Making Sense - Sam Harris - #286 — The Paradox of Psychedelics

00:00:00.000 welcome to the making sense podcast this is Sam Harris okay well there's a lot going on in the

00:00:29.120 world but that we'll all have to wait for the next podcast today I wanted to give you a sampling of

00:00:36.960 some of the content that we've released over at waking up I recently recorded a 10-minute audio

00:00:43.140 essay on the relationship between psychedelics and meditation titled the paradox of psychedelics

00:00:50.700 and thought that might be of interest to some of you here and then my friend Tim Ferriss had

00:00:55.960 requested about 30 minutes of waking up audio for his podcast and so I'm adding the package we

00:01:03.220 delivered to him here as well anyway hope you enjoy it and if you do more information can be found over

00:01:09.740 at waking up.com in recent years there has been an explosion of interest in psychedelics

00:01:21.180 one thing that these drugs do for almost everyone is prove beyond any possibility of doubt that the

00:01:28.520 mind is far more vast and interesting and malleable than they had any reason to expect before taking

00:01:35.920 psychedelics taking a sufficient dose of psilocybin or LSD provided you have a generally positive

00:01:43.080 experience makes it absolutely clear that you have been living in a kind of prison and once the drug

00:01:49.660 wears off and you're returned to that prison you can't quite convince yourself that it's good to

00:01:56.120 live there if you have a truly liberating experience on psychedelics it is difficult not to view a

00:02:03.740 conventional sense of self as a form of mental illness and many of us who practice meditation and

00:02:11.660 consider it among the most important things we've ever learned have arrived at this discovery only after

00:02:17.320 first taking psychedelics however there is an apparent paradox here because while psychedelics might be

00:02:25.500 indispensable for some people and I think they probably were for me they are potentially misleading

00:02:31.500 where meditation is concerned the reasons why people practice meditation and take psychedelics

00:02:37.880 are often the same they both expose the mechanics of our psychological suffering

00:02:43.280 and they both suggest that the remedy for it lies in experiencing ourselves in the world beyond our

00:02:49.740 usual concepts both meditation and psychedelics are a response to the felt dilemma of our simply being

00:02:56.760 in the world and once questions of our survival have been basically answered we're faced with the

00:03:02.200 question of how to be happy what more is there to life beyond getting what we want and avoiding what we

00:03:08.720 don't want how can we cease to be mere prisoners of time for instance in what sense and to what degree

00:03:16.260 are feelings of dissatisfaction relieved by living more and more in the present moment what is there to find

00:03:23.640 in the present moment that is truly transformative meditation and psychedelics both address questions of

00:03:30.080 this kind but they provide very different answers so I want to say a few things about the differences here

00:03:36.580 the great strength of psychedelics is that at a sufficient dosage they are guaranteed to produce a profound effect

00:03:45.860 no one has ever taken five grams of mushrooms or 300 micrograms of LSD and been bored that has literally

00:03:54.940 never happened the resulting experience might be terrifying and that is one of the primary downsides of

00:04:01.100 psychedelics the prospect of having a so-called bad trip but no one ever says sorry I don't get what all the

00:04:08.160 fuss is about with psychedelics at a sufficient dosage you need only wait an hour or so for a freight train of

00:04:16.580 absolute significance to come roaring into the station of your mind and for better or worse you will get

00:04:24.320 on it and you will never be the same conversely if someone has never taken psychedelics it is quite

00:04:31.800 possible for them to try meditation even repeatedly and to claim that nothing happened they look inside

00:04:39.700 and they see nothing of interest right what's the point of paying attention to the breath how is that

00:04:46.300 not the very definition of wasting time if a person has never taken psychedelics and never glimpsed that

00:04:54.600 vast firmament beyond the prison walls of their conceptual mind it can be all too easy not to see the point

00:05:01.680 of meditation for many people learning to meditate without having first taken psychedelics is a little

00:05:08.200 bit like learning to play a musical instrument when you've never heard music before you've never experienced

00:05:14.260 the final product at all right so you have absolutely no idea where all this plucking at strings and

00:05:21.340 learning musical notation might be going and you can't verify that anyone else knows either maybe the

00:05:27.820 whole thing is just a scam by contrast taking psychedelics is like being dragged on stage with jimmy

00:05:34.880 hendrix rather it's like suddenly being jimmy hendrix and whatever else happens over the next 10 hours

00:05:41.760 one thing is certain you will know what music sounds like it might not be the only form of music

00:05:48.320 in fact it certainly isn't but there's no longer the slightest doubt in your mind that music is a

00:05:54.920 thing right so when you come down from the drug and you're returned to your lonely guitar even if you

00:06:01.620 can't do much with it you can't deny what it was like to hear music coming out of that thing

00:06:06.560 so psychedelics perhaps above anything else serve as a cure for skepticism about the basic project

00:06:15.580 of having a much deeper engagement with the present moment the problem however is that they can give

00:06:22.460 you a distorted sense of what is worth finding there because psychedelics work by producing extreme

00:06:28.400 changes in the contents of consciousness whereas the true purpose of meditation is to recognize the

00:06:34.300 freedom that is inherent to consciousness itself whatever its contents if you take a drug like

00:06:40.260 lsd or psilocybin your perception of the world and of your mental life radically changes it's not an

00:06:47.160 accident that these drugs are also called hallucinogens and your emotional engagement with literally any

00:06:53.100 arbitrary thing or idea can achieve an intensity that has no reference point in ordinary life and is in

00:06:59.920 fact incompatible with ordinary life again this can be true in both positive and negative ways

00:07:05.500 you can be sent sailing across an ocean of bliss or you can be hurled into a pit of terror

00:07:11.180 and at either extreme you can lose all memory of ever having existed in any other state

00:07:17.140 on a sufficient dose of lsd or psilocybin you no longer recall that you are a person in a world much

00:07:25.040 less that you have taken a drug so these experiences of bliss or terror can seem truly eternal

00:07:31.700 without any connection to your life and without any memory of the past you really have been there

00:07:38.360 in that state since beginningless time now if you have an unremittingly bad trip well then you might

00:07:45.840 just conclude that drugs are dangerous and that the tray table of consciousness is best left in the

00:07:50.720 upright and locked position but if you get a glimpse of the beatific vision you will know that it is

00:07:57.500 possible to enjoy an utterly transfigured experience of the world and even to lose any sense of separation

00:08:04.460 from it and you will know that consciousness in this moment is truly sacred however you will very

00:08:12.560 likely come to believe that the path back to the sacred is to keep getting high if not through drugs

00:08:18.800 and through a practice like meditation and you will approach meditation in the hopes of changing

00:08:23.540 your experience in various ways making it seem less ordinary you might understand conceptually that

00:08:30.660 the practice of mindfulness entails accepting this moment's experience exactly as it is but you will

00:08:35.940 subtly or not so subtly be straining to improve your experience by getting better at meditating and

00:08:42.800 whenever your experience does seem to change in auspicious ways perhaps you get a feeling of bliss or

00:08:48.620 unconditional love in one of your sessions of formal practice you'll seize upon this change as a sign of

00:08:55.180 progress surely getting more of that sort of thing is the point right but it really isn't the point

00:09:02.420 the point of meditation isn't to collect more transitory spiritual experiences the point is to recognize that

00:09:10.960 even the most ordinary state of mind is free of self and it is free of self already it isn't made free by the practice of meditation and it isn't made more free of self when you add the pyrotechnics of psychedelics the ultimate purpose of meditation is to recognize what consciousness is like

00:09:40.960 that those changes aren't even helpful and yet many people are so identified with their thoughts and are so skeptical

00:09:47.520 that there's anything profound to realize about the mind by observing it directly that they are for all intents and purposes unreachable

00:09:55.360 they either won't try meditation or trying it they will think that they have discovered that it doesn't work

00:10:01.660 and the truth is i was once just this sort of blockhead

00:10:05.660 i really don't think i would have recognized the power of meditation without having taken psychedelics

00:10:11.120 without first knowing that there was much more to the mind than i was tending to experience

00:10:16.600 and so there is this seeming paradox

00:10:19.320 psychedelics are very likely indispensable for some people 0.98

00:10:23.220 but as for the project of awakening from the dream of separateness

00:10:27.360 they're also misleading

00:10:29.320 and ultimately unnecessary

00:10:31.060 there is something that almost everyone learns

00:10:34.640 by taking psychedelics

00:10:36.380 that you must unlearn

00:10:38.160 to experience the true freedom

00:10:40.200 of meditation

00:10:41.140 and this is why i created waking up

00:10:43.900 to help people recognize the freedom of consciousness

00:10:47.140 directly

00:10:47.940 because for me regardless of how many times psychedelics open the doors of perception

00:10:52.720 and they have many times

00:10:54.800 it is ultimately the simple recognition

00:10:57.860 of the nature of mind

00:10:59.600 the pure freedom from self

00:11:01.900 that is available in each present moment

00:11:04.920 that has changed my life

00:11:06.760 for the better

00:11:07.480 i'd like you to take a moment to think about all the things in this life

