even though many of us think we need an internal cattle prod in order to retain our edge, research shows that people who have a supportive inner …

Feel the true strength and happiness that comes from courageous vulnerability, the valuable art of knowing yourself deeply.

About Alexis Santos:

Alexis …

The human animal doesn’t love paradox. We love a clear, simple story. Us versus them. Good versus evil. But life is rarely like that. This is especially true when it comes to wrestling with history. Our guest today …

Usually episodes of this show are organized around one big question, but today’s guest, Jonathan Haidt, is just too interesting for one clear focus. In this episode, we dig into a ton of fascinating topics, including: …

Go from "seeing red" to seeing the value in anger without being carried away by it and doing or saying things you'll regret later.

About Jessica Morey:

Jess Morey is a lead teacher, cofounder and former executive director …

Very often, when somebody pisses us off, our first instinct might be to plan some sort of revenge even if we rarely, if ever, actually follow through …

Meditation and mindfulness doesn’t uproot your capacity to be judgmental, but it can help you see the value in being judgmental by learning how to …

Learn how to grow your resilience by connecting to a positive attitude, resolve, and allowing yourself to say yes to difficult emotions.

About Sebene …

This is the last episode in our four-part series where we’re counter-programming against the way Valentine’s Day is often celebrated, and examining different kinds of relationships including romantic, friendship, and …

Did you know that having friends can make you less depressed? One survey found that the average American had not made a new friend in the last five …

Mindfulness isn't about making your heart open. It's about feeling however you feel, respecting that, and sometimes, saying no.

About Cara Lai:

Cara …

If you’re part of a family, you’ve probably experienced some level of drama. Maybe it’s minor annoyances, like an uncle who chews too loudly. Maybe it’s divorce, sibling rivalry, or abuse. There are lots of flavors in …

This episode is part one of our four-part series where we’re counter-programming against the way Valentine’s Day is often celebrated, and examining different kinds of relationships including romantic, friendship, and …

Sharon expertly guides you through a body scan to help you feel relaxed and at home in your body.

About Sharon Salzberg:

Sharon Salzberg is a meditation pioneer, world-renowned teacher, and New York Times bestselling …

So many people are interested in their family tree. What kind of lives did our ancestors lead and what do their stories say about us? Today’s guest, Spring Washam, asks us to reckon with the people who have come before …

There may be a temptation in some circles to dismiss intuition as witchy, folkloric, or unscientific but there’s actually a ton of science around …

Instead of fruitlessly trying to control everything in your life, take a lighter approach and throw a party for all that comes your way.

About Jeff …

Today’s episode is the first in an experimental new series called Meditation Party. 

Dan takes listener calls with fellow meditators Sebene Selassie and Jeff Warren and get candid about their practices and dealing with …

The better you understand your brain – and the more effectively you can work with it – the happier and healthier you will be. This is the central …

Let’s be real: relationships aren’t always easy. Connect in a more meaningful way to stay engaged and caring with balance and ease.

About Pascal …

It can be difficult to grasp how much power of persuasion we actually have, or how to wield it wisely. 

In today’s episode we look at science-based …

We're sharing a preview of another podcast we love, The Happiness Lab. On The Happiness Lab, Dr. Laurie Santos explores all the ways we get our happiness wrong and what we can to do really feel better. She walks through …

Today’s guest is the man in charge of the world’s longest scientific study of happiness, a study that has been running since 1938. 

Dr. Robert …

A busy city is an ideal place to cultivate loving-kindness and powerfully connect to those around you while you’re out and about.

About Jay Michaelson:

According to guest Adam Grant, excellence does not require perfectionism, and rather than obsessing over the outcome of your work, there are better ways of measuring your own success. 

Adam Grant is a frequent flier on …

Our guest today is one of the most prominent happiness researchers in the world, and he has come to the conclusion that living the good life boils down to one thing: finding awe. We’re going to learn what awe does to …

Stressed about the strained economy? You’re not alone. Sebene offers tools to help see the abundance we all have in our lives.

About Sebene Selassie:

…

When we think about Buddhism or the dharma, we probably don’t think about money. 

But when the Buddha laid out guidelines about how to make an ethical livelihood, this didn’t preclude material success. This episode is …

Money is often a messy and complicated topic that provokes a lot of anxiety. 

Today’s show is the first episode of a two-part series on managing our …

What is the Dalai Lama’s own meditation practice like? In this final episode, the Dalai Lama goes into great detail about the whys and wherefores of meditation, taking us way into the deep end. We cover single-pointed …

One of the Dalai Lama‘s most challenging teachings, especially for secular western minds, is reincarnation. In this episode, His Holiness describes …

How can we get better at selfishness? That’s one of many fascinating topics we cover in this episode, in which we play snippets from Dan’s one-on-one …

The Dalai Lama makes a risky move. When confronted by a young American woman coping with incredible loss, he does something surprising and counterintuitive. The incident surfaces a question that is more urgent now than …

Dan flies to Dharamsala, India to spend two weeks in the orbit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This is the first installment of a five-part audio …

In this practice you'll connect with your values and set an intention for how you want to show up today.

About Oren Jay Sofer:

Oren has practiced meditation in the early Buddhist tradition since 1997, beginning his …

Brené Brown has found that most people are only able to identify three emotions: happy, sad and pissed off. 

In this episode we explore how better …

The New Year is approaching and this is a time when many of us think about making and breaking new habits. So today we’re bringing on one of the smartest people when it comes to habits, best-selling author and speaker …

Develop insight into your cravings and find some freedom by observing your thoughts and physical sensations when you are lost in desire.

About Alexis Santos:

Alexis has practiced and taught Insight Meditation in both the …

Today we’re tackling some thorny dharma questions. For example: How do you love someone without attachment? How do you love yourself when the self is allegedly an illusion? 

Kevin Griffin is both a long time Buddhist …

If you’re tired of the venom, preening, and predatory listening so common on all sides of our various cultural divides, this episode is for you. 

My …

The delicate practice of self-forgiveness can help undo habits of self-judgment, self-criticism, and help you reclaim greater self-esteem.

About Diana …

It’s possible to actually be addicted to self-criticism, especially as a way to keep yourself safe. But evidence shows that’s not true, and today’s episode dives into strategies to deal with your own self-hatred. 

This …

The allure of resentment, of holding a grudge or nursing your rage can be super powerful. 

In today’s episode, Jack Kornfield, one of the great …

Sebene guides you through using physical touch points to reduce anxiety. This is a great alternative to focusing on breathing.

About Sebene Selassie:

Sebene Selassie was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and raised in white …

Today we’re taking a run at something that is simultaneously a contemplative cliché and also a deeply desired psychological outcome: getting out of …

The subject of anxiety never seems to lose its relevance. In this special episode we answer listener voicemails with one of the world’s leading experts on anxiety. 

Dr. Jud Brewer is the Chief Medical Officer at …

This simple but profound meditation will help you flip the judgment switch and genuinely welcome whatever your life presents.

About Jeff Warren:

Jeff …

We’ve all got parts of our personality or our past that we’re ashamed of. We might refer to these parts of ourselves as our demons, our baggage, or our secrets; no one is immune.

So, how do you want to deal with this …

Today we explore the entire dread spectrum with Saleem Reshamwala, who took a deep dive on this very common, very uncomfortable emotion. What is …

Setting intentions regularly can be an incredibly effective and deeply satisfying tool to map out how you want to live your life.

About Dawn Mauricio:

…

Can gratitude be more than just a platitude? Our guest today argues: yes. 

DaRa Williams is a longtime practitioner and teacher of meditation. She is one of the guiding teachers at Insight Meditation Society, a graduate …

There are all sorts of ways to struggle with getting things done. Maybe you’re a procrastinator, maybe you’re somebody whose energy flags in the middle of a project, maybe you’re too stubborn and don’t know when to …

Bring an open minded curiosity to your big emotions and get to know yourself more fully, developing resilience to deal with all the feels.

About …

This episode is for anyone who has ever had a tough or tricky moment. In other words, everyone who is currently drawing breath on planet earth right now.

Today’s guests are powerhouse duo Tsoknyi Rinpoche and Daniel …

Is it possible to learn to spot which state your nervous system is in and move from suboptimal states to much better ones? The subject of how to work …

The team over at our sister show, More Than a Feeling, are diving deep into an emotion that a lot of us can relate to: dread. And while that may …

A common idea in the west is that our feelings or emotions should be viewed with suspicion, superseded or overridden by rational thought, and that …

In western culture, there's been a long held view that our ability to reason should be placed above our emotions. But the hard truth is that our …

We’re sharing a very special episode from a frequent guest of the show, Esther Perel. In this episode, “Love in War with Esther Perel: Ukraine,” you’ll hear a couples session led by Esther, between a husband and wife …

Cultivate resilience by choosing to turn towards joy, and transform difficult times into growth opportunities and heartache into gratitude.

About La …

It is so easy to be pessimistic and, in fact, we are evolutionarily wired towards it with a built in negativity bias. This bias can be super useful, …

Friendship might not necessarily be something you’ve considered to be an urgent psychological and physiological issue. One thing we explore a lot on …

Conflict is inevitable in any relationship. By identifying what really matters to us, we can strengthen our most meaningful connections.

About Oren …

Relationships can be tricky. Especially if you find yourself upset with someone, and instead of talking it through, you let it fester until one …

You may remember hearing a massively viral story from a few years ago about a school in Baltimore that gave students meditation, instead of …

Instead of letting your inner critic control you, turn it into a caricature so you can find a little space in the relationship.

About Sharon Salzberg:

…

One of the great perils and problems of our age is that we sometimes become too entrenched in our views and attached to being right. 

According to …

It might be hard to find a more annoying cliché than self-love; it can seem empty and inactionable. And even if you could make it work, I think many …

Relieve your anxiety by exploring the relationship between stress and thinking while learning to break unhealthy habit loops.

About Jess Morey:

Jess Morey is a lead teacher, cofounder and former executive director of …

Are you interested in suffering less? Today's guest, Dharma teacher Pascal Auclair, is going to talk about seven very specific and practical ways to train your mind for reduced suffering by exploring a Buddhist list …

Thoughts are not your enemy in meditation. If you’re getting distracted while you meditate, that’s not necessarily a problem. Thoughts are natural. They’re always going to come. The point is not to clear the mind and to …

Let your attention be fueled by interest and discover how meditation can feel more engaging and enjoyable.

About Cara Lai:

Cara Lai spent most of her life trying to figure out how to be happy, or at least avoid total …

The Buddha was an inveterate list-maker who gave us easy to remember checklists to help us do life better. One of the handiest lists the Buddha made was called the five hindrances, which is a part of the fourth …

Most of us come into the world with the suspicion that we are the center of the universe. This self-preoccupation is natural, but it can often lead to unhappiness in the form of rumination, wallowing, comparison, etc. 

