The FitMind Podcast: Mental Fitness, Neuroscience & Psychology

#97: Predictive Processing & Ultimate Well-Being - Shamil Chandaria, PhD

Dec 17, 2024

Shamil Chandaria, a visionary expert in consciousness, neuroscience, and AI, dives deep into how our brains construct reality through the Bayesian brain theory. He reveals how meditation breaks habitual thought patterns, enhancing our awareness of consciousness. The conversation explores the free energy principle and its implications for emotional well-being, alongside the transformative effects of psychedelics. Chandaria also discusses the fascinating relationship between gamma brain waves and long-term meditation, offering insights into new frontiers of mental fitness.

01:18:57

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Shamil Chandaria

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Quick takeaways

Dr. Shamil Chandaria explains the Bayesian brain theory, emphasizing how the brain constructs reality through prediction and perception updates.

The podcast highlights the transformative role of meditation in fostering spiritual awakening and overcoming egoic patterns for deeper consciousness.

Chandaria discusses the Free Energy Principle, illustrating how it aids well-being by minimizing prediction errors and emotional responses to experiences.

Deep dives

The Intersection of AI and Meditation

Meditation practices share interesting parallels with artificial intelligence, particularly in how the brain constructs internal representations of reality. The speaker discusses a mathematical framework that describes these processes, proposing that awareness exists beyond the perceived self. This aligns with the Bayesian brain hypotheses and predictive processing, emphasizing that our conscious experiences are generated within us, showcasing a complex internal model instead of a direct perception of the external world. Understanding this connection can lead to significant insights into both consciousness and human experience.

Intro

3min

Awakening and Perception: The Mind's Inner Workings

18min

Understanding Free Energy and Emotion Regulation

33min

The Journey from Childhood Innocence to Wisdom

3min

Psychedelics and Meditation: A Journey of Perception

16min

The Relationship Between Gamma Waves and Long-Term Meditation

4min

Exploring Innovative Modalities for Well-being

2min

In this episode, Dr. Shamil Chandaria, an expert in consciousness, neuroscience, and AI, shares insights from his work on human experience and the intersection of technology and well-being.

He discusses the Bayesian brain theory and the free energy principle, explaining how the brain constructs reality by predicting and updating perceptions to reduce uncertainty and surprise.

Chandaria also explores how meditation helps break habitual thought patterns, offering a deeper awareness of how the brain shapes our experience and revealing profound insights into consciousness.

FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind

Website: www.fitmind.org

Show Notes

0:00 | Introduction to Dr. Shamil Chandaria

3:38 | Spiritual Awakening in Human Flourishing

4:31 | How the Brain Predicts Reality - Bayesian Brain Explained

9:26 | AI & the Human Brain

21:33 | Free Energy Principle in Wellbeing

37:30 | Befriending Difficult Emotions

43:30 | Boundless Awareness

54:00 | Effortless Action

57:17 | Psychedelics & Bayesian Brain

1:07:29 | Default Mode Network & Predictive Processing

1:13:12 | Gamma Brain Waves in Long-Term Meditators Research

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