How do we handle pandemic-induced anxiety or grief? What does a spiritual guru do to relax while on lockdown? We put those questions - and more - to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The man needs little introduction. He's the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, and a global cultural icon who has been featured in an Apple ad, a Martin Scorsese biopic, and in a classic Bill Murray scene from Caddyshack. We spoke to His Holiness from his home in Dharamsala, India. Also on the line: Richard Davidson from the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Richie (that's what everyone calls him) is an old friend of the Dalai Lama's. They’ve been collaborating for decades on scientific research into the effects of meditation on the brain. After we hear from the Dalai Lama - who makes a series of surprising statements - we'll unpack it all in a separate convo with Richie.

Where to find The Dalai Lama online:
Website: https://www.dalailama.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DalaiLama
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DalaiLama
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dalailama/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/gyalwarinpoche

Ten Percent Happier Pandemic Resilience Challenge:

On June 10, we're launching the Pandemic Resilience Challenge: a free 21 day meditation challenge to help all of us cope with the anxiety, uncertainty, loneliness, boredom and all the other fun emotions we're experiencing during this pandemic. To join the waitlist and receive updates, visit https://tenpercent.com/challenge.

Where to find Richie Davidson online:
Healthy Minds Innovations // https://hminnovations.org/hmi/about
Center for Healthy Minds // https://centerhealthyminds.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/healthyminds
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforhealthyminds/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healthy.mind

Additional Resources:
Ten Percent Happier Live: https://tenpercent.com/live
Coronavirus Sanity Guide: https://www.tenpercent.com/coronavirussanityguide
We want to deeply thank and recognize healthcare workers, teachers, warehouse workers, grocery and food delivery workers for the essential role that they play in our lives. For FREE access to the app and hundreds of meditations and resources visit https://tenpercent.com/care

Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/the-dalai-lama-251