The Overexamined Life

Today, I chat with Dr. Shannon Albarelli, a clinical psychologist, mindfulness instructor, and ketamine-assisted therapy guide. We dive into her journey through loss, and explore how science, ancient wisdom, and psychedelics can help us unlock new parts of ourselves, find peace, and actually enjoy being alive.Find out more about Dr. Shannon here: https://www.doctor-shannon.com/Sick of being ruled by your emotions?Join our Patreon for AD-FREE listening, bonus episodes, and mindfulness exercises that are actually fun: patreon.com/TOLclub Want to learn how to meditate? Get 30 days of the Waking Up App FREE: wakingup.com/primo  WATCH THE PODCAST on YoutubeFollow Jonah Primo on Instagram or visit his WebsiteJonah writes on SubstackEmail Jonah Primo at overexamined@jonahprimo.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In honour of the 2026 Winter Olympics, we sit down with speed skating gold medalist Mark Tuitert to explore what actually separates an Olympic champion from everyone else—and it turns out it’s not just training harder, but mastering forgiveness, acceptance, and the messy reality of being human. Drawing on Stoic philosophy, personal loss, and hard-won perspective, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone curious about the inner chemistry of peak performance.Get your copy of "The Stoic Mindset" here: https://marktuitert.nl/en/the-stoic-mindset/Sick of being ruled by your emotions?Join our Patreon for AD-FREE listening, bonus episodes, and mindfulness exercises that are actually fun: patreon.com/TOLclub Want to learn how to meditate? Get 30 days of the Waking Up App FREE: wakingup.com/primo  WATCH THE PODCAST on YoutubeFollow Jonah Primo on Instagram or visit his WebsiteJonah writes on SubstackEmail Jonah Primo at overexamined@jonahprimo.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If nobody knows, how can we trust anything? Fortunately Alan Watts weighs in to make us feel at peace. Sick of being ruled by your emotions?Join our Patreon for AD-FREE listening, bonus episodes, and mindfulness exercises that are actually fun: patreon.com/TOLclub Want to learn how to meditate? Get 30 days of the Waking Up App FREE: wakingup.com/primo  WATCH THE PODCAST on YoutubeFollow Jonah Primo on Instagram or visit his WebsiteJonah writes on SubstackEmail Jonah Primo at overexamined@jonahprimo.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vic Zerbst is a weapon of mass creation. They co-wrote and starred in Optics (Logie-nominated for Best Scripted Comedy) and the Christmas movie Nugget is Dead. They are also one half of the award-winning sketch duo Fruidian Nip, and this year premiered Converted! which is a queer musical developed through the Rebel Wilson Comedy Commission.But we had Vic on not just as a comedian, but as a razor-sharp thinker. In this conversation we dive into creativity, burnout, chronic pain, Vic's thoughtful takes on AI and epistemology, and of course free will.Sick of being ruled by your emotions?Join our Patreon for AD-FREE listening, bonus episodes, and mindfulness exercises that are actually fun: patreon.com/TOLclub Want to learn how to meditate? Get 30 days of the Waking Up App FREE: wakingup.com/primo  WATCH THE PODCAST on YoutubeFollow Jonah Primo on Instagram or visit his WebsiteJonah writes on SubstackEmail Jonah Primo at overexamined@jonahprimo.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Master Mingtong Gu, an ex-mathematician turned meditation master, has abandoned his algorithms for slow-motion arm waving. Well it’s much more than that. The art of Qigong is a recipe to become calmer, clearer, and harder to rattle. We talk about what Qigong is, how it regulates your nervous systems, why you can’t logic your way out of burnout, why today’s leaders are ineffective, how to take control of your own health, connecting the mind and body, and much more. Ennnnjoy!Sick of being ruled by your emotions?Join our Patreon for AD-FREE listening, bonus episodes, and mindfulness exercises that are actually fun: patreon.com/TOLclub Want to learn how to meditate? Get 30 days of the Waking Up App FREE: wakingup.com/primo  WATCH THE PODCAST on YoutubeFollow Jonah Primo on Instagram or visit his WebsiteJonah writes on SubstackEmail Jonah Primo at overexamined@jonahprimo.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

