The Neuroscience of Flourishing: Four Practices for Turning Stress and Anxiety Into Clarity and Calm | Richard Davidson and Cortland Dahl

2026-03-30

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The Dalai Lama's longtime collaborator on achieving fundamental okayness, transforming daily annoyances, and rewiring your brain. Richard J. Davidson, PhD, is a Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is also the Founder & Director of the Center for Healthy Minds and Founder of the non-profit Humin. Cortland Dahl, PhD, is a scientist, author, translator, and meditation teacher for the Tergar community. Davidson and Dahl's latest book is Born to Flourish. They also author the Substack newsletter, Dharma Lab. In this episode we talk about:

The Dalai Lama's longtime collaborator on achieving fundamental okayness, transforming daily annoyances, and rewiring your brain.

Richard J. Davidson, PhD, is a Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is also the Founder & Director of the Center for Healthy Minds and Founder of the non-profit Humin.

Cortland Dahl, PhD, is a scientist, author, translator, and meditation teacher for the Tergar community.

Davidson and Dahl's latest book is Born to Flourish. They also author the Substack newsletter, Dharma Lab.

In this episode we talk about:

What it really means to flourish
How difficult emotions like anxiety, fear, or grief can coexist with well-being
Why flourishing is a trainable skill set, not a personality trait or a self-improvement project
An introduction to the Healthy Minds Framework and its four pillars: awareness, connection, insight, and purpose
Why short, informal "micro-practices" can be just as effective as formal meditation
How to cultivate purpose

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How a Buddhist Monk Deals With Anxiety | Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
The View of American Turmoil from the Other Side of the World | Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche

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