Brain Shaman

In this episode, I talk with yoga teacher and researcher Erica Sharpe about yoga nidra. We explore the emerging science behind this ancient practice, how to do it, and how it can help with insomnia, anxiety, addiction, PTSD, depression, pain, and more. Yoga nidra lets you rewire memories and habits, break free from past constraints, and open new possibilities. It enhances sleep, relaxation, learning, mood, memory, and overall well-being by guiding you into a deep state of conscious rest.We also discuss sleep, dreams, nightmares, psychosis, symbols, language, imagery, audio, intention, sensory perception, sensory withdrawal, environment, posture, timing, duration, potential risks, the distinction between yoga nidra and NSDR, and the deeper impact of yoga on the mind and body.Explore how yoga nidra unlocks your subconscious mind and guides you into deeper states of rest, awareness, and transformation.Connect and Learn More📺 YouTube: @ericasharpe5711✉️ Email: shared in the episodeRESOURCESBOOKSHatha Yoga Pradipika by SvatmaramaYoga Nidra by Swami Satyananda SaraswatiORGANIZATIONSNational Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)National University of National Medicine (NUNM)SUNY CantonYoga Vidya GurukulPEOPLEAndrew HubermanFriedrich August KekuleLord Voldemort (fictional character)Mr. Hyde (fictional character)Swami Satyananda SaraswatiThomas EdisonVishwas Vasant MandlikPRACTICESAsanaAshtanga yogaDharanaDhyanaHatha yogaHypnosisOmkarMindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR)NyasaPratyaharaShavasanaVamachara

In this episode, I talk with yoga teacher and health journalist Sonia Azad about meditation for beginners. We explore Vipassana, yoga nidra, mindfulness, and more—guiding you into practices that bring more calm, peace, presence, and freedom. Whether you're just starting your meditation journey or looking to deepen your practice, this episode is for you.Connect and Learn More🌐 Website: sonia-azad.com🎙️ Podcast: The Shift with Sonia Azad📸 Instagram: @SoniaAzadTV📘 Facebook: @SoniaAzadTV🔗 LinkedIn: /sonia-azad🐦 X: @SoniaAzadTVRESOURCESAPPSCalmHeadspaceInsight Timer COURSESVipassana MeditationYoga with Sonia PEOPLEJake PanasevichS.N. Goenka PODCASTSThe Shift with Sonia AzadYoga with Jake 

In this episode, I talk with Cambridge zoologist Arik Kershenbaum about why communication evolved in animals and humans. We explore how social structure, status, needs, movement, distance, environment, emotions, sense of self and other, theory of mind, genetic relatedness, technology, ideas, words, language, and the senses shape the way we communicate.We also discuss interspecies communication, pets, plants, gossip, names, autism, mental illness, other minds, information media (books, radio, etc.), language breakdown, variation in language abilities, fighting, isolation, and anthropomorphism.Learn more about how wolves, dolphins, parrots, hyraxes, gibbons, chimpanzees, humans, and other species communicate in Arik’s latest book, Why Animals Talk. RESOURCESBOOKSAlex and Me by Irene PepperbergHarry Potter by J.K. RowlingThe Zoologist's Guide to the Galaxy by Arik Kershenbaum Why Animals Talk by Arik Kershenbaum PAPERS Epiphenomenal Qualia by Frank JacksonWhat Is It Like to Be a Bat? by Thomas NagelPEOPLEAlex (parrot)Irene PepperbergJ.K. RowlingRick McIntyreTemple GrandinConnect and Learn MoreSearch "Arik Kershenbaum" to find his books, podcast interviews, TV appearances, and more. 

In this episode, I talk with Peggy DeLong, the Gratitude Psychologist 🙏 about how to cultivate gratitude. Discover simple yet powerful exercises, tools, and tips to help you experience and express more gratitude in your daily life. We also explore the science behind gratitude and its many benefits.Whether you're facing low mood, stress, jealousy, grief, loss, loneliness, insomnia, fear, hopelessness, negativity, or pain—or simply want to feel better and more alive—this episode is for you.Thank you for listening!RESOURCESPEOPLEEckhart TolleLeon FestingerShawn AchorTheodore RooseveltWayne DyerConnect & Learn More🌐 Website: drpeggydelong.com📩 Newsletter: drpeggydelong.com/thegratefulday💎 Bracelets: loveinabracelet.com📸 Instagram: @the.gratitude.psychologist🔗 LinkedIn: Peggy Doherty DeLong, Psy.D

