Practical Wisdom with Dr. Rick Hanson

Why It’s So Hard to Set – and Keep – Healthy Boundaries

Most of us know, at least in principle, that it’s good to have healthy boundaries. The hard part is actually setting them — and then holding onto them when other people p

Why Good Boundaries Make Better Relationships

Good boundaries aren’t about pushing people away. In fact, they can help us feel closer, more open, and more at ease with the people we care about. When you know where yo

Insight – The Power of Seeing Reality Clearly

This week, I was joined by Melvin McLeod, editor-in-chief of Lion’s Roar and author of The Complete Path of Mindfulness, to explore what mindfulness can become when we se

How to Find Peace in the Present Moment

So much of the mind is leaning into the future—anticipating what will happen, planning what we’ll do, worrying about what could go wrong, and getting attached to how we o

Patience – Why We Need It, and How to Grow It

Impatience can be a surprisingly powerful source of stress, frustration, and conflict—especially when we’re waiting for something to change, dealing with difficult people

How to Feel That You’ve Done Enough – and Are Enough

Many of us spend our lives quietly believing we need to do more, achieve more, or become more before we can finally feel at peace. What if the peace you’ve been searching

How to Stop Ruminating

Even when nothing is particularly wrong, the mind can keep generating something else to want, solve, compare, worry about, or figure out. All that mental activity can be

Bows and Vows

Many of us move through life reacting to circumstances without pausing to consider what we’re truly devoted to. When we lose touch with our values and deepest intentions,

Letting Go of Fear, and Resting in Peaceful Confidence

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up at https://rickhanson.com/wednesday-meditations-with-dr-rick-hanson/. We always start

The Sweet Power of Kindness, Compassion, and Happiness for Others

We often think of kindness and compassion as gifts we offer other people. But what if they were also among the most powerful ways to heal ourselves? In this talk, I expl

Positive Emotions as Key Steps in the Path of Awakening

Many of us think of meditation and inner practice as serious, even grim work. But what if joy itself is part of the path? In this talk, I explored four emotionally positi

The Powerful Combination of Concentration and Insight

We all know what it’s like to feel scattered, stuck in our own mental loops, unable to actually move through the hard stuff. What the Buddha was pointing to with “right c

Insightful Freedom from Craving

Do you ever feel caught up in striving, worrying about how you’re doing, or trying to become a better version of yourself? In this talk, I explore an early Buddhist teach

How to Use Fear and Not Let It Use You

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up at https://rickhanson.com/wednesday-meditations-with-dr-rick-hanson/. We always start

Keys to Personal and Global Evolution with David Sloan Wilson

It’s easy to feel stuck in the same patterns—repeating old reactions, circling in the same thoughts, and wondering why real change is so hard. In this talk, we explore ho

How to Let Go

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up at https://rickhanson.com/wednesday-meditations-with-dr-rick-hanson/. We always start

How to Be Calmer . . . Now

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up at https://rickhanson.com/wednesday-meditations-with-dr-rick-hanson/. We always start

The Wise Effort of Letting Go of Self

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up at https://rickhanson.com/wednesday-meditations-with-dr-rick-hanson/. We always start

Equanimity: Inner Freedom with a Heart as Wide as the World

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up at https://rickhanson.com/wednesday-meditations-with-dr-rick-hanson/. We always start

When Unjust Power Comes at You – and What You Can Do about It

When power comes at us — through authority, intimidation, manipulation, or fear — it can stir old anxiety and self-doubt. So this week I explored how power affects the mi