Jamie Kreiner
Historian and professor at the University of Georgia specializing in late antiquity and medieval monasticism; author of The Wandering Mind, which examines medieval monks' approaches to distraction.
Best podcasts with Jamie Kreiner
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Jul 10, 2024 • 1h 2min
From the archive: Medieval monks on memory, meditation, and mind-wandering
In this engaging conversation, Dr. Jamie Kreiner, a historian at the University of Georgia, unravels the fascinating world of medieval monks and their profound insights on distraction. She explores their advanced mnemonic techniques, such as the memory palace, and reveals their unique meditation practices focused on associative thinking. Jamie highlights the diversity within monastic life, including overlooked female and genderqueer monks. With ties to contemporary cognitive practices, she showcases how these monks battled distractions while striving for spiritual clarity and community support.
Jan 18, 2026 • 44min
Jamie Kreiner, "The Wandering Mind: What Medieval Monks Tell Us About Distraction" (Liveright, 2023)
In this insightful discussion, Jamie Kreiner, a history professor at the University of Georgia, delves into the lives of medieval monks and their battle against distraction. She reveals that these early monastics faced challenges eerily similar to our own and developed innovative strategies to maintain focus. Kreiner highlights the significance of community support, bodily practices, and even the design of books in this quest. She also emphasizes how their experiences can inform our modern approaches to managing attention and navigating distractions.