…

Bringing awareness to everyday activities can be a taste of freedom to help you move through your day with clarity, energy, and well-being.

About Alexis Santos:

Alexis Santos is a featured teacher on the Ten Percent …

Ever have that experience where you catch yourself in a moment of anger, judgmentalism or fear? And, with a wince, immediately tell yourself a whole …

Today we’re talking about an often overlooked source of suffering— housework. There are so many ways in which housework can be a bummer. Maybe we’re feeling guilty about the fact that our place is always a mess. Maybe …

In this previously released episode, Malcolm Gladwell responds to backlash he received over his belief that working in an office—and the …

Is it possible to be happy no matter what happens? Today we’re going right to the source of what makes us unhappy to learn how to disarm and disable potential suffering before it owns us. 

Everything that comes up in our …

Jessica Nordell is a science and culture journalist who has written for the Atlantic and the New York Times. She earned a B.A. in physics from …

Try this powerful metta practice where you connect directly with the feelings of loving-kindness in your body and then expand out to others.

About …

It’s such a common desire to get out of our heads — to escape the nonstop, mostly self-referential chatter, the habitual storylines, the ancient …

Emotionally immature people (EIP’s) are hard to avoid and most of us, if not all of us, have to deal with them at some point in our lives. These interactions can range from mildly annoying to genuinely traumatic, …

Hope is a skill. Using the phrase ‘let it be’ invites us to be more relaxed with life and lets us envision a better world.

About Sebene Selassie:

Growing up, Sebene felt like a big weirdo. Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia …

In the last couple of years, many people have been extolling the virtues of something called the "Enneagram" but—what the hell is it? 

On today’s …

Most of us talk all day long. We speak to each other, we type at each other, and of course, we talk to ourselves internally. Talking and listening is a key part of what it means to be human and It’s very hard to be a …

Being aware of the breath is a foundation of mindfulness. The goal is to gently return, with growing kindness, again and again.

About Sharon Salzberg:

…

At times, self-improvement can seem like a never-ending hallway filled with limitless shame and insufficiency. So when something as simple as the breath falls into this category, it seems only natural to meet that news …

Most of us worry about money sometimes, but what if we changed the way we thought about our relationship to finances? Today’s guest, William MacAskill, offers a framework in which to do just that. He calls it effective …

After an intense day, try this simple meditation to decompress and de-stress by getting comfy and putting your feet up.

About Jeff Warren:

Jeff is an …

In this episode from our archives, psychologist Kelly McGonigal dives into her book The Joy of Movement and practical steps on how to develop healthy …

The idea of loving people no matter what— no matter how obnoxious or unacceptable their behavior is can sound simultaneously treacly and downright …

Our busy lives rarely afford us time to reflect on what’s truly important. Remembering what matters most empowers us to engage meaningfully.

About La …

Today’s episode looks at one of the hardest Buddhist principles to grasp— the notion that the self is an illusion. Many people get stuck on the misunderstanding that they don’t exist. They look in the mirror and say, …

Since the start of COVID-19, more people are working from home, and with that, more people have strong opinions about whether or not it’s the best …

Bringing mindfulness to walking is an opportunity to build awareness and relax the mind as you move about your day.

About Alexis Santos:

Alexis Santos …

Oftentimes Buddhism can take a tough love, no nonsense approach to happiness by saying, if you want to be happier, sometimes you need to face hard truths. 

In today's episode we’re going to talk about a Buddhist list …

These days, the word mindfulness has become a buzz phrase but very often people don’t know what the word actually means, much less how to practice …

Cultivating what’s good in us helps during times of both abundance and adversity. In fact, it’s when times are hard that we need it the most.

About …

There are so many benefits to mindfulness with one of the biggest being the cultivation of more self-awareness. This cultivation can lead to …

Many of us may have a reflexive reaction when we notice we’re feeling down: we want it to go away. Maybe we think something is wrong with us and we automatically self medicate in any number of ways. But how do we square …

Sharon teaches you a simple breathing technique to release tension and reduce the intensity of a painful experience.

About Sharon Salzberg:

A towering …

Sit in meditation for a few minutes and you’re likely to experience pain, either physical or psychological. Hang around the meditation scene for very …

We all have long-standing painful patterns of behavior or inner storylines that can cause us to react disproportionately or inappropriately to …

Find freedom from obsessive loops of fear by getting grounded in the body, dropping the stories, and bringing some kindness to the struggle.

About Sebene Selassie:

Growing up, Sebene felt like a big weirdo. Born in Addis …

Today we’re gonna tackle one of the best known contemplative clichés: being in the present moment and inhabiting the now.

The present moment seems to be a state we aspire towards, but are rarely given practical …

Often, when you’re afraid of something, the best advice is deeply counterintuitive, not to mention inconvenient: to turn toward the source of your fear.

Today we’re going to talk about the fear of confronting your own …

Expand and strengthen your understanding of awareness through an exploration of focused, investigative, and flexible awareness.

About Diana Winston:

…

Depression is a debilitating problem both on an individual and a societal level and it has only gotten worse during the pandemic. According to the World Health Organization, depression is now one of the leading causes …

Anxiety has long been a massive societal issue that has spiked during the pandemic.

In this episode, renowned Buddhist monk Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche talks in detail about how he personally works with anxiety and panic and …

Connecting with the universal world wide web of meditators expands your perspective and helps cultivate a deep feeling of belonging.

About Jeff Warren:

In this episode, the social justice educator and activist Jacoby Ballard talks about a universal, or near universal, issue: anger. And, he offers us two mental skills that can help channel anger into something even more …

How, on this planet, did we go from molten lava and shifting tectonic plates to sentient beings? How are you awake and aware right now? Who and where …

What and who are you? In this advanced exploration, you are invited to contemplate what is and isn’t definable about your identity.

About JoAnna Hardy:

JoAnna Hardy is an insight meditation (Vipassanā) practitioner and …

One of the most common and insidious complaints of meditators is distraction, which can be a frustrating and difficult obstacle. Even the Buddha …

It seems like a design flaw in our species that we live in a world of constant change yet most of us are not comfortable with uncertainty. 

In this episode, we talk to Maya Shankar about how to get better at dealing with …

Nourish yourself with some kindness and shift away from self-criticism towards accepting yourself fully, even your hardest parts.

About La Sarmiento:

…

“The quality of your relationships determines the quality of your life.” 

These words from the legendary Esther Perel have the power to genuinely change your outlook on life. But while it’s easy to hear them and …

Life is filled with all kinds of moral dilemmas— from the mundane to the momentous. Should I lie and tell my friend that I like her ugly shirt? Can I …

Build resilience for tough situations. Learn the tools to develop self-empathy, clarifying what matters to you most and how to move forward.

About …

How much would your relationships improve if you could up your emotional intelligence game? That phrase, “emotional intelligence” or EQ, entered the …

It’s completely natural when dealing with anxiety, depression, anger, shame, or any other unpleasant emotion, to just want it to go away.

Guest Susan David says that these discomforts are the price of admission to being …

Start focused on what's truly important. When you pause to remember the big picture, your day can move forward grounded in integrity & wisdom.

…

The phrase, “Get over yourself” is often used in a flippant way, but it’s actually speaking to a deep human need to get out of our heads and off our own backs. At a fundamental level, this is what Buddhism is all about— …

Our culture has oddly conflicting views about pleasure. 

In this episode, author adrienne maree brown explores the importance of pleasure and how it …

Acknowledging the hard feelings that accompany procrastination can help you alleviate avoidance and accomplish the task at hand.

About Jay Michaelson:

Dr. Jay Michaelson is a Senior Content Strategist at Ten Percent …

In a culture that values persistent productivity, one can be left feeling chronically behind. 

In this episode, author and recovering time management …

Our guest this week is Alicia Menendez, an award-winning journalist, who finds herself in a common position for many women: caring way too much about …

Tune in mindfully to help alleviate the pain of feeling unworthy and cultivate more compassion and joy for yourself.

About Diana Winston:

Diana Winston …

Sometimes part of healing trauma means learning how to be human. 

This episode is the last episode of our Mental Health Reboot series to mark Mental Health Awareness Month. Dr. Jacob Ham, who was introduced in Stephanie …

We’ve all had difficult, and sometimes horrible things happen to us. 

While some people may be luckier than others, it’s rare that anyone goes …

Emotions can feel so personal. Joseph helps you get your feet back under you. Remember: your mind doesn't have to push you around.

About Joseph …

Very few of us will live a life without loss. 

As part of our Mental Health Reboot series in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, this week’s episodes talk a lot about grieving. Mary-Frances O’Connor, an expert …

There is an unstoppable flow of gain and loss within our lives. 

Processing this flow helps us to develop equanimity. In this conversation, Pulitzer …

Learn to find a feeling of protection and trust during a downpour of stressful thoughts or overwhelm.

About Matthew Hepburn :

Matthew is a meditation …

How does hope work? 

In this episode from the archives, Rutgers University clinical psychologist Dr. Jacqueline Mattis discusses hope from a …

How do you find hope in a lifetime that has experienced more trauma than most? 

Guest Jonathan Van Ness says that the key is to stay curious and focus on happiness and joy, even if it’s just in a tiny corner.

Jonathan Van …

This body scan meditation is designed to be simple and relaxing. It's the perfect bedtime companion for a good night's rest.

About Anushka …

If you’re trying to improve your sleep, thinking about doing so right before you get into bed might not be the best approach. 

Dr. Sara Mednick, is a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of California, Irvine, and …

Sleep may be the apex predator of healthy habits, so why are so many of us getting terrible sleep? 

Guest Diane Macedo launched a very detailed personal investigation in order to fix her sleeping habits and joins us for …

Most of us have gotten at least a little emotional at some point recently.  It’s natural. But why do we have emotions and how much should we pay …

Can you become happier, more balanced, and practice equanimity without losing your edge? 

Guest Kamala Masters was one of the teachers at Dan’s first ever meditation retreat. In this episode she dives into how to develop …

Why is it that many men seem unenthusiastic about discussing body image issues? 

We take a deep dive into this topic with Aaron Flores, a Los Angeles-based registered dietician and nutritionist, and one of the few men …

Collect yourself in the morning to start off on your best foot. If you start collected, you’ll have better luck staying collected.

About Sharon …

Many of us find our minds flitting all over the place, in meditation and elsewhere. In today’s episode we’re going to learn practical techniques for boosting concentration on and off the cushion. This is the second …

What is it about modern life that is completely disrupting our ability to focus, and how much of it is our fault? 

Turns out, not a lot. A number of …

Returning to the practice of equanimity keeps you both grounded and receptive, especially during times of turmoil and uncertainty.

About Roshi Joan Halifax:

Roshi Joan Halifax is a Buddhist teacher, Zen priest, …

What if one of the keys to happiness is how intentional you are with your time?

Ashley Whillans is an Assistant Professor at Harvard Business School …

Often, we are our own worst critic.

In this episode, Buddhist monk Ajahn Sucitto explores ways to unseat the inner tyrant and make peace with the nagging voice inside of you that seems to always demand perfection, but …

Brené Brown has found that most people are only able to identify three emotions: happy, sad and pissed off. 

In this episode we explore how better …

This episode dives into our archives to revisit the notion of communication as a learnable skill. Often some of the most painful situations you …

What role does mindfulness and meditation play when it comes to sex? It may be the key to alleviating sexual distress in your relationships, and in …

Get comfortable with uncertainty and cultivate trust in life, even in the most turbulent times.

About Sebene Selassie:

Growing up, Sebene felt like a …

This episode explores a Buddhist tool for resolving conflict and keeping your relationships on the rails. This tool, known as the Beginning Anew …

In January 2022, Thich Nhat Hanh, the Vietnamese Zen master, peace activist, poet, and author passed away. He was the founder of the International Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. …

It’s super normal to want what feels good and avoid what feels bad. Unlock your unconscious habits to make wiser & more thoughtful choices.

About …

Many, if not all, of us have a nonstop, ambient thought-track running through our minds of: how am I doing? How do I look? Why did I say that? Am I running behind? What do other people think of me?

How did we get this …

Venerable Pannavati is a former evangelical pastor who has been ordained in three separate Buddhist traditions: Theravada, Chan, and Mahayana. She’s the co-founder and co-Abbot of Embracing-Simplicity Hermitage and …

We’re now entering year three of the pandemic, and even though we’re in a very different stage of the game, there are still so many questions: Is it safe or ethical to return to “normal”? How do you deal with people who …

As we enter year three of the pandemic, the psychology of COVID is no less complex or consequential. This episode features one of the most prominent …

How can we meditate when it seems like the world is falling apart? How do we titrate our news consumption? What do we do with our fears about World War III? How can we do anything constructive to help given how far away …

Self-compassion may appear soft, but it’s actually the very thing that allows us the strength & resilience to meet the challenges we face.

About Alexis Santos:

Alexis has practiced and taught Insight Meditation in …

Dr. Paul Gilbert OBE is a professor of psychology at the University of Derby, Founder and President of The Compassionate Mind Foundation, the founder …

We don’t think about it this way, but as we move through the day, the various moods we inhabit — excitement, engagement, aggression, fear, dejection — they’re all dictated by, or correlated with, our nervous system, or …

Laughter is the best medicine. Use this practice to provoke a little lightheartedness and remember the beautiful ridiculousness of it all.

About Jeff …

A common denominator among all of the great meditation teachers is a sense of humor. They take the teaching seriously, but they don’t take themselves seriously. So perhaps there’s a link between human flourishing and …

Today’s guest makes an extremely convincing case that there are many self-interested reasons to look squarely at the reality of climate change. Bhikkhu Anālayo, who is originally from Germany, is a renowned …

Learn to connect with the true home of strength, wisdom, and clarity inside of yourself, a place of safety that no one can take away.

About Kaira Jewel Lingo:

Kaira Jewel Lingo, was an ordained nun of 15 years in Thich …

It is very easy to think about your meditation practice as being quarantined to those minutes when you’re dutifully sitting down with your eyes …

Today’s episode is the culmination of a long search to find a countervailing force: a Buddhist Trump supporter. This search was born out of the …

What is real love, without the trappings? In this reflection, you'll learn how to tap into feelings of love while maintaining clarity.

About Sharon Salzberg:

A towering figure in the meditation world, Sharon Salzberg is a …

The unavoidable truth is that our skills change as we get older. We invest so much in our professional success, and then at some point, things …

If you care about your long term health and happiness, the quality of your relationships is an area you should focus on. And the good news here is …

We all long to be seen and experience connection. Being fully present with your loneliness can actually be a powerful way to feel less alone.

About …

This episode features Evan Thompson, author of the book Why I Am Not a Buddhist. Evan Thompson is a writer and professor of philosophy at the …

One of the most consistent requests we get from listeners is to explore non-Buddhist forms of meditation. That’s what we’re going to do with this episode. Our guest is Swami Tyagananda, who has been a Hindu monk since …

Finding forgiveness can help you feel lighter, freer, and more at peace. Diana says “it's not easy, but powerful, and completely worth it.”

About …

This episode, with Matthew Brensilver, explores a compelling Buddhist question: does self-hatred, or self-love, make sense if the self is an illusion? Matthew Brensilver, PhD, is a clinical social worker and experienced …

Dr. Alison Gopnik is a psychologist at UC Berkeley and one of the world’s leading experts in cognitive development. She is also the author of several …

All week, we’ve been running  “best of” episodes as part of our Taming Anxiety series – and this is the final episode in that series. 

Leslie Booker (who goes by Booker) is one of America’s leading dharma teachers. She’s …

This week, we’re sharing some of the best episodes in our archives about anxiety. Dr. Judson Brewer is a psychiatrist and deep dharma practitioner who argues that anxiety is a habit, and is one that you can unwind. This …

This week, we're posting some of our best podcasts from the archives on a dragon many of us face internally – anxiety. The first episode of the series features Sara Bareilles. 

Sara Bareilles is a singer, songwriter, …

Gratitude, like hope, is a skill. Daily cultivation leads to lower stress levels, stronger relationships, and higher emotional resilience.

About …

This episode features one of the world’s leading experts in depression and how meditation can help. Dr. Sona Dimidjian is a professor in the …

Psychiatrist Dr. Mark Epstein, discusses his new book The Zen of Therapy, in which he explores how his decades of studying and practicing Buddhism has influenced his work as a therapist. 

In this episode, Dan and Mark …

Being a parent is really freakin’ hard. Of course, it can also be incredibly rewarding and delightful. Either way, it consumes us. 

Childproof is a …

Why, from an evolutionary perspective, is it so terrifying for many of us to contemplate challenging our own tribe? How comfortable would you be …

Jessica Nordell is a science and culture journalist who has written for the Atlantic and the New York Times. She earned a B.A. in physics from …

These potent tools help ease intense frustration through calming breathing, listening to sound, and watching thoughts & feelings come and go.

…

The final episode of our New Year’s Getting Unstuck Series features Emily and Amelia Nagoski. Our goal with this episode, as it has been with all the episodes throughout the series, is to arm you with new ways of …

This is the third episode of our Getting Unstuck Series and we’re kicking off the new year with a giant in the meditation world. Tara Brach holds a …

The three most important words in mindfulness are "simply begin again." This meditation focuses on the key to all meditation techniques.

About Joseph …

It’s the second episode of our Getting Unstuck Series. In this episode, Buddhist teacher and TPH fan favorite Matthew Hepburn offers a Buddhist lens on getting unstuck across many facets of our lives: from our …

This is the first episode of our Getting Unstuck Series. This episode, featuring social worker and NYT bestselling author Nedra Tawwab has some incredibly practical advice for various forms of stuckness, and it …

Relax into a flow of breath sensations, and hone your ability to decrease stress & resistance, and experience a more harmonious happy life.

About …

With the approach of the new year (and perhaps New Year’s resolutions) we’ve decided to replay a very popular episode, featuring one of the most …

We’re almost at that time of year where we contemplate making New Year’s resolutions. So we decided to rerun an episode about the blazingly obvious …

Being a parent is really freakin’ hard. Of course, it can also be incredibly rewarding and delightful. Either way, it consumes us. 

Childproof is a …

In this episode, Robert Putnam and Shaylyn Romney Garrett discuss the recent book they co-authored, The Upswing: How America Came Together a Century Ago and How We Can Do It Again.

Robert Putnam is perhaps best-known for …

If you want to make change in a world filled with all sorts of horrors and obstacles, does it help or hurt to stay cheerful while you go about your …

Check out this sneak peak into an episode of our new podcast Twenty Percent Happier, available exclusively in the Ten Percent Happier app. 

About Matthew Hepburn:

Matthew Hepburn is a straight shooting, clear thinking, …

It’s hard to be a human. No matter how good things are for you, being alive is still hard; whatever your life circumstances are, we’re all subject to impermanence and entropy. This episode dives into a five-part …

This episode explores how to make the infernally difficult challenge of habit formation a little easier, with guest Richard H. Thaler, who won the …

Gratitude practices are transformative. Experiment with gratitude for your own body, noticing the relaxation and ease that results.

About Anushka …

This episode is the second in our two-part Anti-Diet Series, and features guest Christy Harrison. Christy is an anti-diet registered dietitian and nutritionist, a certified intuitive eating counselor, and a certified …

Our guest for our 400th episode is actor and activist Jameela Jamil, who you may have seen on such shows as The Good Place, The Misery Index, and Legendary. Outside of her acting career, Jameela is known for launching a …

This meditation will explore an ancient meditation on the classical elements of matter, helping you connect more deeply with your body.

Growing up, Sebene felt like a big weirdo. Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and raised …

It is a common desire to get out of our heads, to escape the internal noise, the chatter, the Sturm und Drang, the sound and fury, etc. You hear about it in pop songs and poetry, this urge to be blown away, to …

Is there a good kind of suffering? Paul Bloom says, yes -- there is a kind of suffering that you choose. This voluntary suffering can reduce anxiety …

Joseph teaches you how to authentically accept difficult emotions to make them more manageable and less overwhelming.

Joseph is one of the most …

Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett is at the forefront of understanding human emotions: what they are, why humans evolved to have them, how they’re different …

Dr. David DeSteno has embarked on a project he calls “religio-prospecting.” In other words, he has been looking at the scientific evidence that many ancient religious traditions can confer all sorts of benefits, whether …

Check out this sneak peak into an episode of our new podcast Twenty Percent Happier, available exclusively in the Ten Percent Happier app. 

About Matthew Hepburn:

Matthew Hepburn is a straight shooting, clear thinking, …

Work can be one of the most difficult places to apply meditative concepts such as mindfulness, patience, and kindness. But work can also be an …

It’s been a problem ever since the dawn of humankind: how do we deal with jerks? What do you say to them? And how do you not make everything worse? And what if the jerk is you? 

We’re going to get into this and other …

It turns out you can call up Laurie Santos and ask about any conundrum and she will respond with a veritable treasure trove of scientifically-grounded relatable wisdom. In this episode, we ask the question: how do you …

One of the hardest things to do in any relationship is give feedback. It’s always dicey. You don’t want to be too aggressive. You don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. But you also don’t want to be too indirect. 

