The FitMind Podcast: Mental Fitness, Neuroscience & Psychology

George Thompson, a Tai Chi teacher, Taoist practitioner, and filmmaker, shares his transformative journey of healing through mindful movement. He discusses how Tai Chi aided his recovery from knee pain and emphasizes breath mastery for calming the nervous system. Delving into Taoist philosophy, George explores concepts like emptiness and interconnectedness, illustrating how facing challenges fosters personal growth. He also touches on his documentary, 'The Subtle Art of Losing Yourself,' highlighting the importance of service and integrity in life's journey.

Dr. Justin Feinstein, a neuroscientist and clinical researcher at the Maui Calm Foundation, dives into the transformative world of floatation therapy. He debunks myths around sensory deprivation, revealing its potential for deep relaxation and resetting the nervous system. Feinstein highlights its benefits for PTSD and anxiety, discussing case studies of remarkable recoveries. He also explores how float therapy can enhance mental performance in athletes and calls for its integration into public health initiatives, especially for trauma survivors.

Dr. Philippe Douyon explores the incredible power of neuroplasticity and how it can reshape our brains at any age. He busts myths about mental change, revealing how inherited mindsets affect our thinking. Discover key strategies for brain health, like diet, exercise, and lifelong learning. The conversation delves into the impacts of stress and the importance of happiness in mental fitness. Practical tips for managing neurological disorders, along with insights on the benefits of fasting and personalized nutrition, provide listeners with actionable ways to enhance their cognitive resilience.

In this conversation, Dr. Adam Dorsay, a psychologist and executive coach from Silicon Valley, delves into the nuances of human connection and its vital role in well-being. He introduces four types of connection and discusses how vulnerability and emotional intelligence enhance our relationships. Listeners learn the significance of awe in deepening bonds and practical strategies to foster connections in personal and professional life. Dorsay also emphasizes self-awareness and its transformative effects on building meaningful relationships.

Shamil Chandaria, a visionary expert in consciousness, neuroscience, and AI, dives deep into how our brains construct reality through the Bayesian brain theory. He reveals how meditation breaks habitual thought patterns, enhancing our awareness of consciousness. The conversation explores the free energy principle and its implications for emotional well-being, alongside the transformative effects of psychedelics. Chandaria also discusses the fascinating relationship between gamma brain waves and long-term meditation, offering insights into new frontiers of mental fitness.

Stanford psychologist Fred Luskin, PhD, discusses the science of forgiveness, emphasizing the need to process grief as a foundation for emotional healing. He explores practical ways to teach forgiveness to children and how adults can approach societal challenges with acceptance and meaning. Luskin also introduces his 9 Steps to Forgiveness, a research-based framework for releasing resentment and fostering gratitude, offering listeners actionable tools for resilience and well-being. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.org Show Notes 0:00 | Introduction to Dr. Fred Luskin 3:23 | Link to 30 Days of Meditation, Science & Bliss course: https://bit.ly/30-day-course 3:33 | Forgiveness is the Forgotten Step 5:44 | Forgiveness Defined 12:30 | Resolving Grievances 16:22 | Choosing Where to Put Your Attention 18:50 | Grief Precedes Forgiveness 26:40 | Power of Forgiveness Anecdotes 38:40 | 9 Steps to Forgiveness 46:11 | Revenge is a Life Well Lived 51:49 | Repainting Your Life Picture 59:02 | Modeling Forgiveness for Children 1:06:00 | Forgiveness of Global Issues 1:10:40 | Next Steps

In this episode, Dr. Andrew Litchy recounts his journey from life as a monk to becoming a naturopathic doctor. He shares his insights on how meditation helped him manage ADHD and how it has become integral to both his personal life and professional practice. The conversation spans topics from the daily life of a monk and the experience of ordination to practical tips on integrating mindfulness into a busy life. Dr. Litchy also discusses practical strategies for training the mind in a hectic world and provides top wellness tips, making this episode a rich resource for anyone interested in meditation and holistic health. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.org Show Notes 0:00 | Introduction to Andrew Litchy 9:02 | ADHD in Meditation 12:18 | How Meditation Clicked 13:25 | Straight Mindful Vipassana 19:05 | Jhanas Defined 23:42 | Experience of Ordaining as a Monk 27:40 | Day in the Life of a Monk 45:25 | From Monk to Med School 47:20 | Study on Meditation and HRV 55:20 | How to Train the Mind in a Busy Life 1:02:14 | Sticky Notes 1:10:17 | Homebase for the Mind 1:13:32 | "Waking From the Dream" 1:21:10 | Time Is a Construct 1:25:44 | Meditation Training for Children 1:31:05 | Top Wellness Tips 1:36:40 | Most Common Problems Treated in a Naturopathic Doctor's Office

Doug Kraft, a psychotherapist and meditation teacher, explores consciousness and reality construction. Topics include dependent origination, training the brain for contentment, and an exercise for deep awareness.

How does the brain work at its deepest levels? And to what extent can we radically upgrade it, creating neuroplastic changes? Ruben Laukkonen, PhD is a cognitive neuroscientist, contemplative, speaker, and poet. His eclectic background includes competing semi-professionally in Muay Thai Kickboxing, founding two businesses (including the first online market for bitcoin in Australia), and intensive meditation training. Dr. Laukkonen is currently a principal investigator and lecturer at Southern Cross University and holds honorary fellowships at VU Amsterdam and The University of Queensland. He uses methods such as behavior, neuroimaging, machine learning, and phenomenology to empirically investigate some of the rarest states of human consciousness. This episode is a full tour of the mind, including a deep dive into some of those rare states of consciousness and what they reveal about achieving the highest levels of human happiness. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com SHOW NOTES 0:00 | Introduction to Ruben Laukkonen, PhD 2:02 | Early Experience 10:45 | How the Mind Makes Itself 22:18 | Predictive Processing & Agitation 25:30 | Why There's Always Something Wrong 31:28 | Chain of Causality in the Mind 36:00 | The Mind Rebuilding After Deepest Levels of Meditation 38:25 | Meditation for Reconditioning the Mind 52:06 | Doing Nothing Very Well 53:14 | Stages of Meditation & Predictive Processing 1:08:28 | Cessation & Awakening Research 1:17:12 | Jhanas - Stages of Deconstruction 1:24:22 | Rapid Fire Questions LINKS https://rubenlaukkonen.com https://fitmind.com/give

Dr. Anna Abraham is a psychologist and neuroscientist who investigates creativity and how we can optimize this key trait. She's also a leading scholar on the study of human imagination. On this episode, we discuss the key ingredients of a creative mind, how to become more creative, and how the brain can tell the difference between real and imaginary worlds. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com SHOW NOTES 0:00 | Intro to Anna Abraham, PhD 1:44 | Imagination More Important Than Knowledge? 4:45 | Imagination Defined 7:53 | How We Experience Real vs. Imaginary Worlds 17:20 | Fiction Crossing Into Reality 21:35 | Overlap of Memory & Imagination 29:28 | Ingredients of a Creative Mind 42:08 | Ways to Build Creativity 48:35 | Predictors of Creativity 58:12 | Rapid Fire Questions