Dharma Lab — Listen to the Podcast

Dharma Lab

A Science , Health & Fitness and Mental Health podcast

About the show

Modern neuroscience meets ancient contemplative wisdom, with Dr. Richard Davidson and Dr. Cortland Dahl www.dharmalab.co

Newest episodes

The Shadow Side of Meditation

Oct 30, 2026 44 min

In this episode of Dharma Lab, Cortland Dahl and Richard Davidson are joined by Center for Healthy Minds researchers Simon Goldberg, Polina Beloborodova, and Matt Hirshberg to examine the “shadow side” of meditation. When people report anxiety or other difficult experiences during practice, how can we tell whether meditation caused them? The group discusses what studies of meditation apps and mindfulness programs reveal, why intensive retreats are a different question, and how loneliness, support, and our expectations of practice shape what happens when we sit down to meditate. Enjoy! Watch on YouTube; Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. If these conversations are useful, please consider subscribing to our YouTube channel. Referenced in this episode: Healthy Minds Program app — The free meditation app studied in the research discussed in this conversation. Beloborodova, P., et al. (2026). Prevalence and predictors of self-reported adverse experiences in digital meditation training: 2 randomized controlled trials. JMIR Mental Health, 13, e90602. https://doi.org/10.2196/90602 Hirshberg, M. J., Goldberg, S. B., Rosenkranz, M., & Davidson, R. J. (2022). Prevalence of harm in mindfulness-based stress reduction. Psychological Medicine, 52(6), 1080–1088. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291720002834 Baer, R. A. (2003). Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 125–143. https://doi.org/10.1093/clipsy.bpg015 Episode Field Guide with Flashcards Upcoming Events: * The Restless Mind — November: A gifted online week from Dharma Lab and ServiceSpace, November 14–21, exploring how to meet everyday stress, distraction, and overwhelm with greater clarity and ease. Bringing together ancient wisdom and modern neuroscience, the week features leading contemplatives and researchers including Robert Sapolsky, Laurie Santos, Mingyur Rinpoche, Judson Brewer, Sharon Salzberg, Martin Picard, Cortland Dahl...

The Neuroscience of Gratitude

Oct 15, 2026 44 min

We often think of gratitude as a response to something good happening. But it’s also a skill we can practice. In this episode of Dharma Lab, Cortland Dahl and Richie Davidson explore how to notice and savor everyday moments of gratitude, and extend that appreciation to people we find difficult. They discuss research by psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky and her colleagues on why writing a gratitude letter can be especially powerful, and share small practices they use in their own lives. Enjoy! Sources: Regan, A., Walsh, L. C., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2023). Are Some Ways of Expressing Gratitude More Beneficial Than Others? Results From a Randomized Controlled Experiment. Affective Science, 4(1), 72–81. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42761-022-00160-3 Watch on YouTube; Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. If these conversations are useful, please consider subscribing to our YouTube channel. Episode Companion Flashcards: Upcoming Events: * The Restless Mind — November: A gifted online week from Dharma Lab and ServiceSpace, November 14–21, exploring how to meet everyday stress, distraction, and overwhelm with greater clarity and ease. Bringing together ancient wisdom and modern neuroscience, the week features leading contemplatives and researchers including Robert Sapolsky, Laurie Santos, Mingyur Rinpoche, Judson Brewer, Sharon Salzberg, Martin Picard, Cortland Dahl, and Richard Davidson. Learn more / register In This Episode: 00:00 — Gratitude Is a Skill: A Preview01:12 — Welcome: A Celebration of Richie03:16 — What It Feels Like to Receive Gratitude07:56 — How Gratitude Spreads10:10 — Making Space for Appreciation11:16 — The Science of Training Gratitude13:57 — Why Writing a Gratitude Letter Helps15:12 — How to Practice: Start Where It’s Easy18:09 — Everyday Gratitude: A Moment with a Stranger19:54 — Recognizing and Savoring Gratitude22:22 — What Happens in the Brain?24:40 — The Insula and Feeling Gratitude in the Body27:11 — Why Expressing Gratitude Benefits You, Too28:56 — Intent...

You don’t have to turn ambition off; September AMA with Cort

Oct 2, 2026 3 min

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.dharmalab.co What happens to our drive when we stop looking to the next achievement for fulfillment? In our latest AMA, Cortland Dahl explores topics such as how to widen awareness when the mind feels contracted, why the motivation behind a practice matters, and how compassion can become the energy behind an engaged, creative life. Kim brought your questions, and Cort joined us for the hour while Richie was traveling. What’s inside * Three ways to widen the aperture of awareness: the body, the breath, and the mind * Shamatha and loving-kindness: why the same technique can serve different purposes * Meditation, autism, and ADHD: promising research, unanswered questions, and strengths worth recognizing * Career ambition and the shift to a different source of motivation * What we know—and still don’t know—about consciousness * A 2-minute guided practice led by Cort * Practicing with death, impermanence, and the moments before sleep The full hour mapped below, plus the flashcards and the recording for paid members. Companion Flashcards At Bottom You don’t have to turn ambition off An anonymous listener asked how to balance “the false promise of desire” with career ambition. If Buddhism teaches being, are we supposed to stop progressing and find contentment in the job we already have? Cort looked to the people who have gone deepest into the practice of being. The teachers he knows are productive, creative, and engaged. Learning to be has not left them sitting on the couch. We are not losing the energy and drive in our life. What we’re doing is we’re changing the energy source.—Cortland Dahl He described the familiar mixture that powers a career: some care and purpose, some competition, some hope that success or status will finally make us feel fulfilled. Practice can change that mixture. We still need to make a living, and we can still want to accomplish things. But caring for our family, our community, a...

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All episodes

The Shadow Side of Meditation

Oct 30, 2026 44 min

The Neuroscience of Gratitude

Oct 15, 2026 44 min

You don’t have to turn ambition off; September AMA with Cort

Oct 2, 2026 3 min

Your Workout Could Train Your Mind, Too

Sep 24, 2026 36 min

In this episode of Dharma Lab, Dr. Cortland Dahl and Dr. Richie Davidson explore how exercising your body can also become a way to train your mind. We asked Richie why exercise supports neuroplasticity, and why a more changeable brain isn’t necessarily a happier one. We also discuss what makes a workout meditation, and share how we bring these practices into our own biking, walking, and yoga routines. Enjoy! Watch on YouTube; Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. If these conversations are useful, please consider subscribing to our YouTube channel. Episode Companion Flashcards: Upcoming Events: * From Doing to Being: Effortless Meditation & the Lost Art of Doing Less with Dr. Cortland Dahl and Kasumi Kato, October 9–11 at Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY. This is an independent Omega Institute program and is not affiliated with Dharma Lab. Learn more / register * Quiet the Restless Mind — November: A gifted online week from Dharma Lab and ServiceSpace, November 15–21, exploring how to meet everyday stress, distraction, and overwhelm with greater clarity and ease. Bringing together ancient wisdom and modern neuroscience, the week features leading contemplatives and researchers including Robert Sapolsky, Laurie Santos, Mingyur Rinpoche, Judson Brewer, Sharon Salzberg, Martin Picard, Cortland Dahl, and Richard Davidson. Learn more / register In This Episode: 00:00 Intro - Is your workout really meditation?01:15 Training body and mind together03:05 Is exercise really meditation?07:51 Why intention matters11:29 Flow versus meditation13:19 Exercise and neuroplasticity16:19 Should you meditate during or after exercise?20:25 Can movement make meditation easier?24:14 How Richie practices while cycling27:26 Cort’s practice: Yoga, jogging, and attention32:12 Interval training for the mind33:32 What the research tells us so far Written transcript for those who prefer to read: 00:00 Intro - Is your workout really meditation? Richie: What I often hear when I give public talks, peo...

Are You Meta-Aware?

Sep 10, 2026 24 min

In this episode of Dharma Lab, Cortland Dahl and Richard Davidson unpack the difference between experiential fusion, being so absorbed in an experience that awareness narrows, and meta-awareness, the capacity to know what your mind is doing while you’re doing it. They explore why activities like movies, video games, rock climbing, Sudoku, and even doomscrolling can feel good in the moment, how they temporarily suppress the brain’s default mode, and why that does not necessarily translate into lasting change. They also discuss whether meta-awareness actually adds something to positive experiences, how it may increase cognitive and emotional flexibility, and a few simple ways to practice it in everyday life. Enjoy! Watch on YouTube; Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. If these conversations are useful, please consider subscribing to our YouTube channel. Episode Companion Flashcards Upcoming Events: * From Doing to Being: Effortless Meditation & the Lost Art of Doing Less with Dr. Cortland Dahl and Kasumi Kato, October 9–11 at Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY. This is an independent Omega Institute program and is not affiliated with Dharma Lab. Learn more / register * Quiet the Restless Mind — A gifted online week from Dharma Lab and ServiceSpace, November 15–21, exploring chronic stress and human flourishing through ancient wisdom and modern neuroscience, with leading contemplatives and researchers including Robert Sapolsky, Laurie Santos, Mingyur Rinpoche, Judson Brewer, Sharon Salzberg, Martin Picard, Cortland Dahl, and Richard Davidson. Learn more / register In This Episode: 00:00 Intro: Is It Good to Be Lost?01:17 Experiential Fusion vs. Meta-Awareness02:29 What Is Experiential Fusion?04:55 What Is Meta-Awareness?06:45 Why Being “Lost” Can Feel Good09:09 The Default Mode Network and Temporary Relief11:34 What Meta-Awareness Adds13:21 Flexibility, Attention, and the Ability to Disengage14:17 Responding Instead of Reacting16:53 Can Startle Reveal Meta-Awareness?19:...