00:11:17.440 that you will experience for the last time

00:11:20.160 of course there will come a day when you will die

00:11:23.940 and then everything will have been done for the last time

00:11:27.300 but long before you die

00:11:30.480 you will cease to have certain experiences

00:11:33.580 experiences that you surely take for granted

00:11:36.880 now

00:11:37.680 if you're a parent

00:11:40.180 when is the last time

00:11:42.840 you will pick up your child

00:11:44.600 or tuck her into bed

00:11:46.520 or read her a story

00:11:48.320 our youngest daughter still says

00:11:51.520 aminals

00:11:52.360 instead of animals

00:11:53.660 and though i'm a stickler for words

00:11:55.940 i am not correcting her

00:11:58.020 each one of those

00:11:59.980 is priceless

00:12:01.380 now thinking in this way

00:12:03.740 lends a poignancy to everything

00:12:05.860 even to things

00:12:07.560 that you don't like

00:12:08.600 again

00:12:09.800 let's say you're a new parent

00:12:11.080 and you're getting woken up several times a night by your baby

00:12:13.980 that's brutal

00:12:15.400 but there will be a last time

00:12:18.060 and knowing that

00:12:20.120 can change your experience in the moment

00:12:22.520 there's something sweet

00:12:24.860 even about this experience

00:12:26.760 it's possible that you will miss this

00:12:30.180 we do everything a finite number of times

00:12:33.580 and yet we tend to take even beautiful moments for granted

00:12:37.260 and the rest of the time we're just trying to get through stuff

00:12:40.560 you're just trying to get to the end of whatever experience you're having

00:12:44.460 tim urban

00:12:46.480 who writes this wonderful blog titled

00:12:48.800 wait but why

00:12:49.660 often touches this topic

00:12:51.360 he actually publishes a poster

00:12:53.740 which represents 90 years of life in weeks

00:12:57.060 each line has 52 squares

00:12:59.220 and there are 90 lines

00:13:01.000 on a single page

00:13:02.200 and the scale is frankly

00:13:04.240 a little alarming to contemplate

00:13:06.500 each week is a significant piece of 90 years

00:13:10.980 and you can put your finger

00:13:13.160 on the current week in your life

00:13:15.360 you can see where you are

00:13:17.800 and then of course you realize

00:13:19.640 you have no assurance

00:13:20.800 of how many weeks you have left

00:13:22.540 assuming that you have 90 years

00:13:25.040 certainly 90 good years

00:13:27.140 is generally

00:13:29.060 not a safe assumption

00:13:30.380 what you can know

00:13:32.840 however

00:13:33.360 is that each time you do something

00:13:35.660 pleasant or unpleasant

00:13:37.120 that is one last time

00:13:39.380 you will do it

00:13:40.400 and there will come a time

00:13:42.200 when you will have done something

00:13:43.640 the final time

00:13:44.920 and you will rarely know

00:13:47.040 when that is

00:13:47.980 for instance

00:13:49.460 I used to love to ski

00:13:50.700 and I now haven't skied

00:13:52.340 in well over a decade

00:13:53.580 will I ever ski again?

00:13:56.540 I have no idea

00:13:57.560 but I can assure you

00:13:59.260 that the last time

00:14:00.660 I took off my skis

00:14:01.840 I was not even

00:14:03.840 dimly aware

00:14:05.080 of the possibility

00:14:06.040 that it might be

00:14:07.280 the last time

00:14:08.240 right?

00:14:09.140 that I might live

00:14:09.700 for many many more years

00:14:11.340 and yet this stood

00:14:12.760 a good chance

00:14:13.580 of being the last time

00:14:14.580 I would ever ski

00:14:15.240 when is the last time

00:14:17.640 you swam in the ocean

00:14:18.540 or went camping

00:14:20.240 when is the last time

00:14:21.880 you took a walk

00:14:22.860 just to take a walk

00:14:24.600 as you go about

00:14:26.660 your day

00:14:27.160 today

00:14:27.660 consider

00:14:29.000 everything you're doing

00:14:30.900 is like this

00:14:32.400 everything

00:14:33.880 represents a finite

00:14:35.840 opportunity

00:14:36.600 to savor your life

00:14:38.540 on some level

00:14:40.320 everything

00:14:41.300 is precious

00:14:42.480 and if it doesn't

00:14:43.920 seem that way

00:14:44.720 I think you'll find

00:14:45.960 that paying more attention

00:14:47.680 can make it

00:14:49.160 seem that way

00:14:50.140 attention

00:14:51.460 really is

00:14:53.080 your true

00:14:54.320 source of wealth

00:14:55.340 even more than time

00:14:57.360 right?

00:14:58.280 because you can waste

00:14:59.260 time

00:14:59.880 being distracted

00:15:01.120 so this is just

00:15:02.880 to urge you

00:15:03.720 to take a little

00:15:04.420 more care

00:15:04.960 when you meet

00:15:06.380 someone for the first

00:15:07.140 time

00:15:07.420 and you shake

00:15:08.260 their hand

00:15:08.720 pay a little

00:15:09.980 more attention

00:15:10.580 when you thank

00:15:12.200 somebody for something

00:15:13.120 mean it

00:15:14.720 a little more

00:15:15.580 connect

00:15:16.860 with your life

00:15:17.860 and mindfulness

00:15:19.560 is the tool

00:15:20.940 that allows you

00:15:21.800 to do that

00:15:22.340 because the only

00:15:23.540 alternative is to

00:15:24.380 be lost in thought

00:15:25.200 and every time

00:15:26.840 you notice

00:15:27.560 that you're lost

00:15:28.540 that you're

00:15:29.400 distracted by a thought

00:15:30.980 about the past

00:15:32.160 or the future

00:15:32.680 and you come back

00:15:34.960 you are training

00:15:37.060 your mind

00:15:37.940 and it may feel

00:15:39.500 like an effort

00:15:40.060 at first

00:15:40.880 but eventually

00:15:42.320 it's like

00:15:42.940 continually waking up

00:15:44.480 from a dream

00:15:45.160 and ask yourself

00:15:47.140 how much effort

00:15:48.860 does that take?

