DiscoverDharma LabDL Ep.8: Overthinking and Rumination (Part 1)
DL Ep.8: Overthinking and Rumination (Part 1)

DL Ep.8: Overthinking and Rumination (Part 1)

Update: 2025-09-26
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In this week’s podcast, Cort and Richie explore why the mind so often gets stuck in rumination, how our evolutionary wiring and contrast-detecting brains fuel it, and what contemplative practices can do to shift us from anxious loops into clarity and balance.

Reminder: our second AMA (ask me anything with Cort + Richie) is on Tuesday, September 30th at 8pm ET. Please send your question in advance!

See chapter list below.

In case you missed it, check out a written contextual summary of this podcast here:

Podcast Chapter List

0:00:00 - Intro

3:43:00 - What is Rumination, and what advantages does it provide?

8:12:00 - Why do we so often focus on the negative when we ruminate?

14:48:00 - The evolutionary threat response, and how meditation helps you see it more clearly

18:00:00 - The toxicity of chronic stress

22:02:00 - Another benefit to mental time travel: the ability to develop a sense of purpose

24:00:00 - Regaining agency over our minds, and not classifying aspects as “good” or “bad”



This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dharmalabco.substack.com/subscribe
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DL Ep.8: Overthinking and Rumination (Part 1)

DL Ep.8: Overthinking and Rumination (Part 1)

Dharma Lab, Dr. Richard Davidson, and Dr. Cortland Dahl