Dhru Purohit Show The Mind-Blowing Science of How Art (and Nature) Can Transform the Body and Heal the Brain with Susan Magsamen
Finding Art in the Mundane
- Reframe daily routines as artistic expression.
- Find art in cooking, nature walks, or even showering.
Enriched vs. Impoverished Environments
- Enriched environments, filled with sensory stimulation and novelty, boost brain mass.
- Impoverished environments, lacking stimulation, can lead to brain mass reduction.
Neural Pathways and Pruning
- Neural pathways strengthen with repeated experiences, like kissing, while others prune.
- Susan Magsamen's husband felt this intensely upon their first kiss.
This episode is brought to you by WHOOP, BON CHARGE, and Joovv.
Today on The Dhru Purohit Podcast, Dhru and Susan Magsamen discuss how we can use art to transform our neurocircuitry and help heal our bodies and minds.
Susan Magsamen is the founder and director of the International Arts + Mind Lab Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Susan cowrote the book Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us with Ivy Ross. In the book, Magsamen and Ross offer compelling research that shows how engaging in an art project—from painting and dancing to expressive writing, architecture, and more—for as little as 45 minutes reduces the stress hormone cortisol, no matter your skill level, and just one art experience per month can extend your life by 10 years.
In this episode, Dhru and Susan dive into:
-How art can radically transform the body and brain (2:01)
-How we’re wired to engage with art (4:01)
-The connection between art and nature (12:31)
-Susan’s story and how she got into the mind-art connection (14:56)
-Using art as a way to connect to ourselves, each other, and the external world (21:36)
-Rewiring the brain with art (41:06)
-Carving out time for art: the minimal viable dose (46:35)
-Enriching your environment for inspiration and creativity (50:28)
-Establishing new connections in the brain (57:27)
-The default mode network: daydreaming and letting your mind wander (1:05:22)
-What we’re missing by removing art from school (1:13:05)
-Integrating art, science, and culture (1:15:41)
-The connection between plant medicine and awe (1:25:47)
-How art and creativity can extend our life span and help us flourish (1:33:51)
-First steps to bringing art experiences back into your life (1:37:47)
-Where to follow Susan’s work (1:49:30)
Also mentioned in this episode:
-Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us
For more on Susan Magsamen, follow her on Instagram @susanmagsamen, Facebook @susan.magsamen.9, or through her website, Artsandmindlab.org.
WHOOP is a personalized digital fitness tracker and health coaching platform that monitors your physiology 24/7 and provides personalized recommendations based on what your body needs. To get yours, go to join.whoop.com and get your first month free with code DHRU15.
BON CHARGE is a holistic wellness brand with a HUGE range of evidence-based products to optimize your life. Right now, my community can go to boncharge.com/DHRU and use coupon code DHRU to save 15%.
Enhance your health with red and infrared LED light therapy with Joovv. Right now, Joovv is offering an exclusive offer on your first order. Head over to Joovv.com/dhru and apply my code DHRU.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices