Brain Shaman

What if your sense of self is the very thing holding you back? In this episode, author and yoga retreat founder Yogi Aaron invites us to explore how yoga can help dissolve the ego and strip away the layers of identity we cling to — our habits, defenses, roles, and masks. We discuss how fear, mistrust, and attachment create instability and confusion — and how yoga offers a path toward clarity, freedom, and authenticity.Through deliberate movement, breath, silence, and stillness, we begin to see what we’re protecting — and why. This conversation is about breaking cycles, softening resistance, and reconnecting with who we are beneath the masks and personas. Letting go becomes the gateway to presence, trust, and inner stability.Connect and Learn More📚 Book: Autobiography of a Naked Yogi 📘 Book: Stop Stretching! 🎧 Podcast: Stop Stretching🌴 Retreat: Blue Osa Yoga Retreat and Spa 📷 Instagram: @yogi_aaron 🌐 Website: www.yogiaaron.com 🎬 YouTube: @YogiAaron

In this episode, my guest is men's yoga and health expert Jake Panasevich. We discuss yoga for men — how to get started, how it differs from other forms of exercise and yoga for women, its benefits for physical and mental health, and more. Jake shares tips on finding the right class, what to look for in a teacher, effective teaching methods, overcoming common obstacles, and building a consistent practice. We also talk about breathwork, pain, social connection, the politics of yoga studios, and the unique health challenges men face today — and how yoga can help. Connect and Learn More📸 Instagram: @yogawithjake▶️ YouTube: YogaWithJake📘 Facebook: YogaWithJakeP🐦 X: @yogawithjake🌐 Website: yogawithjake.com🎧 Podcast: Yoga With JakeRESOURCESPEOPLERichard ReevesJett StoneTroy JacksonORGANIZATIONSAmerican Institute for Boys and MenUS News & World ReportPhiladelphia EaglesPhiladelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia UnionUniversity of PittsburghPhilly Power YogaPLACESPhiladelphiaFishtown, PhiladelphiaRocko's Italian Sausages & Philly Cheese SteaksBrooklyn

In this episode, I talk with Lisa Skinner, behavioral expert and author of Truth, Lies & Alzheimer's: Its Secret Faces. We discuss common myths, symptoms, risk factors, and practical tools for prevention and caregiving. Connect and Learn More🌐Website: mindingdementia.com📚Book: Truth, Lies & Alzheimer's: Its Secret Faces🔗LinkedIn: @lisaskinnerauthor

In this episode, my guest is Dr. Mary Newport — physician, author, and Alzheimer's expert. We talk about how nutrition impacts Alzheimer’s, focusing on coconut oil, MCT oil, the ketogenic and Mediterranean diets, and the dangers of sugar and refined carbohydrates.We also cover lifestyle factors that may contribute to Alzheimer’s — and how addressing them can help prevent the disease and improve the lives of those affected.This conversation blends science and personal stories to help you protect your brain, with or without Alzheimer's. Connect and Learn More🌐 Website:  coconutketones.com📸Instagram: @marynewportmd 📚 Books: Alzheimer's Disease: What If There Was a Cure? The Story of KetonesCleary Keto: For Healthy Brain Aging and Alzheimer's PreventionThe Coconut and Low-Carb Solution for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Other DiseasesThe Complete Book of Ketones: A Practical Guide to Ketogenic Diets and Ketone SupplementsRESOURCESORGANIZATIONSAlzheimer's AssociationBazsucki Family FoundationBrown UniversityNational Institutes of Health (NIH)Scientific AmericanTampa Bay TimesThe LancetPEOPLEAlbert EinsteinGeorge CahillRichard VeechSamuel HendersonStephen CunnaneTheodore Van ItallieALZHEIMER'S TESTSActivities of Daily Living (ADL) TestAlzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS)Clock Drawing Test (CDT)Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE)

In this episode, I talk with Raj Khedun about his 3:3 Metaverse Breathing Method. We explore how it works, its impact on the nervous system, and how it compares to other popular breathing techniques—and we even practice it together.Our conversation also explores metaphysics, the metaverse, chakras, technology, vocalizations, nostril flow, and the nature of reality—and how all of these connect to this simple yet powerful breathwork practice.Connect and Learn More🌐Website: keepfitkingdom.comRESOURCESBREATHING TECHNIQUES3:3 Metaverse Breathing Method4-7-8 BreathingBox BreathingPhysiological SighWim Hof MethodMOVIESAvatar: The Last AirbenderThe MatrixPEOPLEAndrew HubermanAndrew WeilLarry EllisonMark ZuckerbergRobert NozickSteven Kotler Wim Hof

In this episode, my guest is Dr. Vaibhav Diwadkar, professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at Wayne State University School of Medicine. We discuss the powers and limits of the human brain, the tentative yet evolving role of neuroscience, and the science of thermoregulation in both animals and humans.Our conversation explores the concept of hormesis-enhanced interoceptive refocusing—how combining stressors like cold exposure and breathwork with parasympathetic practices such as meditation or introspection can influence brain function, mood, and perception.We also discuss mental health disorders, drugs, pharmaceuticals, animal research, technology, exercise, the abundance of information and food, and the dynamic relationship between the mind, body, and environment. Connect and Learn MoreProfessor Profile: psychiatry.med.wayne.edu/profile/ax3112LinkedIn:  linkedin.com/in/vaibhav-diwadkar-7ba3107 RESOURCESPAPERS“Brain over body”–A study on the willful regulation of autonomic function during cold exposure , NeuroImage (March 2018)Human regulatory systems in the age of abundance: A predictive processing perspective, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (February 2025)The impact of a focused behavioral intervention on brain cannabinoid signaling and interoceptive function: Implications for mood and anxiety, Brain Behavior and Immunity Integrative (January 2024)PEOPLEAndrew HubermanEmerson PughFranz GallMartin Heidegger Otto MusikWim Hof