00:15:50.200 many people

00:15:57.680 who are at first

00:15:58.520 skeptical

00:15:59.160 about the benefits

00:16:00.300 of meditation

00:16:00.940 find their skepticism

00:16:02.840 relieved

00:16:03.540 when they hear

00:16:04.160 that meditation

00:16:04.760 changes the brain

00:16:05.900 and there are

00:16:07.420 areas of the brain

00:16:08.120 that appear

00:16:08.460 to physically

00:16:08.960 change size

00:16:10.140 in response

00:16:11.140 to meditation

00:16:12.100 undoubtedly

00:16:13.520 new connections

00:16:14.320 are made

00:16:14.800 and others

00:16:15.240 are diminished

00:16:16.040 and in addition

00:16:17.820 to structural

00:16:18.340 changes

00:16:18.960 there are

00:16:19.580 functional ones

00:16:20.240 and there does

00:16:21.300 seem to be

00:16:21.640 a more or less

00:16:22.160 linear relationship

00:16:23.100 between changes

00:16:23.860 of this kind

00:16:24.560 and the amount

00:16:25.580 of time

00:16:26.020 a person

00:16:26.460 has spent

00:16:27.000 practicing

00:16:27.680 now

00:16:29.260 this information

00:16:30.220 is interesting

00:16:30.860 and I will

00:16:31.920 certainly discuss

00:16:32.620 it in other

00:16:33.160 contexts

00:16:33.740 but the truth

00:16:35.200 is

00:16:35.580 virtually

00:16:36.420 anything you

00:16:37.220 do

00:16:37.600 changes your

00:16:38.640 brain

00:16:38.920 the fact 0.97

00:16:40.400 that you

00:16:40.640 had breakfast

00:16:41.260 this morning

00:16:42.200 and that you

00:16:43.260 can remember

00:16:43.780 it

00:16:44.120 changed your

00:16:45.400 brain

00:16:45.700 and of course

00:16:46.980 learning any

00:16:47.660 complex skill

00:16:48.780 requires that

00:16:50.180 your brain

00:16:50.680 physically alter

00:16:51.600 its structure

00:16:52.200 that is what

00:16:53.520 learning is

00:16:54.360 at the level

00:16:55.400 of the brain

00:16:55.840 so saying

00:16:57.100 that meditation

00:16:57.640 changes the brain

00:16:58.700 is not to say

00:17:00.300 that it's special

00:17:01.020 or that it's

00:17:02.240 good for you

00:17:02.760 most things

00:17:03.900 that are bad

00:17:04.360 for you

00:17:04.740 also change

00:17:05.620 your brain

00:17:05.980 of course

00:17:07.280 there's a growing

00:17:07.740 literature

00:17:08.080 on the benefits

00:17:08.960 of meditation

00:17:09.820 but I want to

00:17:11.120 suggest that

00:17:11.560 there's nothing

00:17:12.140 likely to appear

00:17:13.540 in that literature

00:17:14.280 that represents

00:17:15.440 the deepest

00:17:15.980 reason

00:17:16.460 why one

00:17:17.140 should meditate

00:17:17.720 for instance

00:17:19.320 there are studies

00:17:19.800 that suggest

00:17:20.320 that meditation

00:17:20.960 improves immune

00:17:22.060 function

00:17:22.480 or reduces

00:17:23.900 stress

00:17:24.760 or that it's

00:17:25.920 associated with

00:17:26.540 less age-related

00:17:27.660 thinning of the

00:17:28.440 cerebral cortex

00:17:29.320 well

00:17:30.600 having a good

00:17:31.660 immune system

00:17:32.300 and reducing

00:17:33.460 stress

00:17:34.060 and not suffering

00:17:35.460 neurodegeneration

00:17:36.760 are good things

00:17:38.480 in general

00:17:39.420 but

00:17:40.560 those studies

00:17:41.640 might fail

00:17:42.400 to replicate

00:17:43.040 tomorrow

00:17:43.580 and should

00:17:44.660 that happen

00:17:45.220 my recommendations

00:17:46.240 in this course

00:17:47.040 would not change

00:17:48.320 at all

00:17:48.700 there really

00:17:50.120 are deeper

00:17:50.900 reasons to

00:17:51.640 meditate

00:17:51.920 and to live

00:17:52.960 an examined

00:17:53.480 life in general

00:17:54.640 meditation

00:17:56.020 is a skill

00:17:57.160 that opens

00:17:58.240 doors

00:17:58.740 that you might

00:17:59.980 not otherwise

00:18:00.660 know exist

00:18:01.640 and to say

00:18:03.120 that you should

00:18:03.720 do this

00:18:04.260 because it

00:18:04.720 reduces stress

00:18:05.740 or confers

00:18:07.120 any other

00:18:07.880 ancillary benefit

00:18:09.320 is really

00:18:10.500 to miss

00:18:10.900 the point

00:18:11.340 consider an

00:18:12.840 analogy

00:18:13.260 to reading

00:18:13.880 is reading

00:18:15.340 good for you

00:18:16.200 does it

00:18:17.220 reduce stress

00:18:17.920 do you see

00:18:19.280 what's peculiar

00:18:20.000 about that

00:18:20.820 framing

00:18:21.180 given how

00:18:22.560 profound

00:18:23.280 the difference

00:18:24.080 is

00:18:24.440 between being

00:18:25.280 an avid reader

00:18:26.260 and being

00:18:27.260 illiterate

00:18:27.880 these are

00:18:28.940 strange questions

00:18:29.980 just think

00:18:31.120 about it

00:18:31.640 does reading

00:18:33.020 reduce stress

00:18:34.280 it sort of

00:18:35.660 depends on

00:18:36.100 what you read

00:18:36.740 right

00:18:37.260 is it good

00:18:39.020 for you

00:18:39.340 well I think

00:18:40.800 we can all

00:18:41.160 imagine

00:18:41.620 scenarios

00:18:42.560 where it's

00:18:43.380 not good

00:18:43.900 for somebody

00:18:44.520 in any kind

00:18:45.520 of straightforward

00:18:46.020 way

00:18:46.460 but reading

00:18:48.580 is one of

00:18:49.060 the most

00:18:49.340 important skills

00:18:50.760 our species

00:18:51.480 has ever

00:18:52.120 acquired

00:18:52.620 almost everything

00:18:54.220 we care about

00:18:55.000 depends on it

00:18:55.820 of course

00:18:57.000 mindfulness

00:18:57.400 is a very

00:18:57.940 different

00:18:58.400 sort of skill

00:18:59.460 but it also

00:19:00.840 has sweeping

00:19:01.720 implications

00:19:02.460 and the other

00:19:03.640 way to think

00:19:04.040 about this

00:19:04.460 is that you

00:19:04.800 are always

00:19:05.420 meditating

00:19:05.980 on something

00:19:06.880 your attention

00:19:08.160 is always

00:19:08.780 bound up

00:19:09.600 in something

00:19:10.520 we largely

00:19:11.920 become

00:19:12.700 what we

00:19:13.440 pay attention

00:19:13.920 to

00:19:14.180 we are

00:19:15.240 building

00:19:15.700 our minds

00:19:16.400 in each

00:19:17.220 moment

00:19:17.520 we're building

00:19:18.660 habits

00:19:19.280 and desires

00:19:20.320 and worries

00:19:21.620 and expectations

00:19:23.280 and prejudices

00:19:25.140 and insights

00:19:26.640 and mindfulness

00:19:28.160 is just the

00:19:28.980 ability to

00:19:29.620 notice this

00:19:30.420 process

00:19:31.000 with clarity

00:19:31.880 and to then

00:19:32.920 prioritize

00:19:33.500 what you

00:19:34.960 pay attention

00:19:35.460 to

00:19:35.720 why not

00:19:36.880 pay attention

00:19:37.420 to those

00:19:37.880 things

00:19:38.280 that make

00:19:39.000 you a 0.57

00:19:39.240 better

00:19:39.400 person

00:19:39.800 why not

00:19:41.340 free your

00:19:42.060 attention

00:19:42.440 from all

00:19:43.580 of the

00:19:43.960 trivial

00:19:44.720 things

00:19:45.340 that are

00:19:46.220 clamoring

00:19:46.660 for it

00:19:47.280 let's say

00:19:48.620 you pick up

00:19:49.000 your phone

00:19:49.460 to check

00:19:50.140 your email

00:19:50.540 and at that

00:19:52.000 moment

00:19:52.460 your five

00:19:53.480 year old

00:19:53.800 daughter

00:19:54.140 starts telling

00:19:55.040 you a story

00:19:55.560 now

00:19:57.200 several things

00:19:58.080 are possible

00:19:58.600 you could be

00:20:00.060 so lost

00:20:00.760 in your thoughts

00:20:01.400 about your

00:20:01.820 email

00:20:02.080 and you

00:20:03.200 could find

00:20:03.480 the urge

00:20:04.060 to respond

00:20:04.700 to it

00:20:05.100 so compelling

00:20:05.980 that you

00:20:06.940 don't even

00:20:07.260 notice that

00:20:07.680 your daughter

00:20:08.020 is talking

00:20:08.420 to you

00:20:08.840 or you

00:20:09.620 could notice

00:20:10.000 it only

00:20:10.380 to rebuff

00:20:10.960 her in a 0.90

00:20:11.280 way that

00:20:11.560 makes her 0.95

00:20:11.900 feel terrible

00:20:12.540 and you

00:20:13.460 might be

00:20:13.740 so entranced

00:20:14.820 that five

00:20:15.860 minutes later

00:20:16.320 you wouldn't

00:20:16.640 even recall

00:20:17.320 that this

00:20:17.680 episode occurred

00:20:18.440 that's how

00:20:19.620 most people

00:20:20.120 live their

00:20:20.480 lives

00:20:20.820 in fact

00:20:22.100 that's how

00:20:22.980 most of us

00:20:23.560 live most

00:20:24.380 of our lives

00:20:25.100 even after

00:20:26.080 we learn

00:20:26.520 to meditate

00:20:26.980 but the more

00:20:28.340 you train

00:20:28.880 in this

00:20:29.180 practice

00:20:29.640 the more

00:20:30.520 degrees of

00:20:31.080 freedom

00:20:31.440 you'll find

00:20:32.020 in situations

00:20:32.600 like this

00:20:33.180 you can

00:20:34.200 notice

00:20:34.600 for instance

00:20:35.220 that your

00:20:35.900 daughter's

00:20:36.240 trying to

00:20:36.600 get your

00:20:36.840 attention

00:20:37.200 and that

00:20:37.940 giving her

00:20:38.600 your attention

00:20:39.260 is in

00:20:40.260 competition

00:20:40.820 with your

00:20:41.500 following

00:20:41.920 this urge

00:20:42.580 to check

00:20:43.080 your email

00:20:43.460 and when

00:20:44.600 actual

00:20:45.100 mindfulness

00:20:45.640 comes online

00:20:46.720 you can

00:20:47.700 feel the

00:20:48.380 urge to

00:20:48.940 check your

00:20:49.340 email

00:20:49.720 as a

00:20:50.380 pattern

00:20:50.800 of energy

00:20:51.400 in your

00:20:52.000 body

00:20:52.340 and simply

00:20:53.560 let it

00:20:53.900 go

00:20:54.220 that is

00:20:55.420 you can

00:20:55.740 actually

00:20:56.220 break the

00:20:56.920 link

00:20:57.260 between

00:20:58.080 the feeling

00:20:58.720 and the

00:20:59.680 behavioral

00:21:00.200 imperative

00:21:00.840 it seems

00:21:01.800 to communicate

00:21:02.440 it's true

00:21:03.500 that one

00:21:03.920 way to

00:21:04.200 get rid

00:21:04.500 of this

00:21:04.720 feeling

00:21:05.080 is to

00:21:05.500 check your

00:21:05.820 email

00:21:06.060 but another

00:21:07.240 is to

00:21:07.780 simply

00:21:08.120 let go

00:21:08.540 of it

00:21:08.900 and only

00:21:10.020 mindfulness

00:21:10.560 allows you

00:21:11.500 to do

00:21:11.800 the latter

00:21:12.200 and then

00:21:13.320 you can

00:21:13.600 direct your

00:21:14.060 attention

00:21:14.420 to the

00:21:15.220 five-year-old

00:21:15.940 who is

00:21:16.360 standing

00:21:16.700 in front

00:21:17.060 of you

00:21:17.340 and it

00:21:18.100 might be

00:21:18.320 the only

00:21:18.740 story

00:21:19.240 she tells

00:21:19.820 you

00:21:19.980 that day

00:21:20.540 and you

00:21:21.620 can be

00:21:21.880 aware

00:21:22.240 of this

00:21:22.740 fact

00:21:23.360 in that

00:21:24.020 moment

00:21:24.280 you can

00:21:25.240 feel the

00:21:25.640 poignancy

00:21:26.160 of that

00:21:27.120 and in

00:21:28.280 that moment

00:21:28.680 you can

00:21:29.040 further

00:21:29.520 ingrain

00:21:30.120 this new

00:21:31.120 habit

00:21:31.460 you can

00:21:32.520 become

00:21:33.020 the kind

00:21:33.520 of person

00:21:34.080 who is

00:21:35.200 fully present

00:21:36.020 in moments

00:21:36.960 like that

00:21:37.440 and you

00:21:38.480 become that

00:21:38.840 kind of

00:21:39.180 person

00:21:39.580 not just

00:21:40.940 for yourself

00:21:41.600 by changing

00:21:42.820 your brain

00:21:43.320 but in this

00:21:44.400 case

00:21:44.720 for your

00:21:45.540 daughter

00:21:45.880 by changing

00:21:47.140 her brain

00:21:47.840 and this

00:21:48.940 is just

00:21:49.220 a 30

00:21:49.760 second

00:21:50.140 slice

00:21:50.560 of life

00:21:51.060 when you

00:21:52.180 learn to

00:21:52.460 meditate

00:21:52.740 there are

00:21:53.840 literally

00:21:54.200 hundreds

00:21:54.880 even

00:21:55.740 thousands

00:21:56.360 of moments

00:21:57.700 like this

00:21:58.320 throughout

00:21:58.760 the day

00:21:59.200 these are

00:22:00.400 choice

00:22:00.720 points

00:22:01.100 that

00:22:01.500 wouldn't

00:22:01.840 otherwise

00:22:02.280 exist

00:22:02.780 these are

00:22:04.140 paths

00:22:04.700 taken

00:22:05.220 and not

00:22:05.720 taken

00:22:06.120 for good

00:22:07.420 reason

00:22:07.800 but without

00:22:09.400 free

00:22:09.740 attention

00:22:10.180 there's

00:22:11.280 no place

00:22:11.740 for good

00:22:12.160 reasons

00:22:12.600 to land

00:22:13.760 and as

00:22:15.140 you grow

00:22:15.440 in mindfulness

00:22:15.960 you begin

00:22:17.140 to notice

00:22:17.700 the lies

00:22:18.540 you can

00:22:19.320 no longer

00:22:19.740 tell

00:22:20.180 and you

00:22:21.060 begin to

00:22:21.320 have insights

00:22:22.020 into your

00:22:22.980 true motives

00:22:23.680 in various

00:22:24.720 situations

00:22:25.180 that are

00:22:25.800 sometimes

00:22:26.140 not

00:22:26.440 flattering

00:22:26.880 but you

00:22:28.140 want these

00:22:28.700 insights

00:22:29.080 all the

00:22:29.520 same

00:22:29.820 because how

00:22:31.000 else could

00:22:31.500 you become

00:22:31.860 a better

00:22:32.180 person

00:22:32.560 that is

00:22:34.060 what it

00:22:34.340 is to

00:22:34.760 live an

00:22:35.020 examined

00:22:35.360 life

00:22:35.780 so don't

00:22:38.260 meditate

00:22:38.640 just because

00:22:39.740 it's good

00:22:40.080 for you

00:22:40.440 it's more

00:22:41.680 important

00:22:42.040 than that

00:22:43.380 when you

00:22:49.360 sit down

00:22:49.840 to meditate

00:22:50.300 you will

00:22:51.420 find yourself

00:22:52.320 assailed

00:22:53.100 by thoughts

00:22:54.100 thoughts

00:22:55.740 about what

00:22:56.040 you need

00:22:56.320 to do

00:22:56.600 later

00:22:56.800 in the

00:22:57.020 day

00:22:57.360 thoughts

00:22:59.060 about

00:22:59.480 things

00:23:00.140 that

00:23:00.320 worry

00:23:00.580 you

00:23:00.980 thoughts

00:23:02.220 about

00:23:02.460 things

00:23:02.720 you

00:23:02.900 want

00:23:03.460 or

00:23:04.300 don't

00:23:04.740 want

00:23:05.100 the

00:23:06.160 moment

00:23:06.600 you

00:23:06.800 attempt

00:23:07.300 to pay

00:23:08.040 attention

00:23:08.480 to your

00:23:08.780 breath

00:23:09.120 or to

00:23:10.000 the

00:23:10.160 sound

00:23:10.560 of

00:23:10.840 the

00:23:11.380 wind

00:23:11.660 and

00:23:11.800 the

00:23:11.940 trees

00:23:12.280 you

00:23:13.740 will

00:23:13.900 meet

00:23:14.380 your

00:23:14.900 mind

00:23:15.340 and

00:23:17.160 your

00:23:17.320 mind

00:23:17.800 is the

00:23:19.100 most

00:23:19.320 rambling

00:23:19.960 chaotic

00:23:21.360 needling

00:23:22.880 insulting

00:23:24.560 insufferable 0.98

00:23:26.520 person 0.97

00:23:27.040 you will

00:23:28.400 ever meet

00:23:28.920 it's like

00:23:30.600 having some 0.76

00:23:31.020 maniac

00:23:31.440 walk through

00:23:32.520 the front

00:23:32.960 door of

00:23:33.380 your house

00:23:33.920 and follow

00:23:35.400 you from

00:23:35.980 room to

00:23:36.580 room

00:23:36.920 and refuse

00:23:38.320 to stop

00:23:39.020 talking

00:23:39.420 and this

00:23:41.080 happens

00:23:41.540 every day

00:23:42.500 of your

00:23:42.760 life

00:23:43.060 it is

00:23:45.180 possible

00:23:45.620 to get

00:23:46.220 him to

00:23:46.460 stop

00:23:46.640 talking

00:23:47.020 for

00:23:47.660 brief

00:23:47.920 periods

00:23:48.220 of

00:23:48.340 time

00:23:48.600 and that

00:23:50.100 can come

00:23:50.460 with

00:23:50.620 greater

00:23:50.880 concentration

00:23:51.580 in

00:23:52.260 meditation

00:23:52.700 it's

00:23:54.420 possible

00:23:54.660 to pay

00:23:55.080 attention

00:23:55.540 to the

00:23:56.420 breath

00:23:56.740 for instance

00:23:57.520 and to

00:23:58.620 be so

00:23:58.940 focused

00:23:59.440 on it

00:23:59.880 that

00:24:00.760 thoughts

00:24:01.320 no longer

00:24:02.100 arise

00:24:02.580 and this

00:24:03.600 can be

00:24:03.820 an extremely

00:24:04.360 pleasant

00:24:05.000 experience

00:24:05.580 when it

00:24:06.660 happens

00:24:06.980 but it's

00:24:08.280 a temporary

00:24:08.820 experience

00:24:09.760 real

00:24:11.400 relief

00:24:12.180 comes

00:24:13.060 when we

00:24:13.380 recognize

00:24:13.920 thoughts

00:24:14.960 for what

00:24:15.580 they are

00:24:16.200 mere

00:24:17.300 appearances

00:24:17.920 in

00:24:18.780 consciousness

00:24:19.280 images

00:24:20.880 bits

00:24:22.060 of

00:24:22.220 language

00:24:22.720 the

00:24:23.840 fact

00:24:24.180 that

00:24:24.360 a

00:24:24.540 thought

00:24:24.860 has

00:24:25.260 arisen

00:24:25.700 does

00:24:26.660 not

00:24:26.940 give

00:24:27.140 it

00:24:27.240 a

00:24:27.400 necessary

00:24:27.840 claim

00:24:28.460 upon

00:24:29.100 your

00:24:29.300 life

00:24:29.660 it

00:24:30.960 need

00:24:31.220 not

00:24:31.420 have

00:24:31.620 any

00:24:31.880 implications

00:24:32.480 psychological

00:24:33.660 or

00:24:34.160 otherwise

00:24:34.560 of course

00:24:36.320 you'll

00:24:36.620 continue

00:24:37.080 to

00:24:37.320 think

00:24:37.700 and

00:24:38.380 to be

00:24:38.600 moved

00:24:39.060 to

00:24:39.280 act

00:24:39.660 by

00:24:40.020 thoughts

00:24:40.440 but

00:24:41.760 meditation

00:24:42.080 gives

00:24:42.500 you

00:24:42.600 a

00:24:42.720 choice

00:24:43.040 do

00:24:44.160 you

00:24:44.300 really

00:24:44.540 want

00:24:44.760 to

00:24:44.920 follow

00:24:45.220 this

00:24:45.520 next

00:24:45.940 thought

00:24:46.320 wherever

00:24:47.220 it

00:24:47.460 leads

00:24:47.780 there's a

00:24:55.300 story

00:24:55.500 from

00:24:55.880 2012

00:24:56.920 I think

00:24:58.060 but I only

00:24:59.060 recently stumbled

00:24:59.760 on it

00:25:00.100 online

00:25:00.580 about a

00:25:02.000 woman 0.99

00:25:02.400 who was

00:25:02.920 on a

00:25:03.280 tour bus

00:25:04.060 in

00:25:04.380 Iceland

00:25:04.760 and at

00:25:05.700 one point

00:25:06.000 when the

00:25:06.240 bus

00:25:06.420 stopped

00:25:06.960 near a

00:25:08.160 scenic

00:25:08.620 canyon

00:25:09.400 rest

00:25:10.300 stop

00:25:10.620 she got

00:25:11.740 off

00:25:12.000 and decided

00:25:12.420 to change

00:25:12.900 her clothes

00:25:13.460 and when

00:25:14.340 she returned

00:25:14.800 to the

00:25:15.020 bus

00:25:15.240 nobody

00:25:15.600 recognized

00:25:16.100 her

00:25:16.440 so when

00:25:17.120 it came

00:25:17.360 time to

00:25:17.740 leave

00:25:18.180 many people

00:25:19.580 grew

00:25:19.800 concerned

00:25:20.400 that the

00:25:21.140 woman 0.99

00:25:21.420 in her

00:25:22.200 original

00:25:22.700 likeness

00:25:23.600 was missing

00:25:24.600 and they

00:25:26.080 told the

00:25:26.400 driver that

00:25:26.980 an Asian

00:25:27.460 woman in

00:25:27.940 dark

00:25:28.200 clothes

00:25:28.680 had not

00:25:29.700 yet returned

00:25:30.400 to the

00:25:30.920 bus

00:25:31.200 and apparently

00:25:33.040 the woman 0.98

00:25:33.420 in question

00:25:33.860 didn't

00:25:34.180 recognize

00:25:34.720 this

00:25:35.080 description

00:25:35.600 of herself

00:25:36.400 and so

00:25:37.700 she too

00:25:38.780 became

00:25:39.440 concerned

00:25:39.880 about the

00:25:40.280 missing

00:25:40.560 traveler

00:25:41.180 and a

00:25:42.660 search party

00:25:43.300 was quickly

00:25:44.020 formed

00:25:44.480 and she

00:25:45.880 joined it

00:25:46.400 and the

00:25:47.000 search

00:25:47.200 apparently

00:25:47.520 went on

00:25:48.060 all day

00:25:48.760 and into

00:25:49.480 the night

00:25:49.860 and the

00:25:51.000 police

00:25:51.400 were notified

00:25:52.520 and the

00:25:53.460 coast guard

00:25:53.980 was notified

00:25:54.640 too

00:25:55.080 and they

00:25:56.000 even

00:25:56.180 readied a

00:25:56.680 helicopter

00:25:57.180 for use

00:25:58.280 in the

00:25:58.620 morning

00:25:58.920 and it

00:25:59.980 wasn't

00:26:00.180 until 3

00:26:00.760 a.m.

