Brain We Are

In this episode of Brain We Are, we explore the amazing world of fungi with Merlin Sheldrake, biologist and author of Entangled Life. Fungi are more than just mushrooms – they form vast networks that communicate, process information, and have surprising effects on the world around us. We discuss whether fungi could be conscious, how they communicate, and their potential role in shaping weather and even influencing our minds. Merlin also shares his personal experiences with psychedelics and how mushrooms can grow in the most unexpected places. Tune in for a fascinating look at how fungi connect life on Earth in ways you might never expect! This podcast was recorded during the MELTINGPOT forum in Ostrava in 2024 Timestamps: 01:06 Who is Merlin Sheldrake 02:01 How fungi differ from humans 04:42 Organisms are complex amplifiers of experience 05:16 Do any organisms have consciousness? 08:09 Are fungi conscious? 12:18 How fungi communicate 17:16 Electricity in fungi – can it store information? 20:50 Intelligence in organisms 23:31 How can we be inspired by mushrooms? 27:35 Do fungi spores affect our weather? 29:35 Mushrooms can grow anywhere – The story of a factory 32:39 Do mushrooms affect our minds on purpose? 35:53 The story of LSD & problem-solving abilities 44:19 Merlin’s experience with psychedelics 48:09 A few interesting things about fungi 51:20 How humans influence each other 53:36 How can we improve our health with mushrooms? 56:19 What is your favorite mushroom? 57:01 Ending

Join us in this revealing interview with Bryan Johnson, hailed as the most optimized human on the planet. Delve into the depths of his mind and discover the thoughts that drive his innovative visions. In this episode, we explore: How does Bryan think? Is he different in front of the camera and real life? Why is hate a predictable algorithm? Why does he want to escape in thought into 25th century? We discuss everything from consciousness to his don´t die movement. Why he doesn't trust his mind and when he has done with his Blueprint diet. This episode is not just a conversation; it's an exploration into what it means to optimize human potential and confront the complexities of mental health. Watch now to uncover the innovative and introspective world of Bryan Johnson. "I´ve learned not to trust my mind, because when I was chronically depressed, it said to kill myself." Listen to the latest episode here: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2czLMsbujC4p8FJ88gW0TQ?si=599b1b153e9f4a18 Apple iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brain-we-are/id1671775183 CastBox: https://castbox.fm/channel/id5315213?utm_source=website&utm_medium=dlink&utm_campaign=web_share&utm_content=Brain%20We%20Are-CastBox_FM "Quiet is the best communication" "I am trying to escape into 25th century." Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/track/peppermint-hip-hop/ Music from #InAudio:

In this illuminating episode of our podcast, we dive deep into the essence of wisdom with the esteemed cognitive scientist and philosopher, John Vervaeke. This conversation is an expedition into the heart of understanding, perception, and the profound transformational potential of wisdom in our lives. John Vervaeke, renowned for his groundbreaking work on cognitive science, psychology, and ancient philosophy, guides us through the intricate landscape of wisdom, its importance in our modern world, and the practical steps we can take to cultivate it. From the nuances of spectral egocentrism and the power of community learning to the intriguing role of psychedelics in expanding consciousness, this episode is a treasure trove of insights. We delve into the critical balance between trusting ourselves and valuing the feedback of others, exploring how this equilibrium is essential for personal growth and societal advancement. John also sheds light on the delicate dance between rationality and spirituality, revealing how these domains can coalesce to enrich our understanding of the universe and our place within it. Drawing on the profound teachings of Neoplatonism and the wisdom of thinkers like Gregory Bateson, we venture into discussions about the principles of the universe, the limitations of human perception, and the ontological revelations that challenge our everyday reality. This episode is more than just a podcast episode; it's an invitation to re-envision our approach to wisdom, encouraging listeners to embark on their own journey of discovery, introspection, and enlightenment. Whether you're a longtime admirer of Vervaeke's work or newly curious about the depths of wisdom, this episode promises to be a transformative experience, offering valuable perspectives that resonate with anyone looking to navigate the complexities of life with grace, understanding, and profound insight. Listen to the latest episode here: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2czLMsbujC4p8FJ88gW0TQ?si=599b1b153e9f4a18 Apple iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brain-we-are/id1671775183 CastBox: https://castbox.fm/channel/id5315213?utm_source=website&utm_medium=dlink&utm_campaign=web_share&utm_content=Brain%20We%20Are-CastBox_FM John's website: https://johnvervaeke.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:18 Wisdom 02:07 Why is wisdom an important topic? 03:17 How to cultivate the wisdom? 04:57 Perspectieval egocentrism 06:54 Feedback of other people 09:45 How much should I trust myself 11:32 The learners community 13:35 How we can integrate this to our society? 15:16 Psychedelics 19:11 Is our perception fooling us? 22:31 Principals of the universe 23:43 What does neoplatonic mean 25:17 Rationality VS Spirituality 25:48 Gregory Bateson 27:04 Some people enter ontological places... 28:58 Ending Used footage from: https://www.youtube.com/@johnvervaeke https://www.youtube.com/@lexfridman https://www.youtube.com/@JordanBPeterson Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/track/peppermint-hip-hop/ Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/track/coma-pop/

