The FitMind Podcast: Mental Fitness, Neuroscience & Psychology

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 gained from his lengthy silent retreat, the 2 vectors of enlightenment, how our minds construct our realities, and much more. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: h...

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 between real life and science fiction.   In the episode, we discuss neuroprosthetics, monkeys controlling robots, brain-to-brain communication, and the key impl...

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, we discuss the science of ancient concepts like Wu Wei ("effortless action"), hot vs cold cognition, ways to alter consciousness, the paradox of trying not...

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 they pioneered the study of various aspects of magic such as perception, cognitive illusion, and attentional misdirection. On this episode, we discuss how m...

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 population. On this episode, we dive into the different approaches to meditation and the 4 levels of meditation practice development.   We also discuss what goe...

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 of the most influential psychologists of the modern era. On this episode, we discuss the evolution of the mind, the surprising role of feelings in consciousn...

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 have influenced human evolution, the connection between sleep and learning, and how to cultivate a rich dream life. He gives his top tips for how to get a bet...

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 to turn human biometrics into actionable insights. On this episode, we discuss his work at Neurable, how thoughts can be read by machines, and the benefits,...

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 neural basis of attention and the effects of mindfulness-based training programs on cognition, emotion, resilience, and performance, working with the military, e...

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 use of fMRI to study the neurochemistry of the brain. Dr. Apkarian's research has increasingly focused on chronic pain, including the strategic use of place...

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 positions at University College London and Trinity College Dublin where he investigates how the brain creates our experience of the world. In this episode, we...

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 over 2 million times. Dr. Shapiro is a professor of psychology at Santa Clara University. She graduated summa cum laude from Duke University, and received a P...

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 clientele also includes Olympic medalists, UFC Champions, Hollywood actors, business executives, and Wall Street traders. He also Co-Founded the mobile mindset a...

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, Nonsense on Stilts , and A Field Guide to a Happy Life . Professor Pigliucci has a PhD in Evolutionary Biology and also a PhD in Philosophy. We go in-depth on Sto...

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 and has been leading meditation retreats around the world for over three decades. Her books include Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness, A He...

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 holds a BS from MIT, an MD from Cornell, and a Masters of Studies in Law from UC Hastings College of Law. We discuss the basic brain mechanisms behind various...

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 US as a Fullbright Scholar. He's now a professor of psychiatry, philosophy, and anthropology at the University of California Irvine. Dr. Walsh has written se...

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 first video game approved by the FDA as a medical treatment. Dr. Gazzaley is also the David Dolby Distinguished Professor of Neurology, Physiology, and Psychiat...

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 recent discovery and surprising area of mental fitness—your second brain, the gut. Dr. Chutkan describes the incredible research showing just how intimately con...

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 medicine. In this episode, we discuss the ancient tradition of mind training called Taoism and its methods, like meditation and dark rooms. Master Chia explains ho...

Dr. David Perlmutter, is a world-renowned neurologist and 5-time NY Times bestselling author, including #1 NY Times bestseller Grain Brain . Dr. Perlmutter has received the Linus Pauling Award (Institute for Functional Medicine) and National Nutritional Foods Association Clinician Award. He serves as a medical advisor for The Dr. Oz Show and Men's Health . We talk about the connection between your...

Bhante Vimalaramsi is a Buddhist monk and renowned meditation teacher. He founded the Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center and authored several books on meditation with over a million copies worldwide. We go into Bhante's fascinating background, the mechanics of deep meditation, whether lasting happiness (nirvana/nibbana) is possible, and his practice advice. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.l...

Dr. Tara Swart is a neuroscientist, medical doctor, bestselling author, peak performance coach, and former psychiatrist. She holds positions as a Senior Lecturer at MIT Sloan, Chief Science Officer at Heights, Neuroscience and Psychological Advisor at To Be Magnetic, and Chief Neuroscience Officer at Arowana International. Dr. Swart received a PhD in Neuropharmacology and BS in Biomedical Science...

Charlie Morley is one of the world's leading experts on lucid dreaming and dream yoga. Charlie has been practicing lucid dreaming for over 20 years and was "authorized to teach" by Lama Yeshe Rinpoche in 2008 within the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism. He has also written multiple books on the topic, delivered talks at Oxford and The Houses of Parliament, and is a black-belt in kickboxing. In thi...

Dave Asprey is the Founder of Bulletproof, a 3x NY Times bestselling author, and regarded as the father of biohacking. Dave's an expert on peak mental and physical performance. He also founded a neuroscience company called 40 Years of Zen and has been featured on several programs, including CNN, the Today Show, and Dr. Oz. In this episode, you'll hear about Dave's wild adventures with shamans, fas...