Your brain builds reality like a dream; August AMA with Richie and Cort

Aug 27, 2026 2 min

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.dharmalab.co How much of what we experience comes from the world itself, and how much comes from our expectations about it? In our latest AMA, Richie Davidson and Cortland Dahl explore how the brain constructs perception, why the gap between reality and expectation can amplify suffering, and what changes when we begin to notice that process as it happens. We had a few moments of technical issues with frozen screens or background noise, but they don’t last long. What’s inside * Why your brain constructs reality the way it builds a dream * Why controlling the mind backfires * TMS: is it cheating? * Why open awareness loosens pain * The neuroscience of grief and regret * A 2-minute guided practice (free, led by Cort) * A preview of our upcoming November summit * The full hour mapped below, plus the flashcards and the recording for paid members Companion Flashcards At Bottom Your brain builds reality like a dream A listener named Linda asked about acceptance, and about the idea, drawn from Anil Seth and Lisa Feldman Barrett, that reality is a construction of the mind. Cort answered first, and reframed where suffering actually comes from. It’s actually the gap between reality and our expectations of what should be happening. However big that gap is, that’s like the size of suffering in that moment. —Cortland Dahl Cort was clear it is not erasing expectations. It is seeing that they are there and that they are out of step with what is happening, bringing them into the light of conscious experience rather than letting them run under the hood. Then Richie discussed how the brain networks that build our beliefs and expectations are the very networks through which we perceive. He used the dream as proof. Just as in a dream, we can feel those emotions in our body, and there are documented changes in our heart rate and breathing, and yet there’s nothing out there. It’s all in our mind. It turns out that’s actua...

Free Guided Meditation Practice Hour (Recording)

Aug 20, 2026 1 hr 1 min

Dharma Lab’s First Guided Meditation Hour In Dharma Lab’s first guided practice hour, Dr. Cortland Dahl and Dr. Richard Davidson took us from talking about wellbeing to actually practicing it. Drawing on the Healthy Minds framework of awareness, connection, insight, and purpose, shaped through years of research and practice connected with the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Humin (formerly Healthy Minds Innovations), they led participants through four short practices designed to make each capacity directly experiential. The session explored a central idea running through their work: meditation is less about fixing ourselves than learning to recognize and cultivate qualities of wellbeing that are already present. Keep Practicing — Upcoming Events If you’d like to continue exploring these practices, the free Healthy Minds Program App offers guided practices and learning across awareness, connection, insight, and purpose, with Cortland Dahl, Richard Davidson, and other teachers. Our next “Ask Me Anything”with Richie and Cort is live on Tuesday, August 25th, 8pm ET. Please send us questions in advance by replying to this email or dropping a comment. We have an exciting lineup of guest speakers for a free online summit in November to explore the restless mind. More details to come, but check out initial info at the bottom of this email and registration details here. Please share widely! Thank you for your support and we hope to see you at these future events. —The Dharma Lab Team This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dharmalab.co/subscribe

Why Can't I Stay Focused?!

Aug 13, 2026 33 min

In this episode of Dharma Lab, Dr. Cortland Dahl and Dr. Richard Davidson explore why attention feels harder to control than it used to, how modern technology exploits basic mechanisms in the brain, and what we can do to regain more choice over where our attention goes. They discuss why we may be more distracted than we were 50 years ago, how novelty and emotion capture attention, and why simple acts of intentionality can function like reps for the brain. Enjoy! Watch on YouTube; Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. If these conversations are useful, please consider subscribing to our YouTube channel. Reminder: We have a FREE 1-hour live practice session on Wed Aug 19th, 7pm CT with Richie and Cort discussing how different meditation practices map to the four pillars of well-being (Awareness, Connection, Insight, and Purpose). More details and register here! Companion Flashcards In This Episode: 00:00 Taking Back Control of Attention 01:21 Why Focus Feels So Hard 02:51 Are We More Distracted Than 50 Years Ago? 05:15 Why the Brain Is Wired for Distraction 09:03 How Our Attention Gets Hijacked 13:20 Why Surprise Captures the Brain 16:35 The Reinforcement Loop Behind Endless Scrolling 17:44 How Emotion Disrupts Self-Control 21:24 Rebuilding Control Over Attention 25:53 Attention as a Practice of Intention 29:46 Digital Hygiene: Designing Your Environment for Focus Written transcript for those who prefer to read: 00:00 — Taking Back Control of Attention Richie: Now we have basically ceded control to the forces around us, and it has led to a kind of impairment, a collective impairment in prefrontal function that we’re all suffering from. There are data to suggest that we are indeed more distracted today than we were 50 years ago. It’s not just a kind of subjective impression. Cort: I would say if there’s one word that captures the heart of this as a practice, I would say intention. And simply being intentional about what’s going on with my attention. Just choose. Before...

Strangers could tell who the meditators were — July AMA with Richie & Cort

Aug 4, 2026 2 min

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.dharmalab.co (The full AMA recording plays in the video pane above, for Dharma Lab members.) In our 11th AMA, Kim read your questions while Cort made his way back from a retreat with Mingyur Rinpoche. Richie spoke to a study where strangers could tell who the meditators were, from a photo alone. What’s inside * Full recording and transcript for paid members * The photo study: what strangers saw in the faces of long-term meditators * You are not your beliefs: a simple two-step practice to see them clearly * A 2-minute guided practice (free, led by Dr. Richie Davidson) * The full hour mapped below, plus the flashcards and the recording Strangers could tell who the meditators were This came up during a question about moods. Richie’s point was that one consequence of long-term practice is that people generally end up in a more positive mood. To show it, he described a study his lab published. Whenever they studied long-term meditators, they routinely took a picture of everyone, both the meditators and age- and gender-matched controls, without telling them what it was for. Then they gave all the pictures to random people who had no idea where they came from, and asked them to rate each face: how friendly the person is, how much you trust them, how happy they are. The long-term meditators were judged, in Richie’s words, “whoppingly more positively” than the controls. The raters had no idea where the pictures came from. He called it a powerful, unobtrusive measure that there is something about an enduring mood that gets expressed on the face and that people pick up on. The study: Goldberg, Hirshberg, Tello, Weng, Flook, Davidson (2019), “Still facial photographs of long-term meditators are perceived by naïve observers as less neurotic, more conscientious and more mindful.” You are not your beliefs Another listener asked about the difference between a belief and an ordinary thought. Cort put it this way: th...

Does Meditation Really Change Your Brain?

Jul 30, 2026 27 min

For years, headlines claimed that meditation could actually grow parts of the brain. But what if that’s not the most interesting question? As the science has evolved, researchers have shifted their focus. What changes in the brain? Which changes matter most? And why might some structural changes grow, then recede, as expertise develops? In this conversation, Richie and Cort explore what decades of neuroscience have taught us, what scientists have gotten right, what they’ve gotten wrong, and where the research is heading. Enjoy! Watch on YouTube; Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. If these conversations are useful, please consider subscribing to our YouTube channel. Reminder: We have a FREE 1-hour live practice session on Aug 19th, 7pm CT with Richie and Cort discussing how different meditation practices map to the four pillars of well-being (Awareness, Connection, Insight, and Purpose). More details and register here! Episode Companion Flashcards! In This Episode: 00:00 Does Meditation Really Change the Brain? 03:16 Brain Function vs. Brain Structure 05:41 The Gray Matter Studies That Started It All 11:45 Why the Gray Matter Evidence Changed 15:20 White Matter and Brain Connectivity 18:01 What the Research Actually Means 21:40 Brain Health, Neuroplasticity, and Human Potential Transcript for those who prefer to read: Richie Davidson: There’s no question that meditation changes the brain. We’re talking here about both the function and the structure of the brain. There’s no question that meditation changes the brain, and there is overwhelming evidence for that. Structural changes, like increases in gray matter in specific regions of the brain after short amounts of meditation, however, are a different story. The evidence for those findings has really not held up. Even more interesting, some of the effects that have been reported are actually the opposite of what we might expect. Cortland Dahl: Hello everyone. Welcome to another episode of Dharma Lab. I’m Cortland Da...

You Don't Get Through The Day Alone - Sharon Salzberg on DL Ep. 36

Jul 16, 2026 54 min

Sharon Salzberg joins Richie Davidson and Cortland Dahl for a conversation about loving-kindness, connection, and the quiet ways our lives are supported by others. At a time when many people feel lonely, cut off, or pulled into habits of criticism and competition, Sharon offers a simple experiment: pause, notice who makes your life possible, and see what happens when appreciation becomes part of daily life. Sharon Salzberg is a meditation teacher, New York Times bestselling author, and co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts. She has written fifteen books, including Lovingkindness and Real Happiness. Her upcoming workbook, Living Lovingkindness, is available for pre-order and will be released in January 2027. Enjoy! Watch on YouTube; Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. If these conversations are useful, please consider subscribing to our YouTube channel. Episode Companion Flashcards The full conversation is below, lightly edited for readability. Chapter List * (00:00) A true icon, and a first story * (03:33) The Dalai Lama and the crutches * (09:35) What actually trips people up * (13:33) Why Sharon prefers the word “connection” * (18:30) A guided reflection * (21:26) Vulnerability, and the neutral person * (28:10) Attention, and what the science shows * (36:26) The obstacles, and where to start * (46:46) Little rituals, and eating as practice * (52:00) Parting thoughts Try this 2-minute Micro-Practice from Sharon Now (00:00) A true icon, and a first story Cort Dahl Hello, welcome everyone to another episode of Dharma Lab. I’m very honored and excited to be here with our two guests. Of course, I’m here with Richie Davidson, who many of you already know, one of the most well-known neuroscientists on the planet. And we’re here with a true icon of the world’s meditative tradition, Sharon Salzberg, who’s also a dear friend, and truly one of those people who, when the history books are written about the manifestation of these meditative trad...

