Welcome to a deep dive into ‘self’, karma and moral psychology. Our guide: Kevin Berryman, Buddhist monk and doctoral student at Monash University. Kevin outlines some topics explored in his research - that aims to get to the bottom of what makes us who we are and how time on the mat influences the way we interact with the world. Citing Ram Dass, Malcom Gladwell and Robert Sapolsky, our discussion reveals a message of encouragement - to balance internal exploration with a positive, meaningful co...
Apr 04, 2023•29 min
Meditation is not a passive state. Here to explain why is neuroscientist Giuseppe Pagnoni, Associate Professor at University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. Diving into the complex inner mechanics of our minds, he shares knowledge on the brain as a predictive machine - citing the free energy principle, active inference and Bayesian mechanics to shine a light on the specific process of meditation. He shares his thoughts on mind-wandering, ‘being in the present’ and addiction states, to show why ‘ina...
Mar 07, 2023•29 min
Trauma needs a rethink. Here to tell us why is Liam Farquhar, a London-based legal psychedelics guide and somatic experiencing expert. He shares insights on how the current psychedelic protocols only address trauma at a narrative level, and fail to treat the root of the issue. As such, his practice takes on a whole-body approach - creating a path to healing that uses discussion, breathwork and movement to ingrain a deep understanding of psychedelic processes in his clients. Covering MDMA, Ram Da...
Feb 28, 2023•30 min
We can reconceptualise pain. Taking us through a fascinating walkthrough of the mechanics of pain is Alex Jinich, PhD student at UC San Diego. Alex’s mission is to contribute to our understanding of how meditation and other novel therapeutic techniques help reduce pain and improve wellbeing. Sharing research results, theories and lessons in foundational cognition, we dive into meditation’s links to spheres of suffering, neuroplasticity, chronic pain, placebo and more. ‘Pain is incredibly more co...
Feb 21, 2023•29 min
A really special episode today. Dr Mark Miller guides us through a 20 minute practice extremely close to his heart. Developed by Lama John Makransky, the co-founder of Sustainable Compassion, this practice aims to open the heart and relax the body. Take this as an opportunity to stop and take a breath. John's links: Lama John Makransky - https://www.buddhistinquiry.org/teacher/john-makransky/ Sustainable Compassion - https://sustainablecompassion.org Awakening From Love - https://wisdomexperienc...
Feb 08, 2023•22 min
A re-release! Our conversation with Dr Evan Thompson has been attracting significant attention as we've crossed over into 2023, and we wanted to re-re-release it for new listeners. Enjoy one of our all-time favourite conversations. -- In 2023, Buddhism is perceived as 'spirituality for the rational', fully compatible with cutting‑edge science. But this view is actually a mistake that does both Buddhism and science a disservice, says Dr Evan Thompson. Exploring what he calls 'Buddhist exceptional...
Jan 31, 2023•31 min
Confidence is critical in emotional regulation. Here to uncover the world of cognitive biases, emotional reactions and wellbeing is Dr Norman Farb from the University of Toronto. He shares compelling theories and research on how we can develop our ability to change - encouraging engagement in sense-foraging practices that increase entropy in the brain. Covering habitual patterns of self-reference, acceptance, wisdom and contemplative training… today’s episode is the guide to improving your emoti...
Jan 24, 2023•31 min
“Start from where you are.” This is underlined as one of the foundational lessons for starting meditation in a psychotherapy context, by today’s guest Ian Singer. Psychotherapist and vastly experienced meditator, Ian has dedicated his career to working with thousands of clients and students across the world. In our conversation, he shares his philosophies on creating a compassionate space for therapy, some differences in therapeutic approaches and the ways in which his career has evolved his own...
Jan 10, 2023•31 min
How do you live an authentic and meaningful life? According to today’s guest Dr Anna Yusim: by connecting to your soul, regardless of your spiritual or religious beliefs. Anna is an author, psychiatrist and spiritual teacher whose research focuses on the intersection of science and spirituality. As founder of Yale's Spirituality & Mental Health Centre, she talks passionately about the deeper issues of the human experience. Covering the interconnectedness of emotion, reason and intuition, mis...
Jan 03, 2023•26 min
Humans are incredibly complex. Spiritual practice is incredibly powerful. But do contemplative frameworks show how to be a human in full? Welcome to our inaugural review of the year. Hosts Jamie and Mark reflect on some key lessons learned from picking the brains of nearly 40 academics, scientists and spiritual teachers over the course of 2022. Join us as they share anecdotes from their own contemplative paths, emphasise the virtue of patient practice and offer a sneak peek into what you can exp...
