052: Exploring Consciousness: A Deep Dive into the Mind, Science, and Entrepreneurship with NextSense Founder Jonathan Berent

What does the founder of NextSense, a former Google X director, have to share about the fascinating world of consciousness and the mind-body connection? Jonathan (JB) Berent – an avid practitioner of polyphasic sleep, lucid dreaming enthusiast, and someone deeply interested in altered states of consciousness – takes us through his journey in this enlightening conversation. We unpack his fascination for the interplay between subjective experiences and science, touching upon his spiritual practices and unique sleep routine.
Our conversation takes a deep dive into the world of altered states of consciousness, not just from a theoretical standpoint but from Jonathan's own experiences and observations. We also discuss the scientific measurements of these states and how they are clinically oriented around wake and sleep states. From Jonathan's personal experiences, we get an intriguing insight into the concept of flow and how it can bridge the subjective with the objective. We also touch upon the physiological processes that our brain undergoes during these states and how we can observe and comprehend what's happening.
In the latter part of our conversation, we examine the role of ego in entrepreneurship and how to mindfully manage it. Using his own experiences, Jonathan illustrates the power of dreams and the delicate balance between ambition and surrender. He also shares how the teachings of Saad Guru, a renowned yogi and visionary, have shaped his journey and helped him make better decisions. So, sit back and join us on this mind-expanding exploration of consciousness, science, and much more.
A bit about JB:
Jonathan "JB" Berent is a visionary leader who is passionate about exploring human consciousness and unlocking its full potential. As the CEO and Founder of NextSense, he has combined his extensive business experience with cutting-edge scientific research to develop innovative biosensing wearables.

Throughout his executive career, JB has managed teams of more than 110 people and overseen budgets of $50M or more at public companies Oracle and Google. However, in 2016, he decided to follow his lifelong passion for exploring the connection between the mind and body and left sales and partnerships to focus on developing brain-sensing technologies at X, the moonshot factory.

JB's innovative work has earned him numerous speaking engagements at prestigious universities such as Stanford and UCSF, as well as conferences such as the Chan Zuckerberg BioHub and the Stanford Medicine Big Data Health. In June 2022, he was featured in a long-read cover story in Wired magazine, which highlighted his groundbreaking work in the field of biosensing wearables.

JB graduated with Honors from Stanford University with a Philosophy and Religious Studies degree.