just can't help myself peeps.Sick of being ruled by your emotions?Join our Patreon for AD-FREE listening, bonus episodes, and mindfulness exercises that are actually fun: patreon.com/TOLclub Want to learn how to meditate? Get 30 days of the Waking Up App FREE: wakingup.com/primo  WATCH THE PODCAST on YoutubeFollow Jonah Primo on Instagram or visit his WebsiteJonah writes on SubstackEmail Jonah Primo at overexamined@jonahprimo.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Things have been grim but now they're ok because of an echidna :)Sick of being ruled by your emotions?Join our Patreon for AD-FREE listening, bonus episodes, and mindfulness exercises that are actually fun: patreon.com/TOLclub Want to learn how to meditate? Get 30 days of the Waking Up App FREE: wakingup.com/primo  WATCH THE PODCAST on YoutubeFollow Jonah Primo on Instagram or visit his WebsiteJonah writes on SubstackEmail Jonah Primo at overexamined@jonahprimo.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A very quick wrap up and we hear from a much requested special guest. Sick of being ruled by your emotions?Join our Patreon for AD-FREE listening, bonus episodes, and mindfulness exercises that are actually fun: patreon.com/TOLclub Want to learn how to meditate? Get 30 days of the Waking Up App FREE: wakingup.com/primo  WATCH THE PODCAST on YoutubeFollow Jonah Primo on Instagram or visit his WebsiteJonah writes on SubstackEmail Jonah Primo at overexamined@jonahprimo.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

unprocessed thoughts i dont know what else to do with Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Chief of Staff is 'Part strategist, part therapist, part parent' to the world leader. Phoebe Saintilan-Stocks has interviewed pretty much all of them, and today I realised this invisible right hand is actually kind of important. Check out Pheobe's book! Here's the link for Australia-based listeners, and here's the international shipping link. Join our Patreon for AD-FREE listening, bonus episodes, and mindfulness exercises that are actually fun: patreon.com/TOLclubWant to learn how to meditate? Get 30 days of the Waking Up App FREE: wakingup.com/primoWATCH THE PODCAST on YoutubeFollow Jonah Primo on Instagram or visit his WebsiteJonah writes on SubstackEmail Jonah Primo at overexamined@jonahprimo.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Imagine saying EXACTLY what you think, and doing EXACTLY what you feel like doing? Sounds crazy to me, but Margery Ai has cultivated her ability to do exactly that. Join our Patreon for AD-FREE listening, bonus episodes, and mindfulness exercises that are actually fun: patreon.com/TOLclubWant to learn how to meditate? Get 30 days of the Waking Up App FREE: wakingup.com/primoWATCH THE PODCAST on YoutubeFollow Jonah Primo on Instagram or visit his WebsiteJonah writes on SubstackEmail Jonah Primo at overexamined@jonahprimo.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death anxiety sucks up a lot of energy, but even if you don’t believe in the afterlife, there are some very good reasons not to worry. Join our Patreon for AD-FREE listening, bonus episodes, and mindfulness exercises that are actually fun: patreon.com/TOLclubWant to learn how to meditate? Get 30 days of the Waking Up App FREE: wakingup.com/primoWATCH THE PODCAST on YoutubeFollow Jonah Primo on Instagram or visit his WebsiteJonah writes on SubstackEmail Jonah Primo at overexamined@jonahprimo.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3 abstract techniques that have helped me kick insomnia without medication, therefore making life 1000x better. Join our Patreon for AD-FREE listening, bonus episodes, and mindfulness exercises that are actually fun: patreon.com/TOLclubWant to learn how to meditate? Get 30 days of the Waking Up App FREE: wakingup.com/primoWATCH THE PODCAST on YoutubeFollow Jonah Primo on Instagram or visit his WebsiteJonah writes on SubstackEmail Jonah Primo at overexamined@jonahprimo.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We'll be back to regular programming next week but I just needed to *get this out of my system*Explicit language warningSick of being ruled by your emotions?Join our Patreon for AD-FREE listening, bonus episodes, and mindfulness exercises that are actually fun: patreon.com/TOLclub Want to learn how to meditate? Get 30 days of the Waking Up App FREE: wakingup.com/primo  WATCH THE PODCAST on YoutubeFollow Jonah Primo on Instagram or visit his WebsiteJonah writes on SubstackEmail Jonah Primo at overexamined@jonahprimo.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

BUT, let everything else, it was an opportunity, a violent opportunity - to learn more about what it is to be human.Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/TOLclub GET 30 DAYS OF THE WAKING UP APP FREE: wakingup.com/primo  Follow Jonah Primo on Instagram: instagram.com/jonahprimo or visit his Website: Jonahprimo.comJonah writes on Substack: https://jonahprimo.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From leaving orthodox religion, to positing that we may be actual literal brains floating through space (and then exploding), Miriam Schoenfield, philosophy PhD, takes us on a rollercoaster ride for our minds - explaining why we should seek the exhilarating thrill of being wrong about everything we believe. NOTE: I know there's a bit of echo and audio hum in this one, our main recording exploded and this was made from the backup, I'm SORRY.Join our Patreon for AD-FREE listening, bonus episodes, and mindfulness exercises that are actually fun: patreon.com/TOLclub Want to learn how to meditate? Get 30 days of the Waking Up App FREE: wakingup.com/primo  WATCH THE PODCAST on YoutubeFollow Jonah Primo on Instagram or visit his WebsiteJonah writes on SubstackEmail Jonah Primo at overexamined@jonahprimo.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Imagine if slipping through the cracks was not a disaster, but a subtle art? Today we settle in with Katherine May, the internationally bestselling British author of "Wintering", whose words have redefined how we think about stillness, resilience, and wonder. In one of my favourite episodes this season, we wander through the land of naps, daydreams and the art of staring out the window until something starts to make sense. Katherine reminds us that those quiet spells when everything seems to slow to a crawl are not catastrophes, but secret invitations to start again.Sick of being ruled by your emotions?Join our Patreon for AD-FREE listening, bonus episodes, and mindfulness exercises that are actually fun: patreon.com/TOLclub Want to learn how to meditate? Get 30 days of the Waking Up App FREE: wakingup.com/primo Read Katherine's Book Wintering here and her new book, here.  WATCH THE PODCAST on YoutubeFollow Jonah Primo on Instagram or visit his WebsiteJonah writes on SubstackEmail Jonah Primo at overexamined@jonahprimo.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I find myself chasing the ever-fleeting hummingbird of innocence, that shimmering thing that flits just out of reach once you’ve seen too much of the world. But we need art to keep expressing this. Through the eyes of innocent children. only then do we remember how to feel horror again, unfiltered and unarmored. Sick of being ruled by your emotions?Join our Patreon for AD-FREE listening, bonus episodes, and mindfulness exercises that are actually fun: patreon.com/TOLclub Want to learn how to meditate? Get 30 days of the Waking Up App FREE: wakingup.com/primo  WATCH THE PODCAST on YoutubeFollow Jonah Primo on Instagram or visit his WebsiteJonah writes on SubstackEmail Jonah Primo at overexamined@jonahprimo.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is the brilliant Tim Minchin. You may know him from his Tony and Olivier-winning, Grammy-nominated musical Matilda, his viral song Come Home (Cardinal Pell), or his unforgettable University of Western Australia graduation address.Tim is a relentless interrogator of the human condition: a skeptic, a critic of dogma and pseudoscience, and a fierce champion of empiricism and evidence-based thinking, all while being incredibly funny.In this conversation, we explore whether you should have grand dreams, the purpose of art, A.I., social media, meaning, mental health, orgasms and much more.Buy tix to Tim's upcoming tour here (If hyperlinks disabled - https://www.timminchin.com/2025/04/07/songs-the-world-will-never-hear-2025-australian-tour/#more-26024)The book we mentioned, "You Don't Have to Have a Dream" is available here (If hyperlinks disabled - https://www.penguin.com.au/books/you-dont-have-to-have-a-dream-9781761620058)Join our Patreon for AD-FREE listening, bonus episodes, and mindfulness exercises that are actually fun: patreon.com/TOLclub Want to learn how to meditate? Get 30 days of the Waking Up App FREE: wakingup.com/primo  WATCH THE PODCAST on YoutubeFollow Jonah Primo on Instagram or visit his WebsiteJonah writes on SubstackEmail Jonah Primo at overexamined@jonahprimo.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WE ARE BACK BABY! Welcome to Season 2, - and what a guest to start off with. We talked about some heavy stuff, but through the lens of buddhism. Like how does a buddhist see racism, the israel-palestine conflict, happiness, what James' own ongoing struggle with cancer looks like, through the eyes of one who is if not enlightened, pretty enlightenedish. Enjoy.Our GuestJames Low was born in Scotland, but his spirit was forged in Himalayan crags and Indian monasteries under great buddhist maasters. James wove together his understanding of Western thought and Eastern ritual — psychology, philosophy, psychotherapy — into his teachings, and has become one of the most renowned voices in making Dzogchen and mindfulness intelligible to us overexaminers and chronic sufferers. https://simplybeing.co.uk/Learn something? Enjoy ad-free episodes and help us keep the show running at patreon.com/TOLclub Want to learn how to meditate? Get 30 days of the Waking Up App FREE: wakingup.com/primo  WATCH THE PODCAST on YoutubeFollow Jonah Primo on Instagram or visit his WebsiteJonah writes on SubstackEmail Jonah Primo at overexamined@jonahprimo.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.