Practical Wisdom with Dr. Rick Hanson – Details, episodes & analysis

Many of us are carrying pain, guilt, or resentment that we can’t seem to let go of. So this week I explored something we all face: those moments when we’re stuck — carrying old hurts, regrets, or mistakes that weigh us down.

How can we turn a corner inside ourselves? How can we let go, not by forcing it, but by choosing a new path with wisdom and self-compassion?

It’s important to recognize when it’s time to move on. It’s not about pretending things didn’t happen. It’s about giving yourself permission to heal, and finding a real sense of freedom and peace inside.

If you’re grappling with something hard — maybe an old resentment, grief, guilt, or a tough relationship — I hope this talk gives you some tools, some comfort, and a little encouragement to turn a corner for yourself.

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up here. We always start with a guided meditation to set the tone for the evening. If you’d like to experience the meditation that accompanied this talk, you can listen to it here.

And you'd like to check out any of my online programs, you can receive 20% off by using coupon code PW20 during checkout.

How do we connect our personal healing and awakening… to the broader world that’s hurting? This is often called Engaged Buddhism — but honestly, it’s relevant to anyone who wants to live with wisdom, compassion, and integrity, especially in times like these.

Inner peace can and should lead to outer action. The Buddha himself confronted systemic suffering in his day. What does that mean for us now, and why do our values — yes, even judgment — actually matter on the path?

In this week's episode, I explore:

• Why inner work isn’t separate from outer work
• Why compassion means addressing the causes of suffering, not just feeling bad about it
• How to take wise, compassionate action without burning out
• What to do when you’re outraged, overwhelmed, or just tired
• Why the Buddha’s life (including leaving his family) is more complex than the myth
• How the Buddha did challenge systemic injustice (yes, including caste and patriarchy)
• 5 practical ways to stay grounded and engaged in a hurting world — right now, right where you are

This is about practical tools, honest reflection, and standing up for what’s good — without burning out. If you’re someone who wants to grow spiritually and make a difference, I think you’ll find something useful here.

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up here. We always start with a guided meditation to set the tone for the evening. If you’d like to experience the meditation that accompanied this talk, you can listen to it here.

And you'd like to check out any of my online programs, you can receive 20% off by using coupon code PW20 during checkout.

Life is hard—and then our mind makes it harder. We stew in old regrets, brace for future disasters, cling to how things should be, or take everything way too personally. Sound familiar?

In this talk, I dig into the Buddha’s teaching on dukkha—the unavoidable pain of life—and how we add unnecessary suffering on top through craving. 

But here’s the good news: you can practice your way out of that extra suffering. I’ll walk you through four telltale signs of craving—and four powerful shifts you can make to feel stronger, calmer, and more at peace:

ONE: Contraction → Openness
Notice when you're tight, tense, and gripped—and gently open up to spaciousness and possibility.

TWO: Invasive Negative Emotions → Mindful Presence
Don’t get hijacked by old fears or frustrations. Name them, make room for them, and let them pass through.

THREE: Mental Time Travel → Present-Moment Awareness
Come back from ruminating about the past or catastrophizing the future. This moment, right now, is your refuge.

FOUR: Selfing → Perspective and Self-Compassion
Loosen the grip of “me, mine, and I.” Take good care of yourself as a person—without being imprisoned by the stories of the self.

This isn’t about bypassing pain—it’s about developing the inner resources to meet life as it is, with more equanimity, compassion, and ease.

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up here. We always start with a guided meditation to set the tone for the evening. If you’d like to experience the meditation that accompanied this talk, you can listen to it here.

And you'd like to check out any of my online programs, you can receive 20% off by using coupon code PW20 during checkout.

When life feels heavy—when people let you down, when things don’t go your way, when the world just keeps coming at you—it’s easy to feel like you’re not strong enough, not doing enough, or like you have to hold everything together all the time.

So this week, I invite you to pause and look a little deeper. Because underneath all the noise, all the stress, all the striving... there's a quiet strength already inside you. The part of you that keeps showing up. That wants to know what’s true. That wants to help. That wants to grow—even when it's hard.

When we recognize that strength, we can live more from it and stop trying to fix everything. Instead, we can give ourself a break—without giving up. We can listen for the wiser voice inside that knows the next right step, even when it’s small.

This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about trusting the good in you—and letting that carry you, one moment at a time.

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up here. We always start with a guided meditation to set the tone for the evening. If you’d like to experience the meditation that accompanied this talk, you can listen to it here.

And you'd like to check out any of my online programs, you can receive 20% off by using coupon code PW20 during checkout.

What does it feel like to simply be yourself—without all the striving, fixing, and fabricating? 

In this episode, I explore six key turning points in my own journey of practice, from realizing I could shape my mind, to discovering concentration, to resting more deeply in love and a growing sense of oneness. 

Along the way, I reflect on the challenges of modern life—overthinking, anxiety, emotional overwhelm—and how contemplative practice helps us come to rest in something deeper, steadier, and more peaceful. 

