About this episode
Dan Harris is the author of 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works--A True Story.The book was published in March 2014 and appeared number 1 on the New York Times Bestseller List. His most recent book is Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics: A 10% Happier How-to Book. He hosts the 10% Happier podcast. He was named co-anchor of ABC News' "Nightline" in October 2013. He is also co-anchor of the weekend edition of "Good Morning America," a position he has held since October 2010. As well, Harris files reports for "World News with David Muir," "Good Morning America," ABC News Digital and ABC News Radio. For four years, he anchored "World News Sunday." Harris joined ABC News in March 2000 and has covered many of the biggest stories in recent years. He reported on the mass shootings in Newtown, Connecticut, Aurora, Colorado and Tucson, Arizona, and natural disasters from Haiti to Myanmar to New Orleans. He has also covered combat in Afghanistan, Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank, and has made six visits to Iraq. He has traveled around the globe for ABC News, embedding with an isolated Amazonian Indian tribe, questioning drug lords in the lawless slums of Rio, and confronting the head of Philip Morris International over the sale of cigarettes to Indonesian minors. Harris has made it a priority to shine a light on the world's most vulnerable populations, producing stories about child slaves in Haiti, youths accused of witchcraft in the Congo and predatory pedophiles who travel from the U.S. to Cambodia. He has also covered endangered animals from such diverse datelines as Namibia, Madagascar, Papua New Guinea and Nepal. Domestically, Harris has led ABC News' coverage of faith, with a particular focus on the evangelical movement. He scored one of the first interviews with former pastor Ted Haggard after his sex and drugs scandal. He has also interviewed Mormon apostles, Roman Catholic cardinals, self-help gurus, and atheists. Harris has been honored several times for his journalistic contributions. He received an Edward R. Murrow Award for his reporting on a young Iraqi man who received the help he needed in order to move to America, and in 2009 won an Emmy Award for his "Nightline" report, "How to Buy a Child in Ten Hours." In 2013, he received the ASPCA's Presidential Service Award for Media Excellence. Summary and Transcript of this interview Interview conducted 8/3/2014 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to the Interview with Dan Harris 00:02:16 - The Train That Can't Be Stopped 00:04:40 - Mixed Reactions to the Video 00:06:21 - The Dark Path and Self-Medication 00:08:23 - The Connection between Adrenaline and Panic Attacks 00:10:18 - Diving into the World of Religion 00:12:45 - Introduction to Eckhart Tolle and His Book 00:15:15 - The Voice in Your Head 00:17:04 - The Claims of Tole and Weber 00:18:30 - The Confusing Nature of the Interviewee 00:20:18 - Persecution of Outliers in Society 00:22:02 - Challenging Our Subconscious Judgments 00:23:41 - The Limitations of Articulating Truth 00:25:19 - Frustration with the Self-Help Universe 00:27:00 - The Problem with Positive Thinking 00:28:45 - The Problem with "Positive Thinking" 00:30:39 - The Power of Cognitive-based Spiritual Practices 00:32:36 - The Science Behind Meditation and Overcoming Skepticism 00:35:06 - Deepak Chopra's Charisma and Likability 00:36:56 - Dive into Buddhist Meditation 00:39:05 - Discovering the Benefits of Meditation 00:41:42 - The Effects of Meditation on Happiness 00:43:59 - Getting Lost in Meditation 00:46:27 - Finding Ambition and Contentment 00:49:11 - Balancing Ambition and Acceptance 00:51:40 - Living in the Present and Letting Go of the Outcome 00:54:02 - Spirituality in the Lives of Regular People 00:56:37 - The Connection Between Individual Minds and Global Issues 00:58:44 - The Sacred Dimension of Existence 01:01:22 - Challenging Worldviews through Meditation 01:03:56 - About Batgap.com