00:26:01.200 that the

00:26:01.540 woman 0.99

00:26:01.760 finally

00:26:02.400 realized

00:26:03.120 that she

00:26:04.500 was the

00:26:05.240 missing

00:26:05.420 person

00:26:05.820 and of

00:26:07.060 course

00:26:07.240 the

00:26:07.440 search

00:26:07.720 was

00:26:08.000 called

00:26:08.360 off

00:26:08.700 now

00:26:10.200 this

00:26:10.440 is

00:26:10.540 obviously

00:26:10.860 a

00:26:11.080 quite 0.59

00:26:11.360 crazy

00:26:12.020 and 0.87

00:26:12.340 comical

00:26:12.940 situation

00:26:13.580 but

00:26:14.580 we're

00:26:15.300 actually

00:26:15.520 in a

00:26:15.800 similar

00:26:16.060 position

00:26:16.580 with

00:26:17.360 respect

00:26:17.680 to our

00:26:18.020 own

00:26:18.340 minds

00:26:18.920 because

00:26:20.500 we spend

00:26:20.920 our lives

00:26:21.640 seeking

00:26:22.340 and the

00:26:23.860 goal

00:26:24.400 of our

00:26:25.100 search

00:26:25.460 is poorly

00:26:26.360 defined

00:26:26.900 we get

00:26:28.120 inducted

00:26:28.780 into a

00:26:29.340 search

00:26:29.680 by our

00:26:30.500 culture

00:26:30.900 by the

00:26:32.180 expectations

00:26:32.820 that others

00:26:33.580 place on

00:26:34.100 us

00:26:34.380 and which

00:26:35.120 we learn

00:26:35.460 to place

00:26:35.820 on

00:26:35.960 ourselves

00:26:36.420 and we

00:26:37.780 learn

00:26:38.100 that there

00:26:38.340 are things

00:26:38.640 we want

00:26:39.180 out of

00:26:39.680 life

00:26:39.980 largely

00:26:40.620 because

00:26:40.940 others

00:26:41.300 want

00:26:41.640 them

00:26:41.820 we want

00:26:42.860 to succeed

00:26:43.460 in various

00:26:44.500 ways

00:26:44.940 rather than

00:26:45.740 fail

00:26:46.080 and we need

00:26:47.180 to acquire

00:26:47.600 skills

00:26:48.220 to do

00:26:48.920 this

00:26:49.240 and we

00:26:50.140 want all

00:26:50.500 the social

00:26:51.100 advantages

00:26:51.660 that come

00:26:52.240 with

00:26:52.580 success

00:26:53.300 we want

00:26:54.580 others

00:26:54.840 to respect

00:26:55.380 us

00:26:55.740 why we

00:26:56.900 want this

00:26:57.540 is never

00:26:58.300 really inspected

00:26:59.160 it goes

00:27:00.120 without saying

00:27:00.740 this is

00:27:01.780 something we

00:27:02.180 crave

00:27:02.620 of course

00:27:03.920 various sources

00:27:04.620 of danger

00:27:05.300 and disappointment

00:27:06.100 seem to lurk

00:27:07.460 everywhere

00:27:07.900 and however

00:27:09.100 much we

00:27:09.560 succeed

00:27:10.080 things naturally

00:27:11.460 fall apart

00:27:12.120 everything needs

00:27:13.420 to be shored up

00:27:14.280 against the forces

00:27:15.000 of entropy

00:27:15.520 and the landscape

00:27:16.780 continues to

00:27:17.780 shift

00:27:18.220 expectations

00:27:19.540 change

00:27:20.520 cultures like

00:27:21.500 a vast

00:27:22.200 tide

00:27:22.900 that keeps

00:27:23.620 sweeping

00:27:24.120 everything out

00:27:24.940 toward a horizon

00:27:25.760 that we can't

00:27:26.480 clearly see

00:27:27.300 where is all

00:27:29.480 this going

00:27:30.040 what will

00:27:31.240 life be like

00:27:32.200 in 10 years

00:27:33.320 think of

00:27:34.740 everything that

00:27:35.540 captures your

00:27:36.260 attention

00:27:36.680 the things you

00:27:37.980 buy

00:27:38.360 or wish you

00:27:39.460 could buy

00:27:39.920 how you

00:27:41.080 dress

00:27:41.520 and all the

00:27:42.580 preferences that

00:27:43.440 are enshrined

00:27:44.080 there in your

00:27:44.660 closet

00:27:45.040 your exercise

00:27:46.400 routine

00:27:46.980 your relationship

00:27:48.120 to sleep

00:27:48.740 your diet

00:27:50.040 consider all

00:27:51.400 your efforts

00:27:52.060 to improve

00:27:53.460 these things

00:27:54.380 or to maintain

00:27:55.780 them

00:27:56.080 or to reconsider

00:27:57.360 them

00:27:57.760 and of course

00:27:58.640 all the while

00:27:59.060 you hope to

00:27:59.520 have whatever

00:28:00.000 fun you can

00:28:00.820 have

00:28:01.320 while making

00:28:02.280 these efforts

00:28:02.840 to entertain

00:28:04.220 yourself

00:28:04.700 socially

00:28:05.200 or binge

00:28:06.340 watch the

00:28:06.780 latest series

00:28:07.380 on Netflix

00:28:07.900 you're continually

00:28:09.600 in motion

00:28:10.260 as a matter

00:28:11.680 of attention

00:28:12.300 it's just one 0.99

00:28:13.560 damn thing 0.99

00:28:14.100 after the next 1.00

00:28:14.880 then occasionally

00:28:16.780 something big

00:28:17.980 happens

00:28:18.460 somebody close

00:28:19.600 to you dies

00:28:20.280 say

00:28:20.960 and you have

00:28:22.140 a moment

00:28:22.700 to reflect

00:28:23.360 on the whole

00:28:24.400 spectacle

00:28:25.020 of what is

00:28:25.960 otherwise

00:28:26.280 normal

00:28:26.720 and you

00:28:27.760 might think

00:28:28.200 what is

00:28:28.900 the point

00:28:29.360 of all

00:28:29.740 of this

00:28:30.180 what am

00:28:31.560 I up

00:28:31.840 to

00:28:32.100 really

00:28:33.080 now I'm

00:28:34.360 not saying

00:28:34.680 the details

00:28:35.280 of life

00:28:35.920 don't matter

00:28:36.800 it's not

00:28:37.820 that fun

00:28:38.440 doesn't matter

00:28:39.520 or work

00:28:40.680 or money

00:28:41.520 or clothing

00:28:42.600 there are

00:28:43.560 countless

00:28:44.020 transitory sources

00:28:45.100 of satisfaction

00:28:45.920 and if we have

00:28:47.500 our priorities

00:28:48.060 straight 0.70

00:28:48.420 these are

00:28:48.880 ranked in a

00:28:49.580 hierarchy

00:28:50.060 of sorts

00:28:51.040 at least

00:28:51.440 implicitly

00:28:52.180 and we spend

00:28:53.100 our time

00:28:53.560 and attention

00:28:54.000 in ways

00:28:54.440 that are

00:28:54.760 proportionate

00:28:55.560 to what we

00:28:56.220 actually value

00:28:57.000 now we might

00:28:59.380 be lying to

00:28:59.980 ourselves

00:29:00.400 about what

00:29:01.160 our hierarchy

00:29:01.700 actually is

00:29:02.520 for instance

00:29:03.400 I might believe

00:29:03.980 that my kids

00:29:04.640 are the most

00:29:05.060 important thing

00:29:05.620 in the world

00:29:06.000 to me

00:29:06.380 but if that's

00:29:07.580 true they

00:29:07.960 should get

00:29:08.360 more of my

00:29:08.920 time and

00:29:09.440 attention

00:29:09.780 than my

00:29:10.680 following

00:29:11.120 college football

00:29:12.060 does

00:29:12.640 it's against

00:29:13.780 this background

00:29:14.440 of seeking

00:29:15.240 satisfaction

00:29:16.140 amid

00:29:17.160 ceaseless

00:29:17.760 change

00:29:18.620 that you

00:29:19.300 can see

00:29:19.880 how radical

00:29:20.700 an act

00:29:21.380 meditation

00:29:22.180 actually is

00:29:23.240 meditation

00:29:24.500 is the act

00:29:25.520 of calling

00:29:25.980 off the

00:29:26.480 search

00:29:26.840 it is the

00:29:28.100 art

00:29:28.480 of doing

00:29:29.180 nothing

00:29:29.520 but we

00:29:30.760 should be

00:29:31.020 clear about

00:29:31.460 what it

00:29:31.720 means to

00:29:32.200 do nothing

00:29:32.680 because it

00:29:33.500 actually matters

00:29:34.220 what sort

00:29:34.640 of nothing

00:29:35.040 one is doing

00:29:35.920 for instance

