Dr. Philippe Douyon explores the incredible power of neuroplasticity and how it can reshape our brains at any age. He busts myths about mental change, revealing how inherited mindsets affect our thinking. Discover key strategies for brain health, like diet, exercise, and lifelong learning. The conversation delves into the impacts of stress and the importance of happiness in mental fitness. Practical tips for managing neurological disorders, along with insights on the benefits of fasting and personalized nutrition, provide listeners with actionable ways to enhance their cognitive resilience.

In this episode, psychologist Adam Dorsay, PsyD, explores the importance of human connection and its impact on well-being. He introduces the four types of connection and examines their role in resilience and life satisfaction. The discussion highlights the science behind relationships, the role of vulnerability in building meaningful bonds, and the value of awe in deepening connections. Dr. Dorsay provides practical insights for fostering connection in personal relationships, work, and the natural world, offering strategies to enhance purpose and well-being.   FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.org   Show Notes 0:00 | Introduction to Dr. Adam Dorsay 1:45 | 4 Types of Connection 10:02 | Neuroscience of Connection 21:09 | How to “Know Thyself” 25:44 | Vulnerability & Courage 29:24 | Connection to the World 39:50 | Amazement & Awe 49:00 | Connect to Your Work 59:59 | Effective Communication Strategy

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.

Stanford psychologist Fred Luskin, PhD, discusses the science of forgiveness, emphasizing the need to process grief as a foundation for emotional healing. He explores practical ways to teach forgiveness to children and how adults can approach societal challenges with acceptance and meaning. Luskin also introduces his 9 Steps to Forgiveness, a research-based framework for releasing resentment and fostering gratitude, offering listeners actionable tools for resilience and well-being. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.org Show Notes 0:00 | Introduction to Dr. Fred Luskin 3:23 | Link to 30 Days of Meditation, Science & Bliss course: https://bit.ly/30-day-course 3:33 | Forgiveness is the Forgotten Step 5:44 | Forgiveness Defined 12:30 | Resolving Grievances 16:22 | Choosing Where to Put Your Attention 18:50 | Grief Precedes Forgiveness 26:40 | Power of Forgiveness Anecdotes 38:40 | 9 Steps to Forgiveness 46:11 | Revenge is a Life Well Lived 51:49 | Repainting Your Life Picture 59:02 | Modeling Forgiveness for Children 1:06:00 | Forgiveness of Global Issues 1:10:40 | Next Steps  

In this episode, Dr. Andrew Litchy recounts his journey from life as a monk to becoming a naturopathic doctor. He shares his insights on how meditation helped him manage ADHD and how it has become integral to both his personal life and professional practice. The conversation spans topics from the daily life of a monk and the experience of ordination to practical tips on integrating mindfulness into a busy life.  Dr. Litchy also discusses practical strategies for training the mind in a hectic world and provides top wellness tips, making this episode a rich resource for anyone interested in meditation and holistic health. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.org   Show Notes 0:00 | Introduction to Andrew Litchy 9:02 | ADHD in Meditation 12:18 | How Meditation Clicked 13:25 | Straight Mindful Vipassana 19:05 | Jhanas Defined 23:42 | Experience of Ordaining as a Monk 27:40 | Day in the Life of a Monk 45:25 | From Monk to Med School 47:20 | Study on Meditation and HRV 55:20 | How to Train the Mind in a Busy Life 1:02:14 | Sticky Notes 1:10:17 | Homebase for the Mind 1:13:32 | “Waking From the Dream” 1:21:10 | Time Is a Construct 1:25:44 | Meditation Training for Children 1:31:05 | Top Wellness Tips 1:36:40 | Most Common Problems Treated in a Naturopathic Doctor’s Office  

Doug Kraft, a psychotherapist and meditation teacher, explores consciousness and reality construction. Topics include dependent origination, training the brain for contentment, and an exercise for deep awareness.

