On today’s episode, Dr. Rick and Forrest focus on one of the most important skills we can learn: how we can become more aware of all the parts of our experience, avoid being captured by any one of them, and work with those parts more skillfully. One of the key tools we have for accomplishing this is vedanā, or the “feeling tone” of our experience. Author and meditation teacher Dr. Danny Penman joins the show to explore the role of vedanā, how we can help our brain interpret the world more accurately, and practical tools for relaxing suffering and enjoying life. 

About our Guest: Danny Penman is a meditation teacher, an award-winning writer and journalist, and the co-author of the classic Mindfulness with Dr. Mark Williams. Dr. Williams was one of the original creators of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). Mark and Danny are back with the new book Deeper Mindfulness: The New Way to Rediscover Calm in a Chaotic World. 

Forrest is now writing on Substack, check out his work there. 

Key Topics:

0:00 : Introduction

1:40 : How a major injury started Danny’s professional relationship with mindfulness practice

10:45 : Vedanā, and unpacking the different aspects of our experience

18:20 : The sensations that precede our thoughts

24:45 : How the brain creates a model of reality, and whether that model is accurate

29:40 : How an undisciplined relationship with feeling tone creates unnecessary suffering

37:00 : Accepting a feeling vs. approving of a situation

44:10 : Practical steps to feeling our feelings

48:00 : Finding enjoyment in new habits, especially somatically

57:50 : Recap

You can watch this episode on YouTube.

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