Grow Wiser: Nourishing Conscious Hearts and Minds with Dilip Jeste MD and Lama Palden Drolma
Original Air Date Wednesday, August 10, 2022
During the 2000s, the number of people who say they are lonely has doubled and the number of suicides has gone up by 33% in the US. The recent COVID pandemic has only served to exacerbate these conditions. The one group that has fared better in terms of happiness and well-being is the elderly.
To discover why maturity brings resilience and wisdom, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two authors about unearthing the innate goodness in all of us, nourishing conscious hearts and why it should be shared with younger generations. Dr. Dilip Jeste describes the key tenets of his book, Wiser: The Scientific Roots of Wisdom, Compassion, and What Makes Us Good and describes the importance of multi-generational families. Lama Palden Drolma shares principles from her book and meditation, Love on Every Breath: Tonglen Meditation for Transforming Pain Into Joy, and ways we can be compassionate even to those who challenge us.
Dr. Dilip Jeste — Grow Wiser:
- Older adults can be a wellspring of wisdom and resilience, especially during times of human suffering. [3:00]
- We can learn to be wiser or accelerate the accumulation of wisdom but we need social connection, empathy, conscious hearts, and compassion. [6:03]
- Dr. Jeste offers tips to broaden compassion and empathy. [11:38]
- Dr. Dilip Jeste explains why he focuses his time on Positive Psychiatry and treating the whole person for optimal living. [14:28]
- Tracking the happiness level of the average human and how a grandparents’ involvement in a child’s life is beneficial. [19:53/li>
- The Serenity prayer continues to be a guide for Dr. Jeste. [22:20]
Dilip Jeste, MD, is the senior associate dean for healthy aging and senior care, professor of psychiatry and neurosciences, and director of the Center for Healthy Aging at UC San Diego. He is the past president of the American Psychiatric Association. A neuropsychiatrist specializing in geriatric issues, Jeste has spent more than 20 years studying aspects of healthy aging and the neurobiological roots of wisdom.
Book: Wiser: The Scientific Roots of Wisdom, Compassion, and What Makes Us Good
Dilip Jeste MD
@UCSDHealthyAging on Twitter
UCSD Healthy Aging on Facebook
Lama Palden Drolma— Nourishing Conscious Hearts:
- Lama Palden Drolma shares her passion for Buddhism and how she moved from student to teacher after finding her guide. [27:27]
- Lama’s Love on Every Breath is a profound meditation that inhales suffering and expels white light and healing energy. [32:42]
- Lama explains why we hold our breath when we feel stress or anxiety. [39:26]
- Lama explains the connection between self-love and giving love and compassion to those we may find challenging. [42:48]
- The cultivation of love and compassion is a major part of the spiritual path of Tibetan Buddhism. [41:17]
- The intention of love is a very active process and part of a human’s true nature. [48:40]
Lama Palden Drolma is the author of Love on Every Breath. A licensed psychotherapist, spiritual teacher, and coach, she has studied Buddhism in the Himalayas with some of the most preeminent Tibetan masters of the twentieth century. Following a traditional three-year retreat under his guidance, Kalu Rinpoche authorized her to become one of the first Western lamas. She subsequently founded the Sukhasiddhi Foundation, a Tibetan Buddhist teaching center in Fairfax, California.
Book: Love on Every Breath: Tonglen Meditation for Transforming Pain Into Joy
Lama Palden Website
@LamaPalden on Twitter
@LamaPaldenOfficial on Instagram
This podcast episode of Harvesting Happiness Talk Radio about conscious hearts is sponsored by:
Are We Happy Yet? Eight Keys to Unlocking a Joyful Life — A boot camp manual for greater emotional fitness. Happiness waits for no one and sometimes we all need support. What is getting in the way of your happiness right now?
H–Factor: Where is Your Heart? — Lisa’s documentary film explores the journey of human happiness. Emotions are contagious and happiness is a universally desired state. We tend to forget we all have the freedom to be happy or the liberty to be miserable each day.
“COVID pales in comparison to running for your life.” @LisaKamen on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“We need a certain level of conflict because it's what teaches us how to handle life when life isn't easy.” @LisaKamen on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“When we suspend judgment we are able to activate empathy and compassion.” @LisaKamen on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“Be a joy generator. Get out there and be a source of happiness for yourself and others.” @LisaKamen on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“The breath is a natural anti-anxiety (practice), if we use it.” @LisaKamen on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“Good breathwork helps reduce cortisol in the body which helps us to manage adrenaline.” @LisaKamen on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“Loneliness has doubled and the number of suicides has gone up by 33% in the US from opioid use.” @UCSDHealthyAging on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“Many older people are role models for wisdom and resilience. There is a lot to learn from them.” @UCSDHealthyAging on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“Wisdom is a personality trait.” @UCSDHealthyAging on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“There are studies and randomized controlled trials that have shown you can increase emotional regulation, or empathy and compassion.” @UCSDHealthyAging on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“People get happier as they get older.” @UCSDHealthyAging on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“20% of the U.S. population has a mental illness but 100% of the population has mental health.” @UCSDHealthyAging on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“We find that people in their 80s and 90s are happier than people in their 20s and 30s.” @UCSDHealthyAging on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“When grandparents are involved in raising grandchildren those children grow up and they have fewer emotional and psychological problems.” @UCSDHealthyAging on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“Older, wiser, happier people can help younger generations.” @UCSDHealthyAging on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“A lot of us are taking in suffering all the time or feeling our own suffering or other people's suffering and it just gets stuck inside of us.” @LamaPalden on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“The breath is an amazingly powerful tool for awakening and healing and transformation.” @LamaPalden on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“The breath is an amazing tool to help bring the mind-body together into harmony.” @LamaPalden on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“The combination of awareness and breath when those are joined is amazing to relieve anxiety and calm our system down.” @LamaPalden on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“All beings are worthy of love, including ourselves.” @LamaPalden on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“Research is starting to show that we have innate kindness and care for others.” @LamaPalden on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet
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