10% Happier with Dan Harris14 Dec 2025

Is It Possible to Uproot All Anxiety and Anger? Steve Armstrong Says Yes.

Meditation can be gorgeous… and it can be absolutely bewildering. If you've ever wondered, "Am I doing this right?" or "Why does this feel so intense?", this conversation is for you.

In this vintage conversation from 2016, Dan sits down with legendary dharma teacher Steve Armstrong for a clear, compassionate walkthrough of the progress of insight—including why meditation sometimes gets harder before it gets easier, how to navigate the so-called "dark night" phases, and how to keep going without getting lost in the weeds of self-doubt.

Steve Armstrong, our dear friend, teacher, and the founder of Vipassana Metta Dhamma Sanctuary, passed away peacefully at home on December 23, 2025. His wife and teaching partner, Kamala, was by his side. We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed to the fundraiser we shared, and held Steve and Kamala in their hearts.

Your generosity made it possible for Steve to receive the 24-hour care he needed in his final months, allowing him to remain at home with comfort and dignity. Your support also helped ease the many practical and emotional burdens Kamala carried during this time.

Steve devoted more than 40 years to teaching the Dhamma and to building Vipassana Metta Dhamma Sanctuary as a place for deep and sustained practice. His wisdom, kindness, and unwavering commitment to the path touched countless lives and will continue to live on through this work. Any future donations to this fundraiser will go toward supporting Kamala as she moves through this period of grief and transition, and as she continues the work at Vipassana Metta Dhamma Sanctuary that she and Steve began together.

If you feel moved, you can find the GoFundMe at this link. Our company has also made a significant contribution to support Steve and Kamala.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why meditation can sometimes trigger emotional turbulence
How to understand the "stages" of insight (without clinging to them)
Practical ways to stay steady when your practice feels chaotic or confusing
How to distinguish between a genuine opening and plain old overwhelm
Why equanimity isn't passive—it's powerful

Steve has spent decades helping people wake up. This episode is a chance to receive that wisdom—and, if you're able, to reflect it back with your support.

Related Episodes:

Get Happier Without Losing Your Edge | Kamala Masters

Join Dan's online community here

Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Thanks to our sponsors:
Airbnb: Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com/host.
HomeServe: Help protect your home systems and your wallet with HomeServe against covered repairs. Go to homeserve.com to find a plan that's right for you.

To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris

Det här avsnittet är hämtat från ett öppet RSS-flöde och publiceras inte av Podme. Det kan innehålla reklam.

Avsnitt(1070)

You're Gonna Be Alright No Matter What: On Facing Anger, Aging, and Loss With Humor and Grace | Sylvia Boorstein

The legendary dharma teacher on self-acceptance, the two-sentence trick she uses on her own anger, and what actually makes her happy after 90 years of living. Sylvia Boorstein, PhD, LCSW is a co-found...

29 Juli 1h 6min

How To Read People, Calm Tension, Build Trust, and Ask For What You're Worth | John Richardson

An MIT/Harvard negotiation expert on the two types of "no," the FBI hostage negotiator trick you can use with anyone, and the rhetorical move that improves outcomes for women. John Richardson teaches ...

27 Juli 1h 1min

That Feeling of "Always-Behind and Never-Enough"—Here's the Antidote | Ellen Hendriksen

Move on from the inner critic and beat perfectionism without lowering your standards. Dr. Ellen Hendriksen is a clinical psychologist who helps people calm their anxiety and be their authentic self. S...

24 Juli 1h 5min

Secrets From the Therapist's Couch: How Boundaries Actually Work, How To Come To Peace With Your Parents, and Why It's Not Too Late To Change | Lori Gottlieb

Plus: How your envy can be useful, why you're an unreliable narrator of your own life, and why you keep choosing partners who echo the unfinished business of your childhood. Lori Gottlieb is a psychot...

22 Juli 1h 15min

Joyful Anyway: Surviving the Sh*t Show of Regular Life | Kate Bowler

Why optimization is a joy blocker, how to find the 'yes' inside the 'no,' and why that restless ache you can't shake is actually your compass. Kate Bowler, PhD is a four-time New York Times bestsellin...

20 Juli 1h

Why We Crave Gurus: A Skeptic's Reckoning With Belief, Bitcoin, and Burning Man | Vikram Gandhi

What a fake guru discovered about genuine connection, why ancient wisdom survives even the most rigorous skepticism, and the real reason humans crave spiritual authority. Vikram Gandhi is an award-win...

17 Juli 55min

Anxiety, Overthinking, and Overwhelm: Buddhist Hacks For Changing Your Mind | Joseph Goldstein

Simple practices for not believing everything you think, becoming less reactive, and handling whatever life throws at you. Joseph Goldstein is a cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society and the Bar...

15 Juli 1h 9min

Perfectionism, Burnout, and Self-Doubt: Break the Loop with the Science of Mattering | Gordon Flett

Plus: combatting loneliness, turning down the volume on social comparison, and why mattering to a few people beats outperforming everyone. Gordon Flett is a Professor in the Department of Psychology a...

13 Juli 1h 6min