Fathom the Mind Podcast
On Fathom the Mind, we explore what cutting-edge science and rigorous contemplative practice can tell us about the nature of consciousness.
In this exploration, we hope to empower our listeners to live lives of both intellectual integrity and contemplative depth.
Why this podcast?
Why now?
On Fathom the Mind, we interview experts in the fields of both modern science and contemplative practice in order to explore the nature of consciousness.
Interweaving expert knowledge and the personal experiences of guests, we facilitate well-rounded conversations about the nature of consciousness, all while upholding the rigor that true scientific inquiry demands. Through this exploration, we hope to demystify and advance the conversation around consciousness in the modern world. Every so often, we’ll also discuss mind-training tools that not only support our ability to think clearly and scientifically, but also help us cultivate a deep sense of well-being.In so doing, we hope to empower our listeners to live lives of both intellectual integrity and contemplative depth.
Our latest episode
Our guest on this episode is Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo. Jetsunma is a bhikṣuṇī (which is the Sanskrit term for a fully-ordained Buddhist nun) in the Drukpa Lineage of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. She is an author and teacher, as well as the founder of the Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery in Himachal Pradesh, India. She is well known for having spent twelve years living and practicing in a remote cave in the Himalayas, three of those years in strict meditation retreat.
Given Jetsunma’s background, we thought it fitting to bring in CCR Co-founder and Vice President Dr. Eva Natanya as a guest host for this conversation. In addition to her administrative duties, Dr. Natanya serves as a resident teacher at the CCR’s mind lab in Crestone, Colorado, helping to guide dedicated meditators who practice there in long-term, solitary meditation retreat. On a related note, if you’d like to learn more about the CCR’s vision for how this kind of sustained practice might influence the field of contemplative science, please visit our website, linked below.
In their dialogue, Jetsunma and Dr. Natanya cover a wide range of topics—including Buddhist monasticism, psychological upheavals in retreat, mind-training in daily life, and the roles of neuroscience and contemplative practice in studying the nature of consciousness. Across all these topics, one can trace a common thread: that true mental balance is accessible to all of us, so long as we can commit to training our minds in whatever circumstances we find ourselves.
This dialogue overflows with memorable stories and hard-won wisdom, and we hope you find something today that you can take into your own lived experience.
Episode archive:
Find all of our episodes below. More episodes will be added soon.
In their dialogue, Jetsunma and Dr. Eva Natanya cover a wide range of topics—including Buddhist monasticism, psychological upheavals in retreat, mind-training in daily life, and the roles of neuroscience and contemplative practice in studying the nature of consciousness. Across all these topics, one can trace a common thread: that true mental balance is accessible to all of us, so long as we can commit to training our minds in whatever circumstances we find ourselves.
Prof. Michel Bitbol’s career spans the fields of medical science, quantum physics, and philosophy of mind. But along the way, there was one basic question that became harder and harder to ignore: What role does consciousness play in scientific research?
At the heart of many contemplative traditions, astrophysicist Piet Hut recognized echoes of the scientific method: the process of formulating hypotheses and testing them with replicable experiments.