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A review by tommyhousworth
Neurodharma: New Science, Ancient Wisdom, and Seven Practices of the Highest Happiness by Rick Hanson
3.0
I'm a big fan of Rick Hanson and his exploration of the intersections of neuroscience and Buddhist spirituality. This book offers a systemic pathway to deepening one's practice through what Hanson calls the "Seven Ways of Being" (Steadying the Mind, Warming the Heart, Resting in Fullness, Being Wholeness, Receiving Nowness, Opening into Allness, and Finding Timelessness).
For me, I found more practical profundity in Hanson's "Buddha's Brain" and "Just One Thing". "Neurodharma" feels like it requires two mediums: the physical book for understanding/absorbing the scientific and metaphysic aspects and the audiobook to listen to Hanson lead the guided meditations. A large portion of the book is, in fact, meditations. And while I'm a believer in what he teaches, I can get a bit lost in too much "beingness" and "nowness" language (my shortcoming, not his).
I have, both, the ebook and the audiobook, and frustratingly would have to toggle back and forth between them to get the greatest benefit (for myself, at least) from the experience. There's a lot of great wisdom here, just a challenge to navigate how to best absorb it. Perhaps some can use the physical book as a meditation guide. Hanson has the meditations laid out, in italics, so one can sit with it. I just find meditations like these are often more effective when you can be a passive vessel to a spoken guidance, rather than actively reading the meditation while sitting.
I'll continue to enjoy and learn from Rick Hanson, as I did from Neurodharma. I just found it to be a bit more work than his other books because of the bouncing back and forth between his message and his meditations.
If one is looking for a Rick Hanson book, I would recommend "Neurodharma", but perhaps not as the one to start with.
For me, I found more practical profundity in Hanson's "Buddha's Brain" and "Just One Thing". "Neurodharma" feels like it requires two mediums: the physical book for understanding/absorbing the scientific and metaphysic aspects and the audiobook to listen to Hanson lead the guided meditations. A large portion of the book is, in fact, meditations. And while I'm a believer in what he teaches, I can get a bit lost in too much "beingness" and "nowness" language (my shortcoming, not his).
I have, both, the ebook and the audiobook, and frustratingly would have to toggle back and forth between them to get the greatest benefit (for myself, at least) from the experience. There's a lot of great wisdom here, just a challenge to navigate how to best absorb it. Perhaps some can use the physical book as a meditation guide. Hanson has the meditations laid out, in italics, so one can sit with it. I just find meditations like these are often more effective when you can be a passive vessel to a spoken guidance, rather than actively reading the meditation while sitting.
I'll continue to enjoy and learn from Rick Hanson, as I did from Neurodharma. I just found it to be a bit more work than his other books because of the bouncing back and forth between his message and his meditations.
If one is looking for a Rick Hanson book, I would recommend "Neurodharma", but perhaps not as the one to start with.