Mind & Life

Psychologist and contemplative researcher Simon Goldberg discusses the science behind meditation, the importance of control groups, common factors in healing interventions, individualizing contemplative practice, challenges in measuring meditation effects, delivering interventions through apps, and the potential of AI in supporting meditation practice.

Explore contemplative leadership with Diana Chapman Walsh, focusing on self-reflection, vulnerability, interconnectedness, and trustworthy leadership. Discover how to build community in the face of the climate crisis, accelerate positive change through feedback loops, and the power of storytelling in leadership.

Explore the intersection of psychology, meditation, and science with Daniel Goleman. Learn about emotional intelligence, contemplative science, social emotional learning in education, McMindfulness, nonconceptual states, science communication, latest research on emotional intelligence in organizations, and how awareness is showing up in the world.

In this episode, Wendy speaks with neuroscientist Robin Nusslock. Robin has long been interested in the mind through both scientific and Buddhist lenses, and he trained with Richie Davidson. His work focuses on the brain's role in our emotional life, how stress impacts many of our bodily systems, as well as social determinants of health. This conversation covers many topics, including: his long interest in mind & Buddhism; basic pathways of how stress gets into the body; how the brain learns threat and safety; effects of early life trauma on brain and behavior; our brain's reward systems and relevance to Buddhist ideas; craving and addiction; pathways toward change, neuroplasticity and pause; social and environmental determinants of health; epigenetics and intergenerational trauma; biology is not destiny; how we can intervene and promote flourishing; family-level interventions; reducing exposure to adversity; economic interventions (e.g., universal basic income); teaching science and research to Tibetan monastics; studying lucid dreaming with monks; and fruits of the exchange between Buddhism and science. Full show notes and resources

Wendy speaks with philosopher Hanne De Jaegher. They discuss sense-making and embodiment in cognition, the primacy of interaction, emotional capacity and dementia, understanding autistic individuals, problems with social media discouraging interaction, the tension between self and interdependence, and applying these ideas to our relationship with nature.

Grant Jones, musician, contemplative, researcher, and activist, discusses blending music, psychology, contemplation, and activism. They explore music and mindfulness for healing race-based anxiety, collaborating with notable musicians, the absence of research on black music, pleasure activism, balancing structure and freedom, the Black Lotus Collective, and the link between psychedelics and meditation.

Psychosocial oncology researcher Linda Carlson speaks about mindfulness and contemplative practices in cancer patients. Topics include early clinical trials, meditation and cancer stress, re-evaluating self and identity, mindfulness and cellular aging, inflammation impacts, increasing accessibility in health care, and building an academic society for contemplative research.

In this episode, social psychologist and contemplative researcher Paul Condon discusses his work integrating Buddhism and psychology, measuring compassion in the real world, meditation's effects on prosocial behavior, understanding attachment styles, and the limitations of viewing meditation as self-help. He emphasizes the relational starting point of meditation, the power of mental simulation, and how these practices can offer in our current moment as a society.

This episode features a conversation with Marieke Van Vugt, who discusses her interests in meditation, dance, and cognitive science. They explore topics such as computer modeling of mind and meditation, distraction and mind wandering, trauma through the lens of predictive models, collaborating with Tibetan monastics, the roots of thinking in the body, and advice for young scholars.

Gastroenterologist Emeran Mayer explores the mind-body connection, microbiome research, gut-brain interactions, and the concept of the 'second brain.' He discusses the impact of stress and diet on gut permeability, the importance of microbial diversity, and the role of antibiotics. Additionally, he delves into the development of the microbiome in pregnancy and infancy, the implications for our concept of self, and the need for a feminine perspective in our world.