How does the brain work at its deepest levels? And to what extent can we radically upgrade it, creating neuroplastic changes? Ruben Laukkonen, PhD is a cognitive neuroscientist, contemplative, speaker, and poet. His eclectic background includes competing semi-professionally in Muay Thai Kickboxing, founding two businesses (including the first online market for bitcoin in Australia), and intensive meditation training. Dr. Laukkonen is currently a principal investigator and lecturer at Southern Cross University and holds honorary fellowships at VU Amsterdam and The University of Queensland. He uses methods such as behavior, neuroimaging, machine learning, and phenomenology to empirically investigate some of the rarest states of human consciousness. This episode is a full tour of the mind, including a deep dive into some of those rare states of consciousness and what they reveal about achieving the highest levels of human happiness. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com   SHOW NOTES 0:00 | Introduction to Ruben Laukkonen, PhD 2:02 | Early Experience  10:45 | How the Mind Makes Itself 22:18 | Predictive Processing & Agitation 25:30 | Why There's Always Something Wrong 31:28 | Chain of Causality in the Mind 36:00 | The Mind Rebuilding After Deepest Levels of Meditation 38:25 | Meditation for Reconditioning the Mind 52:06 | Doing Nothing Very Well 53:14 | Stages of Meditation & Predictive Processing 1:08:28 | Cessation & Awakening Research 1:17:12 | Jhanas - Stages of Deconstruction 1:24:22 | Rapid Fire Questions   LINKS https://rubenlaukkonen.com https://fitmind.com/give 

Dr. Anna Abraham is a psychologist and neuroscientist who investigates creativity and how we can optimize this key trait. She’s also a leading scholar on the study of human imagination. On this episode, we discuss the key ingredients of a creative mind, how to become more creative, and how the brain can tell the difference between real and imaginary worlds. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com SHOW NOTES 0:00 | Intro to Anna Abraham, PhD 1:44 | Imagination More Important Than Knowledge? 4:45 | Imagination Defined 7:53 | How We Experience Real vs. Imaginary Worlds 17:20 | Fiction Crossing Into Reality 21:35 | Overlap of Memory & Imagination 29:28 | Ingredients of a Creative Mind 42:08 | Ways to Build Creativity 48:35 | Predictors of Creativity 58:12 | Rapid Fire Questions

Nick Littlehales has been an elite sport recovery coach for nearly a quarter-century and is the bestselling author of Sleep: The Myth of 8 Hours, the Power of Naps... and the New Plan to Recharge Your Body and Mind. On this episode, we uncover the common myths and misunderstandings about sleep. We also discuss the circadian rhythm, chronotypes, polyphasic sleep, and treating sleep as recovery. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com SHOW NOTES 0:00 | Intro to Nick Littlehales 1:42 | Sleep Tips 3:45 | Becoming a Sleep Coach 7:28 | How the Pros Optimize Sleep 9:38 | What to do Before You Sleep 19:36 | Understanding Circadian Rhythm 26:10 | Polyphasic Sleep: Importance of Naps 28:58 | 7 Key Sleep Recovery Indicators 37:27 | How to Improve Sleep 43:54 | Microrest 45:20 | Rapid Fire Questions

Donald Hoffman, PhD is a cognitive scientist and author of The Case Against Reality: Why Evolution Hid the Truth from Our Eyes. He is currently a professor at UC Irvine, where he studies consciousness, visual perception and evolutionary psychology. On this episode, we “take the red pill” and hear Dr. Hoffman’s theory on why reality is not what it seems. He explains this complex topic by comparing reality to a user interface. We discuss many topics, such as his mathematical theory of consciousness, questioning beliefs, and how the mind forms new mental models. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com Show Notes 0:00 | Introduction to Donald Hoffman, PhD 2:23 | Why Reality Isn’t as It Seems 7:30 | Reality as a User Interface 13:51 | Adapting to Evolving Technology 16:06 | Creating New Mental Models 18:31 | Moving Beyond Spacetime 23:06 | Consciousness is Fundamental 25:26 | Ancient Wisdom & Science of Consciousness 30:00 | Conversation with the Dalai Lama (starting at 54:40) 30:15 | Reality Transcends Concepts 36:39 | Questioning Beliefs 38:56 | A New Worldview 45:04 | Mathematical Theory of Consciousness 45:39 | Rapid Fire Questions