Bret and Heather are evolutionary biologists who earned their Ph.D. at the Michigan University and both of them were professors at Evergreen state college until 2017 and then visiting fellows at Princeton University. They now host the dark horse podcast. And in 2021 they published their book A Hunter-Gatherer's Guide to the 21st Century. Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bwa.podcast?igsh=MWRrNnFqc2gyZmwycg== The book: https://www.huntergatherersguide.com/ "We´ve arrived in the 21st century with evolutionary baggage, and a fair bit of intellectual confusion. Let us understand that baggage, in order to reduce confusion, and increase our odds of moving forward with maximal human flourishing." Listen to the best episodes we have: https://youtu.be/gDWxCkngQNQ?si=vMFSr2i0UkUoNKoR https://youtu.be/pSn_YOdKR40?si=YY_v_jUS-pfOZTMj https://youtu.be/yVIXMpI7tG0?si=tWmtsLdkrGlExvrX https://youtu.be/6xIvBeRj7ZM?si=281EV5GcEXEtC3aE Listen to the latest episode here: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2czLMsbujC4p8FJ88gW0TQ?si=599b1b153e9f4a18 Apple iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brain-we-are/id1671775183 CastBox: https://castbox.fm/channel/id5315213?utm_source=website&utm_medium=dlink&utm_campaign=web_share&utm_content=Brain%20We%20Are-CastBox_FM Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/track/sax-beat-funk/ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:09 Who are Bret and Heather 06:32 Why are humans Generalists 08:55 We have not changed 12:59 Tradeoffs of being a generalist 17:00 Noice making behaviors 20:21 Dance VS $ex 22:58 $exual autism? 32:31 The impact of Birth control 36:30 Our Creativity VS Our Sexuality 39:14 Imagine a world without the word "$ex" 45:32 We do not have to have a reason for action 48:21 Being in the zone 55:46 Campfire 01:04:56 Summary 01:07:25 How people can create their Campfires 01:12:09 Cheap dopamine & Social media 01:19:47 We have too many choices 01:26:06 What is "Senescence civilization" 01:33:02 intergenerational inheritance 01:38:11 CZ VS USA Society 01:47:19 Metamodernism 01:56:00 Concept of the Fourth Frontier 02:04:02 We have finite energy 02:18:52 Ending

Dive into the depths of consciousness and explore the intricate tapestry of reality with Ethan Kobayashi-Hsieh in this thought-provoking podcast episode. From dissecting the enigmatic concept of "TIAMAT" to delving into the complexities of existence and shared realities, each minute is a journey through the profound and the surreal. Join us as we navigate the perspectives of being in space, the multiplicity of selves, and the feeling of rightness. Unravel the intriguing connection between vacuum and emptiness, explore the impact of TIAMAT on the mind, and contemplate the essence of a playground. With topics ranging from mental exercises and imaginable layers to the interplay between reality and the imaginary, this conversation is a playground for the intellect. Listen to the previous episode with Ethan here 👇 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9qIJjofBEE&ab_channel=BrainWeArePodcast Listen to the latest episode here 👇 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2czLMsbujC4p8FJ88gW0TQ?si=1d84b2b9ad8d4b34 Apple iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brain-we-are/id1671775183 CastBox: https://castbox.fm/channel/id5315213?utm_source=website&utm_medium=dlink&utm_campaign=web_share&utm_content=Brain%20We%20Are-CastBox_FM Ethan's work 👇 https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethan-hsieh-828a63240/ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:26 Previous episode with Ethan 02:26 What is “TIAMAT” 05:04 What is a container (TIAMAT) & Safe space 07:32 What is real but doesn´t exist 12:25 Complexity of existence 16:34 Concept of shared reality 21:15 Perspective of Being in space & Being the space 25:20 Perspective of multiple selves 30:37 What do you feel? The feeling of rightness 36:01 Concept of 3 points 38:53 Vacuum VS Emptiness 42:53 Actual Meditation 47:56 Guys's brains 49:48 What is Kristof anxious about 52:28 The impact of TIAMA 55:06 Concepts of moving 01:00:36 What do you think about a playground? 01:03:38 Spantainty 01:08:10 How to integrate the Playground concept 01:13:28 Don't be an a$*hole while playing 01:29:09 Complexity of language tool 01:33:46 Authentic Relating 01:39:56 Dialectical journaling 01:44:01 Journaling 01:46:05 Kristof’s experience 01:48:58 Relationships with others VS to yourself 02:05:39 Mental exercises 02:09:59 Imaginable layers 02:16:05 Reality VS Imaginary 02:27:23 Interacting with people's ideas 02:29:13 Imaginable structures in society Beyond TIAMAT: Navigating the Playground of Existence with Ethan Kobayashi-Hsieh The Cosmos Within: Unveiling Reality, TIAMAT, and Imaginary Structures with Ethan Mindscapes Unleashed: Ethan Kobayashi-Hsieh Explores TIAMAT, Playground Concepts, and Imaginary Realities THIS is what you're missing... | Ethan Kobayashi-Hsieh

