The Contemplative Science Podcast
1) How Compassion Works w/ Paul Condon
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Paul Condon to explore his new book How Compassion Works and the science behind cultivating compassion that lasts. We discuss what compassion really is, how it can...Show More
2) The Inner Science of Pain: Compassion, Contemplation, and Healing w/ Richmond Stace
What if understanding pain was a contemplative act? Richmond Stace, creator of Pain Coaching, brings together neuroscience, psychotherapy, and contemplative insights to rethink chronic pain not just a...Show More
3) Being Deeply Well: Dharma, Discomfort, and the Healing Path w/ Melina Bondy & Arti Mehta
What does it really mean to be deeply well—not just symptom-free or spiritually polished, but truly grounded, embodied, and alive? In this episode, Dharma teachers Melina Bondy and Arti Mehta explore ...Show More
4) How Compassion Works w/ Lama John Makransky
In this episode, Lama John Makransky joins us to explore the inner architecture of compassion. Drawing from his new book How Compassion Works, we discuss how Buddhist meditative practices, attachment ...Show More
5) Is Meditation Philosophy? w/ Rick Repetti
In this episode, we speak with Rick Repetti—philosopher, meditation teacher, and editor of The Routledge Handbook of the Philosophy of Meditation. We explore whether meditation can be considered a for...Show More
6) Science and Practice of Dark Retreats w/ Andrew Holecek
What happens when you spend days—or even weeks—in complete darkness? In this episode, Andrew Holecek — an expert in Tibetan Buddhism, lucid dreaming, and meditation — guides us through the profound pr...Show More
7) Neurons, Networks, and the Nature of Freedom w/ Adam Safron
In this episode, I am joined by Adam Safron, an independent researcher with a wild range of interests—from consciousness and free will to psychedelics, artificial life, and AI alignment. With affiliat...Show More
8) Breaking Free from Mental Ruts: The Science of Sense Foraging w/ Norman Farb
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Norman Farb to discuss his new book, Better in Every Sense, co-authored with Dr. Zindel Segal, which explores how we become emotionally stuck and how to break fre...Show More
9) The Museum of Meditative Practices w/ Mridula Sathyanarayanan
In this episode, we’re joined by Mridula Sathyanarayanan, a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Toronto, majoring in neuroscience, philosophy, and Buddhist Psychology & Mental Health...Show More
10) Dissolving Boundaries - A Computational View of Body-Scan Meditation w Valeria Becattini
In this episode, we sit down with Valeria Becattini, a cognitive scientist and philosopher, to explore the paradoxical effects of body-scan meditation on our sense of self. Drawing from her research, ...Show More