That’s …

This episode officially marks the launch of the Work Life Series, a brand-new, five-part series that’s all about how to live better lives at work. In each episode, we’ll be hosting meditation teachers, thought leaders, …

Check out this sneak peak into an episode of our new podcast Twenty Percent Happier, available exclusively in the Ten Percent Happier app. 

About Matthew Hepburn:

Matthew Hepburn is a straight shooting, clear thinking, …

The advice to “think like an entrepreneur” can, from a certain angle, come off as the kind of rote, tech-bro guidance you’d get from a millennial lifehacker. But Reid Hoffman makes a good case that all of us, whether …

We all know that change is inevitable and impermanence is non-negotiable. But somehow it can feel surprising, maybe even wrong, when we personally …

Regather your attention with this short meditation. Afterwards, you can use that newfound focus to make progress on whatever matters most.

About …

Friendship was important to the Buddha. In fact, there’s a whole passage in the Buddhist scriptures, or suttas, about friendship, with seven …

Distraction is one of the top complaints of meditators -- and of pretty much every human being, in this era that has been dubbed the “info blitzkrieg.” In this episode, we’ll hear from Dr. Amishi Jha, who has spent …

Taking a bigger perspective and staying grounded in the body helps us experience life’s inevitable stress without being taken over by it.

About Alexis Santos:

Alexis has practiced and taught Insight Meditation in both the …

In this special episode we’re going to do some mindful eavesdropping. You’re going to get a chance to listen in on a process that rarely, if ever, …

Very few of us relish chaos and disruption, but they are facts of life, given the nonnegotiable nature of change. In this episode with Zenju Earthlyn Manuel, we’re going to talk about how to tune into the value of …

This session walks you through a guided visualization imagining immersing yourself in a pond of loving-kindness and letting the water infuse you.

…

We talk a lot on this show about social connection, but in this episode we’re going to get super granular on how to actually do relationships better.

…

In the mental health community, there’s a new term: “Eco-Anxiety.”

Our guest in this episode, Jay Michaelson, has been thinking hard about climate change for many, many years. Michaelson is a meditation teacher, rabbi, …

What if we told you that joy doesn’t have to be an accident? Learn how to develop joy in this guided session from Sebene.

About Sebene Selassie:

…

In this episode we’re talking about increasing happiness by connecting to nature. 

Guest Andreas Weber is a renowned philosopher, biologist, and …

You may have heard about stoicism, in the common parlance, as having a stiff upper lip, sucking it up, grinning and bearing it, suppressing your emotions, etcetera. Or you may have heard of Stoicism, the ancient …

Free your creativity with this light meditation and see where the momentum takes you. About Jeff Warren: Jeff is an incredibly gifted meditation …

In this episode, we’re going to demystify concepts such as: self actualization, personal growth, authenticity, and bringing your “whole self” to the …

Michael Pollan has done more than perhaps anybody else in recent history to change the conversation on the use of psychedelic drugs, or plant …

Accepting the unpleasant: easier said than done. Joseph demonstrates how to overcome reactivity and build the skill of acceptance.
About Joseph …

Happiness levels are really high when we’re young. They then steadily dip through our 20s, 30s, and 40s, and bottom out in our early 50s–at which point, they make a sharp and sudden rise. Then, through our 60s, 70s, and …

Here’s a thought experiment: how would you handle it if you got a terrible diagnosis?
Of course, many of us have no choice but to find out. This is …

Today’s meditation is animated by two profound insights. The first is that we don’t just tend to listen to our inner critic–we tend to believe it. And the second is that the path forward requires us to treat our inner …

A common problem among type-A people is trying to win at meditation. But the practice doesn’t work like that. If you over-effort, if you try to make something happen, it’s pretty much guaranteed not to happen. What is …

In this episode, we’re talking about the difference between kindness and what our guest, La Sarmiento, calls “radical kindness,” how to muster the strength to be kind to annoying people while setting appropriate …

Deepen your inner strength and learn to draw boundaries and respond to injustice in this powerful loving-kindness meditation for yourself.
Watch Ted …

In this episode we’re talking about how what you believe— about yourself, or about the world — can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. So if you …

Here’s a question: Is there an evolutionary advantage to being kind? 
Our guest today is Dacher Keltner, an eminent scientist who will make the case …

Develop the skill and sensibility of kindness, warmth, and goodwill by bringing your loved ones to mind.
We are bringing you this Ten Percent Happier …

Stress – which many of us despise and try to avoid – does not actually have to be a bad thing. Rather, it’s our relationship to stress, our mindset about stress, that determines whether we are helped or harmed by it. …

Friendship might not necessarily be something you’ve considered to be an urgent psychological and physiological issue. On this show, we spend a lot …

Brighten your mind and be a force for good today by practicing intentions of kindness, generosity, and honesty with Jess.
Watch Ted Lasso on Apple TV+. Subscription required. Apple TV+ and/or select content may not be …

This great deep-Dharma episode is all about using an ancient, fascinating, and readily-accessible Buddhist concept as a way to improve your interactions with other human beings. The concept in question is called vedana, …

A lot of us right now would probably agree that the technologies meant to make our jobs easier are actually stressing us out. (Think: the email and …

You are complex and contain multitudes. Try this refreshing take on loving-kindness and offer love to all the different parts of yourself.
Watch Ted …

In this episode we’re tackling some thorny dharma questions. For example: How do you love someone without attachment? How do you love yourself when the self is allegedly an illusion? 
Our guest today is a repeat …

It is incredibly common for many of us humans, whatever our gender, to be at war with our bodies -- trying to live up to the people we see in the …

Being kind to ourselves in hard times bolsters our resilience, so we can learn from setbacks rather than getting stuck in rumination.
Watch Ted Lasso …

Modern life has turned many of us into zombies. We walk around with our noses in our phones, constantly on the hunt. We’re not looking to eat people’s brains, per se, but we are looking for mindless hits of dopamine -- …

Today’s episode is about finding joy, pleasure, interest, and even gratitude in a surprising source: everyday objects and infrastructure. 
Our guest Roman Mars is the host and creator of 99% Invisible, a radio show and …

Often we forget to acknowledge the good in our lives. Happiness and well-being can be as accessible as simply recalling moments of kindness.
Watch Ted Lasso on Apple TV+. Subscription required. Apple TV+ and/or select …

This episode is all about secrets. 
Did you know that there are 38 categories of secrets—and statistically, according to Michael Slepian, you probably have about 13 of them right now?
Slepian is the Sanford C. Bernstein …

Sit in meditation for a few minutes and you’re likely to experience pain, either physical or psychological. Hang around the meditation scene for very …

With guidance from Oren, this session will let you experiment with ways to find a genuine sense of kindness for yourself and for others. To find this meditation in the Ten Percent Happier app, you can search for …

It can be incredibly frustrating when life-changing, world-changing concepts such as compassion and kindness are often presented as cliches, because scientific research strongly suggests that learning how to practice …

The craving, complaining, and comparing voice in our heads can be the source of incalculable suffering, but is it all bad? And are there ways to talk …

Too many expectations can lead to disappointment. This meditation helps you avoid preconceived notions and see what is already there.
About Joseph …

For the uninitiated, Joseph Goldstein is one of the cofounders of the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) alongside Sharon Salzberg and Jack Kornfield. …

Today’s episode is about a Buddhist tool for resolving conflict and keeping your relationships healthy. Today’s guest, Kaira Jewel Lingo, was an …

In this session from Oren, learn how to use meditation to become less reactive and more open in relationships, conversations, and your life.
To find this meditation in the Ten Percent Happier app, you can search for …

In a previous interview with Dan, the Dalai Lama said something along the lines of, “everyone’s selfish; that’s the way we’re wired. But if you’re …

We’ve been meaning to tackle our relationship to 'stuff' for a while now. This subject can go deep. It’s not just about decluttering (although that can actually be pretty substantial work); it’s about rethinking your …

Self-compassion is powerful, but it's not always easy to acknowledge your own pain. This meditation helps you default to compassion.
To find this …

Today's episode is a deep dive into the male operating system and how it can be upgraded. Today's guest, Daniel Ellenberg, is a psychotherapist, marriage and relationship therapist, author, and facilitator. He has been …

There’s a widely held assumption that if you have a warmer, friendlier relationship with yourself, you will not only slack off and be ineffective, but also that you will be a doormat. My guest today says: not true. …

The struggle to keep up in the era of social media is universal. Bring compassion to your inner critic & release the delusion of perfection.
About Leslie Booker:
Booker brings her heart and wisdom to the intersection …

Today we have some counterintuitive relationship advice. If you’re in a tough spot with your loved one, why would you want to have a deep chat about …

Taming Anxiety Series - Episode 4: Welcome to the final episode in our Taming Anxiety Series! Today's guest, Leslie Booker – who goes by "Booker" – is one of America’s leading dharma teachers. She began sharing the …

Taming Anxiety Series - Episode 3: As we move into summer and more and more vaccines go into arms, your town or city (or state or country) may soon be opening back up, if it hasn’t already. Some of us are ecstatic. A …

Taming Anxiety Series - Episode 2: Anxiety is very common -- but also commonly misunderstood. So today we’re doing a show that you might think of as: Everything You Wanted to Know About Anxiety (But Were Afraid to Ask).
…

Taming Anxiety Series - Episode 1: Today is a big day here on the podcast, both because we have a fantastic new episode, and because this episode is actually kicking off a series we have been wanting to produce for a …

Bring wisdom and compassion alongside difficult emotions by first calming your body & mind and then opening to the feels with acceptance.
About …

Anyone with a passing familiarity with Buddhism will know that “delusion” is rarely, if ever, mentioned in a positive way. In fact, the Buddha included delusion (aka: confusion about the way things really are) on his …

One of the more surprising lessons I’ve learned as an ambitious person is that perhaps the best recipe for success is... keeping your ego in check. For a long time, I subconsciously believed that you needed to be …

In this episode from the excellent podcast Meditative Story, recorded a couple of years ago, Dan shares a candid look at his attempts to connect more with his son, Alexander, on their first father-son trip. 
 