00:29:37.280 you can just

00:29:38.100 space out

00:29:38.740 and make no

00:29:39.680 mental effort

00:29:40.360 at all

00:29:40.900 and then you'll

00:29:41.840 naturally be

00:29:42.360 lost in thought

00:29:43.200 just daydreaming

00:29:44.360 now this is

00:29:45.360 actually our

00:29:45.760 default state

00:29:46.540 when we're not

00:29:47.020 explicitly paying

00:29:47.840 attention to

00:29:48.420 something

00:29:48.700 or trying

00:29:49.600 to get

00:29:49.840 something

00:29:50.060 done

00:29:50.400 in fact

00:29:51.740 it's our

00:29:52.020 default state

00:29:52.720 even when

00:29:53.140 we're doing

00:29:53.540 many things

00:29:54.240 that do

00:29:54.600 require

00:29:55.060 our attention

00:29:55.860 like driving

00:29:57.040 a car

00:29:57.480 thoughts just

00:29:58.680 keep coming

00:29:59.220 and we keep

00:30:00.160 thinking them

00:30:00.680 for better

00:30:01.560 or worse

00:30:02.020 and if you

00:30:03.140 pay attention

00:30:03.680 to the character

00:30:04.360 of your thoughts

00:30:05.060 you'll find

00:30:06.100 that you're

00:30:06.360 mostly talking

00:30:07.080 to yourself

00:30:07.540 about all

00:30:08.080 the things

00:30:08.500 you want

00:30:08.940 to do

00:30:09.280 or wish

00:30:09.700 you had

00:30:09.940 done

00:30:10.200 to become

00:30:10.960 happy

00:30:11.320 you're

00:30:12.800 continuously

00:30:13.500 narrating

00:30:14.320 the search

00:30:15.180 so that's

00:30:16.680 not quite

00:30:17.020 the doing

00:30:17.420 nothing

00:30:17.780 we're

00:30:18.320 after

00:30:18.620 when one

00:30:20.000 first begins

00:30:20.540 to meditate

00:30:21.000 the practice

00:30:21.960 seems like

00:30:23.480 it requires

00:30:24.000 effort

00:30:24.360 it doesn't

00:30:25.180 seem like

00:30:25.600 you're doing

00:30:25.920 nothing

00:30:26.240 you're actually

00:30:27.080 struggling to

00:30:27.880 pay attention

00:30:28.440 to the breath

00:30:29.780 for instance

00:30:30.520 or to other

00:30:31.460 sensations in

00:30:32.060 your body

00:30:32.500 or to sounds

00:30:33.640 or even to

00:30:34.660 thoughts

00:30:35.040 themselves

00:30:35.620 and the

00:30:36.620 struggle is

00:30:37.080 to sustain

00:30:37.820 one's

00:30:38.240 mindfulness

00:30:38.680 for any

00:30:39.420 significant

00:30:39.880 amount

00:30:40.140 of time

00:30:40.640 without being

00:30:41.780 lost in

00:30:42.300 thought

00:30:42.640 and it's

00:30:44.100 true

00:30:44.300 this

00:30:44.500 apparent

00:30:44.920 struggle

00:30:45.420 continues

00:30:46.060 for quite

00:30:47.060 some

00:30:47.260 time

00:30:47.600 but once

00:30:48.860 you know

00:30:49.080 how to

00:30:49.300 meditate

00:30:49.580 you discover

00:30:50.740 that real

00:30:51.900 mindfulness

00:30:52.440 is free

00:30:54.020 of effort

00:30:54.500 it too

00:30:55.640 simply appears

00:30:56.540 like anything

00:30:57.800 else

00:30:58.160 the clouds

00:30:59.300 part all

00:31:00.060 on their

00:31:00.320 own

00:31:00.520 and you

00:31:01.520 just notice

00:31:02.060 the next

00:31:02.520 thing you

00:31:02.900 notice

00:31:03.220 and you

00:31:04.100 can even

00:31:04.340 try to

00:31:04.740 practice

00:31:05.040 this way

00:31:05.460 from the

00:31:05.740 beginning

00:31:06.040 and rather

00:31:06.920 than strategically

00:31:07.680 pay attention

00:31:08.420 to an

00:31:08.720 object of

00:31:09.240 meditation

00:31:09.680 like the

00:31:10.400 breath

00:31:10.720 you can

00:31:11.620 practice

00:31:11.980 what's often

00:31:12.480 called

00:31:12.760 choiceless

00:31:13.200 awareness

00:31:13.700 where you

00:31:14.600 just notice

00:31:15.380 whatever you

00:31:15.860 notice

00:31:16.180 without making

00:31:17.080 an effort

00:31:17.460 to stay

00:31:17.840 focused

00:31:18.260 on any

00:31:18.700 specific

00:31:19.080 object

00:31:19.600 but this

00:31:20.780 isn't quite

00:31:21.380 doing nothing

00:31:22.140 either

00:31:22.600 there's still

00:31:23.800 this fluctuation

00:31:24.820 this feeling

00:31:26.360 of being

00:31:26.740 lost

00:31:27.280 and found

00:31:28.320 this game

00:31:29.600 of cat

00:31:30.060 and mouse

00:31:30.620 with attention

00:31:31.600 and there

00:31:32.720 can still

00:31:33.060 be this

00:31:33.440 subtle

00:31:33.840 or not so

00:31:34.540 subtle

00:31:34.860 sense of

00:31:35.360 seeking

00:31:35.780 to get

00:31:36.440 somewhere

00:31:36.800 and the

00:31:37.820 sense

00:31:38.020 that there's

00:31:38.320 a self

00:31:38.820 that is

00:31:39.160 doing

00:31:39.540 the

00:31:39.960 seeking

00:31:40.220 the only

00:31:41.580 way of

00:31:41.940 truly

00:31:42.300 doing

00:31:42.660 nothing

00:31:42.980 is to

00:31:44.040 recognize

00:31:44.420 how

00:31:44.780 consciousness

00:31:45.340 always

00:31:46.200 already

00:31:46.540 is

00:31:46.920 open

00:31:48.380 unobstructed

00:31:50.600 effortlessly

00:31:51.900 aware of

00:31:52.740 its apparent

00:31:53.200 changes

00:31:53.680 you have

00:31:55.160 to recognize

00:31:55.880 what you

00:31:56.880 would otherwise

00:31:57.460 seek

00:31:57.860 the very

00:31:59.220 context

00:31:59.860 of any

00:32:00.260 effort

00:32:00.620 you could

00:32:01.460 make

00:32:01.800 to pay

00:32:02.740 attention

00:32:03.100 you have

00:32:04.420 to turn

00:32:05.080 about

00:32:05.460 and realize

00:32:06.780 that nothing

00:32:08.040 is or

00:32:08.660 can be

00:32:09.440 lost

00:32:10.180 think of

00:32:11.600 that woman 1.00

00:32:11.940 on the

00:32:12.240 bus

00:32:12.560 the moment

00:32:13.840 before she

00:32:14.640 realized

00:32:15.300 that she

00:32:16.300 was the

00:32:16.700 object

00:32:17.020 of the

00:32:17.400 search

00:32:17.700 she's

00:32:18.680 looking

00:32:18.980 for a

00:32:19.320 lost

00:32:19.600 tourist

00:32:20.020 and think

00:32:21.660 of that

00:32:21.940 next

00:32:22.340 moment

00:32:22.700 when she

00:32:23.400 suddenly

00:32:23.740 realizes

00:32:24.340 that she

00:32:25.720 is the

00:32:26.060 one

00:32:26.420 who has

00:32:27.260 been

00:32:27.420 presumed

00:32:27.860 lost

00:32:28.280 now is

00:32:29.880 it accurate

00:32:30.420 to say

00:32:30.880 that she

00:32:31.240 has now

00:32:31.640 found

00:32:32.320 herself

00:32:32.960 was the

00:32:34.600 search

00:32:35.000 ever

00:32:35.460 fulfilled

00:32:35.960 no

00:32:37.600 there was

00:32:39.060 a false

00:32:39.580 premise

00:32:40.080 that had

00:32:40.940 been

00:32:41.080 unrecognized

00:32:41.920 just think

00:32:43.420 of how

00:32:43.800 the sense

00:32:44.600 of seeking

00:32:45.700 evaporated

00:32:47.380 in her

00:32:48.060 case

00:32:48.380 the recognition

00:32:50.260 of consciousness

00:32:51.160 reveals that

00:32:52.760 the contents

00:32:53.520 of consciousness

00:32:54.160 are beside

00:32:55.820 the point

00:32:56.260 and all

00:32:57.760 seeking

00:32:58.200 is an effort

00:32:59.080 to improve

00:32:59.920 or to

00:33:00.600 maintain

00:33:01.120 or to

00:33:01.900 otherwise

00:33:02.180 modify

00:33:02.940 the contents

00:33:04.540 of consciousness

00:33:05.520 so the

00:33:06.880 freedom