Dec 21, 2022•32 min
The Dark Night of the Soul is a unique, scary and transformative experience On a quest to track the history and improve the resources on the Dark Night is Nathan Fisher, PhD student at University of California Santa Barbara. Nathan is an expert on the texts and phenomenology of these states in Abrahamic traditions and Buddhism, diving into the intricacies of how mystic traditions meet with modern day clinical practice. Today, he outlines how these experiences occur, the potential for empirical r...
Dec 06, 2022•31 min
Meditation is about getting to grips with the way we construct the world. Today we are delighted to welcome Dr Shamil Chandaria from the Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing at University of Oxford. An expert in his field, Shamil leads us on an investigative journey into predictive processing and its implications for perception and spiritual practice. Touching on Bayesian models, priors, dereification, Buddhist philosophies, Amor Fati and homeostatic control - our conversation today is pa...
Nov 30, 2022•33 min
What links spirituality and psychic ability with diet? Here to explore the topic of his pioneering PhD is Michael Daw of Northampton University. Michael outlines a long history of the connectedness of dietary practice (veganism, vegetarianism and fasting) with spiritual tradition, from Shamanism to the Abrahamic religions. Talking us through different types of psychic ability and the prevalence of scientific research, our conversation uncovers details about Extra Sensory Perception and spiritual...
Nov 22, 2022•32 min
Let's talk about Jhāna, some of the peak experiences on the spiritual journey. Here to lead us on a journey into these peak experiences is cognitive neuroscientist and wellbeing aficionado Jonas Mago. Jonas is currently pursuing doctoral studies at McGill University, diving into the various cognitive mechanisms that underlie human flourishing. He reflects on findings and anecdotes from his pioneering research: exploring Jhāna as a refined ability to ‘slip into a pocket’ of deep concentration, wi...
Nov 09, 2022•33 min
Will Buddhism improve your mental health? Dr Elli Weisbaum is a Toronto based mindfulness practitioner and teacher who attended her first retreat with scholar, Zen Master and Nobel Peace prize nominee Thich Nhat Hanh at the age of ten. Today, she takes us through the potential benefits (and limitations) of pursuing Buddhism for the sake of our mental health, the suprising misconceptions around around Buddhism and shares her story of spending time at the famous Plum Village. ------ This podcast h...
Nov 01, 2022•36 min
Meditation does not always yield positive results. Joining today to talk us through the ‘Dark Side of Meditation’ is Christine Kupfer. Medical anthropologist and expert in Rabindranath Tagore's philosophy, Christine breaks down how meditation practice is often perceived as a cure-all for productivity, happiness, spiritual fulfilment. In reality, people can suffer from experiences of non-shared reality: spiritual crisis. We explore its many facets, incorporating Buddhist, Christian, Jewish and cl...
Oct 18, 2022•29 min
What exactly is the role of Psychedelics in the development of the world's spiritual traditions? Joining today is researcher and co-founder of Eudelics, Dr Richard Chambers. Richard illuminates a history of psychedelic traditions, its suppression over many years by religious groups and governments, and its potential for exploring higher consciousness in safe and mindful settings. Touching on neuroplasticity, his particular interest in psychedelics for leadership development, and the cross-over o...
Oct 11, 2022•33 min
How can we define meta-awareness? Today’s episode is a deep dive into all things connected to non-dual awareness, led by cognitive expert Dr David Vago. We explore flow states, brain-body environment dynamics, concentration practice, meditation, depression, compassion… Packed with cognitive research, varying perspectives of ‘self’ and references to the work of Benjamin Libet and previous guest Evan Thompson, David presents a fascinating insight into how to define the secondary interpretation of ...
Oct 04, 2022•34 min
You are not your brain. Today we are joined by Dr Jeffrey Schwartz - one of the world’s leading experts in neuroplasticity and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Jeffrey’s publications include You Are Not Your Brain and Brain Lock. Referencing Socrates, George Gurdjieff and Søren Kierkegaard, Jeffery here walks us through the state of play of modern neuroscience and the inner workings of OCD. Listen in for a unique perspective into the nature of the human mind. ------ This podcast has a single purpo...
Sep 27, 2022•31 min
Suffering isn’t new - but mindfulness can help. Joining to uncover the reasons and remedies for rising stress levels in young people, is Dr Eric Loucks. Professor, researcher and pioneer in the study of mindfulness and health, Eric recently authored The Mindful College Student - based on work that sees him teach and study the impact of introducing mindfulness to year groups who are still in cognitive development! Our discussion today picks apart the challenges of his research, the importance of ...
