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

#92: The Awakened Mind - Delson Armstrong

Jul 28th, 2022 55m 11s

Delson Armstrong is a meditation teacher and author of A Mind Without Craving. He trained for extended periods in the Himalayas and mastered several systems of yoga, including the ten levels of samadhi (meditative states of absorption). Delson

#91: The Science of Creativity & Imagination - Anna Abraham, PhD

Jun 21st, 2022 1h 2m

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 creat

#90: Master of Sleep - Nick Littlehales

May 17th, 2022 50m 22s

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

#89: Consciousness, Perception & Reality - Donald Hoffman, PhD

Apr 19th, 2022 50m 56s

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 psychol

#88: Profound States of Mind - Andrew Holecek

Mar 15th, 2022 1h 7m

Andrew Holecek is an author and meditation teacher with decades of intensive practice experience, including a 3-year silent retreat in the Tibetan tradition. Andrew’s work combines ancient wisdom with modern science. We discuss the insights gai

#87: The Future of the Brain - Miguel Nicolelis, MD, PhD

Feb 15th, 2022 1h 3m

Miguel Nicolelis, MD, PhD is a Brazilian neuroscientist and physician famous for his pioneering work in the field of brain-machine interface (BMI) technology. Dr. Nicolelis’s extensive research with brain-machine interfaces blurs the lines betw

#86: The Science of Spontaneity - Edward Slingerland, PhD

Jan 18th, 2022 45m 32s

Edward Slingerland, PhD, is a Professor of Philosophy and Associate Member in the Asian Studies and Psychology Departments at the University of British Columbia. He's an expert on the cognitive science of ancient philosophies. On this episode,

#85: Neuromagic & Illusion - Stephen Macknik, PhD & Susana Martinez-Conde, PhD

Jan 4th, 2022 54m 7s

Dr. Susana Martinez-Conde and Dr. Stephen Macknik are neuroscientists who specialize in the science of magic and illusion. Both are professors of ophthalmology, neurology, and physiology & pharmacology at the Downstate Medical Center. Together

#84: The Brain of a Mental Olympian - Elena Antonova, PhD

Dec 21st, 2021 1h 6m

Dr. Elena Antonova is a neuroscientist and senior lecturer in psychology at Brunel University London. Her research focuses on the effects of long-term mindfulness meditation practice in the hope of promoting mental wellbeing in the general popu

#83: Origins of the Mind - Antonio Damasio, MD, PhD

Dec 7th, 2021 48m 8s

Dr. Antonio Damasio is a neurologist, psychologist and best-selling author. He's the Founder & Director of the Brain and Creativity Institute, which researches human emotions, memory, communication, and decision-making, and is regarded as one o

#82: Sleep & Dreams - Sidarta Ribeiro, PhD

Nov 23rd, 2021 57m 23s

Dr. Sidarta Ribeiro is an award-winning neuroscientist, author, and Founder of the Brain Institute at Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil, where he is also a professor of neuroscience. In this episode, we discuss how dreams ha

#81: Mind Control & Brain-Computer Interfaces - Ramses Alcaide, PhD

Nov 9th, 2021 46m 28s

Ramses Alcaide, PhD is an electrical engineer, neuroscientist, and CEO of Neurable, an innovative brain-computer interface company. At Neurable, he is the inventor and primary developer of a brain-computer interface technology that is designed

#80: The Power of Focus - Amishi Jha, PhD

Oct 26th, 2021 49m 59s

Dr. Amishi Jha is a neuroscientist and professor of psychology at the University of Miami. She's the Director and Co-Founder of Contemplative Neuroscience for the Mindfulness Research and Practice Initiative. Dr. Jha leads research on the neura

#79: Pain & Placebo - Apkar V. Apkarian, PhD

Oct 12th, 2021 52m 54s

Apkar V. Apkarian, PhD is a professor of physiology, anesthesiology, and physical medicine and rehabilitation at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. He has been studying pain for more than two decades and is a pioneer in the

#78: Neuroscience, Consciousness & Nonduality - James Cooke, PhD

Sep 28th, 2021 55m 51s

Dr. James Cooke is a neuroscientist, writer and speaker, focused on consciousness, meditation, psychedelic states, and science. He studied Experimental Psychology and completed his PhD in Neuroscience at Oxford University. He holds research pos

#77: The Science of Compassion - Shauna Shapiro, PhD

Sep 14th, 2021 41m 23s

Shauna Shapiro, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, bestselling author, and an expert in mindfulness and self-compassion. She has spent two decades studying the benefits of mindfulness and compassion. Her TEDx Talk on this topic has been viewed ov

#76: Peak Performance Mindset - Elliot Roe

Aug 31st, 2021 48m 10s

Elliot Roe is a leading expert in mindset optimization for high performers. In just the last 3 years his poker clients have won over $150,000,000 and nearly every major tournament title, including the World Series of Poker Main Event. His clien

#75: The Stoic Philosophy - Massimo Pigliucci, PhD

Aug 17th, 2021 1h 2m

Dr. Massimo Pigliucci is Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York, former co-host of the Rationally Speaking Podcast, and one of the most influential modern Stoics. He's published several books including How to Be a Stoic, Nonsen

#74: Sublime Qualities of Mind - Sharon Salzberg

Aug 3rd, 2021 44m 16s

Sharon Salzberg is a world-famous meditation teacher and NY Times bestselling author. She's largely responsible for popularizing mindfulness in the West. Sharon co-founded the Insight Meditation Society with Jack Kornfield and Joseph Goldstein

#73: Hacking of the Human Mind - Robert Lustig, MD, MSL

Jul 20th, 2021 49m 34s

Dr. Lustig is an endocrinologist, professor emeritus of pediatrics at UCSF, and bestselling author of Fat Chance. He also wrote The Hacking of the American Mind: The Science Behind the Corporate Takeover of Our Bodies and Brains. Dr. Lustig hol

#72: Altered States, Shamanism & Beliefs - Roger Walsh, MD, PhD

Jul 6th, 2021 1h

Dr. Roger Walsh has a unique background that makes him one of the world's leading experts on the mind. He graduated from Australia's Queensland University with degrees in psychology, physiology, neuroscience, and medicine and then came to the U

#71: The Distraction Crisis & Brain-Enhancing Tools - Adam Gazzaley, MD, PhD

Jun 15th, 2021 51m 39s

Dr. Adam Gazzaley is a neuroscientist, author, photographer, entrepreneur, and inventor. He's the Founder and Executive Director of Neuroscape, a lab that bridges technology and neuroscience to enhance brain function. His team invented the firs

#70: Your Microbiome & the Gut-Brain Connection - Robynne Chutkan, MD

Mar 30th, 2021 54m 49s

Dr. Robynne Chutkan is the Founder of Gutbliss, an integrative gastroenterologist, microbiome expert, and bestselling author. She did her undergrad pre-Med at Yale and went on to get an MD from Columbia. Here we dive deep into a relatively rece

#69: Mental Energy & Taoist Sex - Mantak Chia

Jan 26th, 2021 41m 41s

Mantak Chia is a Taoist meditation master who has taught millions of students worldwide for over 45 years. He's authored 57 books and founded the Universal Healing Tao Center in Thailand. Master Chia has also studied Western anatomy and medicin