Buddhist Geeks

We’re joined this week by Dr. Kelly McGonigal, to discuss her work at Stanford University, where she is teaching compassion-based practices from the Buddhist tradition, taught in a way that pulls from scientific research and appeals to a secular sensibility. As part of her work with CCARE she shares some of her background with Stanford as well as her long-standing Buddhist practice, which pulls from both the Zen and Tibetan traditions. We close the discussion by exploring some of the difficulties with teaching meditation in a secular context, as well as some of the benefits that come through framing the teachings in scientific and psychological terms. Episode Links: www.kellymcgonigal.com The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It ( http://amzn.to/lcYMyR ) The Stanford Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education ( http://ccare.stanford.edu ) Cheri Huber ( http://www.cherihuber.com )