Meditative …

Covid appears to have brought on a spike in burnout, especially among women, millions of whom have exited the workplace since the pandemic began. So what is burnout, exactly? How do you know if you qualify? How do you …

These are not hospitable times for the mental skill of patience. Instant gratification has never been more thoroughly scaled. You can order food, taxis, and shampoo from your phone. Streaming services autoplay the next …

Returning to the practice of equanimity keeps you both grounded and receptive, especially during times of turmoil and uncertainty.
About Roshi Joan Halifax:
Roshi Joan Halifax is a Buddhist teacher, Zen priest, …

Many of us know that meditation can confer benefits such as self-awareness, calm, and compassion, but what about courage? My guest today says, yes. Meditation can boost your courage quotient. And she will talk about …

There’s a meditation pitfall that’s pretty easy to fall into. In fact, I’ve fallen into it many times. It’s this idea, which we can hold consciously …

Concentration is the backbone of meditation. Strengthen your ability to return to the present with this basic, but essential, technique.
About Jeff Warren:
Jeff is an incredibly gifted meditation teacher. He's trained in …

Living as we do in an era that has been called the info blitzkrieg, staying focused can be extremely difficult for many of us. This can be true when …

We’ve got a provocative but deeply practical episode today. All of us have people in our lives — whether it be our personal lives, our professional lives, or even just people we see on TV — with whom we disagree. So how …

Practices like meditation help us cultivate habits that help instead of hurt. Here are four of them.
About Jeff Warren:
Jeff is an incredibly gifted …

Often on the show, we bring on incredibly accomplished meditation practitioners or influential researchers who have deep things to teach us, based on their personal experience or professional pursuits. And while many of …

To state the blazingly obvious, creating healthy habits can be infernally difficult. But why? And what are the best strategies for getting around …

Using the practice of gratitude, you can learn to relax your body and settle your mind.
About Anushka Fernandopulle:
Anushka teaches meditation, works …

When somebody wrongs you, what is the wise way to handle your anger? Is forgiveness possible? What about friendliness? My guest today has a lot of thoughts about how to handle anger and how to respond to people who mean …

If you meditate (or do yoga, for that matter), you may have been taught by a Westerner, but you owe a gigantic debt of gratitude to the giants and geniuses in Asia who developed these practices. This fact can be …

Develop the skill and sensibility of kindness, warmth, and goodwill by bringing your loved ones to mind.
About Anushka Fernandopulle:
Anushka teaches …

The idea of networking can be fraught. For some people, it might, at times, seem either icky or pathetic to deliberately try to make friends, either in a personal or professional context -- especially since so many of …

One of our primary missions on this show is to rescue vital ideas that have lapsed into cliches. There are so many important concepts out there that many of us might be tempted to dismiss because they are encrusted with …

Counteract negativity bias by appreciating the goodness in life: simple acts of kindness, moments of beauty, and even your own good efforts.
About …

Today we’re talking to a renowned psychologist who has come up with five strategies for cultivating hope. Dr. Jacqueline Mattis is a clinical …

Buddhism can get a bad rap as being hopelessly pessimistic -- in no small measure because one of the Buddha’s first principal pronouncements was, “Life is suffering.” But if you listen to the rest of his spiel, you will …

Learning to trust life moment-to-moment is a powerful practice. Check it out.
About Sebene Selassie:
Growing up, Sebene felt like a big weirdo. Born in …

As you may know, we are in the midst of a two-week series on hope – a concept we are trying to rescue from the realm of rote cliche and empty bromides. Our belief is that hope, when properly understood and practiced, is …

Spring is here. Vaccines are entering arms. But for many of us, hope can feel slippery and fleeting. Even with the pandemic seeming to abate, there's still a lot of uncertainty and suffering. That’s why, starting today, …

In this guided meditation, Joseph unpacks what restless energy is all about, showing you how to go from restless to restful.
About Joseph Goldstein:
…

To inject a little sunshine, perspective, and wisdom, we thought it might make sense to repost one of our favorite conversations of the last year. This is a straight up meat-and-potatoes meditation talk from the one and …

Today’s guest is at the forefront of understanding human emotions: what they are, why humans evolved to have them, how they’re different from …

Learn to use mindfulness of your natural breath as a way to create relaxation for yourself, any time, any place.
About Oren Jay Sofer:
Oren Jay Sofer …

The great meditation teacher Ram Dass once said, “If you think you’re enlightened, go spend a week with your family.” My guest today comes with tools …

People in the mindfulness meditation world often note that what we’re teaching is not a breathing exercise; the goal is to just feel the breath as it …

Is your mind racing to the past or future? Practice bringing awareness to the body and breath as a way to reconnect to the present.
About Sebene Selassie:
Growing up, Sebene felt like a big weirdo. Born in Addis Ababa, …

Too often, the process of looking at your biases can be presented like eating your vegetables. But one of the most fascinating and rewarding things I have attempted to do in recent years is to take a good, hard look at …

There is a powerful scene in a novel called Lincoln In the Bardo, where President Abraham Lincoln has come to the cemetery where his young son, …

When we're busy, we can get caught up in thoughts about what we're doing. Instead, you can practice bringing your attention to the doing itself. 
About Alexis Santos:
Alexis has practiced and taught Insight Meditation in …

Today we’re diving into a concept that is simultaneously one of the oldest contemplative cliches and one of the most profound head scratchers — …

We all remember that fateful week, almost exactly a year ago, when it all seemed to sink in for so many of us–when Tom Hanks got sick, the NBA …

Feeling let down is hard. We can’t control others, but practicing equanimity will help you feel more ease and acceptance.
About Diana Winston:
Diana …

To mark the first anniversary of the week in March 2020 when Covid fundamentally altered our lives, we’re launching a special two-part series. Today, we’re going to be talking about anxiety, which has been spiking …

Before we dive in, a warning: this conversation includes descriptions of abuse and violence.
As you may know, March 8th, the day we’re dropping this …

Coming into balance is about accepting that balancing is a process, not a destination. Sebene will help you make the most out of the process.
About Sebene Selassie:
Growing up, Sebene felt like a big weirdo. Born in Addis …

I know you guys, and it is pretty clear you love deep dharma episodes. Today we’ve got a dharma episode that is quite timely. As you all know, we …

We’re all creatives, whether we think of ourselves that way or not. In so many aspects of your life, from planning your future to planning a meal to curating your social media, you need to be able to both envision and …

In this guided meditation (which you can do anywhere), Joseph helps you relax the habit of personalizing everything, so you can live with more ease.
…

The stereotypical depiction of fighting addiction makes it seem highly unpleasant: White knuckling, sweating it out, detoxing, going cold turkey–you …

This is an episode about our craving, grasping minds. Whether you have struggled with a classic addiction or not, we all have addictive tendencies; we all wrestle with desire. I often think about a provocative question …

Sometimes we get stuck in yesterday’s mistakes. Reset by using the freshness of each new breath and start your morning with ease.
About Sebene Selassie:
Growing up, Sebene felt like a big weirdo. Born in Addis Ababa, …

Today we’re going to talk about a massively useful acronym, which can be used both on the cushion and in your free-range living. The acronym is RAIN …

We’re now almost a full year into the era of Covid restrictions, and I suspect that many of you, as I am, are starting to internalize the fact that, …

Use meditation to connect to how you’re feeling and to unlearn the habit of abandoning yourself when you most need to feel connected.
About Joanna Hardy:
JoAnna Hardy can talk about meditation to pretty much anybody. She …

How do you relate to the more difficult— and even ugly— aspects of your personality? How do you feel about yourself when you are, say, in a …

We have talked a lot on this show about how perfectionism can have pernicious impacts on your psyche. Today we’re going to talk about how, by contrast, a certain kind of perfection is very much worth aiming for. We’re …

Is meditation the last thing you want to do right now? This one’s for when closing your eyes and watching your breath sounds like torture.
About Matthew Hepburn:
Matthew Hepburn is a straightshooting, clear thinking, and …

My guest today makes a fascinating and potentially life-changing case. He argues that we need to reconsider how we view intelligence. He says that instead of viewing intelligence as the ability to think and learn, we …

Today we’re talking about one of the Buddha’s first and most important lists: the Eightfold Path. I’m kinda surprised we’ve never done a deep dive …

Take a moment to pay attention to the good things that are already here, and get in touch with the basic satisfaction of being alive.
About Joseph …

For an audience of meditators (or aspiring meditators), the idea of doing nothing shouldn’t be foreign. But, speaking from personal experience, it is …

For many of us, in this pandemic, our relationship to time has become particularly fraught. You may be noticing that, with no limits on your work …

Today, expert meditation teachers Jeff Warren and Susan Piver return to respond directly to the questions that you, our listeners, have been submitting to us about self-compassion. It’s a tricky concept, so it’s no …

We’re diving in on another Buddhist list today. One of the many things I like about the Buddha is that, as far as I can tell, he pretty much always aims his messages, even the hard-to-swallow ones, at the pleasure …

On this Martin Luther King day, it’s tempting to fear that America, and the world, may never have been further away from the kind of inclusive society that Dr. King called for so eloquently. So today, we are, I hope, …

Nothing compares to now. Let Jeff help you find freedom and ease from constant comparing by embracing this very moment.
 
Take a few minutes to help us out by answering a survey about your experience with this podcast! …

This is exactly what I needed right now: a huge, helpful dose of perspective in the midst of the political crisis gripping America -- a crisis which, …

If you’re either seething or scared — or both — in the aftermath of the attack on the US Capitol, this one’s for you. In times of national and …

I don't know about you, but I felt a lot of anger, fear, and sadness while watching those horrifying images from the United States Capitol on …

New Year’s Series Episode 4. Today we’re going to dive into the science behind why so many of us get New Year's resolutions so wrong -- and how we …

New Year’s Series Episode 3. We talk with Karamo about how to practice self-love--and why doing so is the opposite of selfish.
 
Karamo was the first out gay Black man on reality TV when he appeared on MTV’s The Real …

New Year’s Series Episode 2. We talk with Chris Germer about the scientifically-proven benefits of self-compassion; how to practice self-compassion in your life; the disutility of shame; and the connection between …

New Year’s Series Episode 1. We talk with expert meditation teachers Susan Piver and Jeff Warren about a radical approach to the new year: self-compassion. Susan and Jeff help introduce the New Year’s Meditation …

Feel the sweet happiness of gratitude for those who have helped you over the years, the kind benefactors in your life.
Excited about our upcoming New Year's Challenge? Download the Ten Percent Happier app today to get …

I, like many people, have the potential to get pretty dysregulated around food and body image. A lot of men don’t talk about this stuff, but there is …

Vulnerability is not something I ever personally considered to be a valuable skill to cultivate. That is, until I met today’s guest, Brené Brown-- …

Being kind to ourselves in hard times bolsters our resilience, so we can learn from setbacks rather than getting stuck in rumination.
About Sebene:
…

I don’t know about you, but there have been many times during this wrenching year where I have made my pain even worse by adding on layers and layers of self-criticism. There’s a notion that is deeply ingrained in our …

The notion of transmuting the difficult stuff in your life into something positive has become a cliche. Turning lemon into lemonades, making your …

Caring about others' well being actually enhances our own. Practice and see how this beautiful quality begins to transform your experience.
About …

How much would your relationships improve if you could up your emotional intelligence game? That phrase -- emotional intelligence -- entered the …

Sam Harris (no relation to me, by the way -- although I wouldn’t mind it) has had a formative impact on my contemplative development. He was one of …

What is happiness? Investigate how happiness is created, what it’s really like, and learn to access the simple happiness of right now.
About Jay Michaelson:
Dr. Jay Michaelson is the Editor of Wisdom Content at Ten …

2020 has already sucked extremely hard, but we may now be entering even more difficult months ahead, as winter sets in. So we asked Professor Laurie …

The women around the Buddha dropped a ton of useful wisdom, but I suspect you haven’t heard much about that. Why? Why have these women been largely …

Is it possible--or even wise--to stay generous and open right now, given the perennial stresses of the holiday season and the unique stresses of …

Winter is coming. Not to get all Game of Thrones on you, but... while there are some optimistic signs on the horizon in the form of vaccines, it …

When I first got interested in meditation, all the talk of the Buddha that I encountered in the various books I was reading and lectures I was attending seemed like more of a bug than a feature. I was looking for …

Release the grip of stress by playing with perspective, zooming in and waaay out, and feeling into the wild weather patterns of life.
 
