Mind & Life

Mind & Life episodes:

• 04.18.2024

  Jyoti Mishra – Mindfulness and Climate 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...

  
• 04.04.2024

  Simon Goldberg – The Shape of Healing

  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...

  
• 03.21.2024

  Diana Chapman Walsh – Contemplative Leadership

  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...

  
• 03.07.2024

  Daniel Goleman – Beyond Emotional Intelligence

  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...

  
• 12.14.2023

  Robin Nusslock – How Stress Gets Under Our Skin

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with neuroscientist Robin Nusslock. Robin has long been interested in the mind through both scientific and Buddhist lenses, and he trained with Richie Davidson. His work focuses on the brain's role in our emotional life,...

  
• 11.30.2023

  Hanne De Jaegher – Making Sense Together

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with philosopher and cognitive scientist Hanne De Jaegher. Hanne was influenced by Francisco Varela's ideas from an early age, and has been working to extend enactive theories of mind into social contexts. This conversation covers...

  
• 11.16.2023

  Grant Jones – Music, Meditation, and Healing

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with musician, contemplative, researcher, and activist Grant Jones. Grant is working to develop and implement contemplative and liberatory tools for underserved populations. This conversation covers many topics, including: blending music, psychology, contemplation, and activism; ...

  
• 11.02.2023

  Linda Carlson – Mindfulness and Cancer

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with psychosocial oncology researcher Linda Carlson. Linda has pioneered the application of mindfulness and contemplative practice for cancer patients, focusing on both psychological and biological outcomes. This conversation covers many topics, including: her path to integrating...

  
• 10.19.2023

  Paul Condon – Relational Meditation

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with social psychologist and contemplative researcher Paul Condon. Paul's work integrates psychological theory with the Buddhist contemplative tradition, looking at meditation through the lens of attachment theory. This conversation covers many topics, including: his...

  
• 10.05.2023

  Marieke Van Vugt – Finding Balance

  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...

  
• 09.21.2023

  Emeran Mayer – Biological Interconnectedness

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with gastroenterologist, author, and microbiome researcher Emeran Mayer. Emeran is a world renowned expert in the connections between the gut and the mind, and brings a biological lens to the concept of interconnection. This conversation...

  
• 09.07.2023

  Rob Roeser – Transforming Education

  To begin our seventh season, Wendy speaks with contemplative educator and developmental psychologist Rob Roeser. Rob has been working to re-envision the educational system for decades, and has been at the forefront of understanding how we can best integrate mindfulness...

  
• 06.01.2023

  sujatha baliga – Healing Through Restorative Justice

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with lawyer, activist, and restorative justice expert sujatha baliga. sujatha’s work reimagines our current legal and justice system in the United States, and emphasizes the full humanity of both those who experience harm and those...

  
• 05.18.2023

  Fadel Zeidan – Mindfulness and Pain

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with neuroscientist and pain researcher Fadel Zeidan. Fadel is one of the leading experts on understanding how mindfulness and other contemplative practices can be used to help relieve physical pain and promote well-being. This conversation...

  
• 05.04.2023

  Brendan Ozawa-de Silva – Embodied Learning

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with Buddhist scholar and contemplative educator and researcher Brendan Ozawa-de Silva. Brendan has been studying and teaching mindfulness and compassion for over a decade, and has lately been focusing on integrating trauma-informed and embodied practices...

  
• 04.20.2023

  Ed Taylor – Leading by Example

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with University of Washington vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, Ed Taylor. Ed has made major contributions in the areas of contemplative education and leadership, with a focus on moral and integrative education...

  
• 04.06.2023

  David Creswell – Exploring Equanimity

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with social psychologist and contemplative researcher David Creswell. David has been studying the effects of meditation on stress and resilience for over a decade, and has conducted some of the most rigorous studies to date...

  
• 03.23.2023

  Jenny Mascaro – Compassion in Healthcare

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with biological anthropologist and contemplative researcher Jenny Mascaro. Jenny's work weaves together meditation, compassion, psychology, and healthcare, and moves us toward a deeper understanding of interconnectedness. This conversation covers many topics, including: her interest in social cognition...

  
• 03.09.2023

  Elissa Epel – Mind, Body, and Stress

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with contemplative health psychologist and stress researcher Elissa Epel. Elissa studies how mindfulness, meditation retreats, and breathing techniques can help buffer stress processes, biological aging, and promote both physical and mental health. This conversation covers many...

