In this episode, Wendy speaks with cognitive scientist, contemplative practitioner, and ballet dancer Marieke Van Vugt. Marieke is a pioneer in studying mind wandering and meditation through computer modeling, and is also advancing participatory research through her collaborations with Tibetan monastics. This conversation covers many topics, including:
 
 
her braided interests in meditation, dance, and cognitive science;
 
computer modeling of mind and meditation;
 
exploring distraction, mind wandering, and becoming aware;
 
how thoughts can get "stuck" in our minds;
 
creating a meditating computer;
 
the relevance of stuck thoughts to various mental disorders;
 
trauma through the lens of predictive models of mind;
 
analytical meditation and Tibetan monastic debate;
 
collaborating with monastics in research;
 
humility and fluidity of mind;
 
re-thinking the tasks used in cognitive science;
 
the phenomenon of brain synchrony;
 
dance and embodiment;
 
the roots of thinking in the body;
 
problems with abstraction in science;
 
curiosity vs. the critical mind in ballet;
 
flow, responsiveness, and compassion;
 
and advice to young scholars.
Full show notes and resources

Marieke Van Vugt – Finding Balance

Exploring frontiers of contemplative science—discussing mind, meditation, and more.

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In this episode, Wendy speaks with neuroscientist and trauma researcher Brian Dias. Brian is one of the pioneers in understanding how trauma can be transferred between generations. Research in this space has helped fuel a major revolution in biology, because itmeans that not just our genes, but some aspects of our experiences can be inherited. This conversation covers many topics, including:
 
 
his path into studying trauma;
 
how trauma can pass through generations;
 
links with the Buddhist concept of karma;
 
understanding epigenetics & the interplay between genes and environment;
 
implications for inheritance and evolution;
 
whether such intergenerational transmission is helpful or harmful;
 
epigenetic clocks in our cells;
 
how trauma affects brain development;
 
sociocultural, developmental, and biological pathways for transmission of experiences;
 
creating legacies of flourishing;
 
lessons learned from collaborating with Tibetan monastics;
 
providing resources to parents to try to halt legacies of trauma;
 
impacts of stress on our mitochondria and microbiome;
 
and scientists as humans first.
Full show notes and resources

Brian Dias – Epigenetics and Intergenerational Trauma

In this episode, Wendy speaks with neuroscientist and mental health researcher Jyoti Mishra. Jyoti has been investigating how mindfulness and attention training affect our brains, and can help in the context of mental health challenges related to climate disasters and other trauma. This conversation covers many topics, including:
 
 
her intertwined interests in neuroscience, meditation, and mental health;
 
understanding climate trauma and its unique impacts on mental health;
 
community resilience and action in the face of disaster;
 
the rise of mental health issues worldwide;
 
studying the mental health and brain function impacts of the deadliest fire in CA history;
 
healing broken relationships with nature through mindfulness and ecotherapy;
 
social justice issues around climate vulnerability;
 
how childhood adversity affects brain circuitry for emotional awareness;
 
developing contemplative tech interventions for disadvantaged youth, and impacts on brain and daily life functioning;
 
nature and the sense of self;
 
regulating the stress response through mindfulness and social connection;
 
and empowering youth through the Climate Change & Mental Health Initiative.
Full show notes and resources

Jyoti Mishra – Mindfulness and Climate Trauma

In this episode, Wendy speaks with psychologist and contemplative researcher Simon Goldberg. Simon uses tools drawn from psychotherapy research to better understand the therapeutic processes and outcomes of mindfulness and meditation-based interventions. This conversation covers many topics, including:
 
 
coming to practice through one's own suffering;
 
what we know from science about whether and how meditation "works;"
 
the nuts and bolts of meditation research, and the importance of control groups;
 
the file drawer effect and publishing negative findings;
 
common factors in healing interventions;
 
working with the self in psychotherapy vs. Buddhism;
 
the critical role of acceptance;
 
some challenges when measuring effects of meditation;
 
individualizing contemplative practice to suit the person;
 
delivering and studying meditation interventions through apps;
 
and the possibilities of AI to help support meditation practice.
Full show notes and resources

Simon Goldberg – The Shape of Healing

In this episode, Wendy speaks with educational leader, writer, and climate activist Diana Chapman Walsh. Diana had a long and successful career in public health at Boston and Harvard University, and then became the president of Wellesley College, a position she held for 14 years. Diana has become an icon in educational leadership, and advocates that education can be both an intellectual and a spiritual journey. This conversation covers many topics, including:
 
 
her path into contemplative practice and leadership;
 
the importance of knowing and questioning oneself;
 
vulnerability and responsibility in leadership;
 
how the qualities of a leader influence the system they are leading;
 
hierarchical vs. inclusive systems;
 
the five principles of trustworthy leadership;
 
interconnectedness as an underlying truth;
 
building community amidst the climate crisis;
 
how feedback loops can accelerate harm or spur change;
 
and encouragement to tell our stories.
Full show notes and resources

Diana Chapman Walsh – Contemplative Leadership

In this episode, Wendy speaks with psychologist and author Daniel Goleman. Dan has been fostering and contributing to contemplative science since the very early days of the conversation between science and Buddhism, and his long experience with meditation helped shape his notable work on emotional intelligence. This conversation covers many topics, including:
 
 
his interest in both Western and Asian systems of mind;
 
his relationship with the Dalai Lama and involvement in Mind & Life dialogues;
 
how the conversation between science and Buddhism has influenced both sides;
 
when emotions become "destructive;"
 
the birth of contemplative science;
 
social emotional learning (SEL) in education;
 
links between emotional intelligence and contemplative science;
 
"McMindfulness" and the varying goals of practice;
 
nonconceptual states and dissolving the self;
 
navigating the complexities of science communication;
 
the latest research on emotional intelligence in organizations;
 
how awareness is (or isn't) showing up in the world;
 
and how he relates to meditation now.
Full show notes and resources

Marieke Van Vugt – Finding Balance

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