10% Happier with Dan Harris Folgen

The phrase, "Get over yourself" is often used in a flippant way, but it's actually speaking to a deep human need to get out of our heads and off our own backs. At a fundamental level, this is what Buddhism is all about— seeing through the illusion of the self, which can be the source of so much of our suffering.  In this episode guest Pascal Auclair talks about how we can unlock this suffering through the use of a foundational Buddhist list called the five aggregates.  Pascal Auclair has been immersed in Buddhist practice and study since 1997. He has been mentored by Joseph Goldstein and Jack Kornfield at the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Massachusetts and Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California, where he is now enjoying teaching retreats. Pascal teaches in North America and in Europe. He is a co-founder of True North Insight and one of their guiding teachers. In this episode we talk about:  How the five aggregates got Auclair hooked on Buddhist practice and philosophy The five aggregates as a way to work with difficulty Living with the non-negotiable prospect of dying Paying attention to pleasant, unpleasant and neutral feeling tone Meditation training as a way to understand that experiences are conditional Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/pascal-auclair-459

Our culture has oddly conflicting views about pleasure.  In this episode, author adrienne maree brown explores the importance of pleasure and how it changes your experience of the world.  adrienne maree brown is the writer-in-residence at the Emergent Strategy Ideation Institute, and author of Grievers (the first novella in a trilogy on the Black Dawn imprint), Holding Change: The Way of Emergent Strategy Facilitation and Mediation, We Will Not Cancel Us and Other Dreams of Transformative Justice, Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good, Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds and the co-editor of Octavia's Brood: Science Fiction from Social Justice Movements and How to Get Stupid White Men Out of Office. She is the cohost of the How to Survive the End of the World, Octavia's Parables and Emergent Strategy podcasts. adrienne is rooted in Detroit. In this conversation we talked about: What is pleasure activism The role of sex and drugs Why we should say yes more How to be in touch with our sense of "enough" The role of gratitude  The line between commitment and detachment How she defines authentic happiness Her self-description as "a recovering self-righteous organizer," and why self-righteousness actually leads to powerlessness Content Warning: Discussions of sex and drugs.  Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/adrienne-maree-brown-458

In a culture that values persistent productivity, one can be left feeling chronically behind.  In this episode, author and recovering time management junkie, Oliver Burkeman  encourages us to stop scrambling to fit it all in by exploring the relationship between our mortality and getting things done.  Oliver Burkeman is the author of Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. Former guest Adam Grant has called it, "The most important book ever written about time management." This is Oliver's second appearance on the show. Burkeman joined us on the show a few years ago to talk about his other book, The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking. He also writes a bi-weekly email newsletter called The Imperfectionist. In this conversation, we talk about:  Why accepting mortality is a crucial step in improving our relationship to time His conviction that it's not about being more efficient. It's about knowing what to neglect Patience as a superpower and the impatience spiral The benefits of burning bridges Becoming a better procrastinator The benefits of rest What he calls "cosmic insignificance therapy" Practical tips, such as the "fixed volume approach to productivity," the value of serialization, and strategic underachievement.  Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/oliver-burkeman-456