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel! https://youtu.be/tufAWieVTdk?si=8cQY_q10tRYapjj4 Welcome to an enlightening episode of Brain We Are podcast, where we dive deep into the intricate world of human emotions with the renowned Dr. Gabor Maté. In this thought-provoking conversation, we explore the topic of "How to Control Your Emotions," with a focus on anger management and personal authenticity. Dr. Maté, a distinguished expert in the field of psychology, provides invaluable insights and guidance that can help transform the way you understand and manage your emotions. Join us for this enlightening conversation with Dr. Gabor Maté and take your first steps towards a more emotionally resilient and authentic life. Whether you're seeking to improve your emotional intelligence, resolve conflict, or simply understand yourself better, this podcast episode provides invaluable insights and tools to help you on your journey. Don't miss out – hit that subscribe button and turn on notifications to stay updated with our latest episodes! Listen to the latest episode here 👇: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2czLMsb... Apple iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... CastBox: https://castbox.fm/channel/id5315213?... See Dr. Maté's website 👀: https://drgabormate.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:05 Israel - Palestine conflict 03:01 How to control our emotions 05:24 Repressed anger 09:59 People pleasing 11:09 How to find out our inabilities 14:55 How to be authentic 15:45 Ending

Communication isn't just an act; it's the very essence of our existence. Every interaction, every connection, and every bond is shaped by how we communicate. Recognizing this, the quality of our communication can undoubtedly influence the quality of our lives. But how do we delve deep within to understand ourselves, enhance our self-awareness, and refine our communicative skills? This episode provides the answers, as we are thrilled to welcome Frederik Imbo - an exceptional NLP coach, master communicator, and the brains behind the sensational TEDx Talk that captivated over 16 million viewers! Join us on this enlightening journey as we explore the art of cultivating 'response-ability' and taking our communication to the next level. "Introverts need time and silence to think while extroverts talk to be able to think and we are both extroverted and introverted." - Frederik Imbo Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bwa.podcast ´Frederiks Company: https://imboorling.be/ What´s happening on our side? We´ve just been on the most amazing weekend meaningful camp with Ethan Kobayashi! And we are opening up a new camp for a wait list here in the beautiful nature of the Czech Republic. It´s TIAMAT TIER 1 opened up for registration! https://brainya.org/meaningful-camp-with-ethan-kobayashi-hsieh/

Sign up for our upcoming Meaningful Camp! https://brainya.org/meaningful-camp-with-ethan-kobayashi-hsieh/ Matt Jardine takes us on a metaphorical pilgrimage, sharing valuable insights from his personal and professional journey. We discuss the importance of creating an effective learning environment and explore the profound implications of asking oneself the pivotal question: 'What do I truly want?' Join us for an intriguing exploration of life, self-discovery, and the quest for genuine desire. Matt Jardine is a renowned martial arts instructor and author of How to be a Buddhist Millionaire, acclaimed for his unique blend of Eastern philosophy and personal transformation principles. Through his insightful writing, he has helped readers worldwide tackle contemporary challenges using practical wisdom distilled from martial arts and his own experiences, especially pilgrimages. Join us as we dive into a captivating discussion on resilience, self-improvement, and the powerful lessons hidden within martial arts and pilgrimage with Matt Jardine. Big thanks to Melting pot and Colours of Ostrava! https://www.meltingpotforum.com/en Matt IG: https://www.instagram.com/mjthehardestpath/?hl=cs "At some point, you have to decide on what you are going to do." - Matt Jardin