In this episode, my guest is Dr. Jett Stone, clinical psychologist and author of Quiet Your Mind: A Men's Guide. We explore the struggles many men face in today’s world—alienation, confusion, and lack of footing—and how to navigate this modern world with more meaning, purpose, confidence, and connection. We discuss:Masculinity and femininityMarriage, dating, and parenthoodWork—both paid and unpaid, including domestic laborCommunity and friendsChallenges for women and couplesOverthinking and practical tools to overcome itActionable tools for men living in the modern world:Journaling, writing, and finding the right languageMentorship, social infrastructure, and third placesJoining clubs, leagues, or churchesGetting out of the house and putting in effortSlowing down, listening to classical musicEmbracing exercise and movementExperimenting, taking small risks, and shifting perspectiveSeeking curiosity and aweDefining your values and constructing your own masculine codeWhether you're feeling lost, confused, or alone, this conversation offers practical insights to help you build a more meaningful, purpose-filled, and connected life.Connect and Learn More🌐 Website: jettstonephd.com📚 Book: Quiet Your Mind📸 Instagram: @flex.flexibility🧠 Psychology Today: /jett-stone-phdRESOURCESORGANIZATIONSBoys & Girls Clubs of AmericaPsychology TodayPEOPLEKarl Kahler Loretta BreuningSteven HayesPLACESVietnam 

In this episode, I talk with yoga teacher and researcher Erica Sharpe about yoga nidra. We explore the emerging science behind this ancient practice, how to do it, and how it can help with insomnia, anxiety, addiction, PTSD, depression, pain, and more. Yoga nidra lets you rewire memories and habits, break free from past constraints, and open new possibilities. It enhances sleep, relaxation, learning, mood, memory, and overall well-being by guiding you into a deep state of conscious rest.We also discuss sleep, dreams, nightmares, psychosis, symbols, language, imagery, audio, intention, sensory perception, sensory withdrawal, environment, posture, timing, duration, potential risks, the distinction between yoga nidra and NSDR, and the deeper impact of yoga on the mind and body.Explore how yoga nidra unlocks your subconscious mind and guides you into deeper states of rest, awareness, and transformation.Connect and Learn More📺 YouTube: @ericasharpe5711✉️ Email: shared in the episodeRESOURCESBOOKSHatha Yoga Pradipika by SvatmaramaYoga Nidra by Swami Satyananda SaraswatiORGANIZATIONSNational Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)National University of National Medicine (NUNM)SUNY CantonYoga Vidya GurukulPEOPLEAndrew HubermanFriedrich August KekuleLord Voldemort (fictional character)Mr. Hyde (fictional character)Swami Satyananda SaraswatiThomas EdisonVishwas Vasant MandlikPRACTICESAsanaAshtanga yogaDharanaDhyanaHatha yogaHypnosisOmkarMindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR)NyasaPratyaharaShavasanaVamachara

In this episode, I talk with yoga teacher and health journalist Sonia Azad about meditation for beginners. We explore Vipassana, yoga nidra, mindfulness, and more—guiding you into practices that bring more calm, peace, presence, and freedom. Whether you're just starting your meditation journey or looking to deepen your practice, this episode is for you.Connect and Learn More🌐 Website: sonia-azad.com🎙️ Podcast: The Shift with Sonia Azad📸 Instagram: @SoniaAzadTV📘 Facebook: @SoniaAzadTV🔗 LinkedIn: /sonia-azad🐦 X: @SoniaAzadTVRESOURCESAPPSCalmHeadspaceInsight Timer COURSESVipassana MeditationYoga with Sonia PEOPLEJake PanasevichS.N. Goenka PODCASTSThe Shift with Sonia AzadYoga with Jake 

In this episode, I talk with Cambridge zoologist Arik Kershenbaum about why communication evolved in animals and humans. We explore how social structure, status, needs, movement, distance, environment, emotions, sense of self and other, theory of mind, genetic relatedness, technology, ideas, words, language, and the senses shape the way we communicate.We also discuss interspecies communication, pets, plants, gossip, names, autism, mental illness, other minds, information media (books, radio, etc.), language breakdown, variation in language abilities, fighting, isolation, and anthropomorphism.Learn more about how wolves, dolphins, parrots, hyraxes, gibbons, chimpanzees, humans, and other species communicate in Arik’s latest book, Why Animals Talk. RESOURCESBOOKSAlex and Me by Irene PepperbergHarry Potter by J.K. RowlingThe Zoologist's Guide to the Galaxy by Arik Kershenbaum Why Animals Talk by Arik Kershenbaum PAPERS Epiphenomenal Qualia by Frank JacksonWhat Is It Like to Be a Bat? by Thomas NagelPEOPLEAlex (parrot)Irene PepperbergJ.K. RowlingRick McIntyreTemple GrandinConnect and Learn MoreSearch "Arik Kershenbaum" to find his books, podcast interviews, TV appearances, and more.