Buddha's Brain by Rick Hanson

The brain keeps the mind's score:

Whenever I tried to practice meditation, I was not interested when the gurus talked about concentration in breathing. "I know that. Tell me more," was my attitude. 

I was not interested when the gurus talked about posture. "I know that. Tell me more," was my attitude. 

I always wanted to know what exactly we know or realize when we meditate. Tell me that and I want to follow that thought and philosophy. Please paraphrase what you realized. My focus was not on the process but on the outcome. That was the mistake.

The peace and bliss from meditation are not earned overnight. Initially, the peaceful gap between thoughts can be perceived as unpleasant and boring by the mind, so the mind does everything possible to avoid and escape that state. Following the in and outflow of the breath can be boring. Maintaining the posture can be boring. I even thought I could do it by lying down on the bed. Just tell me what you realized and I will ponder over that thought and reap the benefits of meditation.

But later I realized that it is the perception of the present moment with curiosity and awe that can help you feel the bliss of meditation.

Perception is all about training. Mind training.

I used to frequently visit a restaurant at Baluwatar for beer. One day I went there and sat at my favorite table. The owner was about to bring my favorite beer. But I was trying to quit drinking and asked for a cup of coffee only. At the time of leaving, I told him, " Drinking coffee only was also better." He answered - "It all depends on how we perceive. If we perceive it as good, it becomes good and if we perceive it as bad, it feels bad." 

He was right. Our perception changes the reality. But the same perception should be practiced over and over again till it is hard-wired in our brains. 

The perception of solitude, mindfulness, and awareness becomes blissful over time. It is a whole other world that we haven't scrutinized or braved.

When being in that state starts giving you bliss, you practice it again and again.

There have been a lot of neuroscience experiments on Buddhist monks. For example, Yongey Mingyur Rimpoche and Mathew Richard, live in separate monasteries in Kathmandu.

The neural activity and cortical thickness of the areas involved in self-awareness, happiness, and compassion in the meditators were found to be increased. Hebb's law says the nerves that fire together bundle together and the same sensation will gradually be recognized by the mind as pleasant and blissful. This does not happen overnight. It needs practice and just wanting to hear what they have to say about meditation won't benefit. It will be just like what Buddha says in Dhammapada, a shepherd counting other's sheep.

The same is true about addiction to drugs. Initially, the alcohol will be nauseating and unpleasant but gradually as we start perceiving the sensation associated with it as pleasant we are drawn more and more towards it even though it has detrimental effects on our health and livelihood and even though the hangover is always unpleasant. 

There is an example in the book " Buddha's Brain" by Rich Hanson about London cab drivers needing to memorize complex street maps and routes. Because of this, they develop a larger-than-average hippocampus, the key area of the brain activated when memorizing and then recalling how to reach a certain location. In other words, their experiences alter their brains.

Pain and suffering: Two darts:

Buddha's first noble truth is "suffering". But Buddha's teaching is not about rumination on the suffering but about ending the suffering and gaining happiness.

Rich Hanson writes," Suffering is Mother Nature's way of keeping us alive. The negative feelings tell us what we should avoid. Our ancestors had to decide whether to approach something or avoid it. For example, those who survived to pass on their genes to the next generation avoided snakes and approached banana trees for sustenance instead." But the same evolutionary trait has been maladaptive today, especially when we have a hindsight bias of remembering the traumatic and unpleasant experiences more than the pleasant experiences.

And regarding the painful experiences in day-to-day life also we have a maladaptive response. Buddha calls it two darts. When there is a painful situation it is the first unavoidable dart. The other avoidable dart is what we do to ourselves, our reaction. We take a bad situation and make it worse. We start blaming others and circumstances and become angry or depressed. This is the second dart of suffering. Pain is inevitable but suffering is optional. We do not have the choice in what happens to us but we have the choice on how we react to it.

Self vs ego:

When we attach ourselves to people, things, and belief systems we are making ourselves prone to much heartache.

Hanson writes, "Because everything in the world ultimately comes to an end, our over-identification with things means that eventually, we experience loss and subsequently suffering. In other words, by identifying with things, we make their fate our own. Therefore, it's best not to rely on our sense of self unless we really have to. Luckily, meditation can help us choose when we should and shouldn't exercise our sense of self. For instance, in meditation, we can reflect on things without using personal pronouns. Instead of I am thinking of birds, you could think thoughts of birds are arising."

We are hardwired to love. Yet, human relationships are complicated:

Hanson writes, "As mammals, we have much larger brains than other species such as reptiles. In large part, this is due to the need for mammals to manage their offspring and social relationships. Because our brains were more complex, it took longer for them to fully develop after birth. Due to this, it became important for parents to develop strong bonds with their offspring to care for them and ensure their survival. and also a community. As they say, It needs a village to raise a child"

With a greater sense of empathy, we become a more compassionate and loving person. When there is love and care but no empathy, bonding gets loose.

"To have compassion for others means caring deeply about them. When we are empathetic toward others, we gain insight into their perspective. By truly caring about your friends' inner feelings, you'll be more reassuring to them and more compassionate. On the other hand, when our empathy is lacking, there are often harmful consequences. For instance, children who grow up around caregivers who show insufficient empathy are often insecure as adults and struggle to form strong relationships. And when a child grows up with absent parents, he can struggle to relate to people."

From the author's Google talk:

Self-Compassion

 
The first step is to bring to mind a sense of being cared for by someone or something. This could be your parents, significant other, or sibling. Simply focus on the feeling of being cared for. What does it feel like to be cared about?

