69 min listen
How to Actually Be Present | Matthew Brensilver
How to Actually Be Present | Matthew Brensilver
ratings:
Length:
67 minutes
Released:
Jul 20, 2022
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
Today we’re gonna tackle one of the best known contemplative clichés: being in the present moment and inhabiting the now.The present moment seems to be a state we aspire towards, but are rarely given practical information about how to actually achieve. But today’s guest, Matthew Brensilver offers just that— practical information on how to achieve being present. We also explore his argument that when painful memories surface in meditation, it acts as a kind of exposure therapy that acclimates us to the things we may not want to face.This is Matthew Brensilver‘s second appearance on the show. He teaches retreats at the Insight Retreat Center, Spirit Rock and other Buddhist centers. Before committing to teach meditation full-time, he spent years doing research on addiction pharmacotherapy at the UCLA Center for Behavioral and Addiction Medicine. Matthew is the co-author of two books about meditation during adolescence and continues to be interested in the unfolding dialogue between Buddhism and science. In this episode we talk about:What “be present” actually meansWhat to do when Buddhist teachings or meditation instructions feel out of reach and when we start compulsively self-assessing against themWhat to do when a memory arises in meditation, especially a difficult memoryThe brain’s tendency toward constant predictionThe benefits of meditation retreatAnd distinguishing between true alarms and false alarmsFull Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/matthew-brensilver-476See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Released:
Jul 20, 2022
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (100)
#22: Dr. Mark Epstein: Buddhist psychiatrist and author Dr. Mark Epstein has for years written about the overlap between Western psychotherapy and Eastern Buddhist philosophies. Epstein sat down with Dan Harris to talk about the impact meditation can have on the mind, both positive and negative, for those looking for an escape from suffering. He also went deep into the Buddhist concept of the "no-self," whether Enlightenment can be reached ... and what it might look or feel like. He has written numerous books on these topics, his most recent being, "The Trauma of Everyday Life." Epstein first discovered meditation in college and one of the "breakthroughs" he said that made the practice click for him happened while he was learning to juggle. "Once I got the three oranges in the air, my mind had to relax in order to keep it going and I understood, 'Oh yeah, this is what they're trying to teach me in mediation.'" Before he found meditation, Epstein said he was a very anxious person who wo by Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris