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Life Examined

Life Examined is a one-hour weekly podcast exploring psychology, philosophy, spirituality — and finding meaning in the modern world. The show is hosted by Jonathan Bastian.

society & culture

All Episodes

46:29

Tragic optimism and the male identity crisis with...

Life Examined ·

2024/12/15

Brad Stulberg, author of Master Of Change: How To Excel When Everything Is Changing — Including You shares his observations of humanity, resourcefulness, and community after his hometown of Asheville, North Carolina was hit by Hurricane Helene. The devastating storm left residents without power, water, and communications for days on end. In the aftermath of the storm, neighbors sprang into action by sharing, gathering, and helping each other wherever they could. Stulberg

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53:29

Is digital addiction fuelling a teen suicide crisis?

Life Examined ·

2024/12/08

A warning to listeners: The following conversation references suicide, suicidality, and content that is inappropriate for young listeners.Even before the pandemic, there was an increasing awareness of the decline in mental health of children and young adults. Researchers and scientists have talked and written about rising levels of anxiety in today’s youth, and many have pointed to the pervasiveness of smartphones and social media, which have exponentially magnified

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4:44

Midweek Reset: Finding a way (or path)

Life Examined ·

2024/12/04

This week British author Raynor Winn reflects on healing, hope and resilience. Finding herself homeless and coping with her husband’s recent health diagnosis - Winn and her husband set off on a long distance walk. As they set out together they discover how their perspective changes - and how much of their anxiety and bitterness melt away.Thisepisodewith Raynor Winn was originally broadcast, October 8th, 2023

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53:27

Renowned psychologist Tara Brach on the power of...

Life Examined ·

2024/12/01

*This episode was originally broadcast Saturday, June 26th, 2021Over the past few decades, Buddhism and psychology have served as bridges connecting Eastern and Western thought. Believing that nothing is permanent, Buddhism presents an honest understanding of our minds —how we spend so much of our time thinking about the past and future, and struggle to stay in the present. Harnessing these insights, psychologists and therapists have incorporated Buddhism into therapy by

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4:20

Midweek Reset: On legacy letters

Life Examined ·

2024/11/27

This week Rabbi Steve Leder on why we should consider what we leave those closest to us when we die to include a legacy letter or ‘ethical will.’ Rabbi Leder reminds us that it’s not only our material possessions that matter when we’re no longer around but what will be cherished most are our words, our guidance, and our love and gratitude.This episodewith Rabbi Steve Leder was originally broadcast, May 28th 2022

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53:28

‘The Serviceberry’: Robin Wall Kimmerer’s guide to...

Life Examined ·

2024/11/24

PotawatomibotanistRobin Wall Kimmererdiscusses the philosophy of a “gift economy” in her latest bookThe Serviceberry, expanding on the theme of reciprocity from her 2013 bookBraiding Sweetgrass. At a time of increasing consumerism and declining natural resources, gifting, Kimmerer reminds us, is a truly renewable resource. She draws on the example of theserviceberryand its remarkable ability to give: “In my Potawatomi language, the word for berry

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4:45

Midweek Reset: On Awe

Life Examined ·

2024/11/20

This week clinical psychologist and author Dacher Keltner delves into the science and mysteries surrounding awe and shares that awe is not just found in nature or music but most often in the moral beauty of other people. This episode with Dacher Keltner was originally broadcast, February 4th, 2023

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53:31

Food, Farming, Faith and Hip Hop; Black earth wisdom...

Life Examined ·

2024/11/17

The plight of Black farmers in America has a dark history. The trauma of stolen lands and exploited labor may explain why there are now relatively few Black and Indigenous people in farming, agriculture, or even within environmental activism.Leah Pennimanis one farmer fighting to change that. Penniman explains that there’s a rising generation of Black and brown farmers reexamining their relationship to the land and reclaiming the farming and agricultural practices once

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4:29

Midweek Reset: On Resilience

Life Examined ·

2024/11/13

This week clinical psychologist George Bonanno at Columbia University explores resilience and challenges some traditional notions about trauma and says that humans are far better at confronting and coping with adversity than we think. This episode with George Bonanno was originally broadcast September 17th, 2023

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53:24

Ryan Holiday: A Stoics guide to doing the right thing

Life Examined ·

2024/11/10

Throughout our lives we face situations that require a response. While events unfold around us, how we choose to react — or whether we choose to react at all — is entirely within our control. The concepts of justice and virtue are central to author Ryan Holiday’s latest book,Right Thing, Right Now:Good Values. Good Character. Good Deeds. Holiday explores how the ancient Greek philosophers Marcus Aurelius, Aristotle, and Seneca sought to provide a more pragmatic

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53:25

Breaking beyond tribalism and apathy: The brighter...