In this episode, I interview Rachel White, the 'Skeptical Shaman,' about lucid dreaming 🌙✨ and how we can become more lucid—both in dreams and waking life—through meditation, psilocybin 🍄, flowers 🌸, herbs 🌿, cards, and other substances and practices. RESOURCESBOOKS- Dune by Frank HerbertMOVIES & TV- 28 Days Later- Chapelle's Show- FantasiaPEOPLE- Carl Jung- Emma Cook- Frank Herbert- Jimmy Dore- Joe Rogan- Matt McCusker- Michael Harner- Natalie Fehlner- Neil Brennan- Sam Harris- Shane GillisPLANTS- Allium- Bloodroot- Blue lotus- Borage- Cardinal flower- Chamomile- Foxglove- Hemp- Kava- Lavender- Mugwort- Myrhh tree- Nasturtium - Poppy- Red raspberry- Rosemary- Sage- Stinging nettle- Sweet pea- Thyme- Willow- Wormwood- YarrowPODCASTS- Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast- The Joe Rogan Experience- The Skeptical ShamanRESTAURANTS- Elske**Connect and Learn More**Website: totemreadings.comEtsy: @TotemReadingsATXInstagram: @totemrachSubstack: @totemrachPodcast: The Skeptical Shaman In this episode, I talk with Rachel White, the 'Skeptical Shaman,' about lucid dreaming and how

In this episode, I interview Michelle Sherman, a couple and family psychologist and author of Loving Someone with a Mental Illness or History of Trauma and I'm Not Alone. We explore how to love and care for someone with a mental illness while also taking care of yourself. We discuss balancing both individuals' needs, setting limits and boundaries, and navigating the challenges and gifts that arise. Topics include homelessness, trauma, trust, social isolation, and the power of relationship, presence, acts of love, and social connection—both with your loved one and within broader support systems like NAMI. Michelle shares practical skills, tools, resources, and strategies for adults and teenagers living with someone who has a mental illness (such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, major depression, or PTSD) or a history of trauma. She also emphasizes the importance of things like sleep, nutrition, exercise, and education.A core backdrop to our conversation is my own recent, challenging yet beautiful journey with my brother, who has been struggling with mental illness, homelessness, and trauma. This conversation truly helped me, and I hope it provides support for you and your family as well.RESOURCESBOOKS- I Am Not Sick, I Don't Need Help by Xavier Amador- I'm Not Alone by Michelle Sherman and DeAnne Sherman- Loving Someone with a Mental Illness or History of Trauma by Michelle Sherman and DeAnne ShermanORGANIZATIONS- Minnesota Vikings- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)PEOPLE- Xavier AmadorVOCABULARY- Anosognosia- Electronic benefit transfer (EBT)- First Episode Psychosis Program- Food bank- Minister of Loneliness**Connect and Learn More**website: seedsofhopebooks.com

In this episode, I interview Dr. Fredric Schiffer, psychiatrist, research associate at McLean Hospital, associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and pioneer of Dual Brain Psychology. We discuss his innovative approach to understanding and treating trauma, addiction, and other mental health challenges, as outlined in his latest book, Good-bye Anxiety, Depression, Addiction, & PTSD.Dr. Schiffer explains how each brain hemisphere functions as an independent mind. One side is often troubled, traumatized, and negative, while the other is healthier, more positive, and mature. However, it’s not immediately apparent which hemisphere is which in each individual. Using simple techniques like covering one visual field with your hand, an envelope, or special glasses, you can determine which side is which. This method builds on split-brain research, the brain's visual pathways, and the work of Freud.We also discuss near-infrared light therapy (transcranial photobiomodulation), applied to the forehead to stimulate the healthier hemisphere. Paired with psychotherapy, these techniques—the light therapy and eye-covering technique—help the healthier side work with its troubled counterpart to facilitate healing. These methods are effective for treating trauma, addiction (likely including fentanyl), and other mental health issues. They can restore health and power to both brain hemispheres and even help transform relationships, communities, and societies. RESOURCESBOOKS- Left Brain, Right Brain by Sally Springer and Georg Deutsch- Of Two Minds by Fredric SchifferPEOPLE- Michael Hamblin- Roger Sperry- Sally Springer- Sigmund Freud- Winston ChurchillVOCABULARY- Buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone)- Id, ego, and superego- Fentanyl- Psychoanalysis- Split-brain- Triune brain**Connect and Learn More**Website: dualbrainpsychology.com Email: Available in the episodeBook: Good-bye Anxiety, Depression, Addiction & PTSD