The Superpowers in Your Brain’s Wiring with Dr. Richard Davidson and Dr. Cortland Dahl (DL #35)

Jun 25, 2026 42 min

Dr. Richard Davidson and Dr. Cortland Dahl explore how stable differences in brain activity may shape personality and the ways we engage with the world. They discuss introversion, anxiety, approach and withdrawal styles, what meditation can change without erasing our natural dispositions, and how meta-awareness can help us find the strengths in our own brain style. This is the third part in a series on Brain Asymmetry: Part 1: Your Brain Is A Storyteller Part 2: The Left Brain / Right Brain Myth Part 3: The Superpowers in Your Brain's Wiring This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dharmalab.co/subscribe

Boredom is Where You Meet Your Mind; DL Ep.34 with Dr. Richie Davidson and Dr. Cortland Dahl

Jun 11, 2026 23 min

We now live in a world where boredom is almost optional. The moment there is a gap in the day, we can reach for a device and instantly distract ourselves. In this episode of Dharma Lab, Dr. Richard Davidson and Dr. Cortland Dahl explore boredom and restlessness from both a scientific and contemplative perspective. Richie explains why boredom often brings us face to face with the “default mode” of the brain, the self-referential narrative we carry around about who we are. Cort reflects on the physical, restless energy of boredom, and how meditation can turn that discomfort into an object of curiosity. They also offer a simple and powerful tool to bring more awareness into our day: the next time we feel the urge to escape boredom, we can pause, notice the urge, and let that moment become a practice. Watch on YouTube; Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. If these conversations are useful, please consider subscribing to our YouTube channel. Episode Companion Flashcards! In this episode 00:00:00 – Have we lost the ability to be bored?00:00:58 – Why boredom matters00:01:21 – “I could not sit still”00:03:34 – Boredom and comfort with our own mind00:04:19 – The default mode network00:05:01 – Why awareness can feel uncomfortable at first00:06:52 – The body’s role in restlessness00:08:36 – Richie’s childhood outlet: the bicycle00:11:12 – Why kids need to move00:12:15 – Meditation as training for boredom00:13:19 – Phones as an escape from discomfort00:14:41 – The everyday practice of not checking your phone00:16:25 – Turning the urge into a cue for awareness00:18:44 – What does boredom actually feel like?00:20:21 – Who is actually bored?00:22:03 – Turning ordinary waiting into practice Written transcript for those who prefer to read 00:00:00 – Have we lost the ability to be bored? Cortland Dahl:We’re now living in a world where we just have such an easy escape hatch. We carry around these devices, and it’s so easy to distract ourselves that I feel like we’ve almost developed...

DL Ep. 33: The Left Brain / Right Brain Myth with Dr. Richie Davidson and Dr. Cortland Dahl

May 28, 2026 29 min

In this episode, Richie and Cort continue their conversation on brain asymmetry by revisiting one of the most popular neuroscience ideas of the 1990s: the divide between the “left brain” and the “right brain.” Was the right hemisphere really the creative side of the brain, and the left hemisphere the logical one? Richie explains where that idea came from, what it got right, and why it was taken too far. Along the way, he explores language, visual-spatial processing, the 200 million neurons connecting the hemispheres, and why real creativity may depend less on one side of the brain than on the coordination between both. Watch on YouTube; Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. If these conversations are useful, please consider subscribing to our YouTube channel. CHECK OUT EPISODE COMPANION FLASHCARDS below! This is the second part of our conversation on hemispheric specialization with Dr. Richard Davidson and Dr. Cortland Dahl. For the first part, see Your Brain Is a Storyteller, where we explore what split-brain research reveals about consciousness and emotion. For more on the popular science misreadings Richie warns about here, see our recent episode on Why dopamine isn't your problem. Dr. Richard Davidson is the William James and Vilas Research Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and founder of the Center for Healthy Minds and the Healthy Minds App. His new book with Dr. Cortland Dahl, Born to Flourish, was published by Simon & Schuster in March 2026. Podcast Chapter List 00:00:00 – Intro clip: Creativity requires both hemispheres00:01:30 – Welcome to Dharma Lab00:02:47 – Left brain/right brain ideas in popular culture00:04:00 – Where did these ideas come from?00:05:11 – Language, handedness, and hemisphere differences00:07:36 – The myth of the creative right brain00:08:50 – The 200 million neurons connecting both hemispheres00:10:38 – Split-brain patients and the corpus callosum00:11:57 – What surprised Richie in the early a...

DL Ep.32: Dopamine Isn’t Your Problem with Dr. Richard Davidson and Dr. Cortland Dahl

May 21, 2026 48 min

In this episode, Richie Davidson and Cortland Dahl unpack a very misunderstood molecule in popular culture: dopamine. Often blamed for craving, scrolling, distraction, and the endless loop of wanting more, dopamine is not something we can “detox” from or simply turn off. It is essential to motivation, aspiration, learning, and even the desire to practice meditation. Together, Richie and Cort explore what dopamine actually does in the brain, why wanting and liking are not the same thing, how novelty keeps us hooked, and how savoring may help us step out of compulsive loops and reorient toward what is genuinely nourishing. Enjoy! Watch on YouTube; Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. If these conversations are useful, please consider subscribing to our YouTube channel. CHECK OUT EPISODE COMPANION FLASHCARDS! Podcast Chapter List (00:00:00) – Dopamine is not something we can turn off (00:03:46) – What is a neurotransmitter? (00:06:04) – Dopamine as neurotransmitter and neuromodulator (00:08:20) – Why the brain is too complex for simple chemical stories (00:12:02) – The awe and mystery of the brain (00:15:51) – Dopamine, motivation, and the myth of dopamine detox (00:17:04) – Wanting vs. liking (00:19:24) – Doom scrolling and the loop of seeking (00:22:32) – Does dopamine explain why we keep scrolling? (00:24:21) – Experiential fusion and mindless behavior (00:25:42) – Why one molecule is never the whole story (00:26:57) – Novelty and reward prediction error (00:29:00) – The Easter egg example: seeking, finding, and disappointment (00:30:23) – Dopamine in different brain circuits (00:35:37) – What actually helps with compulsive loops? (00:37:47) – Savoring as a way out of wanting (00:39:24) – Meditation, breath, and the practice of savoring (00:43:20) – Letting go of seeking (00:43:56) – Gratitude, bodhicitta, and the sweetness of connection (00:45:28) – Renunciation as reorientation (00:48:00) – Closing Related Topics From the Archives: Written transcript for those w...

DL Ep. 31: Your Brain Is a Storyteller

May 7, 2026 50 min

In this episode, Richie Davidson and Cortland Dahl deeply explore the science of the emotional brain: why the mind is a storyteller, what split-brain research reveals about consciousness, how brain asymmetry shapes emotion, why some people approach opportunity with optimism while others withdraw, and what meditation may do to the brain and immune system. Enjoy! See below for FLASHCARDS, Full Transcript Below Watch on Youtube; Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. FLASHCARDS / EPISODE COMPANION HERE Podcast Chapter List (00:00:00) – The brain is a storyteller (00:01:03) – Welcome to Dharma Lab (00:04:05) – Norman Geschwind and behavioral neurology (00:06:31) – The thumbtack story: emotional memory without conscious memory (00:12:12) – Language, the left hemisphere, and the corpus callosum (00:19:04) – Brain asymmetry and emotion (00:22:54) – Why emotion was so understudied (00:29:26) – Brain asymmetry, attachment, and aversion (00:31:19) – The prefrontal cortex and the old divide between thought and feeling (00:37:07) – Studying emotion in newborn infants (00:42:37) – Meditation, brain asymmetry, and the immune system (00:47:04) – Why “it’s not so simple” Written transcript for those who prefer to read Lightly edited for clarity and readability. The Brain Is a Storyteller (00:00:00) Cortland Dahl:The example you gave earlier, with Broca’s area and the split-brain findings, points to something fascinating. Parts of the brain are not always talking to each other. One part of the brain clearly knows something, but the part that communicates doesn’t. And it doesn’t stay silent. It makes something up. That’s the funny thing. In the absence of information, we don’t just stay silent. When we don’t know something, we are not comfortable with not knowing. Some instinctual part of us fills in the blanks almost all the time. Richard Davidson:Exactly. The human mind and brain is a storyteller. This is how we make sense of our world. We create these narratives. Welcome to Dharma...

DL Ep.30: The Dharma of Relationships with Devon + Nico Hase

Apr 24, 2026 59 min

Relationships can be one of the most powerful parts of the spiritual path because they reveal the parts of ourselves we cannot easily see alone. In this episode of Dharma Lab, Cortland Dahl and Richie Davidson are joined by meditation teachers and authors Devin and Nico Hase to explore how Buddhist practice can help us navigate love, conflict, vulnerability, appreciation, and repair. Drawing on their new book, This Messy, Gorgeous Love, they reflect on why relationships are inherently challenging, how they become mirrors for growth, and how simple practices like awareness, check-ins, and appreciation can turn partnership into a path of awakening. Podcast Chapter List 0:00 Relationships are rough: using partnership as a spiritual path1:11 Introducing Devin and Nico Hase and This Messy, Gorgeous Love5:36 What can a monastic tradition teach us about relationships?7:05 Devin on translating Buddhist teachings into modern lay life9:53 Nico on bringing Dharma into the gritty reality of family and partnership11:29 Richie on family, feedback, and why Dharma must matter in real life15:23 Retreat, relationship, and why we can’t hide from ourselves18:04 Partners as teachers: what relationships reveal about us19:34 Nico on monastic ideals, friction, and freedom21:29 Richie on being exposed, seen, and changed by relationship22:16 Self-knowledge, co-regulation, and the dance of partnership23:36 Writing the book together and relationship as mirror25:07 Cort on intimacy, fear, and what love uncovered28:40 Relationships are rough: the myth of smooth sailing30:04 Vulnerability, exposure, and becoming resilient together31:21 Dukkha and the “bumpy ride” of partnership34:24 Appreciation, gratitude, and learning to see the good42:42 Conflict styles: volcanoes, diplomats, and dodgers52:19 The trance of nice: kindness, emotion, and authenticity55:12 Practical takeaways: check-ins, fun, and daily connection57:43 Final reflections on relationships, friendship, and the book’s wider relevance...

