Meditate This!

Like all god's creatures, we love each of our guests equally. But we'll admit, when we got on the phone with Robert Thurman, there was something that stopped us a bit in our tracks.

Yes, he was completely easy to talk to and, yes, he was willing to answer everything we asked. But his ability to explain the concepts of Buddhism and mindfulness with the weight of a genius scholar and practitioner just brought us to another level of awareness as we navigated his seemingly unending knowledge. 

Hear Professor Thurman explain his unforeseeable path to India that led him into the inner circle of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and onto a path of bringing Buddhist thoughts to the West for more than four decades. And be sure to pick up a copy of Thurman's latest book, Man of Peace or explore Tibet House, which he co-founded in 1987 with actor Richard Gere and musician Philip Glass at the request of the Dalai Lama.

She loves me. She loves me not. She loves me. She loves me not...

Ever spent a moment...or several years(!) wondering whether your mate is right for you—or if you're right for them? You're sure as hell not alone. Romantic relationships are seriously confusing, and much of the time we're unaware of our true feelings because our brains work most happily in autopilot mode.

If you're ready for a deeper dive into the land of love (or, not-love), listen to our conversation with Stan Tatkin, clinician, researcher, teacher, and developer of the Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy (PACT). Stan teaches family medicine residents at Kaiser Permanente, Woodland Hills, CA, and is an assistant clinical professor at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine. He is author of several books, including Wired for Dating: How Understanding Neurobiology and Attachment Style Can Help You Find Your Ideal Mate, and Wired for Love: How Understanding Your Partner’s Brain and Attachment Style Can Help You Defuse Conflict and Build a Secure Relationship, and Your Brain on Love: The Neurobiology of Healthy Relationships.

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When Kaiser met Pete in junior high, he could barely have dreamed he'd appear a quarter-century later not once but twice on a world-renowned podcast co-hosted by his new, lanky, piano-playing friend . For one thing, there were no podcasts back then. Heck, Rubik's Cubes were still the rage. Also, neither of them were exactly the most mindful 13-year-olds in the greater Twin Cities area. They'd likely have been shoved in lockers by the school mindfulness bully, if one existed. (We're looking at you, Sven.) But here we are now, welcoming a second fantastic Meditate This! appearance by Kaiser. See, the dream came true. Except for the "world-renowned" part. 

Also, if you feel like this intro and really everything else about mindfulness is generally confusing or intimidating, fear no more: Kaiser breaks down just what you need to know and/or think about as you approach meditation—which, happily, isn't all that much. And he simultaneously explains what you don't necessarily need to know or think about as you consider meditation or really any other endeavors during these complicated, meandering minutes we hear ticking on theoretical clocks sitting inside operating systems sitting inside glass and plastic phones sitting inside our 100% (supposedly) cotton pant pockets. All clear? Ok, perfect. Episode 125 everybody!

For more Kaiser Clark, listen to Episode 103.

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By trade, Robert Kuhn asks the world's most brilliant people about life's biggest questions. It sounded pretty familiar to us here at Meditate This!—with one small exception: Kuhn has a background that puts him on par with just about anyone he interviews, giving the questions an extra level of potency.   

Kuhn holds a doctorate in brain research and is the author and editor of over 25 books. A long-time adviser to the Chinese government and multinational corporations, he has been a columnist for China Daily and the South China Morning Post, and has appeared on the BBC, CNN, Bloomberg, and more. But perhaps Kuhn is most famous for creating and hosting the public television series Closer to Truth, which presents scientists and philosophers discussing life's most fundamental issues. Hear him tackle those subjects with Pete and Jay while explaining to them just why ping pong remains his favorite refuge from life's daily cacophony.

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Nichol Bradford has an affinity for tech—as evidenced by her work as a former senior executive for gaming at Activision Blizzard (for which she managed operations on World of Warcraft in China), Disney, and Vivendi. But the Wharton MBA also appreciates tech's promise because she believes it's our best chance at helping humanity navigate the variety of impending crises. 

As founder and CEO of the Willow Group, Bradford has helped pioneer Finders Course in secular mindfulness based on the scientific findings from eight years of research with over 1,000 participants. The online course uses the most empirical mechanisms for each providing each student a practice that will help them achieve "ongoing and persistent non-symbolic experience." Hear this co-founder and executive director of the Transformative Technology Lab at Sofia University explain how her work is helping 73 percent of students access this state of mind within four months—and why its more urgent than ever that more people join them.

Have you updated your bucket list lately?  We’re guessing there are a few things you may have overlooked.  After this interview, you might decide to add a couple items to your list: the study of transpersonal psychology and achieving self-transcendence.  What are those things you ask?  Well, Pete had the same questions and got some serious answers from his guest today.

Sit back and absorb the fresh wisdom from a pioneer in education.  As the President of Sofia University in Palo Alto, Ca, Liz Li, Ph.D. is committed to improving the human condition by continuing a legacy established in 1975.  Founded as the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, this university weaves a unique thread through all of its core curriculum.  And they're getting a lot more attention with the addition of Dr. Deepak Chopra as a professor, to create a new initiative built around transpersonal aspects of consciousness.

Ok, you looked confused.  So just hit play and we'll take care of the rest.

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It's never happened before that a guest has been daring enough to return to the mic for a second round conversation with Pete and Jay, but Judson Brewer was up for giving it another go. And how lucky for the audience because Judson talks through all the ideas in his new book The Craving Mind: From Cigarettes to Smartphones to Love – Why We Get Hooked and How We Can Break Bad Habits and more, offering perspective on "flow," the idea of a true self, resistance versus resilience, and well, the state of our brains during this unusual political moment. What more could you need? Nothing. Just press play! 

See more and visit us at www.MeditateThisPodcast.com

So, um...about that thing. You know. The thing no one likes to talk about. Yes, that thing. No, not taxes, the other thing.

Right. Death. Ok, we all have different relationships to the word and the concept, and we also all have one thing in common: Nobody knows anything about it for sure. But Sensei Robert Chodo Campbell and Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison have been closer to the experience, with regularity, than just about anyone else.

As co-founders of the Zen Center for Contemplative Care in New York City, they established a training program that enables people "to care in mindful and compassionate ways in hospitals, hospices, and homes, as well as their everyday relationships." That means sitting with patients as they transition, time and again. It is heroic work, but as Koshin says, they two consider it a true privilege. Read more about Robert and Koshin, but first, hear our illuminating conversation with them.

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Have you ever wondered about the secret to perfecting your meditation practice, increasing your daily degree of happiness, and finding the strength to tackle all those things that scare you? Well, search no more. In less than an hour, Pete and Jay will make every last thing clear and give you the tools to transform your life overnight. Well, it could take two nights. Whatever. Just listen. It's free. 

Visit:  www.MeditateThisPodcast.com

Another escapade into the world of mindfulness conferences landed Pete at the Mindful Leadership Summit in Washington D.C.  In this interview, he sits down with Caroline S. Welch, the CEO of Mind Your Brain, Inc. and the co-founder of MindSightMedia, Inc with her husband Dr. Dan Siegel (episode 112 of MT! Podcast).  We cover some key points (4 to be specific) of mindfulness and how the power of presence can bring more well-being into your life.

Caroline’s background as a corporate litigator and early exposure to meditation on a silent retreat in Sri Lanka gives her a unique and valuable perspective on how mindfulness can bring clarity and resilience to one’s professional life.  Enjoy this calm and clear conversation with Caroline Welch!

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