The Powerful Combination of Concentration and Insight

We all know what it’s like to feel scattered, stuck in our own mental loops, unable to actually move through the hard stuff. What the Buddha was pointing to with “right concentration” is that a settled, unified mind isn’t just a nice meditation bonus — it’s the thing that gives your insight real power to cut through.

In this talk, I dig into a remarkable ancient teaching by a nun named Dhammadinnā, exploring how concentration works together with virtue and wisdom to actually move you from suffering toward genuine release. Think of it like pairing a sharp blade with real heft behind it — one without the other just doesn’t get you through the thicket.

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up at https://rickhanson.com/wednesday-meditations-with-dr-rick-hanson/. We always start with a guided meditation to set the tone for the evening. If you’d like to experience the meditation that accompanied this talk, you can listen to it at: https://rickhanson.com/talk-meditation-the-powerful-combination-of-concentration-and-insight/

And if you'd like to check out any of my online programs at https://rickhanson.com/online-courses/, you can receive 20% off by using coupon code PW20 during checkout.