00:33:07.440 that you

00:33:08.540 find in

00:33:09.220 meditation

00:33:09.700 is not

00:33:11.120 a change

00:33:12.440 in experience

00:33:14.120 really

00:33:14.900 it's the

00:33:16.360 recognition

00:33:16.940 of the

00:33:18.460 context

00:33:19.200 of experience

00:33:20.060 itself

00:33:20.520 you simply

00:33:22.140 need to

00:33:22.540 drop back

00:33:23.300 and recognize

00:33:24.560 the condition

00:33:25.380 in which

00:33:26.380 everything is

00:33:26.960 already appearing

00:33:27.760 thoughts

00:33:29.940 and intentions

00:33:30.800 and moods

00:33:32.800 and emotions

00:33:33.520 sensations

00:33:34.900 perceptions

00:33:35.800 everything

00:33:37.560 is simply

00:33:39.300 appearing

00:33:39.840 as a matter

00:33:41.260 of experience

00:33:41.960 there is no

00:33:42.980 you

00:33:43.500 apart

00:33:44.820 from this

00:33:46.100 flow

00:33:46.500 so the

00:33:47.880 real way

00:33:48.420 of doing

00:33:48.780 nothing

00:33:49.140 isn't

00:33:50.580 to stop

00:33:51.680 doing

00:33:52.220 anything

00:33:52.680 is simply

00:33:54.100 to recognize

00:33:54.840 that everything

00:33:55.560 is already

00:33:57.080 happening

00:33:57.600 on its

00:33:58.620 own

00:33:58.880 take a

00:34:05.980 moment to

00:34:06.340 close your

00:34:06.840 eyes

00:34:07.160 and become

00:34:09.100 aware of

00:34:09.720 your body

00:34:10.320 as a

00:34:11.220 field

00:34:11.740 of sensation

00:34:12.800 all at

00:34:15.040 once

00:34:15.380 you don't

00:34:17.620 need to

00:34:17.940 take time

00:34:18.640 to do

00:34:19.580 this

00:34:19.900 and notice

00:34:22.920 your tendency

00:34:23.580 to establish

00:34:24.520 your point

00:34:25.680 of view

00:34:26.260 in your

00:34:27.660 head

00:34:28.000 noticing

00:34:29.760 the rest

00:34:30.140 of your

00:34:30.380 body

00:34:30.780 as though

00:34:31.920 from above

00:34:32.640 see if you

00:34:35.220 can recognize

00:34:36.020 that from the

00:34:37.240 point of view

00:34:37.780 of consciousness

00:34:38.420 there is no

00:34:40.680 above

00:34:41.680 or below

00:34:43.040 or inside

00:34:45.020 or outside

00:34:46.720 everything

00:34:49.600 that appears

00:34:50.320 is simply

00:34:51.960 appearing

00:34:52.560 in consciousness

00:34:54.400 as a

00:34:56.260 modification

00:34:56.720 of it

00:34:58.020 as a matter

00:35:00.900 of experience

00:35:01.840 awareness

00:35:03.460 is not

00:35:04.200 in your

00:35:04.820 head

00:35:05.080 and it

00:35:07.240 can't be

00:35:07.680 aimed

00:35:08.120 from your 0.99

00:35:09.160 head

00:35:09.440 toward other

00:35:11.100 objects

00:35:12.360 of perception

00:35:13.360 or sensation

00:35:14.880 or emotion

00:35:16.380 or thought

00:35:17.840 everything

00:35:19.520 is simply

00:35:20.000 appearing

00:35:20.420 in its

00:35:21.480 own

00:35:21.800 place

00:35:22.360 all by

00:35:24.020 itself

00:35:24.540 just as

00:35:27.640 the sky

00:35:28.320 need not

00:35:29.200 make any

00:35:29.620 effort

00:35:30.000 to contain

00:35:31.320 or open

00:35:32.640 to

00:35:33.020 the clouds

00:35:34.200 notice that

00:35:36.340 consciousness

00:35:36.840 itself

00:35:37.620 need not

00:35:38.920 do

00:35:39.380 anything

00:35:40.280 it's

00:35:42.580 simply

00:35:42.860 the condition

00:35:43.520 in which

00:35:44.500 everything

00:35:45.080 appears

00:35:45.920 including

00:35:47.600 the sense

00:35:48.240 of having

00:35:49.220 a head

00:35:49.800 including

00:35:51.580 every movement

00:35:53.100 of attention

00:35:54.100 and you're

00:35:56.460 not aware

00:35:57.140 of

00:35:58.360 this condition

00:35:59.520 you're aware

00:36:01.680 as it

00:36:02.480 when we

00:36:09.780 practice

00:36:10.120 meditation

00:36:10.720 one of the

00:36:11.460 things we

00:36:11.800 learn

00:36:12.320 is how

00:36:13.140 to begin

00:36:13.560 again

00:36:14.020 in each

00:36:14.760 moment

00:36:15.060 you notice

00:36:16.380 that you're

00:36:16.640 distracted

00:36:17.120 you've been

00:36:18.020 lost in

00:36:18.460 thought for

00:36:18.980 who knows

00:36:19.720 how long

00:36:20.180 and then

00:36:21.020 suddenly you

00:36:21.600 return to

00:36:22.580 a clear

00:36:23.420 witnessing

00:36:23.880 of the

00:36:24.980 contents

00:36:25.300 of consciousness

00:36:25.840 you notice

00:36:27.640 a sound

00:36:28.280 or the

00:36:29.360 breath

00:36:29.760 or some

00:36:30.620 other sensations

00:36:31.260 in your

00:36:31.560 body

00:36:31.840 where you

00:36:32.980 see the

00:36:33.560 present

00:36:33.960 thought

00:36:34.340 itself

00:36:35.040 unraveling

00:36:36.240 and in

00:36:37.220 this clear

00:36:37.860 noticing

00:36:38.400 of this

00:36:39.520 next

00:36:39.880 appearance

00:36:40.380 in

00:36:40.580 consciousness

00:36:40.960 we're

00:36:41.900 training

00:36:42.380 our

00:36:42.640 minds

00:36:42.960 we're

00:36:44.020 practicing

00:36:44.440 a

00:36:44.660 willingness

00:36:44.920 to

00:36:45.240 simply

00:36:45.620 return

00:36:46.240 to

00:36:46.820 the

00:36:46.940 present

00:36:47.180 moment

00:36:47.500 without

00:36:48.620 judgment

00:36:49.080 without

00:36:50.120 disappointment

00:36:50.740 without

00:36:52.160 contraction

00:36:53.080 with a

00:36:54.320 mind

00:36:54.740 that is

00:36:55.500 standing

00:36:55.920 truly

00:36:56.520 free

00:36:57.160 of the

00:36:57.880 past

00:36:58.300 and it's

00:36:59.520 always

00:36:59.720 possible to

00:37:00.360 recover this

00:37:01.020 freedom

00:37:01.460 no matter

00:37:02.520 what happens

00:37:03.160 let's say

00:37:04.620 you notice

00:37:04.980 you're

00:37:05.180 distracted

00:37:05.660 and rather

00:37:06.640 than just

00:37:06.980 observe the

00:37:07.760 next sound

00:37:08.500 or sensation

00:37:09.200 you're

00:37:10.200 immediately

00:37:10.620 plunged

00:37:11.360 into

00:37:11.600 self-judgment

00:37:12.740 you're

00:37:13.560 annoyed

00:37:13.940 you subscribe

00:37:15.160 to this 1.00

00:37:15.580 damn app 1.00

00:37:16.140 and you're 1.00

00:37:16.900 supposed to

00:37:17.420 be meditating

00:37:17.980 but you

00:37:18.680 just spent

00:37:18.940 the last

00:37:19.240 five minutes

00:37:19.880 thinking about

00:37:20.340 something you

00:37:20.720 saw on

00:37:21.060 television

00:37:21.460 last night

00:37:22.220 but you

00:37:23.320 can break

00:37:23.840 this spell

00:37:24.560 and begin

00:37:25.340 again

00:37:25.780 at any

00:37:26.360 point

00:37:26.680 by just

00:37:27.720 noticing

00:37:28.180 self-judgment

00:37:29.160 and frustration

00:37:30.100 as appearances

00:37:31.220 and the truth

00:37:32.740 is they're as

00:37:33.180 good as

00:37:33.460 anything else

00:37:34.140 you can

00:37:34.460 notice

00:37:34.840 when it

00:37:35.540 comes to

00:37:35.880 revealing

00:37:36.260 the intrinsic

00:37:36.880 freedom

00:37:37.400 of consciousness

00:37:38.280 its openness

00:37:39.860 its centerlessness

00:37:41.500 its selflessness

00:37:43.080 honestly

00:37:44.540 frustration

00:37:45.480 real frustration

00:37:47.040 a mind

00:37:48.460 like a clenched

00:37:49.280 fist