DL Ep.29: Daniel Goleman on Practicing Before Life's Challenges

Mar 27, 2026 52 min

Dr. Richie Richard Davidson, Cortland Dahl, Dan Goleman Discussion Chapter Summary: 00:05:51 — Dan Goleman returns from India and meets Richie Davidson at Harvard00:06:38 — Studying meditation in academia when the field dismissed it00:07:11 — Their careers diverge: journalism at the New York Times and neuroscience research00:08:08 — The Mind & Life Institute and first meetings with the Dalai Lama00:09:20 — Paul Ekman’s surprising transformation after meeting the Dalai Lama00:12:03 — Richie’s quiet strategy: exposing scientists to contemplative practice00:13:09 — The birth of a new generation of contemplative scientists00:14:37 — Cort Dahl discovers meditation research in graduate school00:16:10 — Jon Kabat-Zinn teaching yoga in a Harvard Square basement00:17:35 — “The after is the before for the next during” — meditation changes baseline states00:18:43 — The breakthrough 2004 meditation brain study00:20:26 — The Dalai Lama’s lifelong assignment to study and share these practices00:21:47 — Shifting psychology from pathology to human flourishing00:26:09 — Emotional intelligence as a path to well-being00:31:16 — Why practice—not theory—is what actually changes people00:32:37 — Cort Dahl’s experience with social crisis and emotional complexity00:35:31 — The Dalai Lama’s advice on skillfully working with anger00:38:28 — Two contemplative approaches to difficult emotions00:45:24 — “Feel what you are feeling” — a simple practice that changes awareness00:46:11 — Dan Goleman on Vipassana meditation00:47:10 — Scaling well-being beyond formal meditation practice00:50:04 — Mingyur Rinpoche after retreat: “the same, only more so” This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dharmalab.co/subscribe

Neuroscience & Practice discussion / takeaways from Nepal

Mar 20, 2026 30 min

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dharmalab.co/subscribe

DL Ep. 28: Mingyur Rinpoche - Are You Drained Or Are You Energized?

Mar 12, 2026 30 min

We are so honored to welcome Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche to another episode of Dharma Lab. In today’s conversation with Cort and Richie, Rinpoche shares practical ways to stay present in a busy life: a powerful metaphor (“time is like a rubber band”), an “inner sky” teaching for working with anxiety and emotional storms, and a simple micro-practice you can try in under a minute. They also explore why meditation can increase energy and effectiveness, how altruistic intention can transform stress into purpose, and what early research suggests about “flourishing” rippling outward into our families, workplaces, and communities. Podcast Chapter List: 00:00 – Mingyur Rinpoche’s “32 projects” and the secret to steady energy00:27 – Why busyness pulls the mind into past/future (and out of the present)00:55 – How stress shows up in the body 01:14 – “Time is like a rubber band”: making practice fit real life03:13 – Retreat, discipline, and why highly productive people still practice deeply05:23 – The “inner sky”: storms of emotion don’t change awareness06:25 – The airplane rule: “Put your mask on first” (service without burnout)08:24 – Altruistic motivation: practicing for the benefit of others08:53 – Richie’s 2-minute post-meditation calendar practice (be more helpful today)09:56 – “Plugging into a power source”: curiosity, insight, and wisdom as fuel10:06 – The trap of endless wants/needs—and why it’s draining10:26 – Service as nourishment: turning a busy day into a meaningful day21:11 – Doomscrolling vs. creating space for wisdom and compassion24:50 – The science question: does flourishing ripple into systems and communities?25:25 – Mexico healthcare study with Atentamente (practice in the real world)26:35 – Randomized controlled trial results: wellbeing, care outcomes, productivity28:30 – 1-minute micro-practice with Mingyur Rinpoche: connect with the wish to be happy, and expanding that intention outward: love, compassion, and shared flourishing In case you missed it, previ...

DL Ep. 27: Jon Kabat-Zinn

Mar 6, 2026 50 min

Jon Kabat-Zinn joins Richie and Cort for a wide-ranging conversation on mindfulness, science, and what it means to fully inhabit your life. From the launch of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in a hospital basement in 1979 to more than 1,000 scientific papers a year on mindfulness today, this episode traces how a simple practice entered mainstream medicine and reshaped the way we understand stress, healing, and human potential. Along the way, the conversation moves from chronic pain and anxiety to awareness as a trainable capacity, the role of community, and why paying attention may be one of the most important skills of our time. As Jon reflects, if you are missing this moment, what makes you think you will not miss the next? This episode explores how mindfulness can extend beyond stress reduction toward living more deliberately, with clarity, compassion, and connection. Podcast Chapter List: 00:00 – The Gateway: Stress, Burnout & Why We Come to Practice01:08 – Introducing Jon Kabat-Zinn & the Origins of MBSR05:12 – What Is Mindfulness? Dharma, Awareness & Human Potential09:07 – Why MBSR Started in a Hospital Basement18:39 – “They Gave You the Patients No One Could Help”19:58 – How Science and Contemplative Practice Came Together21:42 – The 2003 Randomized Controlled Trial That Changed the Field25:18 – Meeting People Where They Are: Anxiety as a Doorway26:28 – “Are You Your Diagnosis?” Identity & the Shift from Doing to Being30:11 – Why More People Meditate — But Many Still Struggle33:50 – Medicine for Humanity: Mindfulness in a Time of Crisis40:52 – Awareness as a Human Superpower45:00 – Flourishing Is Contagious (And Trainable)46:46 – Awe, Connection & Learning to Pay Attention47:59 – Not Missing Your Life: Thoreau, Walden, & Living Deliberately49:15 – A Rhapsody for Mindfulness Cort and Richie’s new book is coming out in a few weeks! Pre-order Born to Flourish and get: * 1 full year of paid access to Dharma Lab ($100 value) with weekly essays, research...

DL Ep.26: Four Science-Backed Skills to Deal with Anxiety

Feb 24, 2026 47 min

Flourishing is multi-dimensional. In today’s episode of Dharma Lab, we apply the four dimensions of flourishing (awareness, connection, insight, and purpose), to something we all experience: anxiety. When these skills are at our fingertips, we can deploy different ones in different contexts, or bring several to bear at once. Together, they form a rich set of practices to enhance well-being in everyday life. Our discussion explores anxiety as an evolutionary feature of the human brain rather than a personal defect; how it is rooted in the brain’s tendency to predict potential threats; and how it may reflect something fundamentally wholesome: a drive to protect and care. Podcast Chapter List: 00:00 – Short-Circuiting Resistance: A New Way to Relate to Anxiety01:03 – Why Anxiety Is Normal (And Even Necessary)04:29 – The Brain as a Prediction Machine06:16 – Anxiety as an Evolutionary Safety System10:05 – The Four Dimensions of Flourishing12:12 – Skill #1: Awareness and Mindfulness in Moments of Anxiety16:26 – Acceptance and the Reduction of Resistance19:05 – Meta-Awareness and What Happens in the Brain20:31 – Making Friends With Anxiety22:18 – Skill #2: Connection and Appreciation24:12 – Common Humanity and the “Just Like Me” Practice26:06 – Kindness as a Regulator of Emotion29:16 – Skill #3: Insight Into Beliefs and Expectations33:32 – Recognizing Anxious Thought Patterns in Real Time36:58 – Skill #4: Purpose as a Buffer Against Stress37:30 – Research on Teachers, Purpose, and Recovery41:17 – Turning Struggle Into Fuel for Service43:15 – Purpose and Physiological Recovery45:04 – Why These Four Skills Work Together47:17 – Applying the Four Dimensions to Everyday Anxiety Our new book is coming out next month! Pre-order Born to Flourish and get: * Live access to an exclusive Born to Flourish Launch Event * Richie and Cort’s personal reading list on the art of flourishing * A daily protocol for training the mind to flourish * 1-year paid membership to Dharma Lab with weekl...

