How To Feel Calmer, Less Stressed & More Present with Henry Shukman #632
Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee
Why a busy mind is the reason to meditate
Henry describes the brain's default mode and how meditation reveals and trains awareness of thought.
In a world of constant noise, stimulation and busyness, meditation is often framed as another self-improvement tool – something to calm us down, make us more productive or fix what feels broken. But this week’s returning guest believes that this way of thinking completely misses the point.
Henry Shukman is an authorised Zen Master and Director of the Mountain Cloud Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Over the years, Henry has taught meditation at organisations including Google, Harvard Business School and the Esalen Institute, and is the co-founder of ‘The Way’ meditation app.
Henry and I had the most beautiful conversation when he first appeared on my podcast on Episode 590 and his app ‘The Way’ has had such a profound impact on me, that I wanted to have a second conversation with him to explore deeper the benefits and misconceptions about meditation and the powerful role it can play in our busy, 21st century lives. I have also partnered with The Way for a free March meditation challenges - you can see all details at thewayapp.com/livemore
Henry sees meditation not as a technique for becoming a better version of ourselves, but as a way of reconnecting with something far more fundamental. Beneath all the striving, planning and doing, he says, there is already a deep sense of aliveness and meaning. Meditation simply helps us notice it again.
In our conversation, we explore:
- Why having a busy, restless mind does not mean you’re “bad” at meditation – and why that restlessness is actually the very reason the practice exists
- How modern life keeps our attention relentlessly outward, and why daily stillness can help us reconnect with our inner world
- Why meditation works best when it’s not treated as another task on the to-do list, but as a place of rest from constant doing
- Why five minutes a day is often more powerful than occasional long meditation sessions
- How meditation can subtly change our experience of time, helping life feel richer and fuller
- Simple, practical guidance on when to meditate, how often - and why comfort matters far more than posture or “doing it right”
What stayed with me most from this conversation is Henry’s reminder of how rarely we’re encouraged to turn inward. In a world that constantly pulls our attention outside ourselves, meditation becomes a way of rebuilding that inner relationship – one that many of us didn’t realise we’d lost. Just a few minutes, practised regularly, can change how we relate to our thoughts, our time and our lives.
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Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/632
DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.
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