I talk about what it means to truly clock out, how to face what you cannot control, and why letting the sediment settle in the pond of the mind reveals the inner treasures already inside you. I also offer thoughts on anxiety, craving, self-compassion, and how to honor your own path of awakening—wherever you are on it. 

Whether you’re new to practice or have been on the path for years, I hope this reflection helps you rest more fully in your own being.

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up here. We always start with a guided meditation to set the tone for the evening. If you’d like to experience the meditation that accompanied this talk, you can listen to it here.

And you'd like to check out any of my online programs, you can receive 20% off by using coupon code PW20 during checkout.

Let’s be honest—these days, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, reactive, and worn down. Whether it’s the relentless news cycle, a difficult interaction, or just your own mind revving up again, it can feel like calm and happiness are out of reach.

So in this episode, I unpacked some of the biological machinery underneath our stress and reactivity—and offered practical ways to work with it. I talked about how your nervous system gets rattled (it’s not your fault!), and how small shifts in awareness, social connection, and even the way you look at the world can help you settle down, open up, and feel more content and effective in daily life.

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up here. We always start with a guided meditation to set the tone for the evening. If you’d like to experience the meditation that accompanied this talk, you can listen to it here.

And you'd like to check out any of my online programs, you can receive 20% off by using coupon code PW20 during checkout.

We all want to feel seen, respected, and appreciated—but so often, we’re overlooked. Feeling unappreciated can be quietly painful—and surprisingly common. Our efforts go unnoticed, our sincerity unacknowledged, and over time it can really wear us down and even cause resentment toward those we care about.

So this week I explored the deep human need for appreciation—not as ego-stroking, but as a vital nutrient in relationships, work, and personal growth. 

Appreciation is more than just “being nice”—it’s a powerful practice that supports lasting inner strength. There's also a lot of science, psychology, and Buddhist teachings behind generosity and appreciation: how they help us grow, feel connected, and internalize positive experiences.

So get comfy and listen in to find out how to offer these gifts skillfully and what to do when your efforts aren't recognized or returned.

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up here. We always start with a guided meditation to set the tone for the evening. If you’d like to experience the meditation that accompanied this talk, you can listen to it here.

And you'd like to check out any of my online programs, you can receive 20% off by using coupon code PW20 during checkout.

This week I'd like to focus on something both personal and practical: What is a core practice that you return to when things go sideways? When you're overwhelmed, irritated, frustrated, or just worn out? What’s the thing that centers you and brings you back to who you really are?

In this episode, I explore how even our healthiest desires—those driven by love, purpose, or care—can quietly pull us away from that inner home base. We often get caught up in doing good, striving for goals, or helping others… and still find ourselves exhausted, contracted, or discontent. Why? Because even wholesome desires can seduce us into over-efforting and losing touch with the deeper peace that’s always available.

Here are the timecodes for some of the highlights:
00:00 - How to recognize your own core practice in daily life
10:35 - The difference between healthy desire (chanda) and craving (tanha)
17:15 - How “doing the right thing” can still lead to stress and burnout
27:13 - What it means to relinquish effort for the sake of a greater happiness
34:51 - How to return again and again to contentment, presence, and ease

This is a reflection on how to stay connected to what really matters—without getting caught in the endless push to do more. The goal isn’t to suppress your good intentions, but to hold them with wisdom, and rest more often in that quiet place of being already full.

This is also an invitation to come back home to yourself—to the deeper kind of happiness that’s available not when everything goes your way, but when you let go in wise and loving ways.

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up here. We always start with a guided meditation to set the tone for the evening. If you’d like to experience the meditation that accompanied this talk, you can listen to it here.

And you'd like to check out any of my online programs, you can receive 20% off by using coupon code PW20 during checkout.

So many of us are quick to dismiss our own pain—or the pain of others. We might tell ourselves to “move on” or wonder why someone else is still upset.

But the truth is, suffering deserves respect. When we minimize pain, it often makes it worse—and avoidant patterns can keep us stuck.

That’s why it’s important to face what hurts with compassion and strength – so we can release what no longer serves, and receive the inner resources that help us heal. These include resilience, self-compassion, and the courage to stay present with what’s difficult—without falling into shame, judgment, or superiority.

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up here. We always start with a guided meditation to set the tone for the evening. If you’d like to experience the meditation that accompanied this talk, you can listen to it here.

And you'd like to check out any of my online programs, you can receive 20% off by using coupon code PW20 during checkout.

When life feels uncertain, chaotic, or painful, our minds scramble for answers. We try to make sense of things we may never fully understand. We cling to being right, to figuring it out, to knowing for sure… but what if real freedom comes from loosening that grip?

There is a deep value in not knowing—not as a failure, but as a profound refuge. Certainty can become a trap, but if we can rest in openness and curiosity, and embrace “beginner’s mind”, we can bring relief, humility, and insight to our relationships with others and ourselves.

Give yourself the permission to not always know. There’s grace and wisdom in that.

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up here. We always start with a guided meditation to set the tone for the evening. If you’d like to experience the meditation that accompanied this talk, you can listen to it here.

And you'd like to check out any of my online programs, you can receive 20% off by using coupon code PW20 during checkout.