The second step is to think of someone for whom you naturally feel compassion —someone whose suffering you wish to ease. It could be a child, a dear friend, a relative, or even a group of people, such as refugees in need. Notice the tender concern you feel for them.

The third step is a mindfulness practice. Sink into the experience of compassion within your body. What does compassion feel like as a physical sensation? Stay present with this feeling.

If you practiced this exercise, even briefly, you activated neural circuits of self-compassion. While a single practice may not create a significant change, every repetition strengthens these pathways. Over time, as neurons that fire together wire together, you’re building the neural foundation for self-compassion.

Reverse engineering: Reactive to Responsive Mind:

Reverse Engineering: From Reactive to Responsive Mind

Let’s explore the concept of threat reactivity,  Paper Tiger Paranoia. In life, we often make two types of mistakes:

1. Believing there’s a tiger in the bushes when there isn’t one.

2. Believing there’s no tiger in the bushes when there actually is one, ready to pounce.

From an evolutionary standpoint, humans have been wired to avoid the second mistake at all costs, even if it means making the first mistake thousands of times. Missing a real threat could mean the end of survival—and no further gene replication.

This ingrained tendency toward threat reactivity is amplified by several factors:

• Temperament: Some individuals are naturally more anxious or sensitive to potential threats.

• Life experiences: Personal history, trauma, or hardship can heighten this reactivity.

• Cultural and political influences: Throughout history, external or internal threats have been exaggerated to manipulate populations and maintain compliance.

Threat reactivity manifests on multiple levels:

• Individually, within ourselves.

• Relationally, between people, families, and organizations.

• Globally, between nations or entire regions.

Consider the current moment in world history—how this reactive mindset shapes appraisals, decisions, and actions. Overestimating threats while underestimating opportunities can have significant consequences at every level.

Home Base of the Human Brain: The Four C’s

To counteract this reactivity, we can cultivate the brain’s responsive mode, characterized by:

• Calm: A steady and grounded mind.

• Contentment: A sense of sufficiency and gratitude.

• Caring: Empathy and compassion for self and others.

• Creativity: The ability to approach life with curiosity and innovation.

In this mode, the brain isn’t disconnected or passive. Instead, it’s fully engaged—embodied, enactive, and oriented toward the future in a balanced way.

The Three Pillars of a Responsive Mind: Mindfulness, Virtue, and Wisdom

1. Mindfulness:

• Open up to experience. Be present with what is.

• At the right moment, let go of what’s no longer needed.

• Finally, replace negativity with something positive.

In six words: “Let be, let go, let in.”

2. Virtue:

• Ground mindfulness in values.

• Act with integrity and align your choices with what matters most.

3. Wisdom:

• Discern between lesser and greater pleasures.

• Sacrifice short-term comfort for long-term benefit.

• Always ask: What is the greater good here?

By integrating mindfulness, virtue, and wisdom, we can rewire the brain to shift from a reactive state to a responsive one. Over time, this cultivates a grounded, empathetic, and empowered way of engaging with the world.

  

 

Gladness and Gratitude: Cultivating Positivity

Imagine a typical day: a hundred things happen. Seventy are good, twenty-eight are neutral, and two are unpleasant. Yet, what do we tend to dwell on as we fall asleep? Usually, it’s the two unpleasant things. That’s how the brain works—it’s wired to focus on the negative.

However, with mindful awareness, we can counteract this bias. By consciously savoring positive experiences for just 20–30 seconds at a time, we can build lasting neural structure in a more positive direction. Let’s try this together:

1. Pick a Positive Fact:

Choose something good. It could be a personal quality you appreciate about yourself, a kind gesture someone showed you, or a pleasant event. Let yourself feel this positive fact deeply.

2. Savor the Experience:

Take 15–30 seconds to stay with this good feeling. Allow it to linger.

[pause]

Sense it sinking into you, filling any emotional gaps or soothing old pain. It might even replace some of those negative patterns with a moment of joy.

[pause]

Even one instance of this practice can make a small difference. But if you do it several times a day, you’re training your brain to be like Velcro for positive experiences and Teflon for negative ones.

Benefits of Positive Emotions

Positive emotions enhance concentration, creativity, and resilience. As Bertrand Russell said:

“The good life is a happy one because happy people are good people.”

Simple practices like listing three blessings at the end of the day can yield profound results. Focusing on gratitude or aligning with your best purposes activates your brain’s approach systems, fostering contentment and wisdom.

Living with Virtue and Integrity

Acting with unilateral virtue—living by your own code of integrity regardless of how others behave—has transformative effects. This isn’t about waiting for someone else to act first, like in a standoff. Instead, take the initiative:

• Treat others well, even if they haven’t done the same yet.

• Acting with integrity feels good immediately, puts you in a position of moral leadership, and often inspires positive change in others over time.

Overcoming Avoidance and Expanding Your Comfort Zone

When we avoid experiences we dread, we trap ourselves in invisible cages—like tigers that stay within painted lines long after their cages are gone. To grow, we must risk these dreaded experiences:

• Speak up in a meeting.

• Share feelings with someone you care about.

• Face your fears and see that things often turn out better than expected.

This approach is known as “taking the fruit as the path”—using the outcomes of calm, contentment, and caring as the very means to cultivate them further.

Self-Directed Neuroplasticity: A Historic Opportunity

Today, we have an unprecedented opportunity to harness the science of neuroplasticity. Research shows we can reverse-engineer our brains, intentionally shaping them for greater well-being. Each positive change ripples outward, benefiting not just ourselves but also the world around us.

Through practices like gratitude, mindfulness, and virtuous action, we can rewire our minds for resilience, joy, and connection—cultivating a life grounded in calm, contentment, caring, and creativity.