00:37:49.740 is just

00:37:51.240 as good

00:37:51.680 as the breath

00:37:52.360 or a sound

00:37:53.640 or even

00:37:54.480 an expansive

00:37:55.180 emotion

00:37:55.620 like joy

00:37:56.220 if you'll

00:37:57.340 just drop

00:37:57.880 back

00:37:58.240 and recognize

00:37:58.880 what consciousness

00:37:59.560 is like

00:38:00.260 in that

00:38:01.060 moment

00:38:01.380 now

00:38:02.840 this ability

00:38:03.380 to begin

00:38:03.820 again

00:38:04.280 has ethical

00:38:05.780 force

00:38:06.580 as well

00:38:07.040 it's actually

00:38:08.080 the foundation

00:38:08.880 of forgiveness

00:38:09.800 the only way

00:38:11.060 to truly

00:38:11.540 forgive

00:38:11.980 another person

00:38:12.600 or oneself

00:38:13.480 is to

00:38:14.660 restart

00:38:15.140 the clock

00:38:15.940 in the

00:38:16.740 present

00:38:17.060 and this

00:38:18.640 habit of

00:38:19.120 mind

00:38:19.460 allows

00:38:19.940 for a

00:38:20.380 resilience

00:38:20.940 that we

00:38:21.720 can't

00:38:22.080 otherwise

00:38:22.480 find

00:38:23.260 and there

00:38:24.320 are literally

00:38:24.720 hundreds

00:38:25.200 of opportunities

00:38:25.920 each day

00:38:26.640 to practice

00:38:27.340 it

00:38:27.600 if you notice

00:38:28.800 that a conversation

00:38:29.500 with a friend

00:38:30.360 or a family

00:38:30.900 member

00:38:31.200 or a colleague

00:38:31.900 isn't going

00:38:32.840 very well

00:38:33.260 or you're not

00:38:34.180 having fun

00:38:34.920 at a party

00:38:35.500 or you've been

00:38:36.540 trying to get

00:38:36.980 some work done

00:38:37.720 but you found

00:38:38.580 that you've just

00:38:38.940 wasted the last

00:38:39.780 hour on the

00:38:40.540 internet

00:38:40.780 or you're

00:38:41.960 working out

00:38:42.380 in the gym

00:38:42.880 but you haven't

00:38:44.040 been making

00:38:44.460 much of an effort

00:38:45.200 the moment

00:38:46.800 you notice

00:38:47.640 this ghost

00:38:49.500 of mediocrity

00:38:50.500 hovering over

00:38:51.580 the present

00:38:52.060 you can

00:38:53.280 fully exercise

00:38:54.600 it just

00:38:55.700 by beginning

00:38:56.320 again

00:38:56.740 and then

00:38:57.660 fully commit

00:38:58.580 by relinquishing

00:38:59.900 the past

00:39:00.440 there's no

00:39:02.040 real reason

00:39:02.880 why the next

00:39:04.020 10 minutes

00:39:04.820 in the gym

00:39:05.620 can't be the

00:39:06.760 best you've

00:39:07.280 had in years

00:39:08.020 there's no

00:39:09.340 real reason

00:39:09.760 why you can't

00:39:10.260 put this

00:39:10.680 conversation

00:39:11.440 that's almost

00:39:12.800 over

00:39:13.200 on a new

00:39:14.120 footing

00:39:14.400 by saying

00:39:15.100 something

00:39:15.460 that is

00:39:15.780 truly useful

00:39:16.700 so the

00:39:17.760 practice

00:39:18.120 is to

00:39:19.000 stop

00:39:19.920 telling

00:39:20.240 ourselves

00:39:20.660 a story

00:39:21.380 about what

00:39:22.320 has been

00:39:22.600 happening

00:39:22.980 and to

00:39:24.000 fully connect

00:39:24.700 with experience

00:39:25.400 in this

00:39:26.040 moment

00:39:26.320 notice this

00:39:28.340 present thought

00:39:29.020 this fear

00:39:30.480 this judgment

00:39:31.860 this doubt

00:39:33.220 this desire

00:39:34.680 to be elsewhere

00:39:35.420 as an

00:39:36.900 appearance

00:39:37.600 in consciousness

00:39:38.500 and then

00:39:40.360 just begin

00:39:41.860 again

00:39:42.240 okay

00:39:49.540 well that was

00:39:50.780 a sample

00:39:51.240 of a few

00:39:51.620 lessons

00:39:52.020 from the

00:39:52.800 waking up

00:39:53.180 app

00:39:53.460 for those

00:39:54.660 of you

00:39:54.840 who might

00:39:55.060 want to

00:39:55.280 locate this

00:39:55.840 content

00:39:56.200 on the

00:39:56.640 app

00:39:56.880 what you

00:39:57.780 heard

00:39:58.080 were the

00:39:58.380 lessons

00:39:58.760 titled

00:39:59.440 the paradox

00:40:00.760 of psychedelics

00:40:01.760 the last

00:40:02.960 time

00:40:03.420 don't meditate

00:40:04.940 because it's

00:40:05.460 good for you

00:40:05.960 the veil

00:40:07.140 of thought

00:40:07.720 the art

00:40:08.640 of doing

00:40:08.980 nothing

00:40:09.380 and begin

00:40:10.700 again

00:40:11.080 there was

00:40:12.000 also a

00:40:12.360 moment

00:40:12.720 thrown in

00:40:13.320 there

00:40:13.560 moments

00:40:14.500 are short

00:40:14.900 reflections

00:40:15.360 from 30

00:40:16.560 seconds

00:40:16.960 to 2

00:40:17.360 minutes

00:40:17.620 in length

00:40:18.080 that arrive

00:40:19.280 once or twice

00:40:19.880 a day

00:40:20.200 if you have

00:40:20.640 your notifications

00:40:21.560 turned on

00:40:22.480 generally speaking

00:40:24.040 the aim

00:40:24.600 of waking

00:40:24.980 up isn't

00:40:25.520 to just

00:40:25.840 help you

00:40:26.300 meditate

00:40:26.760 it's to

00:40:27.940 help you

00:40:28.200 live a more

00:40:28.620 examined

00:40:29.080 and fulfilling

00:40:29.700 life

00:40:30.160 altogether

00:40:30.740 and to

00:40:31.700 that end

00:40:32.020 there's no

00:40:32.340 shortage

00:40:32.640 of resources

00:40:33.240 you can

00:40:33.580 explore

00:40:34.000 in the

00:40:34.600 app

00:40:34.860 now

00:40:35.420 including

00:40:36.420 dozens

00:40:36.820 of

00:40:37.040 conversations

00:40:37.520 I've had

00:40:37.980 with

00:40:38.200 philosophers

00:40:38.700 and scholars

00:40:39.520 and contemplatives

00:40:40.720 there are other

00:40:41.740 courses with some

00:40:42.460 of the best

00:40:42.780 meditation teachers

00:40:43.680 around

00:40:44.380 and there are

00:40:45.380 discussions about

00:40:46.200 psychedelics

00:40:47.180 and sleep

00:40:47.860 and happiness

00:40:49.000 and stoicism

00:40:50.420 and effective

00:40:51.080 altruism

00:40:51.680 and much more

00:40:52.960 we recently added

00:40:54.460 the full catalog

00:40:55.180 of Alan Watts'

00:40:56.160 talks

00:40:56.640 too

00:40:57.140 which are

00:40:58.120 great fun

00:40:58.620 the app does

00:40:59.900 require a

00:41:00.500 subscription

00:41:00.880 but it's also

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00:41:02.640 who can't afford it

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00:41:12.280 in doing that

00:41:12.900 anyway

00:41:14.160 if you want

00:41:14.560 more information

00:41:15.120 about waking up

00:41:15.860 everything can be

00:41:16.860 found at

00:41:17.280 wakingup.com

00:41:18.240 our analysis

00:41:18.780 and our

00:41:20.620 economy

00:41:23.320 in number of

00:41:23.780 20

00:41:24.800 dollars

00:41:24.940 and we go

00:41:26.140 to the

00:41:26.760 co

00:41:27.800 to

00:41:28.500 a

00:41:29.480 boat

00:41:30.000 and we'll

00:41:30.400 igh

00:41:32.560 and we'll

00:41:32.920 see you in this

00:41:33.760 pond

00:41:34.880 again

00:41:37.220 as soon as you

00:41:37.940 into this

00:41:38.340 Duburop

00:41:39.080 or

00:41:40.320 let me

00:41:41.120 ouv vous

00:41:41.920 and

00:41:42.400 oui

00:41:43.180 aurot

Making Sense - Sam Harris - June 28, 2022

#286 — The Paradox of Psychedelics

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