In this episode, I interview Dr. Chris Aiken, psychiatrist, editor-in-chief of the Carlat Psychiatry Report, and author of Bipolar, Not So Much.   We explore bipolarity and depression as a spectrum—from depression to mania and mixed states—framing them as circadian rhythm disorders. Dr. Aiken shares practical tools for managing moods, with a focus on sleep regulation. We cover light exposure, dark therapy, sleep schedules, and strategies to reduce jetlag, travel-related mood swings, and seasonal changes. He also discusses technologies like dawn simulators and blue-light-blocking glasses.We dive into nutrition, including helpful foods, herbs, and supplements, and the effects of substances like alcohol, caffeine, ketamine, and psilocybin. We also explore the role of psychedelic and spiritual experiences.Additionally, we touch on ADHD, creativity, the history of bipolar, and other factors that influence mood swings, along with resources to help you better understand and manage your mood.RESOURCESDRUGS- Armodafinil (Nuvigil)- Bupropion (Wellbutrin)- Lamotrigine- Lithium- Modafinil (Provigil)- Valproate (Depakote)GENERAL RESOURCES- Hypomania Checklist 32 (HCL-32)- Jet Lag Rooster- Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ)- Supplements that Work- The Antidepressant DietPEOPLE- Andrew Huberman- Arthur Quiller-Couch- Chris Palmer- David Baszucki- Emil Kraepelin- Jan Ellison Baszucki- Jay Olson - Jules Angst- Philip McNeePRODUCTS- dawn simulator- light boxSUPPLEMENTS- Ashwagandha - Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)- N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC)- Rhodiola rosea**Connect & Learn More**website: chrisaikenmd.combooks: chrisaikenmd.com/bookspodcasts: The Carlat Psychiatry Podcast / PocketPsychiatrist

In this episode, I talk with Karl Kahler, author of Manic Dawn. He shares wild stories of his father’s manic adventures, capturing the extremes of bipolar disorder—its brilliance, chaos, and mix of comedy, drama, and tragedy. We explore historical figures with the condition, creativity, suicide, drugs, justice, imagination, divine connection, the impact on relationships, and the art of storytelling, weaving a vivid portrait of the bipolar experience. Prepare to laugh, gasp, and cry. RESOURCESBOOKS- An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison- Exodus by Leon Uris- Jurassic Park by Michael Chrichton- The Cult that Snapped by Karl Kahler- The Hypomanic Edge by John Gartner- The Molecule of More by Daniel Lieberman- The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway- Touched with Fire by Kay Redfield JamisonMOVIES- Jurassic Park- Red Dawn- Rocky- The Mask of ZorroPEOPLE- Alexander Hamilton- Andrew Carnegie- Ann-Margret- Bob Dylan- Catherine Zeta-Jones- Christopher Columbus- Elon Musk- Ernest Hemingway- Groucho Marx- James Cameron- Jerry Kahler- Jim Morrison- John Wayne- Kay Redfield Jamison- Kurt Cobain- Matthew McConaughey- Michael Chricton- Michael Jordan- Patrick Swayze- Quentin Tarantino- Sylvia Plath- Vincent van Gogh- Virginia Woolf- Winston Churchill**Connect and Learn More**website: karlkahler.combook: Manic Dawn

In this episode, I talk with Lisa Roye Bowers about the fascinating world of frequencies—focusing on light and sound—as well as the power of practices like prayer and meditation in balancing brain waves.We dive into various tools and topics, such as bioresonance devices, music, binaural beats, Solfeggio frequencies, infrared and near-infrared light, silence, voice, affirmations, food, pets, animals, darkness, mindset, belief, imagination, visualization, words, books, conversation, social connection, and the interconnectedness of all things. Learn how to rewire and balance your brain in this quantumly entangled experience with Lisa Roye Bowers.RESOURCESMOVIES & TV- Star Trek - The Philadelphia ExperimentPEOPLE- Albert Einstein- Kim D'Eramo- Gabby Giffords- Masaru Emoto- Nikola Tesla- Royal Raymond RifeTECHNOLOGY- AO Hub (by Solex)- AO Infinity Wand (by Solex)- AO Scan (by Solex)- SCIO (Scientific Consciousness Interface Operation)**Connect and Learn More**website: anewcreationwellness.com LinkedIn: /lisaroyeemail: in the episode