  
• 02.23.2023

  Matthieu Ricard – Compassion and Care

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with the renowned Buddhist practitioner and author Matthieu Ricard. Matthieu was integral to the founding of contemplative science, serving as both a participant and co-investigator in many early studies, and has deep expertise in compassion,...

  
• 12.16.2022

  Jamie Bristow – Policy, Practice, and Planet

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with mindful policy advocate and contemplative teacher Jamie Bristow. Jamie co-directs the Mindfulness Initiative in the UK, an organization that bridges contemplative practice and public policy, championing the inner dimension of social change. This conversation...

  
• 12.02.2022

  Amy Cohen Varela – The Power of Undoing

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with clinical psychologist and contemplative Amy Cohen Varela. In addition to her work as a psychoanalytic therapist, Amy is also the widow of Francisco Varela (co-founder of the Mind & Life Institute), and continues to...

  
• 11.18.2022

  Zindel Segal – Mindfulness and Depression

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with renowned clinical psychologist, researcher, and co-developer of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Zindel Segal. Zindel's work has brought relief to many who suffer from depression, by sharing the tools and skills of mindful awareness. This...

  
• 11.04.2022

  Randima Fernando – Humane Technology

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with Randima (Randy) Fernando, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology. Over several decades, Randy has worked to integrate technology, mindfulness, and social impact, trying to find ethical solutions to some of our most challenging...

  
• 10.21.2022

  Yuria Celidwen - Indigenous Wisdom

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with contemplative scholar and Indigenous activist Yuria Celidwen. Yuria has worked across many sectors to bring Indigenous ways of knowing into conversation with Western approaches, particularly in contemplative science. This conversation covers many topics, including:  the...

  
• 10.07.2022

  Norm Farb - Meditation and the Brain

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with contemplative researcher Norm Farb. Norm was one of the first people to study how meditation impacts our brains, and his broader work incorporates emotions, body sensations, and present-moment awareness. Their conversation covers many topics,...

  
• 09.23.2022

  Tish Jennings - Contemplative Education

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with contemplative educator and researcher Patricia (Tish) Jennings. Tish has been a pioneer in bringing mindfulness and compassion into school settings, with a particular focus on helping teachers. This conversation covers many topics, including: her experience...

  
• 09.09.2022

  Sharon Salzberg - Love and Wisdom

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with renowned and beloved meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg. Sharon has been teaching meditation in the West for over 40 years, and is the co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society. Their conversation covers many topics, including: finding...

  
• 06.03.2022

  Bob Thurman - Wisdom is Bliss

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with Buddhist scholar and author Robert (Bob) Thurman. Bob is one of the foremost scholars in the world on Tibetan Buddhism, and played a major role in bringing Buddhism to America. This conversation covers many...

  
• 05.20.2022

  Lasana Harris - Flexible Social Cognition

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with social neuroscientist Lasana Harris about his work on flexible social cognition—the variable ways that we perceive others. This conversation covers many topics, including: his accidental entry into psychology; what flexible social cognition is; schemas and predictions about...

  
• 05.06.2022

  Jessica Morey - Healing Attachment

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with meditation teacher and co-founder of Inward Bound Mindfulness Education (iBme), Jessica Morey. Jessica has been working with the contemplative path through the lens of attachment theory, and shares how she blends these approaches for...

  
• 04.22.2022

  Juan Santoyo - Practice and Peace

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with contemplative researcher and social activist Juan Santoyo. Juan's work sits at the intersection of basic neuroscience and community-based programs; his central interest is in understanding the factors that are needed for peace and healing—both...

  
• 04.08.2022

  Al Kaszniak - The Universe of Verbs

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with psychologist, contemplative researcher, and Zen Buddhist teacher, Al Kaszniak. Al has been in the contemplative science space since the earliest days, and his work has shed light on how meditation impacts our thoughts, emotions,...

  
• 03.25.2022

  Brooke Lavelle - Courage in Community

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with Buddhist scholar, contemplative teacher, and social activist Brooke Lavelle. Brooke is the co-founder and president of Courage of Care, an organization that seeks to build transformational practice communities rooted in compassion, healing, and counter-oppressive...

  
• 03.11.2022

  Jud Brewer - Changing Habits

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with addiction psychiatrist and contemplative researcher Jud Brewer. Jud is one of the leading figures in the use of mindfulness for addiction and anxiety, and his work emphasizes the brain's habit cycle, and how to...

