Know Thyself is a community supporting you to KNOW the true nature of yourself and the world around you, THRIVE in your health, wealth, and relationships – ultimately empowering you to CREATE and share your true self with the world.
Each week André Duqum interviews experts in their field; ranging from spiritual educators to cutting edge scientists, heart-led creatives & more on topics such as the true nature of ‘Self’, “what is reality?,” and exploring the fundamental pillars we all need to unlock our fullest potential.
Contributing to birthing a more beautiful world, one episode at a time.
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Dr. Mei Rui is a Yale-trained molecular biophysicist, concert pianist, and clinical researcher at MD Anderson Cancer Center, where she runs trials on the measurable effects of music on the human body. In this conversation, we explore what actually happens in the brain the moment music enters it, why the auditory system is the first sense to develop in the womb and the last to go when we die, and how something as accessible as a curated playlist can outperform FDA-approved pharmaceuticals in redu...
This episode with Arthur Brooks delves into the unprecedented surge in depression and anxiety since 2008, linking it to a crisis of meaning and the detrimental impact of technology on our brains. Brooks outlines the three components of meaning—coherence, purpose, and significance—and provides actionable practices to reclaim a fulfilling life, including digital detox, intentional routines, and cultivating deep, right-hemispheric experiences like love, service, and beauty. He argues for "using things, loving people, and worshiping the divine" as a corrective to modern alienation.
Dr. Paul Conti is a psychiatrist, trauma specialist, and author whose work centers on one deceptively simple idea: that understanding yourself is the most powerful thing you can do for your mental health. In this conversation, we explore how the unconscious mind quietly sets the boundaries for how we think, feel, and move through life, and how much of what we assume is just "who we are" was actually formed long before we had the words for it. What struck me most in this conversation is Paul's in...
Emily McDonald holds two degrees in neuroscience and has become one of the fastest-growing science communicators on social media. In this conversation, we explore how the brain constructs reality from the inside out — not as a passive receiver of the world, but as a constant prediction machine shaped by memory, belief, emotion, and past experience. From color vision to the kitten experiment, Emily brings the science to life in a way that makes you ask: where am I the kitten in my own life? What ...
Dr. Roman Yampolskiy joins me to explore one of the most urgent and uncomfortable questions of our time: what happens when we create intelligence that surpasses our own? We unpack the difference between the AI tools we use today and the emergence of artificial general intelligence, and why the transition from narrow systems to self-improving intelligence may mark a point where human control is no longer possible. Roman shares why even the people building these systems do not fully understand how...
Joe Hudson returns to explore a deeper layer of the inner work, and why peace alone is not the full picture of being human. We unpack the distinction between awakening in the mind and awakening in the heart, and how many people use meditation and awareness as a way to find calm, while still avoiding the emotional depth that brings real connection, intimacy, and joy. Joe shares how positive emotions can actually feel more threatening than negative ones, and why the capacity to feel love is direct...
Wim Hof joins me to explore the deeper story behind his work, from profound personal loss to discovering a direct path back into the body through breath and cold exposure. We unpack how modern life pulls us out of feeling and into constant mental noise, and how reconnecting with the breath can bring us back into a state of presence, strength, and clarity. Wim shares how a single moment stepping into freezing water at 17 opened something fundamental within him, quieting the mind and reconnecting ...
Emad Mostaque joins me to explore one of the most confronting questions of our time: what happens when human intelligence is no longer economically valuable? We unpack how rapidly advancing AI is moving toward a world where cognitive labor becomes obsolete, and why this shift may happen much sooner than most people expect. Emad shares how we’ve already built systems that can replicate human thinking, decision-making, and creativity, and how the next phase is not about new breakthroughs but simpl...
Shi Heng Yi joins me to explore the path of self-mastery through the lens of the Shaolin tradition, and why, despite having more comfort and convenience than ever before, so many people still feel a deep sense of inner lack. We unpack the idea that external success, wealth, and achievement cannot replace a missing sense of inner stability, and how the constant search outside of ourselves often leads us further away from what we are truly looking for. In this conversation, we explore the relation...
Dr. Nicole LePera joins me to explore how our childhood experiences shape the nervous system, emotional patterns, and identities we carry into adulthood. We unpack how many of the reactions, habits, and relationship dynamics that feel automatic today were once adaptations we developed to maintain connection and safety early in life. Nicole explains how emotional attunement in childhood forms the internal “home base” we return to, often recreating familiar patterns even when they no longer serve ...
Zen teacher and author Henry Shukman offers a clear and grounded introduction to the heart of Zen practice. We explore how awakening is not an escape from life, but a deeper participation in it — a realization that dissolves the illusion of separation and reveals a boundless field of awareness and love. Henry shares his own spontaneous awakening experience at 19, the profound insight that life is not divided between self and world, and the difficult healing journey that followed. From mindfulnes...
Dr. Sue Morter returns to explore what it truly means to awaken — not as a concept, but as a lived, embodied experience. Beneath our protective personality and performance-driven identity lies a deeper intelligence — an electromagnetic master system that governs healing, perception, and consciousness itself. In this conversation, we explore how nervous system regulation opens the doorway to higher awareness, why triggers are invitations to reclaim lost parts of ourselves, and how building energe...
Nir Eyal joins the podcast to explore one of the most foundational forces shaping our lives: belief. What if the way you see reality isn’t reality itself, but a simulation filtered through prior assumptions, expectations, and unconscious scripts? In this conversation, we unpack the difference between fact, faith, and belief—and why most of our suffering stems from confusing the three. Nir shares powerful research on predictive processing, placebo and nocebo effects, learned helplessness, and how...
Swami Sarvapriyananda unpacks the philosophy of Advaita Vedanta and its central claim: you are not the body, not the mind, not even your thoughts — you are pure consciousness itself. Through rigorous reasoning rather than blind belief, he guides us step by step into a direct inquiry of who we truly are. We explore the limits of faith-based religion, the pitfalls of mystical experience, the distinction between intelligence and consciousness in the age of AI, and the profound implications of non-d...
Joscha Bach explores the nature of consciousness, free will, and reality through the lens of computation, cognitive science, and philosophy. Rather than treating the mind as a mystical entity, Joscha frames consciousness as a constructed dream—a model generated by the brain to make sense of the world and coordinate behavior. We examine why beliefs should remain provisional, how the self functions as a useful fiction, and why suffering emerges when internal learning signals misfire. Joscha explai...
In this conversation, David Ghiyam shares the spiritual framework that has guided his life for over 25 years—one rooted in the idea that reality operates according to universal spiritual laws, just as it does physical ones. Drawing from Kabbalistic wisdom and lived experience, David explains how the soul’s purpose is not comfort, but transformation, and how life’s challenges are designed to reconnect us with a deeper source of fulfillment. We explore the concept of the “light of the Creator,” th...
In this conversation, Reggie Watts explores creativity not as a skill reserved for a few, but as the fundamental way human beings relate to reality itself. From comedy and music to improvisation, paradox, and play, Reggie reflects on how we’re constantly creating our experience of life—often without realizing it. We talk about absurdity as a doorway to truth, humor as a form of instantaneous awakening, and why laughter momentarily dissolves identity, ideology, and certainty. Reggie shares how im...
In this conversation, Jesse Michels joins me to explore a question that’s becoming harder to dismiss: what if the phenomenon we call UFOs points to something real—and we don’t yet know what it is? Rather than arguing for belief or disbelief, this episode is an invitation to curiosity, careful inquiry, and intellectual honesty about the limits of our current understanding. We examine historical UFO encounters near nuclear sites, government secrecy, and the growing body of anomalies that don’t sit...
This final episode of the year is a special compilation reflecting on the lessons, reminders, and moments that shaped 2025. It’s a curated journey through insights from across the year—designed to help you slow down, take stock, and step into 2026 with greater clarity, presence, and intention. This episode is less about doing more and more about listening—reflecting on the growth, challenges, relationships, and inner shifts that defined the past year. It’s an invitation to notice what wants to b...
Dr. Mindy Pelz returns to explore the deeper meaning of aging, menopause, and the profound psychological and neurological transformations women undergo as they grow older. Drawing from neuroscience, anthropology, mythology, and personal experience, Mindy reframes menopause not as a decline—but as an initiation into wisdom, sovereignty, and inner authority. We discuss the concept of the “second innocence,” the pruning and rewiring of the female brain across hormonal transitions, the grandmother h...
