5 Quotes & Sayings By Rick Hanson

Dr. Rick Hanson is a social and biological psychologist and the author of numerous books on the subjects of happiness, compassion, and positive emotions. He is also the host of the popular TED Radio Hour podcast, which features conversations between leading thinkers and innovators. Dr Read more

Hanson received his bachelor's degree from Reed College in Portland, Oregon and his Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from the University of Oregon in Eugene. He has conducted research on dozens of psychological topics and has published over 150 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on topics such as compassion, forgiveness, gratitude, and optimism.

1
Within your mind, there are hardly any lines at all. All its contents flow into each other, sensations becoming thoughts, feelings, desires, actions, and more sensations. This stream of consciousness correlates with a cascade of fleeting neural assemblies, each assembly dispersing into the next one[.] Rick Hanson
2
The apparent wall between your body and the world is more like a picket fence. And between your mind and the world, it's like a line painted on the sidewalk. Rick Hanson
3
Taking in the good is not about putting a happy shiny face on everything, nor is it about turning away from the hard things in life. It's about nourishing well-being, contentment, and peace inside that are refuges you can always come from and return to. Rick Hanson
4
The point is not to resist painful experiences or grasp at pleasant ones: that's a kind of craving - and craving leads to suffering. The art is to find a balance in which you remain mindful, accepting, and curious regarding difficult experiences - while also taking in supportive feelings and thoughts. Rick Hanson