We hope you …

What to do if you find yourself marooned at your Thanksgiving meal, facing a voluble uncle who is spewing political ideas you find abominable? Our …

It feels like the right time to drop a deep Dharma episode. And this one has a twist. Bonnie Duran is a professor in the Schools of Social Work and …

Take the edge off out-of-control overwhelm and gain some agency in how you respond when everything feels like it’s crashing down.
About Oren Sofer:
…

My guest today does a fantastic job of speaking in a not-at-all-annoying way about the inarguably important yet potentially very cheesy concept of self-love. Haemin Sunim is a Korean “mega monk” who has developed a …

Kindness and empathy are loaded propositions right now. When you hear those words, you might think: Eh, those are soft skills that won’t help me get ahead. Or: If I’m too nice, I will get trampled. Or: I need my anger …

During this wild moment of uncertainty, join Oren to ease your anticipation anxiety and soothe the troubling tumult of the unknown.
We hope you …

In the wee hours of election night, we consult Lama Rod Owens on uncertainty, anxiety, rage, and self-care.
Join Dan and Rev. angel Kyodo williams …

Given that social media has been blamed for rising levels of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and political polarization, is it possible to use this …

Use Roshi Joan’s GRACE tool to not just engage with difficult people in your life, but genuinely know your personal integrity along the way.
We hope …

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 …

#294: Vitamin E: How To Cultivate Equanimity Amidst Political Chaos | Election Sanity Series | Roshi Joan Halifax
It’s part four in our Election …

Find resilience and self-regulate by connecting with physical sensations that evoke the universal elements of fire, earth, & wind.
Quick reminder: …

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 …

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 …

In this potent meditation on one point, hone your capacity to direct your attention where you want without shutting out the rest of the world.
Good News everyone, our Free Election Sanity meditation challenge starts in …

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 …

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 …

If you enjoyed this meditation, sign up for our Election Sanity Series email guide.
It will recap all of the podcast episodes each week. It’ll include …

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 …

In an election season characterized by misinformation, mistrust, and now a positive covid test from the President-- we’ve been plunged headlong into …

When you’re stuck in fear and other strong emotions, intentionally feeling what’s happening with acceptance can be a game changer.
To find this meditation in the Ten Percent Happier app, visit …

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 …

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, …

Happiness doesn't have to be an accident. In this session from Diana, train your mind to become more and more joyful.
To find this meditation in the …

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 …

“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, …

During major life transitions your emotional and mental world can kick into overdrive. Learn how to stay in the eye of the hurricane.
In the Ten Percent Happier app, you'll find this same meditation in different lengths …

Way before Buzzfeed, the Buddha was creating listicles: The Seven Factors of Enlightenment, The Three Jewels, The Eight Worldly Winds... I could go …

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 …

Go from "seeing red" to seeing the value in anger without being carried away by it and doing or saying things you'll regret later.
About Jessica Morey:
Jess Morey is the executive director and lead teacher of Inward Bound …

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 …

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 …

Following on from our episode with Sharon Salzberg on Wednesday we’re dropping a bonus meditation from the set of new meditations she has within the …

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 …

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 …

Growing up, Sebene felt like a big weirdo. Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and raised in white neighborhoods in Washington, D.C., she was a tomboy Black girl who loved Monty Python and UB40. She never believed she …

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 …

It’s a human urge to return to normalcy after a cataclysmic event. But if we rush back to normalcy without taking a beat, without metabolizing what …

Joseph Goldstein is one of the most respected meditation teachers in the world -- a key architect of the rise of mindfulness in our modern society -- …

This episode is a mix of the technical, the practical, and the delightful. We’re talking about a meditation technique that can impact relationships, …

The virus has exploited so many weaknesses of our culture. But having exposed the weaknesses, such as inequities and reckless individualism, could …

About Sebene:
Growing up, Sebene felt like a big weirdo. Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and raised in white neighborhoods in Washington, D.C., she was a tomboy Black girl who loved Monty Python and UB40. She never …

Today we have a master class in resilience. My guest is George Mumford, who has overcome some towering difficulties in his own life, including an …

This week on the show, we’re exploring the interrelated themes of grit and resilience -- both massively resonant and relevant issues in the era of …

Joseph Goldstein is one of the most respected meditation teachers in the world -- a key architect of the rise of mindfulness in our modern society -- …

At a time when work has become more challenging than ever, we’re going to explore one myth and one revelation. The myth -- which many of us, myself included, have consciously or subconsciously incorporated into our …

In this episode, we take a simple, useful, and down-to-earth stroll through one of the most confounding -- but liberating -- concepts in Buddhism. On …

Today (7/31) is the last day to join the Summer Sanity Challenge: a free 21 day meditation challenge. The goal here is to help you build resilience …

Buddhists don’t tend to shy away from talking about body parts -- but usually it’s more along the lines of meditating on things like spittle, defecation (otherwise known as poop) and the inevitable decay of the body. So …

I don’t know about you guys, but my sleep has suffered quite badly during the last few months. Today’s guest really got me thinking about this issue …

On July 27, we're launching the Summer Sanity Challenge: a free 21 day meditation challenge. The goal here is to help you build resilience so that …

How do you optimize your performance when life is utterly disrupted by a pandemic? Are optimism and confidence trainable skills? Can we get over our fear of other people’s opinions? These are some of the questions we …

At a time of multiple, mutually-reinforcing dumpster fires, meditation can seem counterintuitive. Instinctively, many of us might prefer to rush to …

Learn how to become mindful of desire, creating more room for choice instead of automatically reaching for the thirtieth cookie.
You can find …

In Buddhism/meditation circles, desire or wanting is often considered a no-no. But is this line of thinking sometimes taken too far — or simply misunderstood? Can we turn our desires — for food, sex, etcetera — into …

Today we’re going to nerd out about what enlightenment (or, if that word is triggering, let’s just call it “high doses of meditation”) can do to your brain — and, more practically, how we can derive these benefits even …

You can find meditations on relaxation and much more on our app. Visit tenpercent.com to download the Ten Percent Happier app and kickstart your meditation practice. Visit tenpercent.com to sign up today.
Listen to …

"Mindfulness" has become a buzz phrase. There are books on mindful parenting, mindful lawyering, even mindful sex. But what does the word even mean? …

It’s easy to think of racism as a virus that lives in your head. But my guest today makes a compelling case that it also lives, in very profound and often unseen ways, in your body. Resmaa Menakem is a therapist and …

You can find meditations on compassion and much more on our app. Visit tenpercent.com to download the Ten Percent Happier app and kickstart your meditation practice. Visit tenpercent.com to sign up today.
Listen to …

Faith is a loaded word in some circles, but in this episode, Elizabeth Mattis Namgyel makes her case for it - in ways that might surprise you. We also discuss: what she means by the phrase "being realistic," the power …

In this episode, at this fraught moment in history, we're bringing on a leading scientist to help us tackle one of the most pernicious misconceptions that humans have ever fostered. The very roots of the word …

You can find Oren's meditation on emotional awareness and much more on our app. Visit tenpercent.com to download the Ten Percent Happier app and kickstart your meditation practice.
Listen to Oren's meditation in the app:

What can you, as an individual, do to help break the cycles of rage, pain, fear, and violence that continue to grip America - and many other parts of …

Do you find yourself overeating during this stressful time? Maybe drinking or smoking more than you would like? What about shopping or gambling? And …

You can also directly access this meditation in the app through this link: https://10percenthappier.app.link/AntidoteToFear
Where there is fear, there are seeds for compassion. Learn how to sit with fear, not lose …

I had always known Harriet Tubman as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, repeatedly risking her own life to lead slaves out of the South. But in this episode, my friend, the great meditation teacher Spring Washam, …

In this episode, we go there. All the way there. All those horrifying little thoughts that white people might have - eg: Have you ever felt superior to, or suspicious of, black people? - let's drag them out of the …

Listen as Sebene helps you cut through patterns of self-judgement and prejudice toward others with the simple tools of curiosity & kindness.
If …

We have spent the past few episodes talking with black and white Americans about race. But for this episode I wanted to get the view from outside. So I called up a man on the other side of the planet who is widely …

Many, if not most, white people don't think of themselves as racialized. Race, we might tell ourselves, is an issue for people who have different …

If we were to walk past the fires of oppression, we would be walking past one of the widest gateways to liberation.
About Zenju Earthlyn Manuel
Zenju …

Many of us come to meditation for comfort. But, especially for white people, right now is a time to embrace our discomfort. Lama Rod Owens encourages me to step way out of my comfort zone in this conversation, and I am …

There is fury in America's streets - and we, as meditators, have the opportunity to use our practice to do the hard work of seeing things clearly (including the ugliness in our own minds), and responding wisely. I'm …

How do we handle pandemic-induced anxiety or grief? What does a spiritual guru do to relax while on lockdown? We put those questions - and more - to …

Pema Chodron has seemingly been trying to prepare us for this pandemic for years, through a series of popular books, with titles such as When Things …

Sometimes when you get stressed, you say dumb stuff and that is still happening to me, even after having meditated for over a decade. But in Buddhism, there's a way to deal with this. They call it right speech or …

Roshi Joan Halifax is definitely not arguing the pandemic is a good thing, but she also believes we shouldn't let this crisis go to waste. It's a …

Rest assured, this is not an episode where we're going to argue about politics. Instead, it's about how to maintain our happiness, calm, sanity, …

Discomfort with the unknown is a natural human response. This meditation will help you relax as you practice allowing the rhythm of life to unfold.
…

Why are so many of us having such weird dreams these days? How do we successfully interact with family members while on lockdown? Are we all …

This pandemic is a colossal test of our patience - from dealing with family to interminably long wait times on calls with the unemployment office to …

Three best practices for coping and resilience, based on neuroscientific and psychological research from Rick Hanson.
You can find Rick Hanson's talk, …

