What is a Good Life?

What is a Good Life? #106 - Exploring Meaning In The Universe with Mona Sobhani, Ph.D.

Jan 21, 2025

In this enlightening conversation, cognitive neuroscientist Mona Sobhani shares her journey of reconnecting with a meaningful universe. She discusses finding inner peace amid chaos and the role of synchronicity in shaping our paths. Mona reflects on emotional resilience during a life-threatening wildfire and explores the authenticity of spiritual practices in modern life. The dialogue further delves into reincarnation and past life experiences, blending science and spirituality to uncover deeper truths about consciousness and emotional healing.

01:08:09

Creator website

Episode guests

Mona Sobhani

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

The pursuit of inner peace and personal healing is increasingly recognized as vital for fulfillment beyond traditional milestones of success.

Practicing emotional regulation techniques, such as meditation and breathing exercises, is essential for cultivating calm in chaotic situations.

Exploring past lives can serve as an emotional healing tool, offering insights into current challenges that may transcend present-life experiences.

Deep dives

Exploring the Meaning of Life

The main inquiry addressed is the evolving understanding of life’s purpose. Initially, the pursuit of happiness and success was viewed as key goals, but this perspective shifted after a realization that such milestones do not necessarily lead to fulfillment. Instead, the focus has turned to inner peace and contentment, emphasizing the need for personal healing to better serve others. This transformation reflects a broader societal trend where unresolved emotional conflicts hinder individual and collective well-being.

Intro

3min

Navigating the Search for Meaning and Inner Peace

4min

Navigating Emotional Turmoil During Crisis

5min

Navigating Spiritual Authenticity

12min

Exploring Reincarnation and Synchronicity

22min

Exploring Consciousness and Past Lives

17min

Embracing Flow: The Journey to a Good Life

5min

On the 106th episode of What is a Good Life? podcast, I am delighted to introduce our guest, Mona Sobhani, Ph.D. Mona is a cognitive neuroscientist, author, and entrepreneur. A former research scientist at the University of Southern California (USC), she holds a doctorate in neuroscience from USC and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Vanderbilt University. She is the author of the Ommie 2022 Best Spiritual Book Proof of Spiritual Phenomena: A Neuroscientist’s Discovery of the Ineffable Mysteries of the Universe, which is also a recipient of the 2023 Scientific and Medical Network Book Prize. In her newsletter, Cosmos, Coffee, & Consciousness, she writes about science & spirituality, altered states of consciousness, emergent phenomena, and self-transformation. She is co-founder of The Phoenix Era, a multidisciplinary coaching practice for those seeking deeper meaning and connection. She is also co-founder of Exploring Consciousness, a community of curious scientists seeking to understand consciousness. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, VOX, and other media outlets.

In this enlightening conversation, Mona shares her experience of reconnecting with a sense of a meaningful universe and the impact it has had on her life. We discuss how to find inner peace amidst chaos, the role of synchronicity in shaping meaning, the influence of family and tradition, and the exploration of past lives and emotional release.

This whole conversation invites you to explore meaning and reconnect with nature and the universe in a way that brings more flow, curiosity, and flexibility to your life experience.

For further content and information check out the following:
- Mona's website: https://www.monasobhaniphd.com/
- Mona's newsletter: https://monasobhaniphd.substack.com/

- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
- The Silent Conversations: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/the-silent-conversations

Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, take part in my 5-week Silent Conversation group courses, discuss experiences I create to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams, or you simply want to get in touch.

00:00 Introduction

03:00 How to find peace & serve others

07:00 Finding your centre amidst chaos & life

16:00 Unravelling sense of control & understanding

21:40 Realising the Universe is a meaningful place

28:00 Noting fortune telling moments in the family

31:40 Connecting with yourself and the universe

41:00 The significance of synchronicity

45:53 Past life regressions

01:02:54 What is a good life for Mona?

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.