DL Ep 25: Flourishing is Contagious

Feb 17, 2026 37 min

In this episode of Dharma Lab, Cort and Richie explore one of the core ideas behind Born to Flourish: that our inner state doesn’t stay inside. It ripples outward…shaping classrooms, workplaces, families, and even measurable outcomes like student achievement. Through personal stories and groundbreaking research from public schools, they unpack how awareness, connection, insight, and purpose don’t just transform individuals, they transform systems. Podcast chapter list: 00:00 – Intro: Can Flourishing Be Contagious? (Neuroscience + Real-World Impact)01:23 – The Dalai Lama at NIH: Compassion in Action06:49 – Why This Moment Changed Science Leaders Forever09:52 – Is Compassion Trainable? The Science of Human Plasticity15:30 – A Workplace Story: How Kindness Transformed a Toxic Boss19:45 – The Neuroscience of Contagion: How Emotions Spread23:50 – 850 Teachers, Randomized Trial using the Healthy Minds App26:42 – The “Holy Grail” Finding: Improved Student Test Scores28:01 – Interdependence Explained: Why We’re Not Separate30:31 – How One Teacher’s Mindset Changes an Entire Classroom31:56 – “Buy One, Get Two Free”: The Ripple Effect of Wellbeing32:17 – Practical Habit #1: Intentionally “Infect” Others with Kindness34:30 – Practical Habit #2: Curate Your Mental Inputs35:53 – Why It’s Easier Than You Think (And Why the World Needs It) Our new book is coming out next month! Pre-order Born to Flourish and get: * Live access to an exclusive Born to Flourish Launch Event * Richie and Cort’s personal reading list on the art of flourishing * A daily protocol for training the mind to flourish * 1-year paid membership to Dharma Lab with weekly essays, research updates, podcasts, and member-only online events From the archives: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dharmalab.co/subscribe

DL Ep.24: Born to Flourish - The Science of Human Potential

Feb 9, 2026 36 min

Reminder: Join Richie & Cort tonight at 8pm ET for our monthly AMA HERE In today’s episode of Dharma Lab, Cort and Richie explore a radical and hopeful idea from their upcoming book Born to Flourish: that we all come into the world with an innate capacity for kindness, compassion, and human flourishing. Through personal stories, recent science, and ancient Buddhist wisdom, they reveal how reconnecting with our true nature can transform not only ourselves but also our divided world. “It’s probably more important today than at any other time in my life to really affirm this statement: that we are born to flourish. And this isn’t vacuous hope—it’s hope grounded in practice and in science.” - Dr. Richard Davidson This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS * Cort shares a heartwarming memory of teaching his three-year-old son about “Buddha nature” and the pure joy it sparked in him * Richie presents stunning research showing that 100% of six-month-old babies naturally prefer kindness over meanness - scientific proof we’re wired for goodness * How Buddhist psychology teaches that suffering often stems from forgetting our fundamental wholeness and getting trapped in limiting (and changing) identities * Practical tips for daily life: seeing the Buddha nature in others during interactions, practicing “just like me” reflections, and shifting from a “fixing” mindset to appreciating what’s already whole * How viewing harmful behavior as arising from confusion rather than fundamental evil can transform rage into compassion, even toward difficult public figures * A powerful reminder that flourishing isn’t just a belief system—it’s a practice of actually seeing ourselves, others, and the world differently Our new book is coming out next month! Pre-order Born to Flourish and get: * Live access to an exclusive Born to Flourish Launch Event * Richie and Cort’s personal reading list on...

AMA#5 Navigating Neuroplasticity, Non-Dual Awareness, and the Neuroscience of Flourishing

Feb 5, 2026 4 min

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.dharmalab.co Reminder: Our Next Live Ask Me Anything (#6) with Richie and Cort will be on Feb 9th at 8pm ET. Please send questions in advance! (in comments, chat, or reply to this email) Why Listen to This Session? In our latest wide-ranging AMA, Richie and Cort explore: * Your brain can change at any age — but plasticity isn’t always good:to answer a popular question inspired by Huberman: yes, neuroplasticity lasts from birth to death (even near the very end of life). But here’s the twist: plasticity is neutral. Without the right conditions, it can reinforce anxiety, anger, or stress. The AMA explains how to pair plasticity with wholesome habits so change actually supports well-being * How meditation can literally rewrite emotional memories: a detailed walkthrough of memory reconsolidation, the neuroscience of why retrieved memories become editable, and a practical technique you can use at bedtime * Discover what happens in the brain during non-dual awareness: cutting-edge research on why advanced meditators show dramatic drops in prediction networks, and the crucial difference between practices that focus on experience versus practices that orient to awareness itself * Flourishing is contagious: A firsthand account of meeting a 90-year-old Tibetan master who radiates unconditional love after surviving 20 years in Chinese prison camps Detailed Chapter Guide 00:00 - Opening Meditation & New Year Intentions Brief guided meditation to open hearts and set collective aspiration for easing suffering and supporting flourishing worldwide. 02:00 - New Year Reflections: Small Steps, Daily Affordances Richie discusses why New Year’s resolutions fail and introduces the concept of “affordances”: everyday contexts that can trigger practice moments. The importance of small steps repeated consistently rather than unrealistic grand plans. 06:00 - Contagious Flourishing: Meeting Garchen Rinpoche Cort shares a powerfu...

DL Ep. 23: David Yeager on Parenting Teens: What the Adolescent Brain Really Needs

Jan 27, 2026 58 min

Parenting teens is hard. We often fall into styles that feel protective but end up making things worse. In our latest Dharma Lab episode, Dr. David Yeager, a leading researcher on adolescent motivation and author of 10 to 25, talks with Richie and Cort about why this happens and how to change it. We also explore the neuroscience of adolescent brains, and how the parenting strategies discussed can mirror how we relate to our own inner experience. Key concepts from the episode: * Most parents default to one of two styles (and not the one we need to start embracing more called the “mentor”) * Enforcer: high demands, low support (“toughen up,” “no excuses”) * Protector: high empathy, low expectations (removing challenges to avoid distress)Both come from love, and both can unintentionally shut teens down. * What teens are actually wired to needAdolescents are especially driven by pride, dignity, and respect…and deeply averse to humiliation or shame. When they feel talked down to, they stop listening. * Why this stage is uniquely hard right nowPuberty is starting earlier than ever, while the brain systems that support emotional regulation won’t fully mature until the mid-20s. This widening gap makes misfires more likely for teens and parents. * The problem with “grownsplaining”When adults assume their experience makes them the unquestioned expert, teens hear disrespect; even when advice is well-intentioned. That dynamic fuels resistance rather than growth. * The mentor mindset offers a different pathHigh standards with real support. Less lecturing, more curiosity. Asking questions instead of delivering answers. Allowing discomfort without removing expectations. * Discomfort isn’t always a sign something is wrongAnxiety, frustration, and even tears can mean a young person is stretching toward something meaningful - not failing. What matters is whether distress comes with support or shame. * Small tools that make a big difference * Do-overs: repairing moments when we miss t...

DL Ep.22: The Neuroscience of “Aha” Moments

Jan 20, 2026 43 min

We’ve all had moments when something suddenly clicks. A realization that doesn’t arrive gradually, but all at once. Cort remembers walking out of a movie theater on a humid summer night after seeing Schindler’s List, suddenly knowing what his life should be about. Richie recalls preparing for a talk that sparked an entirely new way of thinking about neuroplasticity and the social brain. In this episode, we explore what those “aha” moments really are, why they feel so emotionally charged, and how they can reshape the course of our lives. Drawing on a fascinating neuroscience study, we look at what happens in the brain when insight arises—and why these moments are remembered so vividly days later. We also reflect on how insight and wisdom once sat at the center of human flourishing—from Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle to Buddhist psychology—yet are largely absent from modern models of wellbeing. In fact, as Richie points out: “No current model of psychological well-being that is in the psychological research literature includes insight, except for the model that we’ve developed.” Dr. Richard Davidson, Dharma Lab Ep.22, speaking about The Healthy Minds Framework This leads to a deeper question we explore together: What if insight isn’t rare…but simply unnoticed, forgotten, or unsupported in daily life? Episode Highlights * Why what we feed our minds matters: the raw materials of insight come from the conversations we have, what we watch and read…but only if we create space to digest * How we likely have many insights each day but lose them in distraction; and how contemplative practice acts like a glass enclosure around a candle, helping us notice, remember, and stabilize insights before they flicker out * Why psychedelics are often effective at igniting insight, but not always at helping it become a durable way of seeing * Why insight is deeply emotional, not just intellectual * The difference between a fleeting epiphany and a lasting shift in how we experience life If...

DL Ep.21: The Neuroscience of Conscious Habits

Jan 13, 2026 35 min

On today’s episode of Dharma Lab, we take a closer look at the mechanics of healthy habit formation. Building on a framework we’ve outlined in previous posts—inspiration, intention, action, and repetition—we explore why each step matters from a scientific perspective, and how the process tends to break down in real life. Discussion Highlights: * How monks we encountered in Nepal had trained habits by way of intense practice * Why exceptional capacities are built through training and practice, not innate talent * How small, repeatable actions strengthen the executive network so we are “in the driver’s seat” of our mind, emotions, and impulses * The distinction between unconscious habits and consciously trained habits * A neuroscience-informed framework for habit formation: inspiration, intention, action, and repetition * Where habits most often break down, and how to use moments of everyday life as affordances for practice * Malcolm Gladwell’s framework for exceptional performance: Practice, Practice, Practice, and starting at small levels daily to achieve a compounding rate * How Flourishing is contagious If you enjoy this topic, there will a whole chapter devoted to it in our upcoming book Born to Flourish (available for pre-order now, arriving March 2026). We will deep dive into the 4 stages of developing conscious habits - inspiration, intention, action, repetition. A framework as a recipe to develop a conscious habit. Recent Posts: · From the Archives: Podcast Chapter List: 00:00 – Intro: The “Tomorrow” Trap of ProcrastinationWhy inspiration so often gets postponed — and how habits stall before they begin 02:20 – What Meditation Masters & Peak Performers Have in CommonPractice, not talent: how extraordinary people are trained, not born 04:55 – How Small Daily Practices Change the BrainNeuroscience shows even 5 minutes a day can create measurable change 06:10 – What Are “Conscious Habits”?The difference between automatic habits and habits built with awareness 0...