What will we be like when this thing is finally over? Will we be even more fearful and divided? Or is there a realistically rosier scenario? This is …

I call Gretchen Rubin the "Swiss Army Knife for Happiness." Present her with a problem, and she will flood you with practical, customized solutions. …

Stressed about the economy? You're not alone. Sebene offers tools to help see the abundance we all have in our lives in this guided meditation.
You …

On this episode, a bad news / good news situation. Let's start with the bad news: human beings are not wired for uncertainty. It short circuits our system. The mind wants to plan, to work things out - and, in a …

No matter what your economic situation is, you have likely experienced some money worries during this pandemic. I know I have- and I say that as someone who is in an extremely fortunate position. So many people have …

In this meditation Sharon helps you navigate the feelings and sensations of grief safely, using the breath as a neutral landing place for your attention.
Meditation available on Ten Percent Happier: …

Jeff Warren is someone for whom I have a special affection. We chronicled our friendship in a book we co authored, called Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics, in which we took a gonzo cross-country bus trip to help people …

Most, if not all, of us are experiencing a cocktail of challenging emotions these days - whether in the background or in the foreground of our psyche. Speaking personally, I thought my primary issue was anxiety, but I …

In times of loneliness, there are practices that can help. Oren offers words and wisdom to help you rekindle a sense of belonging.
Find more meditations and courses from Oren on the Ten Percent Happier app: …

It's easy to add insult to injury in this pandemic by beating ourselves up. Why are we not exercising more? Eating less? Or boosting our …

Our guest this week gives a bracingly candid account of loneliness - one made all the more remarkable by the fact that he is a former surgeon general.
Even before the current coronavirus pandemic, we were in the midst of …

Stress doesn't have to be contagious. This session will guide you through staying boundaried, calm, and kind when stress is in the air.
Meditation Available on Ten Percent Happier: …

Even in the middle of a pandemic, it's still OK to experience delight. That's per legendary meditation teacher, Sylvia Boostein. In fact, she says, …

The coronavirus outbreak may pose one of the greatest challenges to romantic relationships in modern memory. For those of us living in close quarters with spouses or partners, how do we live our day to day without …

Bring yourself down from a level 10 to a level 2—stimulating the calming parasympathetic nervous system with validated timeless practices.
Matthew …

A statement of the blazingly obvious: we are living in stressful times. A statement of the slightly less obvious: meditation, while not a panacea, …

So many of us have people in our lives who we feel are not taking this pandemic seriously enough. How do we handle them? Yell, lecture, call them out on Twitter? What about flooding them with articles? Or is there a …

If, given the deeply suboptimal circumstances in which we find ourselves right now, you are cycling through anxiety, depression, anger, and apathy, I suspect this conversation with legendary meditation teacher Sharon …

In times like these, we need practical, actionable ways of coping with stress, fear, and anxiety. Hence my new project -- Ten Percent Happier Live. Every weekday, we'll offer a free live sanity break, featuring some of …

We are in the middle of a giant, global experiment in remote work. Even in the best of times, working from home is tricky. You're surrounded by distractions: pets, laundry, Netflix. But in the midst of this pandemic, …

We're in the middle of one of the greatest tests for parents in modern memory. Tens of millions of us, cooped up in our homes with our kids, as a consequence of the coronavirus. Susan Kaiser Greenland can help. She's a …

We're all being inundated with unsettling news about the new coronavirus, but there isn't a lot of information out there about how to stay sane, balanced, and calm in the midst of this pandemic. So that's what this …

Many of us can feel burnt out, tired or stretched too thin. It can be hard to balance everything on our plates, especially in work environments that …

Stephen Batchelor is a Buddhist teacher who takes an unconventional approach to the practice. He was more of a scholar, studying logic and philosophy …

Valerie Brown grew up in poverty in Brooklyn, New York. When she was a teenager, her mother passed away and her father left her to fend for herself. …

Rhonda V. Magee is a Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco and an internationally-recognized thought and practice leader focused on …

Yung Pueblo (Diego Perez) grew up in poverty after his family immigrated from Ecuador to Boston, Massachusetts. He fell into heavy drugs in his …

Sonja Lyubomirsky has been studying human happiness for 30 years. As a professor at the University of California Riverside, her research has centered around things people can do to become happier. In this episode she …

Being open to the feelings of anxiety and fear can be terrifying, but Tara Brach, a clinical psychologist and founder of the Insight Meditation …

Jon Kabat-Zinn has been a key player bringing mindfulness meditation to the mainstream. In 1979, he introduced the now world-renowned …

While in medical school in the mid-90's, Alexis Santos found himself in the midst of a spiritual crisis. At one of the top medical schools in the …

Dr. Matthew Walker is a sleep scientist with a PhD in neurophysiology. His research investigates the impact of sleep on human health and diseases …

Dan shares four best practices to help you build and keep up the meditation habit.
Join the Free New Years Meditation Challenge: https://10percenthappier.app.link/IpETZ7CAX1
Have a question for Dan? Leave us a voicemail: …

Award-winning registered dietitian Evelyn Tribole inspires people to rethink their relationship with food and enjoy eating. In today's diet culture, …

For as long as she can remember, Kelly McGonigal has felt motivated to understand the causes of pain and suffering and find ways to relieve them. …

Nikki Mirghafori has been an Artificial Intelligence scientist for nearly three decades. She never intended to become a Buddhist teacher, but after establishing herself in her AI career, she devoted her time to …

Norman Fischer is a poet, writer, and Zen priest who has dedicated his life to studying, practicing and teaching Zen Buddhism. After graduating from the Iowa Writers' Workshop, he moved to San Francisco to learn how to …

Elizabeth Stanley has a long history of stress and trauma. In this episode she talks about the adversities she has suffered, which include a near death experience and losing her eyesight for extended periods of time …

Thubten Chodron was born in Chicago and grew up near Los Angeles. She felt her life's calling was to help others, so she became a teacher, landing …

Kittisaro graduated from Princeton as a Rhodes Scholar and went on to Oxford before going to Thailand to ordain with Ajahn Chah in 1976. He was a …

Psychotherapist and New York Times bestselling author Esther Perel is recognized as one of today’s most insightful and original voices on modern …

Our guest this week is Alicia Menendez, an award-winning journalist, who finds herself in a common position for many women: caring way too much about …

Brian Grazer is a Hollywood giant! He’s made more than 100 films including Splash, Apollo 13 and the best-picture-winning A Beautiful Mind. He tells …

Dr. Susan Pollak found refuge in meditation at a young age, introduced to it by a family member. Describing herself as an anxious and neurotic kid, …

Self-compassion may not be your strong suit, but with this introductory training, you’ll develop more resilience, kindness, and ease in life.
Plug Zone
https://self-compassion.org/category/exercises/#guided-meditations

See …

Life can be challenging. It’s comforting to have kind, supportive people around you to help you through it. Dr. Kristin Neff believes it’s equally …

Self-Compassion may not be your strong suit, but with this introductory training, you’ll develop more resilience, kindness and ease in life.
Plug Zone
See Yourself Compassionately: …

Dr. Sydney Spears is a professor at the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare and holds a PhD in Clinical Social Work from Smith College. As …

Bonus Meditation with Sharon Salzberg, Self-Compassion
Plug Zone
Self-Compassion Meditation: https://10percenthappier.app.link/pRxEZhPgk0
Sharon Salzberg Courses & Meditations on the Ten Percent Happier App:
…

We are all guilty at times of taking on too much. Our guest this week, Jocelyn K. Glei, explains some of the benefits of taking a step back. She discusses the importance of slowing things down to prevent burnout and …

Life is already complicated enough. Meditation doesn’t have to be, if we learn to be simple and easy.
Plug Zone
Be Simple & Easy: …

One of the first American Vipassana teachers and the co-founder of Insight Meditation Society, Joseph Goldstein, is a highly recognized name to many …

David Fajgenbaum, a young, promising medical student, could not have imagined he would become a patient in the same hospital he was serving his …

As far as meditation teachers go, they don't come more highly regarded than our guest this week, Jack Kornfield. Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India and Burma. He has taught …

For Christine Porath, meditation was one way of coping with a toxic work environment. Her own experience, paired with watching her father suffer a …

Peter Attia is the founder of Attia Medical, PC, a medical practice focusing on the applied science of longevity. In other words, his practice aims …

Bonus Meditation with Sharon Salzberg, Walking Meditation

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at …

At 43 years old, Byron Katie was unhappily married, suffered from depression and agoraphobia and was addicted to codeine and alcohol. In fact, she …

World-renowned meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg recently faced a very serious health scare and a true test of her decades of practice. In this very candid conversation Sharon tells us what happened to her, how her …

Patrick Dempsey is not just a pretty face. Sure he's widely known for playing McDreamy, aka Dr. Derek Shepherd, on ABC’s Grey's Anatomy, but that hardly scratches the surface. A meditator since the 1980's, he's used …

On March 19th of last year, Dean Valoras' life changed forever. That is the day he lost his teenage daughter Alexandra to suicide. Alexandra was an …

Human beings are wired for social connection. Sadly, thanks in large part to the internet, mobile phones and social media, we are seeing an increase …

We all encounter stress, but what we sometimes overlook is that stress can be useful, it is, after all, built into us by evolution. Our guest this …

If there was such a thing as a mind-ectomy or a mind transplant, our guest this week, Sylvia Boorstein, tells us she would have had it, confiding, "I …

An athlete as a kid, a devastating sports injury would change James Clear's life forever. While a sophomore in high school, a baseball bat struck …

Most kids are not spending their time in solitude exploring the abilities of the mind. In that way, Narayan Liebenson was not like most kids. …

Jerry Colonna is the CEO and co-founder of Reboot.io, an executive coaching and leadership development firm committed to the notion that better …

Chris Ruane has been a member of the British Parliament for more than 20 years. As a meditation and mindfulness practitioner, he wanted to share the …

As a child Annaka Harris suffered from migraines. Searching for ways to cope with that pain, she became curious - wondering "what is this pain" and "where is it coming from?" The line of questioning shifted her …

Experiencing bliss is easy - so easy you might miss it.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at …

Diana Winston first learned about meditation as a kid, but it wasn’t until she traveled to Asia following college that her practice really took off. …

It’s hard to deny our society’s increasing dependence on, if not addiction to, email, apps and social media. If we recognize it as a problem, then how do we fix it? Cal Newport is a computer science professor at …

Daniel M. Ingram sparked controversy in the Buddhist world when he declared himself to be an arahat, the term commonly used for a person who has reached the final stage of enlightenment. In this week's episode, Ingram …

Helen Tworkov first encountered Buddhism in Nepal during the 1960's and has studied in both the Zen and Tibetan traditions. She has also studied with Mingyur Rinpoche, a well-known Tibetan Buddhist meditation master. …

Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston and has spent the past two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and …

At just 21 years old Marc Lesser took a year-long leave from his education to explore meditation. His one year leave would turn into 10 when he …

Suffering from his own long battle with depression, social scientist and author Johann Hari yearned for a greater understanding of what caused it and what might help combat it. Hari set out on a journey to not only meet …

Our guest this week, Jay Michaelson, wears many hats. He is the author of six books and over three hundred articles on religion, sexuality, law, and …

With suicide being the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, the likelihood is that nearly every person in this country knows someone who has died by suicide. In just the last couple of weeks, we learned of …

We all have biases, and only by acknowledging them can we make a conscious decision to not act on them. That's one of the teachings of our guest this …

Our guest this week, Anuradha Bhagwati, is a writer, activist, yoga and meditation teacher, and Marine Corps veteran. She founded the Service Women's Action Network (SWAN), which brought national attention to sexual …

Gretchen Rubin describes herself as a writer who relentlessly explores human nature to understand how we can make our lives better. Through her bestselling books and her award-winning podcast, Happier with Gretchen …

This week's guest, Mirabai Bush, has co-written a book with spiritual teacher Ram Dass entitled "Walking Each Other Home: Conversations on Loving and Dying. In the book, and in our conversation, Bush explores how death …

Social scientist, author and podcast host Arthur C. Brooks believes America has developed a "culture of contempt." He feels we increasingly view …

Rasmus Hougaard and Jacqueline Carter from the Potential Project discuss their mission of enhancing performance for leaders and large organizations …

Having dreamed of space since she was a little girl, Loretta Hidalgo Whitesides wants to use the power of space to shift our perspectives, connect us with each other and our home planet and become the kind of species we …

Neuroscientist, philosopher, best-selling author and podcast host Sam Harris teams up with Dan this week for a special podcast recorded in front of a live audience. Dan and Sam discuss a variety of topics including what …

If it were not for this week's guest, Dan Harris may never have found meditation. Mark Epstein, M.D. is a psychiatrist and the author of a number of books about the interface of Buddhism and psychotherapy. Dr. Epstein …

Frank Ostaseski experienced death at a young age, losing his mother as a teenager and his father just a few years later. In his search for healing, …

You remember that old commercial where the guys says, "I'm not only the Hair Club President, but I’m also a client."? That's kind of how Ellen …

Oliver Burkeman writes about social psychology, self-help culture, productivity, and the science of happiness in This Column Will Change Your Life …

With the new year upon us, it's the perfect time to help you make those resolutions stick. This week Dan Harris and his "Meditation for Fidgety …

Ben Feder was the CEO of a tremendously successful company, but it was coming at great personal cost. Returning home from his worldwide business …

You may know Paula Faris as the former co-host of ABC's The View or Dan's former co-anchor on ABC's Good Morning America weekend edition. What you …

In every conversation we have, from mundane to serious, our personal motivations drive what we say. But most of the time we are not aware of what our personal motivations are and we can end up mindlessly saying …

For many years it was Ruth King's job to work with large corporations, making them aware of racial bias within their company and helping them rectify it through diversity training and leadership development programs. …

Michael Gelb found his calling during a tumultuous time in American history. It was during the polarized 1970s Gelb decided he wanted to look for …

Musician Amos Lee started meditating in college as a way to cope with his mother's breast cancer diagnosis and his own Generalized Anxiety Disorder. …

ABC News Senior National Correspondent Matt Gutman is, unfortunately, no stranger to tragedy, both in his career as a journalist and his personal …

Tal Rabinowitz was a top executive at NBC, developing some of the network's high profile comedy programs, but after nearly 20 years in the business she was let go. And then, SHE let go. Rabinowitz found herself burned …

Kindness has a bad rap, often being viewed as a sign of weakness. But Adam Grant, an award-winning researcher and Wharton's highest-rated professor, tells Dan Harris good guys don't have to finish last. In fact, …

While so much of science is dedicated to finding the causes and cures for depression, anxiety and stress, Shawn Achor studies the opposite. He is a happiness researcher. Achor looks at the science of happiness and uses …

At just 32 years old Strauss Zelnick became the president and chief operating officer of 20th Century Fox. He was young, successful and appeared to …

Susan Piver was a tough girl. Like, crime-fighting, head of the Boston chapter of the Guardian Angels tough. After nearly being killed by a drunk driver, her path led her to yoga, meditation and Buddhism -- which, by …

Platinum-selling country artist Brett Eldredge has the headlining tour, the sold-out venues, the number one hits and an Insta-famous dog named Edgar, …

While working on a difficult case with some particularly difficult opposing council, Scott Rogers said he had a moment during a mindfulness sitting …

Comedian and writer Dan St. Germain has earned laughs on "The Break with Michelle Wolf," "Superior Donuts," The White House Correspondents Dinner, …

Mallika Chopra calls meditation "a great gift" to her life, not only because she said it causes a dramatically positive change in her father, Deepak Chopra, but also because it has helped her through her own parenting …

Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, whose most recent book is "Training in Tenderness: Buddhist Teachings on Tsewa, the Radical Openness of Heart That Can …

Having been raised in the Mormon faith, Thomas McConkie was feeling a little lost after he had a falling out with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, his family and his faith-based community. When he …

After having two kids, Elizabeth Cutler had a friend suggest she try spin classes as a way to lose weight and less than a year later, she and her …

For a long time, Culture Abuse's 31-year-old frontman David Kelling didn't want to perform in public. As all five members of the San Francisco-based …

"There was more snowstorms than meditators in Alabama when I was growing up," said Light Watkins, who started a career as a working model before switching gears to become a yoga teacher and then dove into the world of …

Spring Washam was on a meditation retreat when she felt herself falling apart, so much so that she picked up "the red phone," screamed out "HELP." …

Spiritual leaders often have great influence over their followers but there are times, author Scott Edelstein says, when some leaders will use their …

Jeremy Richman remembers his daughter Avielle as a fun spirit with "this unbelievable smile that she would just give out to anybody," who was as …

Her body badly broken in a horrific bus crash in Laos, Alison Wright was still trying to breathe as she realized that she may not make it out alive. But not only did she survive, the award-winning National Geographic …

Since invading the condiments market with Sir Kensington's, a line of ketchup, mustard and other spreads, company co-founder Scott Norton said meditation has helped him slow down and have better self-assessment under …

Author and religion scholar Diana Butler Bass has tried on many forms of Christianity, from growing up Methodist to becoming an Evangelical Christian …

Stephanie Sarkis, an author and expert in ADHD, anxiety disorders, autism spectrum disorder and chronic pain, brings a unique perspective to her work because she herself struggles with ADHD and anxiety. Working mostly …

Roshi Joan Halifax came to New York City by way of New Orleans in the '60s with a thirst to engage in social justice, protesting "everything related to discrimination," she said, and the Vietnam War. Halifax, whose …

It was around the time she decided to go on her second meditation retreat that Sally Kohn, a gay, Jewish, community organizer turned political …

Comedian Paul Gilmartin was the host of TV's "Dinner and a Movie" for 16 years, but smiling and acting happy on-screen often "felt like lifting 500 …

Dan Harris leads a conversation with Thupten Jinpa, the Dalai Lama's longtime English-language translator and a monk for over 25 years, about the …

It was an "out of body moment," Catherine Price said, when she realized her newborn daughter had been looking up at her but she had been looking down …

George Haas has worked as a filmmaker, an artist, a doorman at "every major nightclub in New York City" in the '80s, and now he's a meditation teacher in Los Angeles, but even his meditation journey has many turns. …

Vox's editor-at-large and journalist Ezra Klein, formerly of The Washington Post, has made a name for himself as a political commentator, finding …

Janice Marturano was a vice president at General Mills working on the Pillsbury merger deal in 2000 when she lost both her parents, and began a …

"All of us in our lives make decisions about when to do things. 'When should I work out? When should I do this kind of work, when should I do that …

When author and Wall Street Journal reporter Andrea Petersen was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder at age 20, she was relieved to finally have a …

As a former pro-football player and two sport All-American, world-record holding athlete, Lewis Howes built his life around being the tough, "get …

The WeCroak app, which sends reminders that you're going to die -- five times a day, is not meant to be morbid, founder Hansa Bergwall said, but to make us stop and appreciate the moment we're living in. "Remembering …

Dr. Jannell MacAulay, a lieutenant colonel and flight instructor in the United States Air Force with over 3,000 flying hours as a combat veteran, …

"Part of what I have decided for myself - it's a decision - I don't want to be part of the pain, creating more pain in the world, for myself or for others," said Rhonda Magee, a law professor at University of San …

Brad Katsuyama's blood pressure levels were "out of control" and he decided to make a significant change in his life. The Canada native left his job …

Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks and David Letterman are just some of the dozens of celebrities who sought out Bob Roth to learn Transcendental Meditation (TM), a mantra-focused meditation practice. Roth, who has been a …

Susan Kaiser Greenland, an author and former corporate attorney, and Annaka Harris, an author and editor, work together to teach mindfulness …

Tim Ferriss, the host of "The Tim Ferriss Show" podcast and the author of several best-selling books, including "The 4-Hour Workweek" and "Tribe of Mentors," has built an entire empire around offering life-hacking …

Yael Shy, the author of "What Now? Meditation for Your Twenties and Beyond," says she came to meditation from "a lot of suffering" as a student at New York University in 2001 -- the same year the World Trade Center …

Danica Patrick is one of the most successful female drivers in racing history, having been the first and only woman to win an IndyCar race. Since …

James Altucher, an entrepreneur, writer and host of "The James Altucher Show" podcast, is a master of reinvention, so much in fact that the title of one of his 18 books is "Reinvent Yourself." Altucher has built and …

Manoush Zomorodi, the host of WNYC's "Note to Self" podcast, is an advocate for boredom because allowing our minds to wander, she says, can lead to …

We close out the year by hearing from you, our loyal listeners! We recently set up a voicemail where listeners left questions for our host Dan Harris and he answers a selection of them that range from how to start a …

Dan interviews his wife, Bianca Harris, who is a big part of the storyline in his new book, "Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics: A 10% Happier How-to Book." She resisted starting a meditation practice for years, but has …

Meditation teacher and writer Jeff Warren and our host Dan Harris reflect on their January 2017 road trip, in which they traveled from New York City to Los Angeles to talk with people about what keeps them from …

There has been an explosion of research in recent years on what meditation does to the brain, but as neuroscientist Dave Vago points out, the science of putting meditation under neuro-imaging is still quite young. Vago, …

On "Good Morning America," Ginger Zee is known as ABC News' bright, always-smiling chief meteorologist, but now she is sharing that, in reality, she …