The Science of Gratitude

Prof. Andrew Huberman from Stanford University takes us through the research on the neurobiology of gratitude. In this 90 minute lecture he explains how gratitude heals past traumas and protects us against their experience in the future.

He also lays out what is and what isn't effective in activating the pro-social neural networks that leads to enhanced effectiveness in personal relationships.

Whether or not you are really into the science of this it is worth watching and I certainly learned a lot. For example that receiving gratitude is more effective in producing the above effects than giving it. But, and I think this is even more prescient for our practice, that it is not necessary to have gratitude pointed to oneself, if we hear stories about others receiving gratitude that also works just as well as receiving it yourself! What seems to be key is to hear stories of people receiving help from 'others'. What does this mean if we only expose ourselves to stories of helplessness or human selfishness?

I'm also pondering how this impacts on our own devotional practices, not only in giving gratitude to the Buddha through offerings, chanting turning over merit etc. What does this mean if we genuinely sense the guidance and help of the Heart-Buddha, in our own lives? In much of religion there is the cultivation of the person to a 'spiritual source' of one kind or another, that informs and guides the person throughout life. We might say that this is the primary function of all spiritual/religious practices to wake up to this relationship with this source. If our devotional offerings are consciously linked to this awareness perhaps this might explain the robust data around the increased resilience faith can give to people facing difficulties in life. If you are interested in this lecture see below for the video.

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Forthcoming events for this week:

Tuesday 31st May we are having our next tutorial on module 5 of our course. We start at 1900 hours BST, Zoom details are as follows:

Martin Goodson is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Module 5 Tutorial: Ethical Living

Time: May 31, 2022 07:00 PM London

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We also have our weekly live-streamed Zazen meditation on Thursday at 1900hrs BST. See the meditation room for the link.

Have a good week!