Sep 20, 2022•33 min
What are the mechanics of anxiety? How can we understand and alleviate it? Here to share her insights on this enduring issue is Lynn Koerbel. Author, bodywork therapist and Assistant Professor at Brown University, Lynn has dedicated herself to combating mental health issues through movement and mindfulness. Join us as we uncover the methods of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Kashmir Shavaism and a myriad of anecdotes, research findings and practical takeaways. ------ This podcast has ...
Aug 30, 2022•31 min
Is compassion something you can train? Absolutely, according to today’s guest Dr Paul Condon. Co-writer of the Sustainable Compassion Training (SCT) model along with John Makransky, it provides a system of compassion and wisdom practices to enrich compassion in our daily lives. In our discussion, Paul outlines a definition for compassion and the concept of field of care practice - emphasising that this is about community, not just the individual! ------ This podcast has a single purpose: to help...
Aug 23, 2022•32 min
The ‘self’ in the Buddhist tradition is a complex and rich topic. Walking us smoothly through potentially choppy water is Monash University's Dr Monima Chadha, an Associate Professor in Philosophy. Monima’s research focuses on the cross-cultural philosophy of mind - and she's particularly interested in how the self overlaps with how we typically think of of self control and perception. Discussing human feelings of desire, freedom and the Buddhist model of sharing our knowledge and gifts with the...
Aug 10, 2022•31 min
How can equanimity improve the human experience? Joining today is author, lecturer and equanimity enthusiast Dr Joey Weber. Joey’s book Why Mindfulness Is Not Enough … paints a fascinating picture in which equanimity is a bridge that moves mindfulness to compassion. A deeply engaging expert in his field, we discuss why mindfulness needs purpose and how you can become more equanimous - for the good of our interconnected human experience. Dr Joey Weber: Website - www.equanamee.com EBCA course tick...
Aug 02, 2022•30 min
How can we effectively integrate mindfulness into education? Monash University's very own Professor Craig Hassed is an author and internationally renowned mindfulness expert. In part responsible for launching a pioneering programme that sees five thousand medical students a year enrolled in mindfulness classes, we talk through the effects this has on their personal and professional lives - reducing stress, clarifying decision making and lifting unconscious biases. This episode is packed full of ...
Jul 26, 2022•32 min
Hosts Jamie Slevin and Dr Mark Miller reflect on the lessons of the podcast so far. Mixing in their own experiences with the key themes of the Contemplative Science Podcast, Mark and Jamie share their thoughts on what we've covered so far. One message is particularly resonant. Practice gently. After all, we are “complex ecosystems of mental, emotional, perceptual and behavioural dynamics!” Sharing anecdotes, analogies and reflections on different teaching styles, our dive into the personal exper...
Jul 19, 2022•26 min
Did you know that living beings defy the 2nd law of thermodynamics? Joining us for a fascinating discussion is Dr Ines Hipolito, a self-described ‘complexity wanderer’. Recently co-founding the European Institute for Global Well-being, her research develops and applies frameworks on the nature of cognition. We dive into the free energy principle, the relationship of digitisation and wellbeing, and why ‘cognition is everything that we do’! ------ This podcast has a single purpose: to help its lis...
Jul 05, 2022•32 min
Change is a hugely challenging part of the human experience. Today, we're joined by author, Buddhist teacher and former nun Kaira Jewel Lingo. Sharing philosophies and learnings to help us deal with change, Kaira walks us through the role equanimity and impermanence in dealing with change. Here, Kaira lifts the lid on her experience of community: bridging memories of monastic life to the deeper sense of global community. With so much of the world facing uncertainty, we break down how to reconcil...
Jun 28, 2022•33 min
What is the ideal dose of mindfulness? Like with any medicine, dose is a complex topic. Sharing her research is Dr Sarah Strohmaier, psychology lecturer and mindfulness researcher at Canterbury Christ Church University. Does bigger dose equal bigger benefit? How do we measure such subjective outcomes? Sarah has led a number of experiments tracking the effects of practicing mindfulness for different ‘dosages’ of time. Together, we pick apart the research, uncovering practical tips for how to inte...
Jun 21, 2022•34 min
What do we mean when we talk about guidance? We welcome scholar and researcher Dr Michael Lifshitz to break down his work in the field. Michael is interested in practices that aim to transform our subjective experience, whether meditation, hypnosis, placebo, prayer, psychedelics… the list goes on. Integrating personal anecdotes and reflections, we cover hypnosis, the ancient Tibetan practice of tulpamancy and, ultimately, what it means to be well. ------ This podcast has a single purpose: to hel...
Jun 14, 2022•34 min