Life Examined ·

2024/11/03

With the U.S. election just days away there’s a palpable sense that with whichever candidate emerges victorious, it could signal the beginning of the end for their opponents. Whether this election is truly different from those of the past, or simply a byproduct of hyperfocus from the media — voters shouldn’t throw their hands up in despair. Throughout American history, everyday people have driven change in small and incremental steps. And these steps are

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4:19

Midweek Reset: The Art of the Imperfect

Life Examined ·

2024/10/30

This week Oliver Burkeman journalist and author of “Meditations for Mortals” discusses the complexities of trying to be perfect in an imperfect world. Accepting our limitations, he says, is a pathway to liberation and happiness.This episode with Oliver Burkeman was originally broadcast October 27, 2024

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53:28

Oliver Burkeman and the art of imperfectionism

Life Examined ·

2024/10/27

Journalist and authorOliver Burkemandiscusses the complexities of happiness, well-being, and productivity — emphasizing the futility of seeking a single solution. Burkeman offers guidance on why we shouldn’t sacrifice the very essence of living in search of perfection and doing it all. Treasuring those simple moments in daily life, which doesn’t mean settling for less, Burkemans says, “is a precondition for a really full life.” Delve deeper into

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4:39

Midweek Reset: On Friendship

Life Examined ·

2024/10/23

This week Kate Murphy, journalist and author of “You’re Not Listening: What You’re Missing and Why It Matters,”sheds some light on the value of true friendships, why quality is often more important that quantity and why it is so important to give time and space to the friendships we truly care about.Thisepisodewith Kate Murphy was originally broadcast June 5th, 2021

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53:21

The senses: A philosophical and sensual exploration...

Life Examined ·

2024/10/20

As the years go on and as science and research advances, we’re learning more and more about how animals are able to use sound and vibrations to effectively communicate with each other. Elephants, for example, can communicate through seismic vibrations felt through the pads of their feet.So what do we know about the nature of sound? How has it defined who we are and how we live? What role does it play in the lives of hearing individuals, deaf individuals, and everyone in

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4:29

Midweek Reset: On Anxiety

Life Examined ·

2024/10/16

This week Judson Brewerpsychiatrist, neuroscientist at Brown University and author of “Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your Mind” addresses how we can recognize certain behaviors that trigger anxiety disorders. Continually worrying feeds into an anxiety habit loop and the more we worry, the more anxious we become.

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53:29

Here’s what ‘Wild Rituals’ author Caitlin O’Connell...

Life Examined ·

2024/10/13

The amazing sights of the vast African savannas are familiar to many of us through the lens of superb documentary films and videos. Though there are many animals we watch with awe, there’s one rather peculiar looking animal that captivates the heart — the elephant.So much about elephants make them intriguing creatures: The oversized ears, the unique nature of their trunks (which, by the way, have more muscles than an entire human body), and perhaps most of all the

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4:15

Midweek Reset: On Trees

Life Examined ·

2024/10/09

This week Peter Wohlleben, renowned German forester and author of “The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate,” talks about the age-old connection between humans and the forest and encourages us to take notice. Wohlleben says that research indicates sitting under a tree or ‘forest bathing’ is beneficial for our health - it can reduce blood pressure and help us to stay calm and relax.

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53:29

What does boredom do for us… and to us?

Life Examined ·

2024/10/06

Why do we get bored? And what exactly happens to us when we experience boredom? Like joy and anxiety, boredom is a state of mind. Being bored does not mean you’re lazy and it has little to do with external factors like new cars, gadgets, or experiences.James Danckert, professor of psychology and director ofthe Cognitive Neuroscience Area at the University of Waterloo, has been studying why we get bored. He studies the reasons behind why boredom occurs, alongside the

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4:40

Midweek Reset: Rebranding Hope

Life Examined ·

2024/10/02

This weekJamil Zaki,professor of Psychology at Stanford University and author of“Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness,” talks about our need to rebrand hope as a culture. ‘Hope,’ Zaki says, is the idea that things could turn out better than we might otherwise be led to believe and suggests ways and strategies we can take to combate our own cynical perspectives. Thisepisodewith Jamil Zaki was originally broadcast Sept 15th, 2024

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335 results

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