What if the “you” you feel so certain about isn’t real in the way you think? Author Annaka Harris argues that the brain’s constant dialogue with the world creates a shifting process, not a fixed identity, and how this discovery changes how we see our choices, our memories, and our place in nature.

Harris also explores why quieting the brain’s default mode through meditation, altered states, or deep focus can dissolve the boundary between self and world.

0:00 The illusion of self

4:22 The brain as a dynamic process

6:53 Decision-making & “free will"

10:33 Neuroscience of the self

13:11 Losing the self

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About Annaka Harris:

Annaka Harris is the New York Times bestselling author of CONSCIOUS: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind and writer and producer of the forthcoming audio documentary series, LIGHTS ON. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Nautilus Magazine, the Journal of Consciousness Studies, and IAI Magazine. She is also an editor and consultant for science writers, specializing in neuroscience and physics. Annaka is the author of the children’s book I Wonder, coauthor of the Mindful Games Activity Cards, and a volunteer mindfulness teacher for the organization Inner Kids.

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