Meaningful Camp with Ethan! https://brainya.org/meaningful-camp-with-ethan-kobayashi-hsieh/ Ethan takes self-transformation to another level and we talk all things TIAMAT his active transformation methodology that captivated me. Enjoy this wide-ranging conversation about our mind, insight, meaning, and wisdom. Who is Ethan? Ethan Kobayashi-hsieh is an Artistic Director at 5ToMidnight International. Ethan Kobayashi-Hsieh is working at the intersection between actor training, cognitive science, and post-Jungian psychoanalysis. Ethan has been actively developing a performance practice called The Integrative Approach and Methodology of Active Transformation (TIAMAT) through practice-as-research and conducting workshops across Asia. TIAMAT works on leveraging performance practice to ameliorate self-deceptive tendencies and promote dynamic, self-organizing, sapiential processing. Ethan is an Associate Lecturer in Drama and Performance Practice at Shelton College International and an organizing member of the Respond Network of Wisdom practitioners. Brain We Are and Ethan are going to have TIAMAT camp in the beautiful nature of "Czech Paradise" in a cottage in village Klokočí. You can sign up and find more information about the camp here: https://brainya.org/meaningful-camp-with-ethan-kobayashi-hsieh/

That is the Self? How does a placebo work? Can we train genetic pathways? What is bioelectric memory? What are recent breakthroughs in biology? This and much more in this episode with brilliant Michael Levin. Michael Levin is a Scientist at Tufts University; his lab studies anatomical and behavioral decision-making at multiple scales of biological, artificial, and hybrid systems. Levin's work is particularly innovative in its use of bioelectric signals - electrical signals that cells use to communicate with each other - to guide the development and regeneration of tissues. By manipulating these signals, Levin has been able to induce the growth of new body parts in animals, such as tails and eyes, and even direct the formation of new organs. Overall, Michael Levin is a fascinating and pioneering figure in the field of developmental biology, whose work is helping to transform our understanding of how living organisms grow and repair themselves. Michael´s Website - https://www.drmichaellevin.org/ "A self is a collection of parts that are able to work together towards system-level goals." - Michael Levin Michael´s Twitter - https://twitter.com/drmichaellevin Timestamps: 00:00 What does Michael do? 07:00 How do we develop from genes? 13:00 Emergence in biology - Electric circuits 20:00 Biolelectric information in an organism 34:00 Hardware Vs. Software and Evolution 38:30 Morphospace 49:00 Goal-directedness biology 55:00 Placebo and can you train Genetic Pathways? 1:05:00 Robots in physiological space 1:07:00 The Self and Identity 1:15:00 Levels of the self

Find out about the most potent and breakthrough supplements with Shawn Wells. Shawn is a nutritional biochemist. He has formulated over 1000 supplements, food, beverages, and cosmeceuticals and patented 25 novel ingredients and is now known as the Ingredientologist - the scientist of ingredients. Formerly a Chief Clinical Dietitian with over a decade of clinical experience, he has counseled thousands of people on natural health solutions such as keto, paleo, fasting, and supplements. And this was one of the best conversations that we´ve ever had because Shawn really goes deep and knows what he is talking about and gave us a ton of insights and practical tips and tools that we can use today to optimize our help. So give it a listen, because it was epic. Shawns website: https://shawnwells.com/ Follow us on Socal Media! Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/BrainWeAre  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bwa.podcast/ Timestamps:  03:57 Caffein  16:05 Testosterone  19:58 Aging  23:11 Niacin 30:44 Essential micronutrients 48:26 Creatine  58:25 Outro

Practical Buddhism and Mindfulness, how can they improve our lives on a daily basis? With incredible pleasure, we are presenting our interview with David Michie. David Michie is the internationally best-selling author of The Magician of Lhasa series, The Dalai Lama's Cat series, and several non-fiction titles on meditation and Buddhism. His books are published in over 30 languages and 50 countries. We talked about our subjective experiencing of the world and how to make it maybe a little bit more pleasant throughout our life. We talked about theory and practical things that you can incorporate into your life. Enjoy the show and if you want to support us in any way, please share it with friends! Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/BrainWeAre and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bwa.podcast/ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTEpKUkN2y6zCuC0AeOauIQ

