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Tara Brach Interview (Full Episode) | The Tim Ferriss Show (Podcast)

Tara Brach (@TaraBrach) is a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and one of the leading teachers of Buddhist thinking and meditation in the Western world. She is the founder of the Insight Meditation Community in Washington, D.C. and her lectures are downloaded hundreds of thousands of times each month at tarabrach.com. This tactical conversation offers you techniques for addressing loneliness, anger, self-hatred, the “trance of unworthiness,” and much more. Intro [00:00] From planning to be a lawyer to moving into an ashram [6:52] The relentless desire for self-improvement, aka the trance of unworthiness [13:02] The sad turning point in the ashram [19:52] On arranged marriages [26:57] Can one be a mindful hedonist? [32:17] Balancing anger, productivity, and meditation [39:52] Defining the egoic state [49:22] The foundations of a healthy meditation process [53:12] The angry army sergeant in mindfulness class [59:37] The first hour of Tara’s day [1:05:32] Deconstructing meditation: sitting positions, hand positions, and more [1:07:27] My own practice as a beginner meditator [1:23:17] Pros and cons of hiring a TM [1:26:32] How to use Tara’s guided meditations [1:31:42] Recommended books on mindfulness [1:34:57] Managing FOMO in the internet age [1:40:57] Tara's billboard [1:51:22] Favorite music [1:54:32] Favorite T.V. show that might surprise you [1:55:18] Favorite documentaries [1:56:12] A favorite purchase of $100 or less [1:57:37] "Take the chance of being more vulnerable" [1:58:42] Tara Brach’s request for the audience [2:03:42] Connect with Tara Brach: Like Tara Brach on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tarabrach Follow Tara Brach on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TaraBrach Tara Brach on Meditation and Overcoming FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) Show Notes: http://fourhourworkweek.com/2015/07/31/tara-brach/ SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/1dSzTkW About Tim Ferriss: Tim Ferriss is one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Business People” and an early-stage tech investor/advisor in Uber, Facebook, Twitter, Shopify, Duolingo, Alibaba, and 50+ other companies. He is also the author of five #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers: The 4-Hour Workweek, The 4-Hour Body, The 4-Hour Chef, Tools of Titans and Tribe of Mentors. The Observer and other media have named him “the Oprah of audio” due to the influence of his podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show, which has exceeded 200 million downloads and been selected for “Best of iTunes” three years running. Connect with Tim Ferriss: Visit the Tim Ferriss PODCAST: https://bit.ly/2rYjUBr Visit the Tim Ferriss BLOG: http://bit.ly/17jDHw3 Like Tim Ferriss on FACEBOOK: http://on.fb.me/1avYUxq Follow Tim Ferriss on TWITTER: http://bit.ly/17d94TE Follow Tim Ferriss on INSTAGRAM: http://bit.ly/2IfH37J Follow Tim Ferriss on INSTAGRAM: http://bit.ly/2IfH37J

Tim FerrisshostTara Brachguest

Oct 29, 20152h 8mWatch on YouTube ↗

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WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Tara Brach on Radical Acceptance, Presence, and Befriending Fear and Unworthiness

Brach recounts her path from a driven, hedonistic teen to a decade in an ashram, and describes how an abusive public humiliation by its leader after a miscarriage became the turning point toward committing to self-acceptance.
She explains the 'trance of unworthiness' and the Buddhist practice of 'I see you, Mara; let's have tea' as two wings of presence, recognizing what is here and making space for it, which she says is the ground for effective action rather than passivity.
Responding to Ferriss's worry about losing his competitive edge, Brach frames meditation as evolution's strategy for bringing out human potential and argues the edge worth keeping is empathy, collaboration, and creativity.
The two trade practical meditation tips, including relaxing the body, a half smile, sitting upright, noting thoughts, starting with a few minutes daily, and using skillful means, and Brach compares concentration practices like TM with mindfulness.
They also cover fear of missing out, taking sabbaticals, willingness to feel fear and vulnerability, and Brach's relationship rituals, school mindfulness projects, and free resources.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Self-acceptance precedes real change

After being publicly berated by her ashram leader, Brach chose to trust her own goodness rather than internalize the badness, echoing Carl Rogers's idea that acceptance of oneself frees us to change.

Presence has two wings: recognize and make space

Brach reads the Buddha's 'I see you, Mara; let's have tea' as honest recognition of what is happening plus a caring allowance for it, which becomes the foundation for responding rather than reacting.

Acceptance is a base for action, not a passive stance

Brach answers Ferriss's fear of getting 'too chill' by saying radical acceptance is not our permanent stance but the grounds from which we act with our full capacities rather than from reactivity.

Pausing can change how we see others

Her story of the Army surgeon in the supermarket line shows that noticing anger and the fear beneath it opened him to seeing a widowed mother and her daughter.

Naming experience loosens its grip

Noting 'thinking' or 'angry' when the mind wanders creates space and a pattern interrupt, and Brach says it reduces identification with the thought so one can choose what to do with it.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

Meditation is evolution's strategy to bring out our full potential.

— Tara Brach

So he said, "I see you, Mara," and that's considered the first wing of presence, seeing what's here. And then the second, "Come, let's have tea," is instead of fighting what's here in the moment, there's making space for it.

— Tara Brach

When you name something, you're not as identified with it. And that, that's the thing. It doesn't control you as much.

— Tara Brach

To become fearless, you need to feel fear.

— Tara Brach

The real ask would be to pause enough so that you can contact what's really going on inside you, and pause enough so that you can look at another and see the goodness that's there, and mirror it back some.

— Tara Brach

Trance of unworthinessRadical acceptance and self-befriendingInviting Mara to teaGetting started with meditationConcentration vs. mindfulness (TM)Fear of missing out and sabbaticalsVulnerability in relationships

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