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 topics, including: her early roots of interest in the mind-body connection; bringing contemplation into health and stress psychology research; two key aspects of stress; learning to deal with uncertainty; uncertainty in the body; acute vs. chronic stress response; why we might want to ..read more

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, altruism, and well-being. This conversation covers many topics, including: his roots in both science and Buddhism, and his appreciation for rigorous inquiry; his role as a participant and collaborator in contemplative science; lessons from research on compassion vs. empathy; how the self shows up (or doesn't) in compassion ..read more

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 covers many topics, including: why he first started meditating and the surprise that came with it; his commitment to climate work; integrating advertising talent into policy work; mindfulness in the UK government; development of the Mindfulness Initiative; the nuts and bolts of mindful policy work; polic ..read more

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 share his vision and work through the offerings of Mind & Life Europe. This conversation covers many topics, including: her dual interest in biology and literature; the contemplative aspects of psychoanalysis; skills learned from listening deeply to yourself and to others; how she met Francisco Varela; enaction, meaning, and participatory ..read more

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 conversation covers many topics, including: his early experiences with meditation and psychology; the development of MBCT and its evolution; seeing thoughts as thoughts; the power of curiosity, kindness, and an attitude of letting be; clinical research on MBCT in depression; staying with difficult experiences; th ..read more

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 issues. This conversation covers many topics, including: how the strands of Buddhism and technology have woven together throughout his life; the challenges we face with tech today; parallels between mindfulness and humane technology; understanding the "race to the bottom"; breaking the myth that technology is neutral; looking a ..read more

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, including: his initial research on meditation, neural networks, and modes of self; predictive models of mind; reinforcing vs. updating our model of the world (and implications for political polarization); the default mode network and its role in cognition; how meditation can help shift our habitual patterns; what happen ..read more

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 topics, including: his entry into Buddhism, and befriending the Dalai Lama; links between Buddhism and science (and why Buddhism is 1/6 religion); problems with scientific materialism; enlightenment and emptiness; stories of the Buddha leaving home; four friendly fun facts (noble truths); realistic vs. right approaches on the path; jumping into bliss prem ..read more

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, and sense of self. This conversation covers many topics, including: his parallel interests in Buddhism and neuropsychology; research on meditation, emotion, and attention; how our view of self impacts what seems relevant to us; cognitive effort and emotion regulation; how his own experience of self has shifted through practice; atten ..read more

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 frameworks. This conversation covers many topics, including: her trajectory of work from mindfulness to compassion to relational practice to social justice; relationality as the starting point for contemplative growth; Courage of Care, and the CourageRISE framework; routes to understanding oppressiv ..read more