In an ever-changing world knowing who you are is becoming a super-power. We are infinitely affected and connected to the environment around us. We are biased to fit in, there's always this pressure not to peak out of the ordinary. It has been beneficial at some point in the evolution, perhaps, when we were in a smaller group of people and those were the only people we knew. Any embarrassment there would mean, that we wouldn't spread our genes into future generations, therefore standing out was not selected for. That's the root of social status bias. Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/BrainWeAre and Instagram  Follow @ChrisWillxGet his lifehacks here: https://chriswillx.com/lifehacks/ TimeStamps: 00:00 Who is Chris Williamson and what does he do?  02:00 What did Chris love to do as a Child?  06:40 What questions did Chris ask before starting Modern Wisdom?  10:00 How to rediscover yourself?  15:30 Embracing weirdness  21:55 How do you integrate information into our own life  27:45 The Good sh*t sticks  41:15 Non-religious spirituality and evolutionary psychology  42:15 Have a Red Pill: Free Will - So What? 45:00 Sam Harrises' experience of no free will  49:00 "Just enjoy the fu*king ride man"  50:00 Meaning and transcendence  53:00 Humans as an Inherently transcending creatures  56:00 Richness of our subjective experience "Just how insane it is to exist"  1:00:00 Evolutionary Psychology, insight, and mindfulness  1:04:00 Mindfulness gap  1:05:30 Favourite mental model: Never Multiply by zero  1:11:45 What's the most essential thing with mental models - Go into dirt  1:14:00 Red Pill  1:18:30 Dating Pareto Rule  1:22:20 Chris´s daily routines

With incredible pleasure and gratitude, we invite you to our talk with John Vervaeke. John is really interesting to us because not only has he mastered lecturing and talking about these topics with such a passion, but he also lives and is a living representation of the things he talks about! In fact, I believe we lived the things we talked about during the podcast.  We were talking about John's background, and how did he become interested in these kinds of topics. Thereafter we described what the meaning crisis is and the symptoms of it we can see throughout the world, culture, and ourselves.   What are the ways to make meaning? What are the lost ways of knowing and how important they are to make sense of the world and optimally grip it. We talked about the ecology of practices both inside and outside of mindfulness and how they lead to insight, wisdom and ultimately meaning as well.    We described the participatory nature of everything including ourselves and how that's important in cultivating meaning and wisdom. What role does love play in those processes and if you can fall back in love with reality again?  John described what the awakening experience might look like and how meditation and contemplation lead to it.  Last but not least the concepts we've mentioned were modal confusion, what is it, and how to overcome it.  We hope that you are going to enjoy this talk with John as much as we did! Timestamps: 15:50 Meaning. How your experience unfolds, fits together, and makes sense.   19:35 Self-deception and modern environment. Wisdom and meaning in life.   21:00 CUltures and cultivation of wisdom and meaning. Distributed cognition. Meaning crisis.   26:40 Symptoms of meaning crisis.   30:13 Core ecology of practices. Mindfulness. Active open-mindedness. Sensory-motor practices. Discourse practice.   33:20 Awakening from the meaning crisis. Four types of knowledge and the difference between them.   44:45 Inverted life with conflated meanings of different types of knowledge. Monological mind culture.   49:56 Insight and its role in wisdom cultivation.   57:42 Socrates. Socratic faith. Wanting final forever knowledge vs knowing yourself and constant adaptation. Philia Sophia.  1:05:40 Cognitive flexibility. Change of state of consciousness.   1:09:13 Being present and catching insight and being aware of and being aware through.   1:25:22 Fromm, Having and Being existential modes. Agent-arena relationship.   1:30:05 Developmental needs. Becoming modes.   1:41:05 Falling in love with reality. Finding real patterns in the world.  The practices John does daily and his videos with expanded explanations on them:   1:50:10 Dream journaling https://youtu be/rWwmJ912NJU  1:50:42 Walking and practicing savoring https://youtu be/IeziyBT_Utg , invoking logos https://youtu be/xkfEb1FnRRM  1:52:30 Tai Chi  https://youtu be/OWiANJeO_yc and Chi Kung https://youtu be/BMqbW0M6VUw  1:52:39 Vipassana meditation https://youtu be/oszQ5QL11W8, Metta contemplation https://youtu be/IXWB60QaAVA and Prajna https://youtu be/O8rZNE0hVyA   1:52:46 Lectio Divina https://youtu be/j_dUgJCja48  Books list: The Enlightned Heart. The Enlightened Mind. Wisdom of Hypatia. The Daily Stoic: 366 meditations on wisdom. Stoic Spiritual Exercises. The 25 Cognitive Biases. Damascius: Problems and solutions concerning the first principles.   1:53:13 Stoic journaling   1:54:50 State of wonder. Curiosity - Having Mode. Wonder - Being Mode. Falling in love with being.   1:58:00 Zen, mountains, rivers, and whoosh.