Transcending the Self with Dr. David Yaden

Listen to this episode from Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson on Spotify. What does it mean to "transcend the self?" Today Dr. Hanson, Forrest, and Dr. David Yaden explore self-transcendent, or “peak,” experiences, which the famous psychologist Abraham Maslow defined as “moments of highest happiness and fulfillment.” As a note, David is referred to as a "PhD student" during the episode. Since it was recorded, he's gone on to earn his doctorate! About our Guest: David is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Johns Hopkins Medicine who studies the varieties of spiritual and self-transcendent experiences from the perspectives of psychology and cognitive neuroscience.  Read David's paper on The Varieties of Self-Transcendent Experience here.  New Sponsor: Join over a million people using BetterHelp, the world’s largest online counseling platform. Visit betterhelp.com/beingwell for 10% off your first month!  Key Topics: 3:00: The two key characteristics of self-transcendent experiences. 4:30: “Everyday” versions of peak experiences.  8:00: Self-transcendence and psychopathology. 11:00: David’s account of self-transcendence.  13:50: The lasting impact of peak experiences.  17:00: Is there a “place” where self-transcendence occurs in the brain?  20:45: Making use of peak experiences. 28:00: Should we seek peak experiences out?  36:00: Relaxing the sense of self.  41:30: A message to your younger self. 43:30: Recap Support the Podcast: We're now on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. From Dr. Hanson: Hardwire lasting change into your mind and heart in just a few minutes a day  with Dr. Rick Hanson's new program: Just One Minute. Use the code BEINGWELL at checkout for 10% off the purchase price! The Foundations of Well-Being brings together the lessons of a lifetime of practice into one year-long online program. Podcast listeners can use the code BEINGWELL25 at checkout for an additional 25% off! Please don't hesitate to apply for a scholarship if you're in need.  Connect with the show: Follow us on Instagram Follow Rick on Facebook Follow Forrest on Facebook Subscribe on iTunes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices