Andrea Polard: The Two Wings of Happiness
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Tami Simon speaks with Dr. Andrea Polard, a clinical psychologist and the founder of the Los Angeles Center for Zen Psychology. Andrea has an extensive background in psychodynamic therapies, meditation, and mind-body work. With Sounds True, she has authored the book A Unified Theory of Happiness: An East-Meets-West Approach to Fully Loving Your Life. In this episode, Tami speaks with Andrea about the two “wings of happiness”—what she calls the active Basic Mode and the receptive Supreme Mode. Andrea also talks about the role of relationships in happiness, how ambition can either uplift or burden us, and why happiness is actually a commitment. (59 minutes)
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This author and therapist demonstrates a keen mind and an open heart in her ability to synthesize Eastern and Western teachings. Her articulation of the Survival, Basic, and Supreme modes of being–and the importance of each–is most helpful in navigating our way in relationships and in life.
Sherrie Vavrichek, LCSW-C
Author of Compassionate Assertiveness: How to Express Your Needs and Deal With Conflict While Keeping a Kind Heart (Publication date: Aug. 2012)
Comment by Sherrie Vavrichek — April 28, 2012 @ 7:36 am
Interesting interview, thanks Tami Simon! It’s good to know these perspectives are reaching a wider audience & new generations.
I had to laugh, though, when Tami said to Dr Polard (of the 2 modes of consciousness): “did this categorisation emerge to you as an original observation…”
It appears that Dr Polard is unfamiliar with some of the most celebrated literature (in related fields) of the 20th century.
Martin Buber’s I-It and I-Thou modes, Arthur Deikman’s Active and Receptive modes, and Marion Milner’s (Joanna Field) Masculine and Feminine modes all spring most immediately to mind.
I do hope that someone (at Sounds True or elsewhere) will introduce Dr Polard to these wonderful, not-YET-antiquated-into-oblivion 20th century authors – she really ought to read them!
Comment by Jenny — May 5, 2012 @ 2:51 pm
That’s funny! My comment about Dr Polard’s apparently unknown or unacknowledged intellectual predecessors just disappeared!
Is there something wrong with my browser?
Comment by Jenny — May 5, 2012 @ 4:02 pm
Another outstanding interview! Thank you!
Comment by Evelyn — May 6, 2012 @ 8:18 pm
I have already listened twice to this bit and I am going to listen to it again and again. In addition to the content, I love Andrea’s vibe and real happiness and harmony and warmth she radiates. I wish I could learn to be a bit like that myself.
Comment by Magda Turek — May 8, 2012 @ 2:55 pm
I had a feeling this evening that I could spend my life listening to different podcasts on Soundstrue.com.
All the values and wisdom that is trully crucial to life. I went to admire the sunset on the seaside and than came back and I keep on watching your material. I love the website.
Comment by Magda Turek — May 8, 2012 @ 2:58 pm
An insight I took from this conversation is just how complex this business of life is. It is like an extremely complex computer game that is so complex it can never be mastered or won and therefore we never tire of it. The best we can do is fasten our seatbelts and hold on for a sometimes bumpy ride.
A few good directios seem to be to be a good best friend for ourself and to say yes to the ideas of others more and more often.
Comment by Stanley — June 3, 2012 @ 11:37 am
Meditation for true happiness confirms that true happiness is found inside us. The feelings of satisfaction and completeness that we often seek outside ourselves are actually part of our basic personality. Sorry to say, we have become so used to looking outside of ourselves for happiness that we often do not know how to find out this inner wealth.
Comment by Meditation for true happiness — April 8, 2013 @ 7:30 am