The Contemplative Science Podcast

Jamie and Mark discuss the podcast so far and what we have been learning about the wonderful science of meditation.

Can ultrasound enhance meditation? Today’s guest brings his fascinating line of research to reveal the concept, potential, ethics and mitigations for using ultrasound to stimulate the brain during meditation - we welcome Jay Sanguinetti, from the University of Arizona. Developed with the close collaboration of Shinzen Young, Jay’s research dives into the phenomenological reports and brain imaging...

We need to start prepping our minds for death. Welcome to a train-your-brain special, diving into new research plans from our very own Dr Mark Miller. Mark outlines exactly why uncertainty and danger are incredibly beneficial for the predictive mind - training us to be better-equipped when we encounter sickness, injury and death itself. Because if you want to be really good at reducing uncertainty...

What happens when people start speaking in tongues? Joining Jamie for a dive into his research is Josh Brahinsky, researcher at UC Berkeley Social Interaction Laboratory. Josh is fascinated with the phenomenology and neuroscience of what goes on when people speak in tongues - revealing anecdotes from interviews that focus particularly on evangelicals. Detailing a short history of pentecostalism an...

What are the principles of neurotheology? Who better to answer than Andrew Newberg, acclaimed neuroscientist, professor and author. In his books, Andrew has laid out pioneering research on the relationship of the brain and spirituality - revealing the inner complexities of how the brain operates when we are spiritual. Whether that’s using brain imaging to study Franciscan nuns and Buddhist monks i...

How do we deal with grief? And how can we better prepare ourselves? Enter Dr Rachel Taylor, neuropsychologist and founder of UnBroken. An expert on the cognitive mechanics of grief and loss, Rachel shares her thoughts on how we interface with these difficult experiences - and what we can all do to develop our perception of death. Touching on mirror neurons and the effects of our environment, the r...

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...

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...

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 mov...

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 t...

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/...

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 d...

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,...

“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 ther...

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 deep...

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 contem...

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...

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, de...

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...

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 pi...

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 aro...

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...

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 n...

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 Eva...

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...