DL Ep. 20: Why Willpower Isn’t Enough - The Neuroscience of Sustainable Change

Jan 6, 2026 28 min

REMINDER: Live Q&A with Richie and Cort TODAY at 8pm ET on Substack. Over the next two weeks on Dharma Lab, we’ll be exploring the science and practice of meaningful change—why it so often breaks down, and how small, intentional habits can gradually reshape how we live. In today’s episode, we explore a key insight from neuroscience and psychology: our behavior is shaped less by willpower than by the affordances around us—the cues, routines, relationships, and environments that quietly invite certain actions while discouraging others. Rather than asking why we “lack discipline,” we look at how everyday contexts—from our physical surroundings to the people we spend time with—continually nudge our habits, often outside of awareness. When those affordances stay the same, even the strongest resolutions tend to fade. We also explore a more hopeful possibility: that working with affordances doesn’t have to feel rigid or effortful. Approached with curiosity, it can be creative—even fun. Experimenting with small changes, playful rituals, and supportive friendships can turn habit-building from a struggle into something that feels alive and sustainable. Next week, we’ll continue the conversation: * discussing conscious habits, and * the four steps make flourishing a habit: Inspiration, Intention, Action, and Repetition. You can read more about these in our recent post, as well in our upcoming book Born to Flourish (available for pre-order now, arriving March 2026). Recent Posts: Podcast Chapter List: 00:00 – Approaching New Habits with Curiosity and CreativityWhy motivation fades, even when intentions are sincere — and why willpower alone isn’t enough. 01:00 – Introducing Dharma Lab & the Science of Habit ChangeDr. Richard Davidson and Dr. Cortland Dahl on the neuroscience and contemplative science of lasting behavior change. 02:35 – A Daily Ritual for Motivation (Bodhicitta Practice)Why small rituals help anchor habits — and why remembering to begin is often the hardest par...

Recording of AMA #4 with Dr. Richie Davidson and Dr. Cortland Dahl

Jan 2, 2026 4 min

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.dharmalab.co Thank you to those who tuned into our 4th live video with Dr. Richard Davidson and Dr. Cortland Dahl! Join us for our next live AMA on Tuesday, Jan 6 at 8pm ET / 7pm CT. The discussion covered a lot of ground not limited to: Brain activity during meditation, Expectations / Non-attachment, Neuroscience of desire, Journaling + Meditation, Meditation dosage…

DL Ep. 19: The Science of Self-Reflection

Dec 30, 2025 36 min

At certain moments in life — the end of a day, the completion of a project, or the turn of a year — we naturally begin to reflect. But without intention, self-reflection can quietly slide into rumination, self-judgment, and stress. In this episode of Dharma Lab, we explore the science of self-reflection: why it’s such a uniquely human capacity, how it supports learning, empathy, and wellbeing — and why it so often goes off the rails. Drawing on neuroscience, contemplative practice, and lived experience, we explore how self-reflection can be guided by intention rather than left on automatic — and how moments of awareness restore the capacity to steer the mind. Episode Highlights: In this conversation, we explore: * Why self-reflection is one of the most unique — and potentially troublesome — capacities of the human mind * How the prefrontal cortex enables “mental time travel” into the past and future * The difference between healthy reflection and toxic rumination * How stress impairs intentionality and leaves the mind running on autopilot * Why curiosity and intention are key ingredients in constructive self-reflection * The role of meta-awareness in restoring choice and flexibility * How perspective-taking supports empathy and compassion * Why self-reflection is central to psychotherapy, learning, and creativity * How analytical meditation trains reflection without losing awareness * Simple ways to practice healthy self-reflection in daily life In the coming weeks, we’ll continue exploring how reflection, when held skillfully, can begin to shape the habits and patterns that guide our lives. We’d love to hear from you: What are ways you’ve learned and grown over the past year? What methods help you engage in self-reflection in a positive way? Warmly, Cort + Richie As you reflect on the year, consider our recent post on turning resolutions into habits: From the Archives: Podcast Chapter List: 00:00 — Why Self-Reflection Is Uniquely HumanHumans’ unparalleled capacity...

DL Ep. 18: The Neuroscience of Giving

Dec 23, 2025 42 min

In this episode of Dharma Lab, we explore the neuroscience and contemplative practice of what it means to truly give. Recorded in the middle of the holiday season, our conversation begins with a familiar arc many of us recognize: the childhood excitement of receiving, and the gradual (and sometimes surprising) shift toward the deeper satisfaction of giving. Together, we explore what’s really happening beneath that shift, psychologically, biologically, and experientially. Drawing on neuroscience, Buddhist contemplative traditions, and lived experience, we discuss: * Why giving leads to more sustained well-being than receiving * How generosity cultivates an inner sense of abundance rather than scarcity * What the brain reveals about extraordinary altruists, and their ability to detect suffering * How generosity is a trainable capacity * How small, everyday acts — including giving your full attention — can become powerful micro-practices Discussion Highlights From Getting to Giving As we grow older, the thrill of receiving often fades, while the joy of giving deepens. Neuroscience helps explain why: the brain rapidly adapts to getting what we want, returning us to baseline, while the “warm glow” of giving tends to linger. Giving and the Brain Across many studies, people instructed to spend money on others consistently report greater and longer-lasting increases in happiness than those who spend the same amount on themselves. We also discuss how our brains are prediction machines, and receiving tends to meet expectations and quickly normalizes; whereas giving often involves situations with a higher discrepancy between what you predict and what actually happens. Extraordinary Altruists and the Detection of Suffering We explore research on “extraordinary altruists” — people who donate a kidney to a stranger — who show heightened sensitivity in brain systems involved in detecting suffering. Compassion, it turns out, may begin less with moral reasoning and more with percept...

DL Ep. 17: Trauma, Memory, and the Brain's Capacity to Change

Dec 16, 2025 42 min

REMINDER: Live Q&A with Richie and Cort TODAY at 7pm ET on Substack. Why do certain memories feel like they still live in our bodies years after they happened? And why do some difficult experiences become turning points for growth while others leave us feeling stuck? In this episode, we explore the neuroscience of trauma and the contemplative tools that help us reshape old emotional patterns. A central part of our discussion is the role of plasticity in both trauma and healing: “Trauma wouldn’t happen if there wasn’t plasticity. The same quality that allows experience to wound us also allows us to heal.” We look at how emotional memories are encoded in the brain, why they can resurface with such force, and how memory reconsolidation creates a natural opening for change each time a memory returns. We also share a powerful experience from a recent meditation retreat, where a long buried emotional imprint surfaced and released through simple, spacious awareness. Again and again, we come back to one insight:Our emotional past is not fixed.Each time we remember an experience, the mind updates it. The state of our mind and body in that moment influences how it is stored again. Meditation helps create the conditions for this shift. A calm and open nervous system changes how old patterns settle in the body. Presence and care make the difference between a memory that stays tight and one that begins to loosen. In this episode we explore: * Why trauma exists on a spectrum and why we are more resilient than we often believe * How emotional memories form and how sensation, context, and meaning become linked * The science of reconsolidation and why remembering a memory makes it editable * How meditation supports emotional release and re-patterning * What happens in the hippocampus and amygdala during emotional release * Simple practices that help us reset between activities or at the end of a day * How offering ourselves the same caring presence we offer others can shift deep pat...

DL Ep. 16: Mingyur Rinpoche - Meditation is Easier Than You Think

Dec 12, 2025 34 min

Mingyur Rinpoche has spent his life immersed in meditation practice — beginning a three-year retreat at 13, and eventually logging more than 50,000 hours of formal training. He was also a central participant in some of the earliest research Richie conducted on advanced meditators, work that helped open the door to much of the scientific exploration of meditation that followed. Yet despite this extraordinary background, the way he teaches is remarkably simple and down-to-earth. In this week’s Dharma Lab conversation, we look at one of the biggest misconceptions people bring to meditation: that it should feel calm or peaceful, and that difficulty means something is going wrong. Episode Highlights * Why early meditation often feels harder — and why that’s actually progress * The monsoon river: a powerful metaphor for understanding the mind * The “road to Lhasa”: how ups and downs both deepen practice * What science shows about the first four weeks of meditation * Why even 4–5 minutes a day meaningfully changes the brain and body * How to stop fighting distractions and use them as support * Mingyur Rinpoche’s “anywhere, anytime” approach to awareness * How difficult emotions become some of the most transformative moments * A gentler, lighter, more playful way to practice A conversation filled with warmth Sitting with Mingyur Rinpoche always leaves us lighter. There is a quality of ease in the way he teaches — a reminder that meditation isn’t about achieving particular states, but about recognizing the awareness that’s present in every one of them. We’re grateful to share this conversation and hope it offers a moment of spaciousness in your week. Warmly, Cort + Richie REMINDER: Join us for our next Ask Me Anything live with Cort and Richie on Tuesday, December 16 @7pm Eastern Time. Please send us your questions in advance! Chapter List 00:00 – Learning from difficulty: Why “down moments” matter01:22 – Introducing Mingyur Rinpoche: A lifetime of meditation03:26 – Why Rinp...

