Dharma Lab

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

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 List0:00:00 - 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

Richie and Cort discuss how small shifts in perspective lead to lasting changes in the brain and experience Get full access to Dharma Lab at dharmalabco.substack.com/subscribe

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 & Dentist5:24 The Science of Pain & The Two Arrows8:23 The Suffering Equation: Pain x Resistance10:05 Your Brain on Pain: Shifting Resistance12:59 How Meditation Changes Pain & Distress14:35 Can Beginners Really Change Their Experience?18:52 Discomfort as a Mindfulness Hack20:24 Meditation as Mental HygieneDharma Lab is reader-supported. To

Get full access to Dharma Lab at dharmalabco.substack.com/subscribe

Listen on Episode #2 on Youtube, Spotify, Apple:YoutubeSpotifyApple PodcastsEpisode 2 Chapter List:0:00 Intro0:32 Episode Overview by Cort2:35 “This is Your Brain on AI” — and How the Media Spins the Negative4:07 Historical Precedent: Handwriting vs. Typing5:44 MIT Study: How Large Language Models Impact the Brain15:06 Will Certain Skills Become Obsolete with AI?17:38 The Role of Intention and Full Awareness21:24 Unintended Consequences — Lessons from Buddhist Monks on Memory and Focus24:04 Using AI

Richie and Cort discuss The Most Important Thing in Episode #1 of Dharma Lab. 02:22 – "My religion is Kindness" 05:25 – Kindness is the most important thing — apply a "kindness acid test" to all you do 08:08 – How kindness and compassion have (or haven’t) been studied in neuroscience 12:44 – Defining "kindness" and "compassion" in scientific and Buddhist terms 18:55 – Changing your focus from empathy to compassion can reduce burnout 26:49 – Empathy vs. compassion: toddler study example 29:10