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: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com

SHOW NOTES

0:00 | Intro to Andrew Holecek

4:55 | In the Presence of Meditation Masters

10:10 | 3-Year Silent Retreat Experience

18:58 | Insights Gained from 3-Year Retreat

22:50 | Unsticking the Mind

30:06 | Enlightenment Defined

38:58 | Waking Up & Growing Up

44:23 | How Our Minds Construct Our Realities

54:20 | Deconstructing Mental Constructs

62:23 | Rapid Fire Questions

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 implications of these wild, futuristic technologies for us all.

FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com

SHOW NOTES

0:00 | Intro to Dr. Miguel Nicolelis

4:20 | Monkeys Controlling Robots

10:30 | Mirror Neurons & Brain-Machine Interface (BMI)

13:02 | Advances & Applications of BMIs

17:50 | BMIs for Parkinson's Disease

21:36 | Upgrading the Human Mind?

24:50 | Why Machines Will Never Think Like a Human

29:56 | Brains are Changed by Digital Systems

32:50 | Limitations of Computers

37:07 | How Nature Shaped the Brain

40:15 | We Only Experience a Sliver of Reality

49:45 | Viruses of the Mind

59:30 | Rapid Fire Questions

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 to try, and much more.

FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com

SHOW NOTES

0:00 | Intro to Edward Slingerland, PhD

1:39 | Wu Wei & Flow State

9:34 | Hot vs. Cold Cognition

13:45 | How to Get into State of Wu Wei

17:35 | When to Not Use Wu Wei

19:30 | Paradox of Trying Not to Try

26:40 | Wu Wei in Daily Life

30:10 | Microdosing Psychedelics

32:28 | Alcohol and Ways to Alter Consciousness

38:06 | How Much Effort is Needed to Become Effortless?

40:00 | Rapid Fire Questions

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 magic tricks fool the brain, why everyday life is an illusion, what neuroscientists and magicians can learn from each other and much more.

FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com

Show Notes

0:00 | Intro to Stephen Macknik, PhD & Susana Martinez-Conde, PhD

8:00 | How Magic Hacks Our Minds

13:00 | What Neuroscientists Learn from Magicians

15:54 | What Magicians Learn from Neuroscientists

17:24 | Testing Attention Manipulation

22:25 | Cognition & Calculation

25:36 | How Our Brains Construct Reality

28:27 | Vision Produces Our Changing Realities

29:53 | Microsaccades Explained

32:58 | Brain on Autopilot

35:50 | Expertise as an Unconscious Process

40:46 | Magic for Kids vs. Magic for Adults

43:43 | Is Magic Still Enjoyable When You Know the Tricks?

48:24 | Rapid Fire Questions

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 goes on in the brains of elite meditators and what it takes for the average person to reap the benefits from a meditation practice.

FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com

Show Notes

0:00 | Introduction to Elena Antonova, PhD

4:28 | Categorizing Meditation Practices

7:15 | Why Breath Focus is Fundamental

10:19 | Constructivist vs. Innateist Approach to Meditation

12:08 | 4 Levels of Meditation Practice Development

17:12 | Mental Fitness Defined

20:19 | Brains of Mental Olympians

24:10 | Default Mode Network Differences

32:00 | Field of Awareness Described

35:45 | Habituation of the Attention System

46:45 | Eye Movement Paradigm Study

54:00 | Balancing Brain's Predictive Nature with the Present Moment

57:10 | Measurable Changes with Just 10 Minutes a Day

59:14 | Rapid Fire Questions

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 consciousness, and why we have a brain in the first place.

FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com

Show Notes

0:00 | Introduction to Antonio Damasio, MD, PhD

2:07 | Why Do We Have a Brain?

4:00 | Brain & Nervous System Are One

6:08 | Evolution of the Mind

10:28 | Minds are Representation Machines

16:51 | Distinguishing Between Feeling & Emotions

19:04 | Feelings are the Beginning of Consciousness

22:38 | Nervous Systems Produce Feelings/Consciousness

29:30 | Understanding Feelings is of Utmost Importance

34:34 | How Feelings Impact Culture, Politics, Relationships, & Everything Really

39:37 | Building Conscious Machines with Vulnerability

43:30 | Rapid Fire Questions

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 better night's sleep and stresses the importance of sharing our dreams with others.

FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com

Show Notes

0:00 | Introduction to Sidarta Ribeiro, PhD

3:09 | History of Sleep and Dreams

5:56 | Problem with Not Paying Attention to Dreams

7:27 | Purpose of Dreams

13:45 | How Sleep Made Humans a Dominate Species

22:17 | How to Cultivate a Dream Life

27:38 | Interpreting Meaning of Dreams

36:23 | Collective Dreams Have Changed During Covid

37:48 | Sleep Tips - How to Get a Better Night's Sleep

41:43 | Are Naps Good?

42:55 | Connection Between Sleep, Memory and Learning

46:13 | Too Much Sleep?

49:51 | Rapid Fire Questions

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, ethical concerns, and future of brain-computer interface technology.

FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com

Show Notes

0:00 | Introduction to Ramses Alcaide, PhD

3:20 | What is a Brain-Computer Interface?

5:34 | How a Brain Interfaces with a Machine

9:48 | How Thoughts are Read by Machines

13:48 | Enten EEG Headphones - How They Work

23:18 | Addressing BCI Concerns and Ethics

26:30 | Future of BCIs

35:28 | Can People Become too Reliant on BCIs?

40:33 | Rapid Fire Questions

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, educators, elite athletes, and children.

We discuss the 3 main subsystems of attention, the evolutionary reason for mind wandering, and recommended practices to sharpen your attention.

FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com

0:00 | Introduction to Amishi Jha, PhD

4:48 | The Attention Problem

6:30 | 3 Main Subsystems of Attention

11:06 | How Subsystems of Attention Work Together

13:20 | Meta Awareness and Meta Cognition

15:30 | Evolutionary Reason for Mind Wandering

18:58 | What Makes a Thought "Sticky"

24:18 | High Stress and Attention

31:33 | Can You Undo Benefits of Mindfulness?

36:28 | Different Definitions of Mindfulness

40:18 | Recommended Practices to Train Attention

43:58 | Rapid Fire Questions

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 placebo treatment.

In this episode, we discuss the placebo effect, how pain works in the brain, and susceptibility to chronic pain and placebo response.

FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com