DL Ep. 15: The False Promise of Desire - Our Addiction to a More Ideal Future

Dec 2, 2025 24 min

We spend so much of life chasing the next moment… and missing the one we’re in. This week on Dharma Lab, we dig into the neuroscience of wanting vs. liking, explore how to shift from chasing the next thing to savoring what’s here, and discuss how awe can show up in the smallest, most ordinary moments. Episode Highlights: A big part of the conversation centers on two quiet assumptions that shape so much of how we live. The first is the belief that chasing what we want will finally make us happy—that fulfilling our cravings will give us the contentment we’re seeking. But both research and experience show something different: craving mostly fuels more craving, not more enjoyment. The second is a more subtle fear—that if we stop chasing, we’ll miss out on something essential. We worry we’ll lose momentum, fall behind, or miss our chance at a better, safer, more successful future. That fear keeps us leaning toward the next moment instead of inhabiting the one we’re actually in. From there, we explore what does work: orienting toward liking, savoring, and appreciation. And we talk about how awe doesn’t require redwoods or mountaintops—it’s available in the smallest, most ordinary moments when we shift our attention. A slow email sync on a plane becomes a moment of wonder. Leaves on the ground become a doorway to gratitude. Even difficult interactions reveal something unexpectedly human when viewed with fresh eyes. We’d love to hear from you. What’s one small moment of everyday awe you noticed recently—something ordinary that felt extraordinary when you paid attention? Share your reflections in the comments. Warmly, Cort + Richie Recent Posts: From the Archives: Podcast Chapter List 00:00 – Intro and The Addiction to the FutureWhy we chase the next moment and miss the one we’re in. 00:42 – Wanting vs. LikingA coffee moment sparks a discussion on craving, satisfaction, and the brain. 03:24 – The Neuroscience of RewardHow wanting and liking diverge—and why more craving ofte...

DL Ep. 14: The Neuroscience of Service

Nov 25, 2025 37 min

In this week’s Dharma Lab conversation, we’ll dive into the science and contemplative wisdom behind generosity, purpose, and everyday altruism. How Serving Others Nourishes Us There are moments in life that quietly change everything. For both of us, one of those moments was realizing that meditation was never just about us. At first, practice was personal, a way to calm the mind, relieve stress, and find clarity. But over time, something shifted. We began to see practice less as self-improvement and more as a path of service, a way of showing up for others, not only ourselves. As it turns out, both ancient contemplative traditions and modern science point toward the same insight: service does not just help the world, it nourishes us too. The more we orient our lives toward helping others, the more energizing, meaningful, and joyful our own lives become. What the Research Shows There is now a rich scientific literature on volunteering and altruism. One influential series of studies from Johns Hopkins followed older adults in Baltimore who volunteered in local public schools. They helped children read, served lunch, and supervised the playground. They climbed stairs in buildings with no elevators. What began as a community program became a scientific window into the effects of service. After months of volunteering, participants showed improvements in cognitive functions that usually decline with age. Brain scans revealed positive changes in the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s executive network responsible for planning, focus, and emotional regulation. Other research on purpose shows similar patterns. People with a strong sense of purpose tend to report greater well-being and live longer. Purpose may be one of the most well-established predictors of longevity we have. Why Helping Others Feels Good From a neuroscience perspective, generosity and compassion activate the brain’s reward circuitry. When people behave generously in laboratory studies, the neural reward networ...

DL Ep. 13: The Neuroscience of Being - Turning Anxiety into Insight

Nov 18, 2025 50 min

What does it mean to simply be? In this episode of Dharma Lab, we explore the neuroscience and contemplative practice of being — that effortless, natural presence that can transform anxiety into insight and turn ordinary moments into gateways of creativity. Fresh from Richie’s trip to India and a meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, we sit down for a free-flowing, unrehearsed conversation that bridges ancient meditation wisdom and cutting-edge brain science. Together, we explore: * The difference between doing and being — and why it’s not either/or * How effortlessness, presence, and naturalness create inner freedom * What happens in the brain when the prefrontal cortex “goes offline” * Why even short daily meditations can change brain structure * How releasing control and predictive loops unlocks creativity * Practical ways to drop into being throughout your day Discussion Highlights The continuum of being and doing:Being and doing aren’t opposites. We move along a spectrum — moments of effort give way to moments of openness. Meditation helps us recognize and expand those natural gaps. Effortlessness and the brain:When the mind lets go of control, the prefrontal cortex — the “executive” part of the brain — briefly goes offline. Advanced meditators show this pattern: they shift attention effortlessly, without strain or mental effort. Creativity through presence:True creativity arises not from trying harder, but from relaxing the constraints of thought. As Richie notes, “When we stop directing our thoughts, the mind becomes more flexible — and novel insights can emerge.” The modern predicament of too much information:We look at how our minds are flooded with information from the moment we wake up. Just as too much food overwhelms the body, too much information overwhelms the mind. True rest requires more than physical stillness. It asks for mental space, time without constant input from phones, news, or endless tasks. Finding that space to simply be gives our mi...

Recording of AMA#3 with Dr. Richie Davidson & Dr. Cortland Dahl

Nov 13, 2025 4 min

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.dharmalab.co Thank you to those who tuned into our 3rd live video with Dr. Richard Davidson and Dr. Cortland Dahl! Join us for our next live AMA on Tuesday, Dec 16 at 7pm ET / 6pm CT. Chapter List for AMA #3: 00:00 – Opening PracticeGuided intention-setting and brief meditation to begin the AMA. 05:00 – Can Meditation Slow Brain Aging?Exploring research on meditation and brain aging, including Mingyur R…

DL Ep.12: Dosage of Meditation

Nov 5, 2025 37 min

Episode Highlights: 1. Small doses make a difference. Even a few mindful minutes a day can reshape the brain. Recent MRI research shows that short, consistent practice can lead to measurable structural changes in the brain in just four weeks. 2. Consistency matters more than duration. Across studies from 2003 to today, longer sessions didn’t necessarily lead to better outcomes. What really counts is showing up — the rhythm of practice, not the clock. 3. “Short times, many times.” Ancient manuals never mention minutes or hours. They emphasize moments of awareness scattered through daily life: a breath before speaking, a feeling of compassion, a few conscious steps. 4. End on a good note. Don’t push through fatigue. When your practice feels alive or clear, stop there. Ending while it feels good builds a natural desire to return. 5. Begin and end with aspiration. A simple intention — “May this be of benefit to others” — frames the mind in a positive way. Ending with that same wish creates a lasting imprint, consistent with psychologist Daniel Kahneman’s “peak-end rule.” 6. Friendship over force. Meditation isn’t about grinding it out. As Richie puts it, “Make friends with your mind. Don’t treat it as something to struggle against.” 7. The most important practice is the one you’ll actually do. It doesn’t require perfect silence or long retreats — just the willingness to pause and come home to awareness, again and again. We’d love to hear from you:How much meditation feels “enough” for you?What helps you stay consistent, and what does friendship with your own mind look like in daily life? Share your reflections in the comments. Warmly, Cort & Richie Chapter List: 0:00 – Intro: What is the “dosage” of meditation?1:00 – The myth of ideal conditions for practice3:00 – Richie on early research: the 2003 immune system study6:00 – What the science shows about minutes vs. outcomes9:00 – App-based meditation and real-world data11:00 – Does practicing longer make a difference? N...

DL Ep.11: Meditation Apps - The Impacts on Brain Health to Gut Health

Oct 31, 2025 51 min

In this episode of Dharma Lab, we sit down with our friend and colleague Dr. Simon Goldberg, one of the world’s leading researchers on meditation apps. Together, we explore what the data really say about digital practice — what’s working, what’s not, and how even a few minutes a day can reduce stress and support wellbeing. It’s a conversation about technology, habits, and the ways meditation is quietly transforming our minds and bodies — changes that science can measure only in part, but that reach far beyond the lab. Highlights from the Episode * From the Himalayas to the App Store — A historical reflection on how meditation once required crossing mountains to find a teacher, and how that same wisdom is now available instantly on our phones. * The Science of Small Practice — Dr. Simon Goldberg shares data showing that even five minutes of daily meditation can meaningfully reduce stress, ease anxiety, and support emotional balance. * Measurable Shifts in the Body — New research reveals tangible biological changes from short, consistent practice — including lower inflammation markers and shifts in gut health and emotional language. * Beyond the Lab — Richie Davidson discusses the limits of current research, noting that while short-term studies capture early benefits, the deepest changes from contemplative practice may unfold years later — far beyond the reach of most scientific follow-ups. In case you missed it, check out a written contextual summary of this podcast here: Podcast Chapter List 00:00 – Intro 02:00 – Welcome & introduction to Dr. Simon Goldberg 03:00 – From Himalayan pilgrimages to instant apps 05:00 – Simon on learning to meditate alone & the promise of digital tools 06:00 – Richie on technology democratizing Dharma 09:00 – Cort on self-taught practice before apps and books as teachers 10:00 – Do meditation apps actually work? The research overview 11:00 – What the data say about mental health benefits 12:00 – Comparing apps to in-person traini...

AMA Recording #1: Guided Practices & Q&A

Oct 25, 2025 10 min

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.dharmalab.co We’re so grateful to everyone who joined us for our very first Dharma Lab AMA with Dr. Cortland Dahl and Dr. Richard Davidson in early September. You’ll find in the recording two guided practices (one each from Cort & Richie), as well as the full recording of Q&A. Below you’ll find a summary of the conversation, written up in a Q&A format so it’s easy to follow. It’s not a perfect or complete transcript, so please forgive any typos and brevity, but we wanted to capture the spirit of the dialogue and share the key insights with all of you for those who prefer to read rather than watch the episode. Podcast Chapter List 0:00 - Intro 3:12 - Opening Guided Practice by Cort to set intention for the session 8:28 - Questions & Answers with participants. Question 1: where do you draw the line between mental health and social health? Is it where your epigenome is modified by social interactions, no matter how you perceive them? Or is it where your perception is modified, no matter what state your epigenome is in? 16:03 - Question 2: Cort, how did you go from a socially anxious teenager to an executive director and overall friendly happy being? 21:44 - Question 3: When practicing analytical meditation—examining a difficult situation through words, sensations, emotions, images, and beliefs—do physical sensations and images enhance the process? And if someone can’t access those, is it related to trauma, like PTSD? 37: 39 - Question 4: Judd Brewer talks about the trigger–behavior–reward cycle. How do we interrupt undesired behaviors? 42:31 - Question 5: Please say more about holding and being with the first arrow from Buddhist psychology, particularly for worry or concern about the health of a loved one and not shooting that second arrow yourself. 50:03 - Question 6: Why do retreats often show stronger measurable effects than the same number of hours practiced as short daily sessions? Could sleep o...

