Mind & Life

In this episode, Wendy speaks with meditation teacher and Buddhist scholar Willa Blythe Baker about her work, and how the body is relevant in meditation. They cover many topics, including: the roots of her interest in Buddhism and early experiences of Buddhism in action; a research study about meditation and real-world compassionate behavior in which she was involved and various interpretations of the results; how qualities like curiosity and compassion that we develop toward our own mental states in meditation might transfer to others; the most relevant outcomes for contemplative scientists to be measuring; role of the body in contemplative practice; three natural metaphors for what she calls "somatic mindfulness" practice; the role of letting go, and the importance of trust and how to foster it; and implications of these ideas for how we view ourselves, and our interconnection with others and the world around us. Full show notes and resources

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with cognitive scientist Anil Seth about his work on consciousness and the mind. They discuss: the idea of the brain as a prediction machine; how perception is a kind of "controlled" hallucination; the self as a construction and implications for psychiatric disorders; connections between this view of the mind and Buddhist ideas; how these views might inform our subjective experience; the important role of the body in perception; the connection between life and mind (and Anil's views on panpsychism); emotions as prediction and interoception; the question of free will; communicating science to a public audience, and other topics. Full show notes and resources

In this inaugural episode, Wendy speaks with Buddhist scholar, author, and longtime translator for the Dalai Lama, Thupten Jinpa. Their conversation covers many topics, including: how he met and started working with the Dalai Lama, and insights from 35 years of translating for him; the relationship of language and mind; how to deal with self-consciousness; the dialogue between Buddhism and science; first- and third-person ways of investigating the mind that are central to the science of meditation; sources of valid evidence and knowledge; the mind as more than the brain; the relevance of compassion for well-being and a program he developed to cultivate it; the value of mental training in the time of COVID, and other topics. Full show notes and resources

We're looking forward bringing you conversations with leading experts about mind, meditation, and more. Hear what we're about, and subscribe today so you don't miss an episode. Read more about the show in this interview with host Wendy Hasenkamp.