  
• 02.25.2022

  Roshi Joan Halifax - Enactive Compassion

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with Zen Buddhist teacher and author Roshi Joan Halifax. A pioneer in the field of end-of-life care, Roshi Joan was instrumental in developing the dialogue between science and Buddhism, and has been an advocate for...

  
• 12.17.2021

  Cliff Saron - Embracing Complexity

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with neuroscientist and contemplative researcher Cliff Saron. Cliff is a pioneer in studying the effects of meditation on attention and emotion, and has been deeply embedded in the field of contemplative science since the earliest...

  
• 12.03.2021

  Bobbi Patterson - Contemplation, Place, and Resilience

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with professor and Episcopal priest, Bobbi Patterson. Bobbi's work integrates Christian contemplation, Buddhist meditation, contemplative pedagogy, the role of place, and adaptive resilience. This conversation covers many topics, including: contemplative Christian traditions; the power of silence; dialogue between...

  
• 11.19.2021

  Cortland Dahl - Integrating Science and Buddhism

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with researcher, translator, and Buddhist teacher, Cortland Dahl. Cort's work integrates science, psychology, meditation, and Tibetan Buddhism. This conversation covers many topics, including: how meditation helped with his social anxiety as a young person; benefits and challenges...

  
• 11.05.2021

  Zenju Earthlyn Manuel - Identity as Path

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with author, Zen priest and Buddhist teacher, Zenju Earthlyn Manuel. Zenju's work highlights how the various facets of our identity can become "fertilizer" for growth on the path of spiritual and personal development. This conversation...

  
• 10.22.2021

  Willoughby Britton - When Meditation Causes Harm

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with clinical psychologist and meditation researcher, Willoughby Britton. Willoughby is a pioneer in contemplative research and one of the only people dedicated to understanding the possible negative outcomes from meditation (so called meditation-related adverse experiences)....

  
• 10.08.2021

  Nicholas Van Dam - Nuancing the Narrative

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with meditation researcher and clinical psychologist, Nicholas Van Dam. Nicholas is the Director of the Contemplative Studies Centre at the University of Melbourne—the first such center in Australia. His work explores how meditation and mindfulness...

  
• 09.24.2021

  Rhonda Magee - Mindfulness, Interconnection, and Justice

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with law professor, author, and meditation teacher, Rhonda Magee. Rhonda's work has focused on bringing contemplative approaches into the practice of law, and the fight for social justice. This conversation covers many topics, including: her path...

  
• 09.10.2021

  Jon Kabat-Zinn - The Heart of Mindfulness

  We're back with Season 3 of the show, starting with renowned meditation teacher, author, and creator of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Jon Kabat-Zinn. This spacious and personal conversation is full of insights on a wide range of topics, including: what drew...

  
• 08.13.2021

  Vandana Shiva - Earth Democracy

  In this bonus episode, we're sharing a special presentation from environmentalist, physicist, and eco-feminist Vandana Shiva. This session is from our Summer Research Institute, held in June of this year, entitled The Mind, the Human-Earth Connection, and the Climate Crisis....

  
• 07.09.2021

  David Sloan Wilson - Conscious Evolution

  In this bonus episode, Wendy speaks with evolutionary biologist David Sloan Wilson. This episode is being released in conjunction with Mind & Life's new film, Evolution of the Heart — a short documentary covering conversations between the Dalai Lama, David...

  
• 05.21.2021

  Dekila Chungyalpa - Human-Earth Connection

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with environmentalist Dekila Chungyalpa about her views of nature, the climate crisis, and her unique collaborations with faith leaders. Their conversation covers many topics, including: growing up in the Himalayas and being interconnected with nature; the dominance...

  
• 05.07.2021

  Peter Wayne - Ecology of Mind

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with clinical researcher Peter Wayne about his work on mind-body and movement-based interventions like tai chi. Their conversation covers many topics, including: how a background in ecology informs his research; embracing multiple causes of any outcome; how to...

  
• 04.22.2021

  Mingyur Rinpoche - Awareness, Compassion, and Wisdom

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with Tibetan Buddhist teacher Mingyur Rinpoche about how contemplative practice can lead us to awareness, compassion, and wisdom. Their conversation covers many topics, including: his involvement in early contemplative research; translating concepts between Buddhism and science; what Buddhists...

  
• 04.09.2021

  Buju Dasgupta - Social Context & Implicit Bias

  In this episode, Wendy speaks with social psychologist Buju Dasgupta about her work on implicit bias, and the role of social context in shaping the mind. Their conversation covers many topics, including: her path to merging science and social justice; the crucial...