DL Ep. 10: Loneliness as Deadly as Smoking 15 Cigarettes a Day

Oct 16, 2025 35 min

In this episode of Dharma Lab, Richie Davidson and Cortland Dahl dive into one of the most startling findings in modern science: that loneliness and social disconnection can be as harmful to our health as smoking fifteen cigarettes a day. They explore what makes loneliness so toxic—not just for our mental well-being, but for our physical health—and how ancient contemplative wisdom and modern neuroscience converge on the same insight: connection is medicine. From the biology of stress and resilience to simple daily practices that nurture kindness and belonging, this conversation reveals how small shifts in awareness can rewire the brain for connection—and why doing so may be one of the most important things we can do for ourselves and our world. Podcast chapter list below. In case you missed it, check out a written contextual summary of this podcast here: Podcast Chapter List 0:00 – Intro: Why loneliness matters more than we realize1:20 – How common is loneliness today?3:00 – The Surgeon General’s warning on social disconnection5:15 – Mind–body divide: why medicine overlooks relationships7:30 – The 2015 meta-analysis: where the “15 cigarettes a day” claim comes from10:35 – Loneliness vs. obesity and other health risks12:10 – How loneliness gets “under the skin”: stress, resilience, and recovery14:15 – Can we actually train connection?16:20 – Kindness and compassion as skills18:30 – How ancient contemplative practices expand our circle of care20:45 – What happens in the brain after just two weeks of practice22:40 – Everyday connection moments: examples from daily life26:20 – Practicing connection in ordinary settings (like airports!)28:50 – The perception of loneliness vs. actual isolation30:30 – Science on subjective vs. objective measures of connection32:40 – Why social connection is a public health imperative34:15 – Final reflections: small practices, big impact This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus...

DL Ep.9: Overthinking and Rumination (Part 2)

Oct 3, 2025 48 min

In this Dharma Lab episode, we pick up where we left off—moving from why our minds get so restless to what we can actually do about it, exploring three strategies from Buddhist psychology for working skillfully with overthinking: Remove, Transform, and Transcend. See chapter list below. In case you missed it, check out a written contextual summary of this podcast here: Podcast Chapter List 0:00 - Intro2:30 - Cort & Richie share personal experiences with rumination8:41 - Overview of the three Buddhist psychology strategies9:50 - Remove: Notice triggers & redirect attention20:52 - Transform: Observe thoughts as just thoughts—this loosens their grip and can turn them into sources of insight or compassion31:16 - Transcend: Learn to see the vast field of awareness within which thoughts arise and dissolve40:08 - Closing reflections: flourishing is infectious If you’d like to begin with Overthinking and Rumination (Part 1), you can find it here: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dharmalab.co/subscribe

DL Ep.8: Overthinking and Rumination (Part 1)

Sep 26, 2025 30 min

In this week’s podcast, Cort and Richie explore why the mind so often gets stuck in rumination, how our evolutionary wiring and contrast-detecting brains fuel it, and what contemplative practices can do to shift us from anxious loops into clarity and balance. Reminder: our second AMA (ask me anything with Cort + Richie) is on Tuesday, September 30th at 8pm ET. Please send your question in advance! See chapter list below. In case you missed it, check out a written contextual summary of this podcast here: Podcast Chapter List 0:00:00 - Intro 3:43:00 - What is Rumination, and what advantages does it provide? 8:12:00 - Why do we so often focus on the negative when we ruminate? 14:48:00 - The evolutionary threat response, and how meditation helps you see it more clearly 18:00:00 - The toxicity of chronic stress 22:02:00 - Another benefit to mental time travel: the ability to develop a sense of purpose 24:00:00 - Regaining agency over our minds, and not classifying aspects as “good” or “bad” This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dharmalab.co/subscribe

DL Ep.7: The Science of Micro Practices

Sep 19, 2025 24 min

One of the questions we hear most often is: how much practice do I really need to do? Do the benefits of meditation only come after logging hours on the cushion? The science—and lived experience—tell a different story. In fact, in the very first randomized controlled trial of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) back in 2003, researchers expected that more minutes of daily meditation would predict bigger changes in well-being. But the data showed something surprising: there was no relationship between the number of minutes people practiced and the outcomes they experienced. Even those who admitted to doing almost no formal meditation outside of class showed the same improvements in anxiety, depression, and immune function as those who put in the most time. So what’s going on here? One clue lies in micro-practices—short, repeated moments of awareness that weave into everyday life. A grandmother in one of our programs once shared that she had never managed to sit formally for practice, but one morning she found herself pausing instead of snapping at her granddaughter. She simply listened to the sound of her granddaughter’s voice, noticed her own irritation, and let it go. That tiny shift changed the whole morning. This is the heart of what we call short times, many times. These glimpses don’t require carving out special hours—they can happen while you’re washing dishes, waiting in line, or walking the dog. And they matter. Neuroscience shows that even these brief flashes can reshape brain connectivity, loosening the grip of reactivity and strengthening resilience. Another piece of the practice is learning to adjust the aperture of awareness. Sometimes we need a narrow, focused beam of attention—staying locked in on a task. Other times, life calls for a panoramic awareness—taking in a room, a conversation, or simply the whole moment. Athletes like Wayne Gretzky describe this wide-field awareness as a kind of superpower. We can train the same flexibility in daily l...

DL Ep.6: The Science of Uncertainty

Sep 11, 2025 51 min

In this week’s podcast, Cort and Richie discuss how fear shrinks our perception, but harnessing awareness widens the lens again. See chapter list below. In case you missed it, check out a written contextual summary of this podcast here: Podcast Chapter List 0:00:00 - Intro 2:28:00 - How the brain reacts to uncertainty 7:33:00 - Amygdala activation: narrowing perception to potential threats 8:54:00 - Physical responses to fear and the spiral of anxiety 12:41:00 - Evolutionary origins: the brain as a “change detector” 16:38:00 - Chronic activation: why unresolved threats are unhealthy 17:30:00 - Meditation as mental training for self-awareness 21:40:00 - Lab studies: unknown fears trigger stronger reactions 27:06:00 - When the future is unpredictable: what can we do? 29:01:00 - The elixir of awareness 40:13:00 - Cort and Richie discuss coping with uncertainty Dharma Lab is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dharmalab.co/subscribe

DL Ep.5: Meditation Is Not What You Think

Sep 4, 2025 29 min

Richie and Cort discuss how small shifts in perspective lead to lasting changes in the brain and experience This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dharmalab.co/subscribe

DL Ep.4: The Science of Discomfort

Aug 28, 2025 23 min

Notes from Dharma Lab * Please see written primer below on The Science of Discomfort (released Tuesday 8/26) Ep.4 Chapter List: 0:00 Stories of Discomfort: MRI & Dentist 5:24 The Science of Pain & The Two Arrows 8:23 The Suffering Equation: Pain x Resistance 10:05 Your Brain on Pain: Shifting Resistance 12:59 How Meditation Changes Pain & Distress 14:35 Can Beginners Really Change Their Experience? 18:52 Discomfort as a Mindfulness Hack 20:24 Meditation as Mental Hygiene Dharma Lab is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dharmalab.co/subscribe

DL Ep.3: Beyond Burnout - Research Discussion

Aug 20, 2025 59 min

Dear Dharma Lab readers, Join Richie and Cort in Dharma Lab Episode 3 in a wide ranging research discussion on the findings from the JAMA article announced earlier this week on Burnout. Joining us are friends of the pod Daniela Labra and Leandro Chernicoff. Full Discussion Below: Chapters: 0:00:00 – Intro and overview of the study in Mexico: Digital Well-Being Training With Health Care Professionals3:46:00 – Richie gives an overview of the burnout crisis and the neuroscience behind burnout11:15:00 – Real world stories of burnout encountered during this study in Mexico16:24:00 – Discussing details of the study, and why this work was taken on24:13:00 – What specific skills were learned by participants, and reflections by the panelists about how to put these skills to use43:14:00 – Are different skills necessary, or are some more important than others?45:22:00 – The impact of the study, summary findings, and data Contextual Piece Here (released yesterday): Dharma Lab is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dharmalab.co/subscribe

DL Ep.2: Your Brain on AI

Aug 13, 2025 35 min

Listen on Episode #2 on Youtube, Spotify, Apple: YoutubeSpotifyApple Podcasts Episode 2 Chapter List: 0:00 Intro 0:32 Episode Overview by Cort 2:35 “This is Your Brain on AI” — and How the Media Spins the Negative 4:07 Historical Precedent: Handwriting vs. Typing 5:44 MIT Study: How Large Language Models Impact the Brain 15:06 Will Certain Skills Become Obsolete with AI? 17:38 The Role of Intention and Full Awareness 21:24 Unintended Consequences — Lessons from Buddhist Monks on Memory and Focus 24:04 Using AI to Prompt Reflection for Better Thinking 31:56 Final Thoughts: Stay in the Driver’s Seat with AI See our written context setting post here for reference to the Podcast Episode 2: Dharma Lab is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dharmalab.co/subscribe

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Created by: Dharma Lab
Status: Active
Latest episode: Oct 30, 2026
Episodes: 51
Release period: Every two weeks
Avg. episode length: 35 min
Explicit: No
Language: English

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