Podcasts · Science · Society & Culture
Mind & Life
Mind & Life Institute
97 episodes
Exploring frontiers of contemplative science—discussing mind, meditation, and more.
Episodes page 1 of 2
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David Creswell – New Season, New Voice
In this season opener, producer Phil Walker introduces the Mind & Life Podcast’s new host, health psychologist and contemplative scientist David Creswell. They talk about how David’s research has evolved since his 2023…
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Mapping Transformation – cathy-mae karelse, Rufus Pollock & Gretchen Steidle
To conclude this mini-series, guest host Jamie Bristow is joined by Gretchen Steidle, cathy-mae karelse and Rufus Pollock to step back from individual approaches explored so far and consider the wider field they are…
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Working Within Systems – Thomas Legrand, Rachel Lilley & Wakanyi Macharia-Hoffman
In this episode of the mini-series on systems change, guest host Jamie Bristow turns the lens around. Rather than beginning with a particular inner approach and asking what it might offer, the conversation starts with…
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Social and Ecological Mindfulness – Jon Kabat-Zinn, Paula Ramírez Diazgranados & Liane Stephan
Jon Kabat-Zinn didn't invent MBSR as a stress reduction programme. He created it as a way of meeting suffering—individual, collective, planetary—with greater clarity and care. Somewhere in the journey to the…
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Theory U: Guiding Awareness-based Systems Change – Katrin Kaufer, Martin Kalungu-Banda and Megan Seneque
In this panel conversation, guest host Jamie Bristow is joined by Katrin Kaufer, Martin Kalungu-Banda and Megan Seneque to explore Theory U and the wider field of awareness-based systems change. Developed through the…
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Trauma and Healing Systems – Laura Calderon de la Barca, Kazu Haga, and Thomas Hübl
In the second panel conversation of this mini-series, guest host Jamie Bristow is joined by Laura Calderón de la Barca, Kazu Haga and Thomas Hübl to explore the rising significance of trauma healing for systems change.…
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The Work That Reconnects – Shayontoni Ghosh, Chris Johnstone, Stephanie Kaza and Phoebe Tickell
In the first panel conversation of this mini-series, guest host Jamie Bristow is joined by Shayontoni Ghosh, Chris Johnstone, Stephanie Kaza and Phoebe Tickell to explore the legacy and living relevance of Joanna…
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Jamie Bristow – Exploring Systems Change
In this episode, Mind & Life co-producer Phil Walker speaks with writer and policy advisor Jamie Bristow as a prelude to our upcoming mini-series on systems change. Over the coming weeks, Jamie will serve as guest host…
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Wendy Hasenkamp – Widening the Aperture
Since this podcast launched, Wendy Hasenkamp has guided listeners through 84 in-depth conversations, bringing warmth, curiosity, and intellectual depth to every episode. After five years with the show and over 13 years…
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Jon Kabat-Zinn – The Heart of Mindfulness [From the Archive]
Enjoy this episode 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…
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Roshi Joan Halifax – Enactive Compassion [From the Archive]
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,…
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Matthieu Ricard – Compassion and Care [From the Archive]
In this episode from the Mind & Life archive, Wendy spoke with the renowned Buddhist practitioner and author Matthieu Ricard. Matthieu was integral to the founding of contemplative science, serving as both a…
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Liz Monson – Reclaiming the Magic
In this episode, Wendy speaks with Buddhist scholar and meditation teacher Liz Monson. Liz is one of the pioneers in combining Buddhist teachings with nature-based practices, and her work helps us connect in an…
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Christy Wilson-Mendenhall – Emotions in the World
In this episode, Wendy speaks with cognitive and affective scientist Christy Wilson-Mendenhall. Christy has a long history studying emotions, and her work integrates psychological science and contemplative philosophy…
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Karen O'Brien – Why We Matter
In this episode, Wendy speaks with professor, writer, and thought leader Karen O’Brien. Karen is an expert on the human and social dimensions of climate change, and her work helps us understand the role of the mind and…
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Tania Singer – The Power of Two
In this episode, Wendy speaks with social neuroscientist and contemplative researcher Tania Singer. Tania is a world leader in studying empathy and compassion, and her pioneering work explores the interpersonal aspects…
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Melissa Rosenkranz – Mind, Body, World
In this episode, Wendy speaks with contemplative scientist Melissa Rosenkranz. Melissa's work examines the mind-body connection with a focus on how inflammation interacts with our brains and emotions, and how…
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Otto Scharmer – Changing Systems
In this episode, Wendy speaks with action researcher, changemaker, and thought leader Otto Scharmer. Otto is a world leader in systems change, and his work across disciplines highlights how awareness and the quality of…
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Neil Theise – Everything is Connected
In this episode, Wendy speaks with pathologist, scientist, author, and Zen Buddhist, Neil Theise. Neil's pioneering work in human anatomy has revolutionized our understanding of interconnectedness at the level of the…
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Molly Crockett – Changing the World is a Group Project
In this episode, Wendy speaks with psychologist and cognitive scientist Molly Crockett. Molly is a leader in studying moral cognition, with an emphasis on ethics, knowledge, and power in the digital age. This…
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Jim Coan – Our Social Baseline
In this episode, Wendy speaks with psychologist and affective neuroscientist Jim Coan. Jim is a leading researcher on how social connection impacts our minds, brains, and bodies, and he's also pushing the boundaries of…
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Chuck Raison – Ancient Practices & Conscious Experience
In this episode, Wendy speaks with psychiatrist and mental health researcher Chuck Raison. Chuck’s work centers on understanding how ancient practices can change our conscious experience. He’s a leader in studying the…
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Quinn Conklin – Mind-Body Connection
In this episode, Wendy speaks with contemplative researcher Quinn Conklin. Quinn's research examines the interconnection of mind and body, and the effects of stress and meditation training on biomarkers of health and…
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Zev Schuman-Olivier – Mindfulness, Behavior Change, and Health
In this episode, Wendy speaks with psychiatrist and contemplative researcher Zev Schuman-Olivier. Zev has been working for more than a decade to integrate mindfulness and compassion into health care, with a focus on…
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Eve Ekman – Building Emotion Awareness
In this episode, Wendy speaks with social scientist and meditation teacher Eve Ekman. Eve's work integrates contemplative practice and modern psychology to help people learn about and work with their emotions. This…
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Dave Vago – Meditation, Neuroscience, and Self
In this episode, Wendy speaks with contemplative neuroscientist Dave Vago. Dave has been studying the brain, meditation, and the self for over two decades, and has developed several models of how mindfulness might work…
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Tawni Tidwell – Between Life and Death
In this episode, Wendy speaks with biocultural anthropologist and Tibetan medical doctor Tawni Tidwell. Tawni's research focuses on living—and dying—with greater awareness and well-being, and integrates multiple…
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Brian Dias – Epigenetics and Intergenerational Trauma
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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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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 &…
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