Mind & Life
Exploring frontiers of contemplative science
The Mind & Life podcast addresses fundamental questions that arise through bridging science and contemplative wisdom. How do we understand our minds? What are the mental patterns that shape our experience—how are those patterns created, maintained, and changed? In what ways can contemplative practices like meditation help us work with our minds? And what are the potential benefits of these practices for individuals and society?
This inquiry can happen through many lenses. Conversations on the show integrate contemplative approaches with perspectives from psychology, philosophy, neuroscience, anthropology, religion, social science, art, activism, and lived experience. We investigate these complex questions with leading researchers, thinkers, and on-the-ground practitioners, moving us toward a deeper understanding of ourselves and our world.
Meet the Host
Wendy Hasenkamp has been involved in contemplative science for over 10 years. In her role as Science Director at the Mind & Life Institute, she’s had a front row seat to the evolving landscape around the science of meditation and its impact on our lives. As a neuroscientist, she’s passionate about understanding the human mind; as a meditator, she has personal experience with how minds can be transformed. And as an author and teacher, she seeks to communicate complex ideas in an accessible way. Wendy’s longstanding interest in integrating science and contemplative wisdom provides a valuable frame for her discussions with leading thinkers who also seek to bridge these worlds.