In this episode, Dr. Will Bulsiewicz walks us through unseen forces shaping our health, energy, and emotional lives. From the chemicals in our food system to the hidden drivers of inflammation and burnout, we dive into why so many people today feel exhausted, misaligned, and disconnected from their true well-being. We examine how modern culture normalizes habits and environments that work against our biology, and why healing requires more than symptom management — it demands addressing the root ...
Lucy Hale joins me for a deeply honest conversation about sobriety, identity, childhood wounds, fame, intuition, and learning to finally feel at home within yourself. Known globally as a singer and actress, Lucy opens up about the parts of her journey most people never see: the fear beneath early success, the alcoholism that followed her from childhood, the spiritual intervention that changed her life, and the inner work she’s committed to since. BONCHARGE Holiday Sale - 25% off the best red lig...
In this solo Q&A episode, I’m answering the questions so many of you have asked me over the past few days—about ego, identity, relationships, breakups, shadow work, discipline, grounding, and what the spiritual path actually looks like in real life. I share honestly about the subtle ego patterns I still face, how I navigate heartbreak with grace, what it means to “perform” spirituality versus actually live it, and the practices that keep me connected when I fall off center. I also speak abou...
Dr. Alan Goldhammer, co-founder of TrueNorth Health Center, joins us to reveal the science and psychology of water fasting, detoxification, and healing the body through nature’s intelligence. Drawing from 40 years of clinical experience with over 20,000 supervised fasts, he explains why many chronic illnesses—hypertension, autoimmune conditions, metabolic disease, and even depression—respond when the body is given a chance to reset. BONCHARGE Holiday Sale - Up to 25% off the best red light thera...
In this special compilation episode, we explore the deeper dimensions of human consciousness. Featuring insights from Deepak Chopra, Tim Ferriss, Sadghuru, Dr. Lisa Miller, and others, this episode is a journey inward — from sensing what cannot be seen, to feeling what we’ve long avoided, to awakening to what we truly are beyond all stories. Through wisdom, science, and lived experience, we discover that the next evolution of humanity isn’t about becoming more — it’s about remembering the awaren...
Transpersonal psychologist and dharma teacher Dr. John Churchill joins us to explore how ancient wisdom and modern psychology unite in the path of conscious evolution. Drawing on decades of training in Tibetan Buddhism and developmental psychology, John reveals how the Bodhisattva path—awakening not just for oneself, but for the benefit of all beings—offers a map for our individual and collective transformation. https://livemomentous.com and use code KNOWTHYSELF for up to 35% off the best creati...
Clinical psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Lisa Miller joins us to reveal the groundbreaking neuroscience that connects spirituality with mental health, purpose, and human flourishing. Drawing from decades of research at Columbia University, she shares how spiritual awareness literally changes the brain — rewiring us for resilience, compassion, and meaning. From the awakened brain to the power of awe, Lisa bridges empirical science with lived spirituality, showing how we are biologically b...
Death doula, attorney, and spiritual guide Alua Arthur joins us to explore how embracing mortality awakens us to life’s deepest meaning. Through her book Briefly Perfectly Human and her work helping people die with peace and purpose, Alua invites us to face what we fear most — not to prepare for dying, but to learn how to live fully. We explore the taboos around death, the regrets people hold at the end of life, and the powerful clarity that comes from asking what remains undone. 20% off Pique L...
Cognitive scientist and author Donald Hoffman returns to share discoveries reshaping how we understand perception, consciousness, and reality itself. Drawing from evolutionary game theory and quantum physics, he reveals why we don’t see the world as it truly is—and what that means for science, spirituality, and awareness. Hoffman bridges rigorous mathematics with timeless wisdom, showing how awakening to truth means seeing through the interface of perception to what lies beyond. 15% off Bon Char...
Tim Ferriss opens up about the inner evolution behind his outer success. He shares the practices and perspectives that have most transformed his life: from the art of asking better questions and setting meaningful goals, to the wisdom of subtraction — removing what no longer serves to make space for what truly matters. Tim reflects on how psychedelics, fasting, and deep self-inquiry have reshaped his understanding of sensitivity, healing, and purpose. He explores the balance between self-develop...
